According to Vedic civilization... (Lectures)

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"according to our vedic civilization" |"according to the vedic civilization" |"according to vedic civilization"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

Unless the government is equal to everyone... Just like God is equal to everyone. The king or the government must be representative of God. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, king is offered as good respect as to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. King is called nara-deva, nara-deva. That means "God in human form." King is given... Why? Because he acts as the representative of God. He cannot be jealous to any living entity, at least, born in his kingdom. That is called praja. Praja means one who has taken birth, or, in other words, national, national. So that was the duty.

Lecture on BG 1.15 -- London, July 15, 1973:

According to Vedic civilization, after the birth of the child, there was name-giving ceremony, what kind of name. So that was calculated astrologically, that what kind of name he should be given, because the name should carry some meaning of the activities of his life. So Kṛṣṇa is named here Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa, Kṛṣṇa, in the fifteenth chapter is described that He gives direction to everyone.

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

So if we serve Kṛṣṇa, that is our Acyuta position. If we deny to serve Kṛṣṇa, that is vicyuta, fallen condition. Acyuta and vicyuta. So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious means acyuta-gotra. Acyuta-gotra. Gotra, perhaps you do not know. Gotra is the family tradition. According to Vedic civilization, everybody has got gotra. Gotra means of the same family, of ṛṣis, gotra, from the ṛṣis. So we have to become acyuta-gotra, again belonging to the family of Kṛṣṇa. Now we are fallen. Therefore we have forgotten that we belong to the family of Kṛṣṇa. When we revive our consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that "I belong to the Kṛṣṇa's family..." Kṛṣṇa is not alone, eko bahu śyāma. He wants to enjoy.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

So he was trying to preach. Because he was king's son, there was no other opportunity for preaching, and he was a five-years-old boy. He took the opportunity in the classroom, as soon as the teacher is away, he would preach. He would preach. This is preaching spirit. As soon as you get some opportunity, preach. What is that preach? Preaching, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised us, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This is preaching. "Whoever you meet, simply speak of the instruction of Kṛṣṇa." So if you are advanced, if you know what is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā, you can preach to others. And if you have not read anything, suppose you do not know anything, then you can also preach. What is that? "Just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, my dear sir." That's all. This is also preaching. "Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa." You go door to door. If you cannot do anything, simply say, "My dear sir, you are very good man. Oh, you are very intelligent man. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Sakalam eva vihāya dūrāt. This preaching was taught by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. Dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā ca ahaṁ bravīmi. This is the preaching process. Dante nidhāya tṛṇakam. According to Vedic civilization, if one wants to become very humble and approach another person, then he has to take one straw in the mouth.

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

"The man who is going to work for us, whether he is family man?" Because unless he is a family man, he has no attraction. He can give up the job at any moment. Because there is no family attraction. This is the psychology. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, it is the duty of the parents to get the sons and daughters married so that they will have family attraction, they will be established, they will be organized, things will go nicely. If there is no family attraction, no responsibility, then the things will not go nicely. This is the basic principle.

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

kula-kṣaye praṇaśyanti

kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ

dharme nāste kulaṁ kṛtsnam

adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta

(BG 1.39)

Translation: "With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligious practice."

Prabhupāda: So, so much responsibility is there, killing the family. Because they have no responsibility at the present moment, everyone irreligious. Two things are there: religion and irreligion. Kṛṣṇa also says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati abhyutthānam adharmasya (BG 4.7). If we cannot keep on religious principles, then... We have to do something. Then we have to enhance our irreligious principle. So this family tradition, according to Vedic civilization, was very strictly observed so that the family may be kept in order in religious principles. Why? Now, because the human life is meant for reviving his eternal position, sanātana. This word is used here. Kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ. The real purpose of life, especially human life, is meant for reviving our sanātana-dharma, sanātana occupation, eternal occupation. By observing the rules and regulations of varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas..., that is called kula-dharma. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Each one of them must strictly observe the rules and regulations of that particular āśrama. Why it should be observed so strictly? Because by observing the regulative principle of each stages of life, one will be able to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

varṇāśramacarvatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate (panthā)

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(CC Madhya 8.58)

If we observe strictly the rules and regulations of kula-dharma... Kula-dharma means if you are a brāhmaṇa, you must observe the regulative principles, the qualitative principles of a brāhmaṇa. If you are in, a kṣatriya, then you must also observe the kṣatriya principles.

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

Whatever you do for your own satisfaction, for the satisfaction of your whims, that is mahā-pāpa, great sin. The same thing, when you do for Kṛṣṇa, that is opening your path to liberation, back to home, back to Godhead. This is difference. You have to change the consciousness. What you are doing? For whom you are doing? For yourself or for Kṛṣṇa? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And that is the perfection of life. In whatever position you are, whatever you are doing, it doesn't matter. That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭha

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhiṁ hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

Hari-toṣaṇam means to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Hari. That is perfection. It doesn't matter what you are doing. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. First of all, "whatever doing," it does not mean whatever nonsense you are doing, that will be accepted. No. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. According to Vedic civilization, there is division of varṇa: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So activities must be done according to the varṇāśrama prescription. A brāhmaṇa is ordered to do like this. Satyaḥ śamo damas titikṣa ārjavam. You should practice this. A kṣatriya should practice this. And a vaiśya should practice this. So therefore it is called varṇāśrama—the prescribed duties are already there. Therefore perfect human society means... First of all there must be this division, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. And when they act the duties of that particular position, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of life. It doesn't matter whether you are a śūdra or you are a brāhmaṇa, but if you act for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa according to the prescription of your position, then your life is perfect. That is wanted. The whole human civilization should be based on this principle. There must be division. The division is already there. They should be coordinated, systematized. Not that everyone is brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means the intelligent man. So we should pick up the intelligent men. They should be trained as brāhmaṇa. Those who are martial, having fighting spirit, they should be selected as kṣatriya. Those who are for increasing money, mercantile mentality, they should be also collected. Similarly, śūdras. And they should be trained, everyone, to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhiṁ hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13).

Lecture on BG 2.1-5 -- Germany, June 16, 1974:

Prabhupāda: (prema-dhvani)

Satsvarūpa: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeating). Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

sañjaya uvāca

taṁ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭam

aśru-pūrṇākulekṣaṇam

viṣīdantam idaṁ vākyam

uvāca madhusūdanaḥ

(BG 2.1)

Prabhupāda: Next. Next. Next verse.

Satsvarūpa: Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. (devotees repeating)

kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ

viṣame samupasthitam

anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam

akīrti-karam arjuna

(BG 2.2)

Prabhupāda: Next verse also.

Satsvarūpa:

klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha

naitat tvayy upapadyate

kṣudraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyaṁ

tyaktvottiṣṭha parantapa

(BG 2.3)

(repeats)

Prabhupāda: Next verse.

Satsvarūpa:

arjuna uvāca

kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye

droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana

iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi

pūjārhāv arisūdana

(BG 2.4)

(repeats)

Prabhupāda: Next verse also.

Satsvarūpa:

gurūn ahatvā hi mahānubhāvān

śreyo bhoktuṁ bhaikṣyam apīha loke

hatvārtha-kāmāṁs tu gurūn ihaiva

bhuñjīya bhogān rudhira-pradigdhān

(BG 2.5)

Prabhupāda: Synonyms? No. Everyone goes to bring that flask, and everyone is lost.

Satsvarūpa: Here it is.

Prabhupāda: (to translator who translates throughout:) In German language you can just translate this śloka he has ut...

So this was a discussion between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So the subject of discussion was that although the battle was declared, Arjuna, when he actually found that "On the other side there are my relatives," how he could slay them? Kṛṣṇa advised that "Everyone must execute his prescribed duty without consideration of any personal loss or gain." According to Vedic civilization, there are four divisions of the society. Everywhere the same divisions are there all over the world. This is very natural. Just like we can study from our own body, there is head, there is arm, there is belly, and there is leg, similarly, in the society there must be a class of men who should be considered as brain, another class of men should be there who will protect the society from danger, another class of men will be expert in producing food grains and give protection to the cows and make trade, so. And the rest class of men, namely who cannot work as brain neither can work as protector from danger, nor they can produce food grains or give protection to the cows, they are called śūdras—as you cannot avoid, to make your body complete, the brain department, the arms department, the belly department and the walking or working department.

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

So Bhagavān is criticizing. Arjuna became a very good man: "Why shall I...? Oh, I cannot kill my kinsmen." From material point of view, people will very much appreciate, "Oh, here is Arjuna. He's so nice, nonviolent. He is foregoing his claim. He has given up his astra, bow and arrows. He's no, no longer fighting. He has decided not to fight with kinsmen, kill his own men." So from material point of view, Arjuna is supposed to be very, very good man. But the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, what does He say? Anārya-juṣṭam: "You rascal, you are speaking like anārya." He'll say rascal later on. He posed himself to be very good man, but when he comes to the test of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He refuses to accept him as a good man. He's saying that "You are anārya." There are two kinds of men: anārya and ārya. Āryan. Āryan means advanced in knowledge. He's called Āryan. And anārya means uncivilized. So immediately He rebukes him, anārya-juṣṭam. "You are talking just like non-Āryan, uncivilized person." People are very much, nowadays, eager how to stop war. But Kṛṣṇa says... (break) ... at any case is not required. There is necessity of war. Just like He's trying to convince Arjuna. Our war means... According to Vedic civilization, that is dharma-yuddha, religious fight. When the actual need is there to fight, we must fight. Not that when there is need of fight, one becomes nonviolent. Just like yesterday in the evening, when we were talking with Dr. Shoemaker, so they were supporting that "Why should you kill any animal who is coming to... If you are determined not to kill..." We were talking of not killing, that why should you kill one animal who is coming to attack? No. You must kill. That is necessity. You should not go to the forest to find out some living entities, living beings, to kill. That is not your business. That is hiṁsa. But if a tiger comes to attack you, you must kill. That is self-defense. And that is not hiṁsa. So a devotee knows, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person knows when to kill and when not to kill. But it is not that because we accept not killing, therefore in every case, killing should be stopped. No. If there is necessity, killing should be accepted. Therefore Arjuna decided not to kill, not to fight. And Kṛṣṇa says that "This is anārya-juṣṭam. this kind of decision is made by the uncivilized rascal." Anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam akīrti-karam (BG 2.2). So many things, He says. Asvargyam. Because the aim of human life should be to make progress. That is called ārya, progressive march.

Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

So our the whole instruction of Bhagavad-gītā is that: You should not act for yourself; you should simply act for Kṛṣṇa. So even fighting for Kṛṣṇa, or even doing something still abominable for Kṛṣṇa... Just like the gopīs. The gopīs were captivated by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was a young boy, very beautiful, and the gopīs were young girls. That is the superficial... Actually, the gopīs are eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). They are expansions of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency expansion. They are meant for Kṛṣṇa's pleasure. They are not ordinary women. But superficially, just to teach us how to love Kṛṣṇa at the risk of anything... Therefore gopīs, when they were attracted by Kṛṣṇa at midnight... Kṛṣṇa was playing flute, and they became attracted and they left home. Some of them were locked up. They gave up their life even. They were so much attracted. Now this kind of behavior, if youngs girls... According to Vedic civilization, they cannot go out from the protection of father, husband or brother. No, they cannot go. Especially at midnight. So this was against Vedic principle. It is openly a kind of prostitution. But because it was done for Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He recommends, ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhubhiḥ kalpitā: "There is no more better type of worship than it was conceived by the vraja gopīs.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Manila, October 12, 1972:

Now there is one rascal, he is preaching there is no need of śāstra. Without śāstra, how you can make progress? Just like you are seeing the sun daily just like a disk. But if you through the śāstra you see geography, then you will understand the sun is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. So how do you know? You have not gone to the sun planet, but how do you know that it is ninety million miles away from your sight and it is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth? How do you know? Through the śāstra, through the books. So, therefore, you should see through the śāstra, authoritative śāstra, books. What we are speaking about the moon planet, sun planet, or God, His abode is Vaikuṇṭhaloka, spiritual world, so many things we are talking. How we are talking? We are talking through the Vedic literature. Because Vedic literature is authoritative. According to Vedic civilization, we don't accept any book written by rascal. We take, we accept the authority of the Vedas. What is stated there in the Vedas we accept, without any argument. For example... There are many examples. One of the example is that the Veda says that if you touch the stool of an animal, even your own stool... That is the system. In India still they are..., not in the city, but in the villages, you will see even ordinary man, he goes to pass stool in the field, and just after passing stool he will take bath just to purify himself, change his cloth. That is the śāstric injunction. In one place it is said that the stool of the cow is pure. Now if you argue that one place you say that the stool of an animal is impure, even your own stool if you touch you have to take bath, how is that another animal's stool is pure? This is superficially contradiction. But those who are following strictly the Vedic principles, they will accept that the stool of cow or cow dung is pure. Now, if you argue, "Why it is pure?" then you come to a modern chemical analysis, and you will find the cow dung is full of antiseptic properties. It has been examined in Calcutta by one doctor, Rajmohan(?) Bose. Therefore, the Vedic injunction is so perfect.

Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

There are two natures. That is explained in the seventh verse. The material nature and the spiritual nature. Or the superior nature or inferior nature. Just like in our body there are inferior parts and superior parts. Body is the same. But still there are different parts of the body. Some of them are considered as inferior and some of them are considered superior. Even two hands. According to Vedic civilization, right hand is the superior hand, and left hand is the inferior hand. When you want to give somebody something, you must give it with the right hand. If you give it by the left hand, it is insult. Two hand are required. Why this hand is superior, this hand...? So we have to accept the Vedic injunction. So although both the nature, the spiritual nature and material nature, is coming from the same source, Absolute Truth... Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything is emanating from Him. Still, there is inferior nature and superior nature. What is the difference between inferior and superior? In the inferior nature or the material nature, God consciousness is almost nil. Those who are in the modes of goodness, they have little God consciousness. And those who are in the modes of passion, they have got less degree; and those who are in the modes of ignorance, there is no God consciousness. Completely absent. Degrees.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

Pradyumna: "Considering your specific duty as a kṣatriya, you should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no need for hesitation."

Prabhupāda:

sva-dharmam api cāvekṣya

na vikampitum arhasi

dharmyāddhi yuddhāc chreyo 'nyat

kṣatriyasya na vidyate

(BG 2.31)

Sva-dharmam. Sva means "own." And dharmam means "occupation." Dharma means occupation and... (to Pradyumna:) You finished?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Sva means "own." Sva-dharmam: "one's own occupation." So according to Vedic civilization, everyone has his own sva-dharma. This has been misinterpreted by the rascals. Sva-dharma means anyone can discover his own religious principle. Yato mata tato patha. Whatever you think is religious principle, that's all right. This is going on. But that is not the meaning. Sva-dharma means "own occupation." Actually dharma means which you cannot give up. Dhṛ-dhātu. You have to capture it; to keep your existence you must capture it.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

Devotee: Verse 44: "In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination for devotional service to the Lord does not take place."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Here is very important thing. The exact Sanskrit word is,

bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ

tayāpahṛta-cetasām

vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ

samādhau na vidhīyate

(BG 2.44)

In the beginning it has been said that you make your determination that "In this life I shall execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in such a way that after leaving this body I enter into the spiritual world and go directly to Goloka Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇaloka." This is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ. Niścayātmikā means determination. But He says that persons who are attached, bhoga, material enjoyment, aiśvarya, material opulence: bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām (BG 2.44). Those who are too much attached to material enjoyment and material sense gratification, material opulence, tayāpahṛta-cetasām, and those who have become bewildered or mad after it, tayāpahṛta-cetasām, vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ, they cannot have such determination. They will fail to have such determination. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, there is voluntary renunciation. Just like Mahārāja Bharata, he was the emperor of the world, and at the age of twenty-four years he gave up everything. Mahārāja Bharata is a very... Long, long ago he appeared. But Lord Buddha, he was also princely order, and he was young man. He also gave up everything, his father's kingdom, everything. That you know because Lord Buddha is known at the present moment.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

Devotee: "In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment..."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Minds of those who are too much attached to the sense enjoyment. And?

Devotee: "...and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination for devotional service to the Lord does not take place."

Prabhupāda: Yes. They cannot take. Therefore we have to voluntarily accept simple life. Simple life. Just like we are sitting here on the floor. According to your American standard of life, this is not good. Therefore no very rich class of men or high class of men, they do not come to this because we have no sitting place. But actually, what is the difference? If you sit down on the floor or if you sit on a very nice comfortable couch, after all, you are sitting. But to secure a very nice couch, you have to waste your time so much. Your valuable time which you could use for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll have to waste for securing a comfortable seat of couch. This is called material civilization. That's all. You are extending the comforts of life, but you do not know that this life is temporary. How long you shall live in this comfort? Your real thing is spirit soul which is eternal. That is also the instruction of Lord Jesus, that after gaining everything, if you lose your own soul, what is the gain? Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām (BG 2.44). Therefore this is another kind of disqualification for advancing in spiritual consciousness, if one becomes too much attached to these material comforts of life. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, a boy is trained to become brahmacārī. Brahmacārī. Brahmacārī means complete celibacy. No sex life, no amusement. Because just to train him not to be attracted by this material sense enjoyment. Then he'll be able to grasp what is spiritual life. Therefore restriction. But if from the very childhood, in the school, college, the boys and girls are allowed to enjoy sex life, then it is very difficult to understand or to enter into spiritual life. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām. If we teach our children simply for sense enjoyment, how they can be spiritually advanced? The result will be confusion. Therefore in your country the hippies are there—confusion. They have been brought up in material sense enjoyment very nicely, but still, there is confusion, frustration, because he's hankering after something better. So that is spiritual happiness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So one has to understand this point and voluntarily he has to accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and then he'll find happiness. This is sure. Those who have taken to it, just ask them, just argue with them, and see actually. This is happiness. Yes.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Purport: "The renounced order of life can be adopted upon being purified by the discharge of the prescribed form of duties. The prescribed form of duties is laid down just to purify the heart of materialistic men. Without the purifying process one cannot attain success by abruptly adopting the fourth order of life, sannyāsa."

Prabhupāda: Renunciation is the fourth order of life according to Vedic civilization. Just like we are a sannyāsī. So we were also householder. I have got my wife, still living. I have got my children. But I have been able to come to this stage of renunciation forgetting my all relationship with my wife and children and family and home because I was trained gradually. I was trained as brahmacārī, as gṛhastha by the mercy of our spiritual master. Therefore I don't feel anything. But abruptly, if we take to sannyāsa order, then... We have seen many persons abruptly taking or without understanding the self-realization process. He fails. He again comes back to the materialistic way of life in a different form. Suppose he begins in philanthropic work, some hospitalizing or opening educational institution. That is nice, but these things are being done by the government and many philanthropic persons. That is not the duty of a sannyāsī. A sannyāsī, a renounced order of life, his main business is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. That is his real business. But if one has not the taste what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply accept sannyāsa, then he will do all this nonsense work.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

So even Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was so learned scholar, every one of you know, and He was very popular leader at Navadvīpa. And when He was sixteen years only, He defeated one very great learned scholar, Keśava Kāśmīrī. And he was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. Actually He was very learned scholar, and His explanation of one verse, ātmārāmāś ca munayo nirgranthā apy urukrame... He described this verse in sixty-four ways. He was such a learned scholar. So He was not a fool, but He represented the fool of this age, that "If you want liberation from material bondage...

Because this human form of life is meant for that purpose. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu... (BG 13.9). This human life is meant for getting out of this encagement of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. This is human form of life. It is meant for. Unfortunately there is no education that "Why? I do not want death, but why death is compulsory? I do not want old age; why old age is compulsory? I do not want to take birth; why birth is compulsory?" These are the actual questions or problems of life. And our whole Vedic literature is meant for solving this problem. That is whole purpose. Vedic literature, Vedic civilization, is not meant for working day and night like animals only for maintaining the foodstuff and sense gratification. It is not civilization. According to our Vedic civilization, this is not civilization. This is another form of animal life.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). We are finding fault with so many things. But really we should find fault with this process of repetition of birth and death. People are now being educated in this way that there is no more life. You have got this life and you enjoy the senses as far as possible.

That is nastik theory. This nastik or atheism... There were many saints in India also. One of them is Carvaka. He's very famous atheist. His philosophy is hedonism. Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet yāvaj jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet. His theory is, because in India the luxury is to eat something which is cooked in ghee: luci, purī, halavā. So Carvaka Muni says that you take loan from your friends if you have no money and eat as much as possible ghee. Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet yāvaj jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet. And so long you live, you live by gratifying your senses. Here sukham means sense gratification.

But according to Vedic civilization, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriyam grāhyam (BG 6.21). What is the actual happiness? That is beyond your senses. Not sense gratification. But because we are materially absorbed, we think indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur (BG 3.42). Indriya. the senses, always all. To satisfy the senses that is sukh. That is happiness. And those who are a little disgusted with sense gratification, indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). They are mental speculators. They write poetries and utopian theories, "This philosophy, that philosophy." In this way they satisfy the mind. But that is also not happiness. Mental happiness. Mano-rathena asato dhāvato bahiḥ. If you become satisfied by mental happiness, then you'll have to come down again. Asato. Asato mā sad-gamaḥ. Real life is: "Don't stay in this temporary world but go to the real world, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). You'll find all these things in Bhagavad-gītā. So either on the bodily plane or on the mental plane you cannot be happy. That is not possible. But if you want to be happy then you have to come to the spiritual platform and engage in spiritual activities, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriyam grāhyam (BG 6.21). Atīndriya means above the material platform of sensual and mental activities.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

So so much in the renounced order of life. But they lived—how? Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhuḥ. They were always thinking of the gopīs' dealing with Kṛṣṇa. So from this standpoint of view, the, the dealings of the gopīs with Kṛṣṇa, that is not these ordinary human dealings. That is all spiritual. Without understanding the spiritual platform of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs... Nobody try to understand it. Then they will be misled. So... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says. People may not be misled. Sometimes He's seen to be acting against the social laws. Therefore Kṛṣṇa warns, na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti: (BG 4.14) "These social, political or religious laws do not apply to Me." Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti.

This question was raised by Parīkṣit Mahārāja when Śukadeva Gosvāmī described the rāsa-līlā. So that... "Kṛṣṇa appeared on this material world, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8), dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. So why He violated these rules of dharma?" Violation because, according to Vedic civilization, nobody can mix with other's wife or other woman. Even in moral principle, as Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. "All women should be treated just like mother." Not like the present society. Formerly, every woman should be addressed as "mother," Mātājī. And now they have invented "Bahinjī." No. Woman should be addressed as "mother." Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

Now who is well-versed? And who is paṇḍita? A very learned man from, by academic education, may not be a learned man according to the view of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā says, "He is the learned man who can see everyone on the equal footing, equal level."

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

A paṇḍita, paṇḍita can see... Paṇḍita means a learned man can see that "Here is a learned brāhmaṇa." In India, according to Vedic civilization, a learned brāhmaṇa is considered to be the topmost man in human society. So therefore He is taking the example that "Here is a very learned brāhmaṇa." Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe. Not only he is brāhmaṇa, but he is very gentle. Vidyā means... What is the result of vidyā? Education means one becomes gentleman. That is the result of vidyā. If one is not a gentleman, then his learning is not accepted according to the Vedic literature.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

The Sanskrit word paṇḍita means... And budha is "well-versed."

Now who is well-versed? And who is paṇḍita? A very learned man from, by academic education, may not be a learned man according to the view of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā says, "He is the learned man who can see everyone on the equal footing, equal level."

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

A paṇḍita, paṇḍita can see... Paṇḍita means a learned man can see that "Here is a learned brāhmaṇa." In India, according to Vedic civilization, a learned brāhmaṇa is considered to be the topmost man in human society. So therefore He is taking the example that "Here is a very learned brāhmaṇa." Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe. Not only he is brāhmaṇa, but he is very gentle. Vidyā means... What is the result of vidyā? Education means one becomes gentleman. That is the result of vidyā. If one is not a gentleman, then his learning is not accepted according to the Vedic literature.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

Therefore in the Vedic way of life the beginning of life is tapasya, brahmacārī, brahmacārī. A student is sent to gurukula for practicing brahmacarya. This is tapasya, not comfortable life. Lying down on the floor, going door-to-door for begging alms for guru. But they are not tired. Because they are children, if they are trained these austerities, they become to practice. They call all woman, "Mother." "Mother, give me some alms." And they come back to guru's place. Everything belongs to guru. This brahmacārī life. This is tapasya. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). That is Vedic civilization, that children should be from the very beginning of life trained up in tapasya, brahmacarya. Celibacy. A brahmacārī cannot see any young woman. Even the guru's wife is young, he cannot go to the guru's wife. These are the restriction. Now where is that brahmacarya? No brahmacārī. This is Kali-yuga. No tapasya.

But according to Vedic civilization, varṇāśrama-dharma. Vedic civilization means four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. We have begin. We have began our lecture on the basis, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So this is civilization. Unless one comes to this standard of civilization, varṇāśrama-dharma, that is animal civilization. So we prefer animal civilization. Therefore we are living like animal also, fighting like cats and dogs and suffering like cats and dogs also. This is the position. Nirāśīr yata-cittātmā. Control. I shall accept as much as I require, not more than that, not less than that. Controlling the citta, intelligence, and ātmā, mind or self, self-control.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

Here we are having sense pleasure artificially through this body. Before leaving this body, if we practice to stop sense pleasure as much as possible... There is training, of course. Without training, nothing can be done.

So according to Vedic civilization, this training was given, student life, complete abstinence from sex life, then vānaprastha life, complete abstinence, and sannyāsa life, complete abstinence. The whole training was to abstain, to cure. Because... The same example: In diseased condition we cannot enjoy the foodstuff which we take. When we are healthy, we can enjoy the taste of the foodstuff. So we have to cure. We have to cure. And how to cure? To be situated in the transcendental position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the cure. So Kṛṣṇa advises here anyone who is able to tolerate the urge of sense pleasure. But we have to mold our life in such a way that we should be able to tolerate. Tolerate. That will give us our advancement in spiritual life, and when we are situated in spiritual life, that enjoyment is unending, unlimited. There is no end. Exactly similar verse is there in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Ṛṣabhadeva is advising his sons that

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke

kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye

tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ

śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam

(SB 5.5.1)

It is very nice verse. He says, "My dear boys, this human form of life..." Na ayaṁ deha. Ayaṁ deha means "this body." Na ayaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Everyone has got body. The cats, dogs, hogs, and birds, beasts, man, human being demigod—everyone has got this body, material body. But he's especially advising nṛdeha. Nṛ means human form of life. He says that this human form of life is not meant for working hard for sense pleasure just like the hogs and dogs. Human life. Then what it is meant for? He says, tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). One should undergo penance for transcendental realization. And what will be the result of such penance? He says that yataḥ śuddhyet sattvam. Your existence will be purified. And when your existence is purified, then you enjoy brahma-saukhyam, the unlimited spiritual happiness.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

The dog has no social custom. Whenever there is another she-dog, he mates on the street, and you may do very silent in a secret place, but the mating is there. But people are learning how to mate like dog. So in this way defending. A dog has also his defending measures. He has got teeth and nails. He can defend himself. And you might have atom bombs. But the measure is defending. That's all.

Therefore śāstra says that human life is not meant only for these four principles of life, bodily demands. There is another thing. That another thing is brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. A human being should be inquisitive to learn what is Absolute Truth. So that education is lacking. Therefore without this brahma-jijñāsā education, brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. According to Vedic civilization, a brāhmaṇa is learned. Paṇḍita. A brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍita because brāhmaṇa means one who knows Brahman. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Therefore he is called paṇḍita. In India the brāhmaṇa is addressed as paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means a brāhmaṇa is expected to know Brahman; therefore he is brāhmaṇa. Not by birth. Brahma jānāti. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth everyone is śūdra, fourth-class man. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. And when he's reformed by the purificatory process...

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

You flatter them. That other day I you told that our preaching process is this: dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya. According to Vedic civilization, if one approaches before you with a straw in his mouth, that means he is fully surrendered. That is the sign. Therefore Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he is speaking that "With a straw in my mouth," dante nidhāya tṛṇakam. Dante, "teeth," padayor nipatya, "I am just falling down at your lotus feet, and I have come before you with this straw very humbly." Dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā ca: "And I am flattering you hundred times." Then naturally any rogue, any rascal will be pleased: "All right, you can speak something." If you become so humble and meek, there is no man in the world who will say, "No, no, I am not going to hear you." Of course, there are many rascals. They will say so, that "I have no time."

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

Actually, in fact, if woman is dependent under suitable father, husband, and son, she is happy. Therefore, according to our Vedic civilization, it is the father's duty when the girl is young to find out a suitable boy who can take charge of her, and the father is relieved that "Now I have given charge of my girl to a suitable boy, and I am happy." Perhaps you have seen in our last wedding ceremony yesterday, the husband promised that "I take charge of you to make you comfortable throughout your whole life." And the wife promised, "Yes, I accept you as my husband, and I shall devote my life just to make you happy." These are the relationships. Prakṛti and puruṣa.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:

Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, this is a civilization of the cows and the asses. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So in other words, it is an animal civilization. So you cannot be happy in animal civilization, in the societies of animals. Just like in the jungle there are animals. There is no peace. There is always struggle for existence, fight between one animal. Still, they are peaceful. But at the present moment, throughout the whole world, we have become less than the animals because we do not know what is the basic principle of civilization, what is the ultimate goal of life, what is our perfection. These things we are lacking in knowledge.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

Karma means prescribed duties. Prescribed duties. Janma-karma. Guṇa-karma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Guṇa-karma. Cātur-varṇyam, According to Vedic civilization, there are four divisions of karma. Because there are three qualities of the material nature. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So when we come to certain type of activities or accept certain type of body, Kṛṣṇa is giving us opportunity. I wanted certain type of body. Kṛṣṇa is giving. Kṛṣṇa is giving through the agency of material nature. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22).

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 5, 1973:

Another problem is asaktiḥ. We are very much attached to our so-called home, so-called wife, children. And here is, jñāna means that asaktir anabhiṣvaṅgaḥ, āsaktir. You should, therefore, at a certain age, according to Vedic civilization, one is forced to give up this attachment. Naturally, one is attached to wife, children, home. But Vedic civilization says, that is all right from... Up to fifty years, you can remain attached. But pañcāṣordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. After your fiftieth year, you must give up your family life. Vanaṁ vrajet. Go to the forest for tapasya.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hawaii, February 3, 1975:

You have to understand that woman is never given to be independence. Independence means just like child has to be taken care, similarly, woman has to be taken care. You cannot let your child go in the street alone. There will be danger. Similarly, according to Vedic civilization, Manu-saṁhitā, woman should be given protection. In this way, ācāra, this is called ācāra. So the demons, they do not know. The demons, they do not know what is what, how one thing should be treated, how... They do not know. In the Western countries there is no such distinction between man and woman, but there is. We have to accept it and construct this social institution in that way. Then it will be perfect.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hawaii, February 4, 1975:

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya. I am not a vaiśya. I am not a śūdra," because the material human society designation is the varṇāśrama according to Vedic civilization. Even those who are not on the varṇāśrama platform, they are animals. That is Vedic civilization. So to come to the platform of truth, one has to know what are the defects of material life, how it is taken by the asuras. That is being described by Kṛṣṇa, asatyam, asatyam apratiṣṭham, apratiṣṭhaṁ te. Te means these asuras. Jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8). It is controlled by the Supreme.

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

You have to accept anything from the authorized source. So according to Vedic civilization, all knowledge is received from the Vedas, perfect authorized source. Śruti-pramāṇa, evidence from the śruti, from the Vedas, that is perfect. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, if you want to establish something you have to quote the section or the injunction from the Vedas, Then it is perfect. In learned circle you cannot say anything hodge-podge. That will not be accepted. If you support your statement from the evidence of the Vedas, then you are accepted as authority.

Lecture on BG 16.10 -- Hawaii, February 6, 1975:

The dog is very proud, barking, "Yow! Yow! Yow!" He does not know that "I am chained." (laughs) He's such a foolish that as soon as the master, "Come on." (laughter) So māyā is the master: "You rascal come here." "Yes." And he be see..., proud: "I am something." This doggish civilization, naṣṭa-buddhaya, lost all intelligence... Less intelligent these are called. Kāmaṁ duṣpūram. So kāmam, the lusty desires... On account of this body there is lusty desire. We cannot deny it. But don't make it duṣpūram, never to be satiated. Then finished. Make it limited. Make it limited. Therefore, according to the Vedic civilization, the lusty desire is there, but you cannot use it except for the purpose of begetting a nice child. That is called pūram, means restricted.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

So this rivalry, it is, of course, found... This rivalry for colonization, that is the special feature of the European countries. Rivalry. In India we have got experience. In America also, they have got experience, Canada. The Hollanders, the French people, the Spanish, Portugal, and England. There was regularly rivalry how to occupy. Within the past two hundred years there was rivalry. So according to Vedic civilization, there should not be rivalry. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ (ISO 1). You be satisfied what is allotted to you. Don't try to encroach upon others' property.

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

They, rather at home they had time to sleep more, but when they went to Vṛndāvana they were sleeping only one half-hour to two hours only. At the present moment when a man becomes old, he requires more rest. But according to Vedic civilization, no more rest, more work, more work. But these gosvāmīs, they were deputed by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu... At that time this Vṛndāvana, which you have seen, now it is nice city, but during the time of Caitanya Mahāprabhu it was a big field only, that's all, nothing was there.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So because they are all śūdras, what they can make, make solution? The present moment, the whole world is full of śūdras, and they have got money. So they are simply spending for sense gratification. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, śūdras should not be given much money. Simply what they actually require, that's all. Because they do not know how to utilize money. At the present moment, because the whole population are śūdras, as soon as they get money, they spend it for wine, women, and squander it away. Big, big rich men in America, they spend fifty thousand dollars in a week in Florida for seeing naked dance. Is it not? Is it not a fact? Because they are śūdras. They do not know how to spend money. And formerly, before this, people were little intelligent, or at least they had some religious faith. So they constructed temple, churches, mosque.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

Those who have finished their sinful activities... Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Those who are actually engaged in pious activity... Therefore, according to our Vedic civilization, people are advised to act piously. If a man is very poor, he has nothing to give in charity or make sacrifice, "Go to the Ganges, take your bath." That is also pious. Pious activities. So in this way the whole life, whole Vedic civilization, is based on inducing people to engage, to be engaged in pious activities. Because by acting piously, one day they come to the stage of bhajana.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

So by executing the process of dharma, if one does not come to the point of understanding Viṣvaksena, or Kṛṣṇa, then what is that? Now, notpādayed ratiṁ yadi. Rati means attachment. If one is not inclined to hear about Kṛṣṇa after executing his dharma, occupational duties, whatever he may be... Actually, occupational duty is meant, according to Vedic civilization: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Brāhmaṇa has got his occupational duty, kṣatriya has got his occupational duty, vaiśya has got his occupational duty, and śūdra also, occupational duty. So when it is described, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ, sva means "own." So one must be either a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya or a śūdra. Or nowadays one may be a medical man, engineer, or a businessman, or this or that.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

Of course, according to our Vedic civilization, we have to accept the authority. All our ācāryas, those who are practically conducting the Vedic civilization or Hindu civilization, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Śaṅkarācārya, everything, everyone says there is life. Śaṅkarācārya says, bālās tāvat krīḍāsaktaḥ(?): "Oh, the boys..." He is going as a sannyāsī, passing through the street. He sees, bālās tāvat krīḍāsaktaḥ: "Oh, the boys are engaged in playing." Bālās tāvat krīḍāsaktaḥ. "And the young men, they are after young girls." Bālās tāvat krīḍāsaktaḥ, and vṛddhāś cintā-magnāḥ, tāvat taruṇās tāvat taruṇī-raktāḥ(?). I was just forgetting the words. Taruṇa means young man.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

A brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇa-varṇa, he can satisfy Kṛṣṇa by his tapasya, by his truthfulness, by his knowledge of the śāstras. He can preach the knowledge of the śāstra to the world. He can eat on behalf of God. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, there is brāhmaṇa-bhojana. Brāhmaṇa-bhojana means whatever a brāhmaṇa eats, it means God is, Kṛṣṇa eats through the brāhmaṇa. Therefore brāh..., brāhmaṇa... In Vedic civilization there is no daridra-bhojana. There is no such word. Now they, they have manufactured: refugee-bhojana, daridra-bhojana.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Los Angeles, August 19, 1972:

According to Vedic civilization, because man is very aggressive, so he's allowed to accept more than one wife. He's allowed. Generally, female population is greater than the male population. So the Vedic principle is that every girl must be married by the guardian, father. A father's duty is, as soon as girl is thirteen years old, fourteen years old, it is the duty of the father, or in the absence of father, it is the duty of elder brother to get her married. Some way or other, find out any husband. Yes. So if every girl has to be married, and if the female population is greater, then where to get so many husbands? Therefore it is very nice system that one man can marry more than one wife. That is natural.

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

The first of all—illicit sex, making so-called lusty affairs without any married bondage, illicit sex. This is anartha. Why? If you want sex, get yourself married according to śāstra. Then there is no hindrance. According to Vedic civilization, the, a girl must be married. But in every country I see the female population is more than the male population. Then how every girl should be married? Therefore in India more than one wife was allowed. Now it is not allowed. That is the Vedic injunction, kanyā-dāna. The father must get, find out a husband for his daughter. There are many histories, the Kulīna brāhmaṇa.

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

Everyone, not only human society. In animal society, in bird society, in beast society, you'll find this sex attachment. This is the hṛdaya-granthiḥ, beginning. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, the first teaching to a student is to give him lesson how to become brahmacārī. How not to become attached in sex life, that is called brahmacārī. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasā, to become brahmacārī, to become..., abstaining from sex life, it requires tapasya. It is not so easy thing. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa damena śamena (SB 6.1.13). One has to practice how to control the mind, how to control the senses.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the same thing is confirmed, that the brāhmaṇas are the face of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, according to our Vedic civilization, whenever, whenever there is any ceremony, the brāhmaṇas are..., are sumptuously fed. Because brāhmaṇas are considered to be the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mouth, the business of mouth is to speak and to eat. So brāhmaṇa's business is to speak Vedic knowledge, distribute Vedic knowledge. Veda-vādī. That is their speaking. Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja used to do.

Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972:

He says, mātā śatru. In family means we live with father, mother, wife, children. This is family. In your country family does not mean father-mother, only wife and children. But in our country, according to Vedic civilization, family is a large conception. Father, mother, brother, sister, sister's son, brother's son. If there are difficulty, one has to su... So on the whole, father, mother, wife and children, consisting of, family.

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

So he, he propagated this philosophy, Cārvāka Muni, that ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet. In India, according to Vedic civilization, one is very much afraid of taking loan from others because he has conviction, "If I do not pay, then in my next life I'll have to pay many times. So I must liquidate my debt." That's a fact. If you take one cent from somebody else without doing something good to him or without exchanging something, then you are debtor, and you have to pay him with interest and compound interest. That is the law of karma. You cannot take anything.

Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

So this is already explained in the purport that woman's nature is very mild, and man's nature very strong. That is the difference. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, the woman must be protected because they are very simple. They can be led to goodness also very easily, and they can be polluted also very easily. By nature, they are very simple. Therefore śāstra says that... Just like child. If you mold the character of a child from the very beginning, then he can become a great man. Similarly, if you train woman from the very beginning how to become chaste and faithful to the husband, they can become a very good mother, very good asset in the family.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

So these are the scientific divisions of civilized society. Unless there are these divisions, it is a chaotic condition; it is not very satisfactory. That is happening. Nowadays, there is no scientific division of the human society. Therefore there are so many chaotic conditions. So actual human civilization begins when we accept these eight departmental management of the society. That is human society. Otherwise it is animal society. So... So according to Vedic civilization, every department, division, has got a particular duty.

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Mayapura, October 20, 1974:

They say, "It is primitive." When men were not civilized, they would depend on nature, but when they are advanced in civilization, they must discover industrial enterprises. So instead of eating on metal dishes, the civilized men should eat on, what is that called, plastic. That's all. Now plastic utensils, not even metal. Still, according to Vedic civilization, these Hindus, they would not touch this china, clay utensils, or this plastic utensils. Never they'll... Or glass utensils, they'll never touch. Especially in South India they are very strict. A poor man would prefer to eat on the plantain leaf. And the rich men, they eat on silver utensils. They do not even like to, I mean to say, brass or other base metals.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973:

So here is the example of dhīra. Dhīra means who are not sexually disturbed, even there is cause, even there is cause of disturbance. A young woman... Therefore the woman's name is kāminī. Kāminī...Kāma means lust. So they invoke one's lust. Therefore by nature, women are beautiful, they dress themselves beautifully. This is nature, to invoke the lusty desire of man. So according to Vedic civilization, woman, when she is dressed nicely and she is beautiful, she must invoke lusty desires. Therefore Vedic civilization does not allow a woman to be nicely dressed unless she is before her husband, unless she is before her husband. Because if she, I mean to say, agitates the lusty desires of all others, that is not very good. So woman is allowed to dress herself very nicely when her husband is present.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

There are three stages, three different kinds of transformation of this body after death: stool, ashes and worms, uh, earth or dirt. According to the Vedic civilization, the body is burnt into ashes. So the body becomes ashes. And somebody throws the body to be eaten up by some animal. The Parsee community in India, they throw the body to be eaten by the vultures. That is their system. So after eating, the vultures, they pass stool; so body becomes stool. Is there any scientist to take the stool of vulture and make again a body? The body has turned to be stool, the body has turned to be ashes.

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

So according to Vedic civilization, special protection for children, brāhmaṇas, women, and saintly persons, brāhmaṇa comes (under) saintly person, special... And cow. Special protection. Bāla-dvija-suhṛn-mitra. Others, next, just like we chant the mantra: namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. The first reference is given to the cows and the brāhmaṇas. Why not others? There are so many animals, so many human beings. Why? Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. This is to be noted. Unless in the society these two creatures are taken care of, that is not human society.

Lecture on SB 1.9.3 -- Los Angeles, May 17, 1973:

The topmost class. And the second-class men, the kṣatriyas. And the third-class men, vaiśyas, mercantile, simply "Where to get money?" And they are, according to Vedic civilization, third-class men. But at the present moment those who are acquiring money somehow or other, they are first-class men. It doesn't matter what is his qualification. If he has acquired some money some way or other, then he is a first-class man. This is Kali-yuga. In the Kali-yuga there is no honor for qualification. There is honor for money only. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

So our point is to know this is a play only, background. Actually, Kṛṣṇa wanted to take them away. And nobody could kill them. Therefore He planned a killing plan amongst themselves. This is the fact. But we should know that vipra-śāpa-vimūḍhānām: if any person is cursed by vipra, brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava, then they are finished. Therefore according to the Vedic civilization, brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas are always honored so that they may not be dissatisfied. This is the rule. Brāhmaṇa and Vaiṣṇava. The devotees and the brāhmaṇas. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipro brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Those who are spiritually advanced, such persons should not be offended.

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

So according to Vedic civilization, any person, he may be very big man, but if he does not know beyond his body, then he is no better than animal. This is Vedic version. So we should not remain animal, this human life. As Arjuna said... There are so many problems. In the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna was taught by Kṛṣṇa, yudhyasva: "Fight!" He never said, "Sit down, my dear Arjuna. You are My friend. Please sit down and sleep on this chariot, (laughter) and I will do everything. I am God." This is going on. "God will do everything for me, and I will sleep. That's all."

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

So the leaders must be perfect. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, at least three persons in the society... The first: the priest or the spiritual master, who are engaged in teaching people about religiosity, he must be perfect, above suspicion. Similarly, public leader, he must be also above suspicion. A brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa means priest also. He must be above suspicion. And the king must be above suspicion. Then things will go on. But there is no such restriction. Nowadays it is the days of vote. Any rascal, if he gets vote somehow or other, then he acquires the exalted post.

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

Philosophy means science, anything. Science also trying, "What is the original cause of this creation? What is the original cause of life?" But because andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31), the so-called philosophers, scientists, they have been taught by another unscientist, not scientist, so he is also not scientist, not philosopher, because he has been taught by another andha. Just like one blind man leads other blind man. So what he will get, knowledge? So therefore, according to Vedic civilization, it is enjoined, it is ordered, that "If you want to take knowledge," tad-vijñānārtham, "to understand the complete science," tad-vijñānārtham, "the spirit," sa gurum eva abhigacchet, "oḥ, you must approach a bona fide guru." Otherwise there is no knowledge. That is not knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

Woman, according to Vedic civilization, they are not recommended freedom. They should be taken care just like children are taken care of. You cannot give independence to the children. That is not possible. Then it is not good for them. Similarly, woman also should be taken care of. They should not be given freedom. That is not good for them. They should be protected by the father in childhood, by the husband in youthhood, and by the grown-up children in old age. Three stages. But in this age, women are trying to take independence of father, husband or children. That is not good. That is described in the śāstra.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

So here another question is... The dharma uvāca. Personified dharma, he's inquiring from the cow. He's addressing cow, amba. Amba means mother. So cow is our mother. Why mother? Because from practical point of view, we drink milk. So how mother... How cow is not mother? She's mother. We are taking her milk. There are seven mothers according to Vedic civilization:

ātma-mātā guroḥ patnī

brāhmaṇī rāja-patnikā

dhenur dhātrī tathā pṛthvī

saptaitā mātaraḥ smṛtāḥ

Real mother, from whose womb we have come to this world, real mother, ātma-mātā. Then guroḥ patnī, wife of the teacher or spiritual master, guroḥ patnī. Brāhmaṇī, the wife of a brāhmaṇa. Ātma-mātā guroḥ patnī brāhmaṇī rāja-patnikā, and the wife of the king, or the queen.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

We are taking, according to Vedic civilization, devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). We are indebted, we are obliged to the devas, the demigods. Just like we are indebted to the sun. Sun... You require so much heat and light, and the sun is supplying you profuse heat and light. Are you not indebted? Do you think, or not, that we are indebted to the sun?

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

This is brahmacārī life, voluntarily accepting hardship for making life successful. That is brahmacārī life. And then married life. Married life. When the... Brahmacārī is meant for the boys, not for the girls. Girls, they are to be married. A brahmacārī may remain unmarried for life, but according to Vedic civilization, a girl must be married. As soon as... Before the age of attaining puberty, it is the duty of the father, or if she has no father, it is the duty of the elder brother to get her married somehow or other. (laughter) Give her in responsibility to another young man.

Lecture on SB 2.3.15 -- Los Angeles, June 1, 1972:

The natural instinct is already there. When the boy and the girl are grown up, naturally the attraction is there, spontaneous. Similarly, he has to be, they have to be brought up in the proper situation. In India, therefore, early marriage is recommended, according to śāstra. According to Vedic civilization, a girl, before attaining puberty, must be married. There are so many injunctions about that. And the responsibility is of the father, or, in the absence of father, the elderly members or brothers. It is called kanyā-dāya. Kanyā-dāya means it is the obligation. You cannot avoid it. You can avoid the marriage of your son, but you cannot avoid the marriage of your daughter.

Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:

If it is cleansed, then it is friends, and if it is dirty... Just like if you keep yourself unclean, then you contaminate some disease. And if you keep yourself clean, then you don't contaminate. If you take action, remaining... Therefore according to Vedic civilization, one has to cleanse himself three times a day, tri-sandhyā. Morning, early in the morning, again at noon, again in the evening. Those who are strictly following the brahminical rules and regulations... Vaiṣṇava also. Vaiṣṇava means he's already brāhmaṇa.

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

That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā. These things—to be intoxicated, to enjoy sex life, to eat meat—a natural propensity is there in everyone. When śāstra says that "You do it like this," that means that is restriction. Just like according to Vedic civilization, those who are meat-eaters, for them it is allowed that you can kill..., not kill, you can sacrifice one goat before Goddess Kali on the amāvasyā night under such-and-such restriction. That means indirectly it is discouraging, "Don't do it. But if you do it, you do in this way."

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

So if we human beings, if we forget even ordinary mercy, compassion and gratefulness, then what is that human life? And then from national point of view... National means one who is born in this land. The cow is also born in this land. So why the man should be given protection, not the cow? But according to Vedic civilization you see. You have read in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I explained. Oh, one man was going to kill one cow. Immediately Mahārāja Parīkṣit took his sword, "Oh, you are trying to kill cow in my kingdom? I shall immediately kill you."

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

So long we shall try, because people are after this gṛha apartment or home, kṣetra land, gṛha, kṣetra, suta children, āpta friends, vitta wealth, riches, the basic principle is that, maithunyam, agāram ajñaḥ vindati tāpān. This is very important point. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, one is trained up how to give up this ideas, concoction. That is brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, ultimately sannyāsa. No more. And ultimately, sannyāsa also is not the perfectional stage. Sannyāsa is also practice, how to come to the perfectional stage.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1975:

So according to Vedic civilization, the king or the president or the ruling chief must be representative of God. That is wanted. Therefore you will find in the Bhagavad-gītā, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ: (BG 4.2) "This Bhagavad-gītā was understood by the rājarṣi." Rājarṣi means... Rāja means king, and ṛṣi means great saintly person. Rājarṣi. So education, culture, is meant for the higher two classes, the brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas. Education means for them, those who are intelligent, for them. Education is not for masses. Now it is called mass education.

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

Brahma-niṣṭham. 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.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

To summarize this brahmacarya life in this age, we have given a simple formula, that "No illicit sex." Sex is there. Sex is not bad. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi: "Sex life which is not against the religious principles of life, that is I am." Kṛṣṇa says. So dharmāviruddha, according to Vedic civilization, one should have sex indulgence only once in a month. That is the prescription. And when the wife is pregnant there is no sex life. That is dharmāviruddha.

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

Now, by nature, according to Vedic civilization, that... Vedic civilization is natural life. It is not something artificial or irresponsible life. That is Vedic civilization. Vedic means full of knowledge, life with full of knowledge. That is called Vedic civilization. It is not a particular type of... With full of knowledge. So in the Vedic civilization a woman, if she has no child or son or daughter, she can marry for the second time. Otherwise, she will be enemy of the child. This is practical.

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

So this is first-class human life. This should be the ideal of first-class human life. The first thing is tapasya, austerity, not extravagance. That is not human life. Tapasya. Tapasā means, generally, voluntarily accepting some inconvenience. And then brahmacarya. Brahmacarya means no sex life. According to Vedic civilization, the students, they are called brahmacārī. In student life there is no sex life. Then his brain will be finished. That is happening nowadays. From the student life they indulge in sex life. Therefore not very big men are coming now—because their brain substance is finished.

Lecture on SB 6.1.18 -- Honolulu, May 18, 1976:

So atonement is concerned, here it is said, prāyaścittāni cīrṇāni nārāyaṇa-parāṅmukham. You can have some atonement, but if you are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so this purification will not be complete. How? Rājendra surā-kumbham ivāpagāḥ. According to Vedic civilization, a pot in which wine was kept, it is impure forever. It is impure forever. You cannot use for any other purpose. It is so abominable. If you think that "This bottle contained wine. Now wine is finished. Wash it, then it becomes pure," then according to Vedic civilization wine is so impure that even the pot in which wine was kept, it will never become pure. Surā... These examples outsider cannot understand, but it is said in the śāstra.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1970:

Those are condemned profession. Now these condemned professions have become ordinary profession in the civilized society, but according to the Vedic civilization, these things are condemned things. Cheating or gambling, cheating and speaking lie, bandy-akṣaiḥ kaitavaiś. And stealing. These are condemned profession. But he adopted all these things because he was associated with a woman for illicit sex.

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

Without father-mother, there is no question of birth. Therefore, in the human society they do not take this birth as very important. We are very much proud of becoming American or Indian on account of birth, but according to the Vedic civilization, simply the birth by father-mother is not very important. There must be second birth, dvija. Dvi means second, and ja means birth. So according to the Vedic civilization, a human being must be trained up to become dvija, or take his birth second time. This is human civilization. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Simply by ordinary birth by father and mother, it is śūdra. But the civilization is how a śūdra or less than śūdra can be elevated to the position of a brāhmaṇa. That is civilization.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27 -- Indore, December 15, 1970:

He was also, in the childhood or in his boyhood, he was engaged in the service of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa. According to Vedic civilization, therefore, a child—he may be a king's son or a poor man's son—must go to gurukula and live for some time under the training of the spiritual master to be very thickly connected with Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa. The āśrama... Just like we have got this Kṛṣṇa conscious āśrama, there is rules and regulations that one should rise early in the morning, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and so many duties are there.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- Los Angeles, June 5, 1976:

Here is the statement, śruti-pramāṇam. According to Vedic civilization, evidence, is śruti, Vedas. If you say something and if you give evidence, proof from the Vedic literature, then it is perfect. No such nonsense things: "I believe," "We believe," "Perhaps," "Maybe." No. Such foolish things are not accepted. Then everyone will say something. There are thousands and millions of people, everyone will imagine something and say something. Then where is the correct thing? This is not good. Veda-pramāṇam. That will be described in the next verse. Veda-praṇihito dharmo.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Los Angeles, June 11, 1976:

The Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired that "Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇa, He came to establish dharma, but it appears that He danced with other's wife or other's daughter." According to Vedic civilization you cannot mix with any other woman except your wife. That is not allowed. So, according to the Vedic conception of life, it was not right thing that Kṛṣṇa danced with other's wife or other's daughter. This question was put. Parīkṣit Mahārāja said that Kṛṣṇa, because He is God, He cannot do anything wrong. Just like in England, the constitution says, "The king can do no wrong."

Lecture on SB 6.1.55 -- London, August 13, 1975:

So with whom associate? Now, Īśa. These are... Īśa means His name, His form, His attributes, His, so many things. You see? Nāma, rūpa, rasa—everything is Īśa. So this temple means to give chance to people for associating with Īśa, with Kṛṣṇa. So therefore, according to Vedic civilization, everyone is advised to go to the temple. Still people are going to the church, to the temple, to the mosque, to the synagogue. Why? Īśa-saṅgāt, īśa-saṅgāt, just to associate with God. That is the purpose. So if you actually search after Īśa, Kṛṣṇa, or God, you can get it.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

That, this, we may describe later on and how degradation begins even to exalted person, as described, Ajāmila. So the degradation began—dadarśa, he saw on the way... Kāminaṁ kañcic chūdram. Chūdram, these male-female behavior... Nowadays, not so much in India, but in the Western countries it is very usual thing—a young man is embracing another young woman or kissing. So there is no fault. But according to Vedic civilization, this is fault because it will give chance to others.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

Everyone... When everyone has gone, all elderly people has gone to sleep, then the wife goes. And he (she) comes early in the morning so that nobody can see when she has come out from the husband. This was the system. And at daytime no wife was allowed to see the husband, especially young wife. So this sex affair, according to Vedic civilization, is strictly regulated. It is not that cat's and dog's sex life. Because if you allow the sex life like cats and dogs, then the society will be cats and dogs. So these things are to be taken lesson from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. All right.

Lecture on SB 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975:

So he became... The training was that he was training to become a brāhmaṇa, śamo, dama, but the progress became checked on account of being attached to a woman. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, the woman is accepted as hindrance to spiritual advancement. The whole basic civilization is how to avoid... Woman... You do not think that only woman is woman. The man is also woman. Don't think that the woman is condemned; man is not.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1975:

Of course, those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is different thing. But ordinarily, the so-called household life means to be in the darkness, in the dark well. Gṛhānda-kū..., hitva: "One should give up." Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, when one is fifty years old, above that, he must give up family life. No more. Then sannyāsa. Not that up to the point of death one should remain a gṛhastha. No. If he wants to become free from anxiety, that is... Otherwise anxiety. Tat sādhu maye asura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Dehinām, one who has accepted this material body, he must be always restless with anxiety.

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

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika: "Persons who do not agree with the Vedic authority..." He called them nāstika. As the Mussulman, they say one who does not believe in the Koran, he is kafir, and Christian, one who do not believe in the Bible, they are called heathens, similarly, according to our Vedic civilization, anyone who does not accept the authority of Vedas, he is called atheist. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika. Buddha philosophy, they do not accept the authority of Vedas, although Lord Buddha is accepted as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

So, yajñarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). The, here Prahlāda Mahārāja says yajña means to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore varṇāśrama-dharma, according to Vedic civilization.

varṇāśrama ācāravatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇu-ārādhyate puṁsāṁ

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(CC Madhya 8.58)

The human life is meant for viṣṇu-ārādhanam. That is therefore the varṇāśrama: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The aim is viṣṇu-ārādhanam. Viṣṇu-ārādhanam param. We are flattering so many people to get some benefit. Everyone has to flatter. Businessman has to flatter his customer; a servant has to flatter his master; and so on, so on, some friend, some minister to get some favor.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6 -- Vrndavana, December 8, 1975:

They conquered over these things, nidrā, sleeping... Nidrā is very dangerous according to Vedic civilization. It is simply waste of time. If one is not serious about the value of this human form of life he may waste his time by sleeping. But no. The... If we follow our predecessors, our Gosvāmīs, who were all ministers... But they came to Vṛndāvana to practice... What? Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau, to conquer over sleeping, eating and mating. And coming to Vṛndāvana, if we indulge in that way, then what is the use of coming to Vṛndāvana? Go to hell and live there. So Vṛndāvana life is that. You have to practice nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, there is compulsory get-out from household life. Compulsory get-out means pañcāś ordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Pañcāś means fifty years. "As soon as one passes over fifty years of age, he should get out." That is the injunction of the scriptures. No more in household affairs. The life is divided into four parts, four divisions.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

So therefore the whole stress is given, Prahlāda Mahārāja giving, that if we want to begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we have to begin immediately because the more we grow older, our attachment for material things becomes more and more strong, and at that time it is very difficult. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, as I was explaining the other day, at a certain point one has to, by, I mean to say, voluntarily, one has to give up the so-called society, friendship and love, and engage fully for cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- Vrndavana, December 12, 1975:

According to Vedic civilization, one who does not follow the Vedic principle, he is called nāstik. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has explained about the Buddhist. Buddhists, they do not believe in the Vedic injunction, or the Muslims. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that veda nā māniyā bauddha haya ta' nāstika. Buddhists are called nastik, atheist. Why? Veda nā māniyā: he does not believe in the Vedas. Veda nā māniyā bauddha haya ta' nāstika. Vedāśraya nāstikya-vāda bauddhake adhika. But a person, hypocrite, who accepts the Vedas but he preaches atheism... Just like you are praying that śūnyavādi, nirviśeṣa śūnyavādi, pāścātya deśa tāriṇe. These two, very dangerous position, nirviśeṣa. The Buddhists, they say there is no God, śūnyavādi. "Everything, at the end, everything is zero.

Lecture on SB 7.6.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 28, 1976:

So therefore our mission of life is how to get out of this tāpa-traya, and Prahlāda Mahārāja is giving description how we remain involved in tāpa-traya. Sarvatra tāpa-traya-duḥkhitātmā. Repeatedly, tāpa-traya, na nirvidyate sva-kuṭumba-rāmaḥ. Especially those who are family men, it is very difficult. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, after fiftieth year, one should give up the family responsibility, vānaprastha. From vana, vana means forest. And from vana the word vana has come. Prastha means "who has gone." Pañcaśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Vanaṁ vrajet means to free from all family responsibility and prepare for going back to home, back to Godhead. But those who are too much attached to family life, na nirvidyate, being repeatedly frustrated, repeatedly they are put into trouble. Still.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

So he's thinking in that way, that "What...? What form of prayer I can offer? I am born in a demonic family, low-grade family, and Brahmā, he's coming from Brahmaloka, Satyaloka, Janaloka. They are so exalted. They could not satisfy the anger of the Lord, and I am born in low family. How can I do this?" This is his idea. But he's taking courage in this way, that in the śāstra it is accepted that even one is born in low, low-grade family, śvapaca... Śvapaca means the most low grade. They're eating pigs. No... According to Vedic civilization, the pig-eater, even cow flesh eater is given better position. But the pig-eaters, they are the lowest, śvapacas, untouchable. They are called untouchable. Any meat-eater is untouchable, but especially the pig-eater, śvapaca. In India still, no even meat-eaters... Generally those who are meat-eaters, they take meat of such animals like goats, lambs, like that, those who are meat-eaters.

Lecture on SB 7.12.1 -- Bombay, April 12, 1976:

This human form of life is meant for tapasya, to learn how to become detached from this material world. And the beginning is this brahmacārī life. Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dāntaḥ. Dānta means self-controlled. That is real teaching. Either a gṛhastha lives... If a gṛhastha lives, even he has got wife, he does not... One side, according to Vedic civilization, there is no sex life except for begetting a nice child, and that also with garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. In other words, whimsically sex life is completely stopped in Vedic civilization. There everything under regulation. Therefore brahmacārī means how to control the senses, to keep under his own control, not that "I am now sexually inclined.

Lecture on SB 7.12.3 -- Bombay, April 14, 1976:

Whatever knowledge you want to get, there is perfectly there, without any mistake, without any illusion, without any cheating. All other literatures, man-made literatures, you will find these things: cheating, imperfectness, mistake, and illusion. In the Vedic literature you won't find these four defects. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, if you give evidence from the Vedic literature, it is to be accepted. No more argument. Anything which is accepted in the Vedas, vedavatā, there is no more argument. This is Indian civilization. All our literatures you'll find, therefore, full of quotation from Vedic literature to prove it. That is the actual. It is not imaginary.

Lecture on SB 7.12.6 -- Bombay, April 17, 1976:

Every child should be trained up as brahmacārī. Then, when he is completely trained up, if he still likes to get into married life or householder life, which is a concession for sex life... It is not required. According to Vedic civilization it is not required. You'll find, therefore, many naiṣṭika-brahmacārīs. Naiṣṭika means never any connection with woman. That is called naiṣṭika-brahmacārī. And upakurvaṇa-brahmacārīs. Upakurvaṇa-brahmacārī means he is married, but not for enjoying. He is married and to beget nice children under the order of his spiritual master. He is also brahmacārī. If a gṛhastha abides by the order of a guru, he is also brahmacārī.

Lecture on SB 7.12.6 -- Bombay, April 17, 1976:

Therefore next line, it is said, yāvad-arthaṁ vyavaharet strīṣu. With woman you should be very, very cautious and careful, as much as required, not free mingling. No. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, there is always a separation between woman and men. Here in India we find that whenever there is some meeting, the woman are sitting separately; men are sitting separately.

Lecture on SB 7.12.6 -- Bombay, April 17, 1976:

So according to Vedic civilization there is very, very strict stricture to mix with women. And in our childhood, we have seen in Calcutta that those who are aristocratic family, there are two section of the house, male section and female section. During daytime even the husband cannot meet wife. That is their restriction, even the husband.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

They'll forget to speak what is true. Śaucam, cleanliness, that will also diminish. Cleanliness is required. Bahyābhyantaraḥ-śuciḥ. If one is to advance, he has to clean himself. According to Vedic civilization, one has to take bath thrice daily. Actually, in India they take. In our country I was also taking twice bath till I was attacked last year.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

Children's protection is very important. Of course, nowadays there is protection for children, of course, from the state. But that is also artificial. There is killing process also. So many children in the womb are killed. But according to Vedic civilization, they are greatest offense. So dayā. Dayā means you should show your mercifulness those who are weak. So this will reduce, dayā. And āyuḥ, duration of life. Duration of life. In the Satya-yuga the duration of life was 100,000's years. A man used to live for 100,000's of years. Then in the Tretā-yuga it reduced ten times. They used to live for 10,000 years. Then in Dvāpara-yuga it reduced again ten times.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

Dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyāṁ kāraṇaṁ balam eva hi. Dāmpatye abhirucir hetur māyaiva vyāvahārike. Dāmpatye. Dāmpatye means making husband and wife relationship. Abhiruciḥ. Abhiruciḥ means liking. A boy likes another girl, and the girl likes another boy. That's finished. Let them become husband and wife. Formerly, it was not. Formerly, according to Vedic civilization, there was no liking of the boy or the girl. The parents of the boy and the girl, they would see, "Whether this combination will be happy." They will bring horoscope and calculate astronomically, "What is the symptoms of this boy? What is the symptoms of this girl? Whether they will be peaceful in married life?" They calculated, and the parents would see in what kind of family the girl is born, and what kind of boy, the family he's born. So many things. If they do not agree, the parents of the girl and the boy, then there is no marriage.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned very severely: tāra madhye vaiṣṇava aparādha hātī matta. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha is the greatest offense. We should be very careful. In... According to our Vedic civilization, a Vaiṣṇava, a saintly person, was never under the government laws. They, they were not under the govern... Why government laws? Even Yamarāja's law. That is also stated. Yamarāja also warned his servants not to approach Vaiṣṇava. So Vaiṣṇava's position is so great.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:

So they are also becoming interested, hūṇa, āndhra and others who are considered to be low-born according to Vedic civilization. But still, the Vedic civilization does not prohibit anyone to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By our karma, we may be high born or low born. That does not matter. Ahaituky apratihatā. Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be checked by any material impediment. That is not possible. Ahaituky apratihatā. It is natural. And Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). He says that even though some people are considered to be pāpa-yoni, low-born, it doesn't matter, but he can accept the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Dallas, March 4, 1975:

Early in the morning at six o'clock, they are going to work. They are going to work. Why? Now, for finding out the necessities of life. So what is this civilization? Early in the morning, six o'clock... According to Vedic civilization, one should rise early in the morning and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, perform maṅgala āratrika, worship the Deity. This is the morning business. But the richest nation of the world, they are going to work at 6:30 for earning their bread. Is it very good progress of life? And the whole day they will have to work.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

So when the Nawab said that "You are declining my order and you are resigning from your post. This is illegal. I shall arrest you," so Sanātana Gosvāmī, he replied that "You are the king, so according to our Vedic civilization a king is supposed to be the representative of God. So I cannot disobey you. But now it is my duty to retire and join Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. Therefore I must do it." So he arrested him. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī, with great difficulty he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Vārāṇasī.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

So when the Nawab said that "You are declining my order and you are resigning from your post. This is illegal. I shall arrest you," so Sanātana Gosvāmī, he replied that "You are the king, so according to our Vedic civilization a king is supposed to be the representative of God. So I cannot disobey you. But now it is my duty to retire and join Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. Therefore I must do it." So he arrested him. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī, with great difficulty he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Vārāṇasī.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, October 30, 1968:

Suppose we are sitting in this temple. So, of course, for temple we should have attachment. Ordinary home, or ordinary house, temple... We must explain. The temple is transcendental. According to Vedic civilization, to live in the forest is residential quarter in goodness, to live in the forest. Therefore, formerly, great sages and saintly persons, they used to go to the forest and live there. And the government would give them protection. The king's duty was to supply them food. What sort of food? The king used to give them in charity cows, nice cows.

Festival Lectures

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

So Nanda Mahārāja belonged to the vaiśya community. So he was well-to-do man, very rich man, and he had 900,000's of cows. 900,000 of cows he was protecting. Formerly, according to Vedic civilization, a man was considered to be rich man in proportion of his stock of grains and livestock, cows. That's all. Dhānyena dhanavān. A man was considered to be rich man if he has sufficient quantity of grains in his possession. Similarly, if one has sufficient number of cows in his possession, he was considered rich man. Not that bank balance.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 5, 1971:

With all intelligence, with all brain, his only plan was how to cheat Rāma. That was his... He became a sannyāsī and he went to take some alms from Sītā. The purpose was to cheat, to enter. Because according to Vedic civilization, a sannyāsī has open door. He can even go inside. But that... He was the only sannyāsī at that time who tried to cheat. But this kind of sannyāsī or this kind of intelligent persons are killed by Rāma. They may make plan very nice to cheat Rāmacandra, but ultimately they become vanquished with all their planning commission.

Initiations -- Sydney, April 2, 1972:

There may be very great rumbling, but the result is very small, maybe some drizzling. Similarly, a husband and wife may fight, but if you don't give them any seriousness, they'll mitigate. That is the process. But in the Western countries, in the name of liberty, so many family lives are dismantled simply by this divorce case. So according to Vedic civilization, there is no divorce. Once united, it cannot be disunited in any condition of life. That you should follow. That is our first. So I think you promise this, all of you? Say yes.

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

Change your seat. Cover the head. Cover the head and give her this red. Cover it nicely. You see, here. You should keep your wife always covered. (laughter) Don't allow this miniskirt or minishirt. (laughter) According to Vedic civilization, respectable woman cannot be seen even by the sun. Asūryaṁ paśyat. How can you avoid sun? But it is said like that. The sun will find difficulty to see one man's woman. Yes.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 2, 1968:

So how much education you can...? There was no education practically. In the village even men... In India still, they are ninety-percent illiterate. And what to speak of the girls, the men are not even literate. Because according to Vedic civilization it was not necessary that everyone should go to school. There was no necessity. Because things were being learned by śruti, by aural reception. Knowledge from the perfect man, one would hear, and he would become learned. There was no necessity of, I mean to say, learning ABCD. No. Even in Vedic age, everything was memorized. There was nothing in writing. People were so sharp in brain that once heard from the spiritual master, they will never forget. The brahmacārī system made their brain so powerful that whatever they will hear from the spiritual master, they will keep in the brain and never forget.

Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968:

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Abodha-jātaḥ means one who is born fool. Every one of us is a born fool. Why? From the beginning of our life I know that "I am this body," although I am not this body. Therefore we are all born fools, everyone. And therefore, according to Vedic civilization, one has to take his second birth. One birth is made possible by conjugation of the father and mother. That birth is called animal birth.

Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

This is called gṛhastha life. Then, up to fifty years, he can indulge in householder life. Householder life, according to Vedic civilization, is a sort of license for sense gratification. But not for all the time. The injunction is pañcaśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Just after your fiftieth year you must give up, retire from householder. That is called vānaprastha.

Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970:

When one is learned, advanced in education, he must be very gentle, not haughty. So vidyā-vinaya-sampanne gavi hastini (BG 5.18). And one side, the brāhmaṇa with gentle behavior, learned scholarship, then the other side an animal, say, a cow or a dog or a elephant. And another side, the caṇḍāla, the lowest of the human society. According to Vedic civilization, the dog-eaters are called caṇḍāla. Just like in Hindu society a person is not permitted to eat cow's flesh. Even in human society, although they are eating different types of flesh, one is considered abominable than the other. The cow-eaters are taken as abominable than the goat-eaters, and the dog-eaters are accepted as abominable than the goat-eaters.

Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970:

As nowadays, animal slaughter is going on without any check, similarly, sometime before about 2,500 years ago in India, the same condition prevailed. Vedic civilization is very liberal. According to Vedic civilization, the king has to give protection to all the prajās. Prajā means one who has taken birth in his kingdom. Prajāyate. So the animal is also prajā of the government. The trees are also prajā of the government.

Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):

According to Vedic civilization, the progressive march towards perfection of life is to realize one's relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. There is a book, perhaps you read or you know, Bhagavad-gītā. That Bhagavad-gītā is accepted by all ācāryas, or authorities in transcendental science, as the essence of all Vedic knowledge. In this Bhagavad-gītā we understand that the living entities, not only human beings, but other than human beings..

Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:

It is a district in West Bengal, about sixty miles north of Calcutta. Lord Caitanya appeared there about four hundred and eighty-five years ago, and He took sannyāsa. Sannyāsa means renounced order of life. According to Vedic civilization, at the end of one's life, one has to take sannyāsa, renounced order of life, no family connection. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, at very early age... He was only twenty-four years old, and He had at His home very nice, young wife and very affectionate mother, but still...

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973:

According to Vedic civilization, the dog-eaters are called caṇḍāla. Just like in Hindu society, a person is not permitted to eat cow's flesh. Even in human society, although they are eating different types of flesh, one is considered abominable than the other. The cow-eaters are taken as abominable than the goat-eaters. And the dog-eaters are accepted as abominable than the goat-eaters. So although they are eating flesh, they have got some distinction.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973:

According to Vedic civilization, the dog-eaters are called caṇḍāla. Just like in Hindu society, a person is not permitted to eat cow's flesh. Even in human society, although they are eating different types of flesh, one is considered abominable than the other. The cow-eaters are taken as abominable than the goat-eaters. And the dog-eaters are accepted as abominable than the goat-eaters. So although they are eating flesh, they have got some distinction.

Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:

That is described, nindasi yajña-vidher. The animal-killing is described in the Vedas, in the yajña-vidher, not in the slaughterhouse. In the Yajña-vidher. That also was decried. Nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam. Because according to Vedic civilization, śruti, Veda, is the evidence. Therefore if Lord Buddha accepts the authority of Vedas, he cannot say, "Stop animal-killing."

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

They will raise some cattles and send them to the slaughterhouse for eating. This policy is going on. And this is not a very good policy. You produce your food grain. Why you should kill the innocent animals and eat them? So on account of these sinful activities, according to Vedic civlization, there are four kinds of sinful activities. One sinful activity is illegitimate, illicit sex life. According to Vedic civilization, without marriage, no sex life is allowed. Therefore marriage is compulsory. In every human society, there is marriage. But according to Vedic civilization, marriage is compulsory, saṁskāra. So therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ. If the women are not married, then varṇa-saṅkara population will increase. It is said. And as soon as there is varṇa-saṅkara population, the whole world will be in chaotic condition.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

Why you are killing father and mother? What is your religion? Is that very good philosophy, that you shall kill your father and mother and eat them?" This was the first question. According to Vedic civilization, cow is to be given all protection. The Hindus or followers of the Vedic religion, why they are interested to give protection to the cows, not to the..., not so much to the other animals? And Lord Christ is more liberal. He said, "Thou shalt not kill." He does not name any animal's name. Every animal. Every animal should be given protection. That is also the Vedic idea. Why these poor animals should be killed? By killing, killing, killing, you become sinful and entangled. Therefore now it has begun—one is killing his own child.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Śyāmasundara: By what they call method of reinforcement. Supposing... He says that men have become too free, so our whole society, culture, is ruined because men are too free.

Prabhupāda: No. We are not free. We, according to our Vedic civilization, we are controlled by the Vedic knowledge. We are not free.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: State is (indistinct) because we have no other experience beyond the state. But the state also, according to Vedic civilization, state means he must be king. King must be representative of God. So king is therefore called naradeva. That we have discussed in the matter of Pṛthu Mahārāja. So king is supposed to be representative of God and he has to execute his royal authority by direction of God. The brāhmaṇas and the sages, they give him direction. These things are being very thoroughly discussed when Pṛthu Mahārāja in the Fourth Canto. That is civilization.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Hayagrīva: "Imperfections..., there will always be imperfections like smoke and fire," something like that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that, uh, He says that everything has got some defect, material. Even the fire, so powerful, so fire has also some defect: the smoke. So apart from that imperfection, if we execute our prescribed duties exactly in the way as it is enjoined in the śāstra, that even there is some defect, still we can get perfection. Just like Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving chance, everyone, to become perfect by his own work. It doesn't matter brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or what means according to Vedic civilization, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So brāhmaṇa is giving knowledge, kṣatriya is giving protection, vaiśya is giving food, and śūdra is general help to everyone.