Ananta means

Expressions researched:
"Ananta means" |"Anantam means"

SB Canto 3

Ananta means "innumerable."

SB 3.33.30, Translation and Purport:

My dear Vidura, by following the principles instructed by Kapila, Devahūti soon became liberated from material bondage, and she achieved the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as Supersoul, without difficulty.

Three words have been used in this connection to describe the achievement of Devahūti: ātmānam, brahma-nirvāṇam and bhagavantam. These refer to the gradual process of discovery of the Absolute Truth, mentioned herein as the bhagavantam. The Supreme Personality of Godhead resides in various Vaikuṇṭha planets. Nirvāṇa means to extinguish the pangs of material existence. When one is able to enter into the spiritual kingdom or into spiritual realization, one is automatically freed from material pangs. That is called brahma-nirvāṇa. According to Vedic scripture, nirvāṇa means cessation of the materialistic way of life. Ātmānam means realization of the Supersoul within the heart. Ultimately, the highest perfection is realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is to be understood that Devahūti entered the planet which is called Kapila Vaikuṇṭha. There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets predominated by the expansions of Viṣṇu. All the Vaikuṇṭha planets are known by a particular name of Viṣṇu. As we understand from Brahma-saṁhitā, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta means "innumerable." The Lord has innumerable expansions of His transcendental form, and according to the different positions of the symbolical representations in His four hands, He is known as Nārāyaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Vāsudeva, etc. There is also a Vaikuṇṭha planet known as Kapila Vaikuṇṭha, to which Devahūti was promoted to meet Kapila and reside there eternally, enjoying the company of her transcendental son.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Ananta means that which has no end. So that pleasure you can have only when you are spiritually realized soul. That is possible.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

So whole disturbance of mind... It is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ

sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt

hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ

vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta

(SB 7.5.5)

The... This is a verse in connection with talks between Mahārāja Prahlāda and his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. His father was gross materialist, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means soft bed. So materialists, they are concerned with gold and soft bed for enjoyment. You see? So his name was Hiraṇyakaśipu. And the Prahlāda, his son... Prahlāda means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa āhlāda. Āhlāda means pleasure. He's always full of pleasure. He has nothing to do with material... Because material pleasure cannot give us pleasure. It is our mistake. But because we have no information of the spiritual pleasure and because we are conditioned by this material body, therefore we seek pleasure through matter. Now we have to raise ourself from this position. Then we can get unlimited pleasure. We want pleasure, but we do not want such pleasure which ends. We want nonending pleasure. That is our heart's desire. But in material pleasure we cannot have that bliss. Even if you take a very good foodstuff, just delicious, still, after taking some portion of it, you will feel yourself satiated. Then that very foodstuff, you'll say, "No, no, I don't want any more." Because that ends. So that is not real pleasure. Real pleasure is defined: ananta. Ananta means that which has no end. So that pleasure you can have only when you are spiritually realized soul. That is possible. That is possible. We are reading all these scriptures, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and there are so many Vedic literatures that if anyone wants to have spiritual life, there is complete facility. There is complete facility.

Ananta means unlimited—but one, advaita. There is no difference.

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

Therefore, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta means unlimited—but one, advaita. There is no difference. Just like the electricity power. I give you a crude example. Unlimited factories are running in electricity. Different types of work is being utilized by electric energy, but the electricity is one. Similarly, God is one, but He can expand. That is His potency. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport).

Ananta means unlimited.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Bombay, March 25, 1974:

It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). So when we go to Kṛṣṇa, we get the similar body. Although we are subordinate, still, the facility is almost the same, seventy-eight percent. So about Kṛṣṇa it is, in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said,

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam

ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca

vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.33)

Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam. Kṛṣṇa can expand Himself—ananta-rūpam. Ananta means unlimited. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Now, we are individual souls. So we are also associated with Kṛṣṇa, as Paramātmā within the heart. Paramātmā is there. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). Where the Paramātmā is there, that is also stated: hṛdi, "in the heart." Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ. There is no, I mean to say, mistake. Kṛṣṇa says, "I stay within the heart of everyone."

Ananta means there is no limit, how many there are. Ananta, unlimited.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

So far what I am speaking to you, it is from authentic śāstras. The original verse is that, keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca, jīva-bhāgaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sa anantyāya kalpate (CC Madhya 19.140). The exact verse is in Sanskrit that jīvas, the living entities, they are ananta. Ananta means there is no limit, how many there are. Ananta, unlimited. Unlimited. And a small. Just like in the material world also, you will find unlimited atomic existence, similarly, in the spiritual also, there are unlimited spiritual atoms. And one of the atoms is myself and yourself or the ant or the elephant. Everyone is containing that atomic portion of spiritual energy. And from that atomic spiritual energy develops this material body, from that spiritual.

Anantam means unending. So we are meant for unending happiness.

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

You are hankering after happiness. Happiness is your prerogative. You must have. That is your life. You cannot stop happiness. But happiness in the diseased condition is not happiness. That we must understand. So we have to cure this diseased condition and then enjoy happiness, then enjoy pleasure that will be unlimited. There will be no end. In the diseased condition... Suppose whatever pleasure we take, it is for fifteen seconds or few minutes or few hours or few days—it will end. But real happiness, what is real happiness, that is unending. Brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). Anantam means unending. So we are meant for unending happiness. So Kṛṣṇa advises here that śaknotīhaiva yaḥ soḍhuṁ prāk śarīra-vimokṣaṇāt. Before quitting this material body, if one practices to tolerate the so-called urges of sense pleasure, then he becomes very happy at the long run. He recommends it. And that is the real purpose of human form of life. That we should not derive. We should not try to derive that false happiness in this diseased condition of material life. This is temporary. That is not happiness. We should understand that out of ignorance we are engaged to derive such kind of happiness, but that is not happiness. Real happiness is in spiritual life.

Ananta means endless.

Lecture on BG 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966:

The yogis, those who are transcendentalists aspiring after spiritual life, they are called yogis: bhakti-yogī, jñāna-yogī, dhyāna-yogī. There are so many departments of yogis. Now, they also enjoy. The whole process is to concentrate upon the viṣṇu-mūrti, Viṣṇu form, within the heart. And unless there is pleasure, there is no enjoyment, what is the use of controlling the senses and focusing the mind on the Supreme Supersoul within the heart? There is pleasure. What sort of pleasure that is? That pleasure is ananta. Ananta means endless. Endless. Yoginaḥ. Yoginaḥ. Ramante yoginaḥ anante. Anante means that pleasure is not endless. That pleasure, why it is not ended? Because spirit is eternal and the Supreme Lord is eternal, therefore reciprocation of their loving exchanges, they are eternal. They are eternal. The living spirit is eternal, the Lord is eternal, and their exchange of feelings, or loving feelings, that is also eternal. So one who is intelligent, they should refrain from this sensual enjoyment of this material body which is flickering, which is not in essence, and should seek such enjoyment of spiritual life. That is called rāsa-līlā. You have heard about Lord Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā. That is not ordinary exchange of feelings of this material body. That is exchange of feelings of the spiritual body. So sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad buddhi-grāhyam (BG 6.21). One has to use his intelligence to understand what is real happiness.

That is spiritual enjoyment. Anantam. Anantam means unending.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ pūrṇaḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). Complete. Not that one percent less than Kṛṣṇa. No. Cent percent Kṛṣṇa. Complete. Pūrṇa. Pūrṇa means complete. Pūrṇaḥ śuddhaḥ. Śuddha means purified. There is contamination in the material world. Material, any name you chant, because it is materially contaminated, you cannot continue it for very long. This is another experience. But this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, if you go on chanting for twenty-four hours, you'll never feel fatigued. That is the test. You go on chanting. These boys can chant twenty-four hours, without eating anything, without drinking water. It is so nice. Because it is complete, spiritual, śuddha. Śuddha means pure. Not materially contaminated. Material pleasure, any pleasure... The highest pleasure in the material world is sex. But you cannot enjoy it twenty-four hours. That is not possible. You can enjoy it for few minutes. That's all. Even if you are forced to enjoy, you'll reject it: "No, no more." That is material. But spiritual means there is no end. You can enjoy perpetually, twenty-four hours. That is spiritual enjoyment. Brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). Anantam. Anantam means unending.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Ananta means "who has no end." Ananta. Anta means end. Everything of us, there is end. But Kṛṣṇa has no end.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa's another name is Ananta. Ananta means "who has no end." Ananta. Anta means end. Everything of us, there is end. But Kṛṣṇa has no end. Similarly, His incarnation has no end. So in spite of so many incarnations, He is full. If we take, try to understand Kṛṣṇa materially that... Just like if you take from some stock one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, like that, then the stock will be finished at a certain point. Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Pūrṇam. The Veda says Kṛṣṇa is pūrṇam, complete. What kind of pūrṇam? We understand also complete. But if you want to take something from the complete, gradually it will reduce, and ultimately it becomes zero. So Kṛṣṇa is not like that. The Vedas say that pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam eva avaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). He's complete. So many incarnations are coming from Him, just like the waves of the river; still, he's complete. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam. From original Kṛṣṇa so many incarnations are coming. But still, He's there.

Ananta means unlimited, and rūpa means forms.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

Again, after creation of the universes, He enters each and every universe. This universe is filled with water, half. What you are seeing, that is half only. And half is filled with water. In that water Viṣṇu again lying, expanding. This is Viṣṇu's power. He can expand in innumerable identities. That is also confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta means unlimited, and rūpa means forms. He's expanding in unlimited number of forms. We are also expansion of His form. These jīvas, the living entities... He is expanding in two ways, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. Svāṁśa means Viṣṇu. One extension, expansion, is just directly He Himself. And another expansion is separated from Him. That separated from Him we are.

Ananta means the unlimited. His name, His fame, His glory, His qualities are described.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

If one reads one line of this literature, although it is presented in broken language, but if he simply hears there is Kṛṣṇa, then his sinful activities immediately vanquish. Janatāgha viplavaḥ. Tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api nāmāny anantasya (SB 1.5.11). Ananta means the unlimited. His name, His fame, His glory, His qualities are described. Nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni. If glorification is there, even they are presented in broken language, then śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ. Just like my Guru Mahārāja, sādhu, a saintly person, immediately passes: "Yes. It is all right." It is all right. Because there is glorification of the Lord. Of course, general public will not understand... But this is the standard, standard version, spoken by Nārada. You write something; the aim should be simply to glorify the Supreme. Then your literature is pavitra, purified. And however nicely, either literally or metaphorically or poetically, you write some literature which has nothing to do with God, or Kṛṣṇa, that is vāyasaṁ tīrtham. That is pleasure spot for the crows.

Ananta means the unlimited. His name is being chanted.

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

Just like I know that although you are speaking guru as goru, I, I, I, don't take offense because I know that your desire is something else. I do not protest. (laughter) That "You are addressing me goru. I am not goru." (laughter) So that is not a fault. Similarly, it is said that yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavati. If somebody does not know how to spell, how to say, but his idea is there, abaddhavaty api, because he wants to chant the holy name of the Supreme Lord, nāmāny anantasya, ananta... Ananta means the unlimited. His name is being chanted. Nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni. And His glorification is being done. The effect is śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādha... Those who are actually advanced transcendentalists, they'll appreciate: "Oh, how nicely they are doing. How nicely." Although there is broken language of goru instead of guru, that will be appreciated.

Ananta means unlimited.

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa... This is to be understood, that everyone thinking that He is born in the Yadu family, He is born of Vasudeva, or He is the son of mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja. This is Kṛṣṇa's pastime. When the impersonalist says, or there are many philosophers, that "God has no name," actually that is a fact. God has no name. But He has name according to His activities. Just like when He acts as the chariot driver of Arjuna, His name is Pārtha-sārathi. When He plays as the child of mother Yaśodā, He is called Yaśodā-nandana. When people say that He is born of Nanda Mahārāja, He is called Nanda-nandana. When people say that He came to protect Vasudeva and Devakī, He is called Vāsudeva, or Devakī-nandana. Or when He is in the Yadu dynasty, He's said as Yādava. In this way, Kṛṣṇa has unlimited pastimes and unlimited names. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta. Ananta means unlimited. He has got unlimited because so many devotees, not one devotees, and He has to satisfy everyone, as Nanda-kumāra, as Yaśodā-nandana, as Vāsudeva, as Yādava, as Pārtha-sārathi. So in this way, when one becomes bewildered that how many names He has got, so one should understand He has unlimited names or no name, but because He has to act unlimitedly, therefore He has got unlimited names.

Ananta means unlimited. But every form is spiritual.

Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

So you are also changing body. We, everyone we have to change body. Similarly, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa has got also ananta-rūpam. Our rūpam, our this form, is imitation of one of the forms of Kṛṣṇa. This is imitation. So but His forms are not like our form. His forms are spiritual. He is existing in different spiritual forms. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta means unlimited. But every form is spiritual. So He is changing. He is changing, yathā naṭaḥ. He is changing like naṭaḥ. Naṭaḥ means actor, dramatic actor. Just like in the stage the dramatic actor is sometimes coming as a king and next time by changing the dress he is coming as (indistinct). This is an example. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the same but He has got different manifestations. That different manifestation He takes. Why? Bhū-bhāraḥ kṣapitaḥ. Bhū-bhāraḥ. He comes in different forms just to liquidate the burden of the earth, bhū-bhāraḥ. Bhū-bhāraḥ kṣapitaḥ, just to reduce the burden of this earth.

Ananta means you cannot get the limit, that "So many millions or so many thousands." No. You cannot count.

Lecture on SB 3.25.2 -- Bombay, November 2, 1974:

So these jīvas, we, we are plural number. Jīva-bhāgaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sa cānantyāya kalpate. How many jīvas are there, there is no limit. Nobody can count. Ananta. Ananta means you cannot get the limit, that "So many millions or so many thousands." No. You cannot count. So all these jīvas, we, living entities, we are being maintained by that one. This is the Vedic information. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. Just like we maintain our family. One man is earning, and he is maintaining his family, wife, children, servants, dependents, workers, so many. Similarly, that one, Bhagavān, is maintaining all the living entities. You do not know how many there are. In Africa there are millions of elephants. They are also eating forty kg's at one time. So that, they are also being maintained. And the small ant, that is also being maintained. There are 8,400,000 forms of different bodies. Who is maintaining them? Maintaining, Bhagavān, that ekaḥ. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. That is a fact. So why He'll not maintain us? Especially those who are devotees, who have taken shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, leaving aside everything simply for His service.

Anantam means unlimited. So this life we should utilize for purifying, not for extravagancy in sense gratification.

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

So you are searching after pleasure, that is your prerogative. That is your right. You must be. But you are searching in this sense gratificatory platform, you'll never get it. If you purify your this existence, then you get unlimited pleasure in your spiritual existence. Unlimited pleasure. Brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). Anantam means unlimited. So this life we should utilize for purifying, not for extravagancy in sense gratification. You'll not suffer at... You'll... This is māyā. Actually, just like a child, a boy, wants to play, and the father prescribes him, "My dear boy, do not play so long. Please read." So he's thinking that "My father is prescribing something which is very troublesome." But actually this tapasya, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness regulated life, is not for trouble. It is for your progress of life to the spiritual understanding, where you get unlimited eternal life, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). God is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. Sat, cit, ānanda. Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda, full of pleasure. So as soon as you become purified from this material existence, then you enter into the spiritual kingdom, and you get your body sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha and live there eternally in full knowledge and full bliss.

Anantam means unlimited. We are hankering after happiness, but due to our material condition, the happiness is not eternal, neither blissful.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

Just like adhyātmika we have got some bodily pains, mental inequilibrium and so many things. That is called adhyātmika, pertaining to the body and the mind, sufferings. Similarly, there are sufferings imposed by other living entities. Similarly, there are sufferings imposed by natural phenomena. So because we have got this body, we are subjected to threefold miseries of life. And we are hankering after eternal life, blissful life, life of knowledge. If you want to attain that perfectional stage of life, which is called brahma-saukhyam—Brahman, Brahman means the greatest—then you have to follow some regulative principles of austerity so that your existence will be purified and, Ṛṣabhadeva says, then you'll be eligible to enjoy eternal life. Brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). Anantam means unlimited. We are hankering after happiness, but due to our material condition, the happiness is not eternal, neither blissful. But there is life where happiness is eternal, never disturbed. Unlimited. There is life of full knowledge. There is life of full bliss. And there is life of eternal.

Ananta means unlimited. And He is trying to chant the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead unlimitedly in unlimited time.

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

Unless one is completely free from this contamination, nobody is allowed to enter in the spiritual kingdom. Śuddha-sattva. Śuddha-sattva means...Even one is situated in that sattva-guṇa, he is not completely pure. Sometimes the other two qualities, ignorance and passion, may attack. Therefore Yamarāja says, yasyehitaṁ na viduḥ: "They also tried to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such great personalities whose duration of life is so long, who are so advanced in the modes of goodness, they also try to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Na viduḥ: "But they could not do so." And what to speak of us? It is said also that Ananta, He has got unlimited faces, Anantadeva...You have seen the picture, Viṣṇu... Holding over the head of Viṣṇu is Ananta. Ananta-śayyā. So Ananta, He has ananta hoods and ananta mouth and... Ananta means unlimited. And He is trying to chant the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead unlimitedly in unlimited time. Still, it is unfinished. Still, it is unfinished. So yasyehitaṁ na viduḥ. Why? If they are so much advanced, why they cannot? Spṛṣṭa-māyāḥ: "They are also contaminated by māyā." Spṛṣṭa-māyāḥ. Sattva-pradhānāḥ: "Their position in the platform of goodness, on the quality of goodness, that is very prominent, but they are not free from the contamination."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Ananta means unlimited.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.7 -- Mayapur, March 31, 1975:

Rāma means who enjoys. So this word rāma is explained in the śāstra that one who is expert in enjoying eternal happiness, he is perfect yogi. Not flickering happiness. Flickering happiness, the yogis are not interested in flickering happiness or material happiness. Material happiness is always flickering, temporary. That is not happiness, but we take it. Real happiness is when we enjoy life with Kṛṣṇa, rāma. That is real happiness. Ramante yoginaḥ anante satyānande. That is ananta. Ananta means unlimited. So our... We are seeking after ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). By our nature we want to be very blissful, always happy. That is our nature. And we can possess, revive our nature of eternal happiness, provided we try to get it in this human form of life. There is no difficulty if we follow the path enunciated by great authorities. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). So Nityānanda Prabhu, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Their disciples, they are all mahājanas, great personalities. If we follow their principles, then it is very easy. There is no difficulty. But difficulty is that we do not follow.

Ananta means unlimited. That is also confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu is explaining what is the identification of Kṛṣṇa. In the beginning He says, kṛṣṇera svarūpa ananta. Kṛṣṇa has form, svarūpa. Kṛṣṇa is not formless, but He has got many millions of forms. Not one form, many millions of forms. But He has form. He is not impersonal. Kṛṣṇera svarūpa ananta. Ananta means unlimited. That is also confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam

ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca

vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.33)

The Brahma-saṁhitā says that advaita acyuta. Advaita means although Kṛṣṇa has many forms, many expansions, still, they are one. There is no duality. Just like Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, They are one. They are not different. Similarly, rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Beginning from Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, He has got innumerable forms. Tiṣṭhan: He is existing always with all these forms, expansions, rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā.

Ananta means innumerable universes are there.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966:

From His childhood, just on the lap of His mother, He killed the demon Pūtanā. Similarly, such pastimes are going on every moment. Every moment. That is called nitya-līlā. In some of the universes... When the round (?) comes in this universe, it takes so many years. For millions and billions years. Just you can imagine how many millions and trillions of universes are there. Ananta brahmāṇḍa, tāra nāhika gaṇana. Ananta means innumerable universes are there. Nāhika gaṇana: nobody can count.

Ananta means unlimited. So it is said that Ananta is describing about Kṛṣṇa's pastimes for unlimited years and eternally; still it is not yet finished.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Now Lord Caitanya is summarizing about Kṛṣṇa's, I mean to say, līlā, pastimes. Saṅkṣepe. They are all, whatever, which I have already spoken to you, that is only summary of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. Otherwise, ananta kahite nāre ihāra vistāra. Ananta... The Śeṣa incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, He's called Ananta. Ananta means unlimited. So it is said that Ananta is describing about Kṛṣṇa's pastimes for unlimited years and eternally; still it is not yet finished.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Ananta means unlimited. Unlimited forms, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 33 -- New York, July 19, 1971:

Advaitam acyutam anādi. Anādi means which has no beginning. Because we have got this material body we have got a beginning. You may ask somebody, "What is your birthday?" That means beginning. Anything material, it has got a beginning and end. Anything which has got beginning has got end also, and change also. So Kṛṣṇa has no beginning, there is no end, and there is no change. Try to understand. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta means unlimited. Unlimited forms, Kṛṣṇa. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam. He's the original, oldest person. Because ādyaṁ, original. Just like if you find out in your family who is the original man, so as far as you can count, you go a hundred years, two hundred years back, find out who is the origin of your family members, so that man must be Purāṇa. Purāṇa means very old. Kṛṣṇa, being the original person, ādi-puruṣam... Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ. Ādi means original. So you do not think that he might have become very, very old. Because our material conception... Sometimes we paint picture: "God is the original person. Then He must be very old. He must have grown so much white, gray hairs." No. The Vedic knowledge says, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam (Bs. 5.33). The oldest man, but nava-yauvanaṁ ca, always just like a young man, sixteen to twenty years old. That is called nava-yauvana.

Initiation Lectures

Anantam means unlimited. It is very serious thing, and it is offered to the human being.

Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

The purpose of life is to understand Kṛṣṇa. There is no other business in this human form of life, but because we have given up Kṛṣṇa we have invented so many occupational duties. So these so-called occupational duties, running here and there on motorcar, is not the end of life. There is something more for the human being, and that is divya-jñāna. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam, yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam (SB 5.5.1). Why shall I purify my existence? Because you want happiness. That is your desire. So you'll get brahma-saukhyam, the greatest happiness, which will never end. If you purify your existence by tapasya then you will be happy eternally. There will be no end. Here in this material world any happiness is temporary—either for five minutes or five days or five years or five hundred years or five millions of years. It will end. But if you purify your existence, then the happiness will never end. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam (SB 5.5.1). Anantam means unlimited. It is very serious thing, and it is offered to the human being. So anyone can take advantage of this opportunity and make his life successful.

General Lectures

Ananta means there is no end. Here, if you want to enjoy your senses in this material world, there is end.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:

Just like if you are simply dressed, and if you want to enjoy sense gratification, it is not possible. You have to undress yourself, you have to become naked yourself. Similarly, if you want to sense gratify, then you have to purify your this material existence. Sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You have to become purified. Śuddhyed satya yeṇa brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). If you purify yourself, then by that purified senses you enjoy brahma-sukha. Brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam. Ananta means there is no end. Here, if you want to enjoy your senses in this material world, there is end. You cannot. The highest sense gratification in this material world is sex life, but you cannot enjoy sex life perpetually. For some moments—then it is ended. But brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam. But if you want to enjoy brahma-sukha... That is also sense gratification, but that is ananta. Ananta means there is no end. Ramante yoginam anante. The yogis... Yogis means the bhakti-yogī, because of all yogis, the bhakti-yogī is the best. That is the statement by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Ananta means unlimited number. There is no question of counting.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: They think that they have become liberated, but śāstra says "No, it is not yet liberated." Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Still there is contamination.

Revatīnandana: I see. It was just making my head spin to think of so many fallen souls. If there they also, to some extent they also fall. Here there are so many fallen souls. Then...

Prabhupāda: Ananta. You cannot say how many. Ananta. Anantāya kalpate. Ananta means unlimited number. There is no question of counting.

Śyāmasundara: Our brain is so tiny.

Revatīnandana: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Therefore acintya. Therefore acintya, inconceivable. (pause) Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Don't try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Simply try to love Him. That is perfection. That's all. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can understand. Kṛṣṇa Himself cannot understand Himself. Yes. (laughter) He's so acintya. And what to speak of us. Therefore our only business: how to love Kṛṣṇa, how to serve Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is perfection. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can. Kṛṣṇa Himself cannot understand.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Ananta means you cannot count.

Morning Walk -- February 17, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: I see. Oh, yes, yes. (break) One old lady... You know, in the villages there is fair, or market. So in the morning she saw that so many hundreds of men have assembled. So one lady of that village, she thought that "They have become my guests." So she began to cry and was asking his son, her son, "Oh, how I can accommodate so many people? How can I receive them as guests?" So the son said, "My dear mother, don't be agitated. In the evening you come." So in the evening when she come, there was nobody. There was nobody, because a marketplace. So this botheration is just like the old lady. After seeing so many men, she is agitated. And in the evening there is none. So it requires intelligence, that "They are coming and going. Why I should be bothered about that? Let me do my duty as human being." That is required. (Hindi:) Ek sat me dekhila. (break) ...unlimited number of living entities. Ananta. Ananta means you cannot count. Within your body, within your stool, there are millions of living entities. They are provided, maintained, by your stool, by your urine. So why do you bother? If your stool and urine can provide so many living entities, why you bother yourself? (Hindi) You do your duty as human being. Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ sa... Don't become animal. That is required.

Ananta means unlimited. God, His one feature is Kṛṣṇa, and He has unlimited features.

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: What these theologicians think about God? It is already 1,500 months' substance to read. What they will discover? Teeny discovery? We have already stock for 1,500 years' understanding. So what we have to understand from them? (break) ...anādir ananta-rūpam. This is only for Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa has got expansions—unlimited. Advaita, acyuta, ananta. Ananta means unlimited. God, His one feature is Kṛṣṇa, and He has unlimited features. If a gentleman simply reads the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam quietly at home, he will be fully conversant, fully aware of what is God. Just like a scholar. He is not limited in one university or in one book. He reads various books to understand the subject matter of his research. Similarly, those who are actually serious about understanding God, they should not stick only to a particular scripture. They should read all others where the information of God is there. Just like we sometimes quote from Bible, but the Christians, they cannot quote from Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavata. They cannot do that. But they do not read. Even they do not read fully their Bible.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Anantam means unlimited.

Garden Conversation with Dr. Gerson and devotees -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattva: (SB 5.5.1) "By becoming Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your existentional constitution will be purified." What is that purification? Purīfication means because you are now impure, you are subjected to birth, death, old age, and disease. Therefore you require treatment to cure this disease. Yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ anantam. And if you cure this disease, then—you are after happiness—you will get transcendental bliss and enjoy it eternally. This is human life. Everything is discussed in the Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattva yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ anantam (SB 5.5.1). Anantam means unlimited. You are searching after happiness, but this is limited. Even if you enjoy sex life, that is also limited for a few moments. But anantam. That is... You will enjoy it eternally. Just Kṛṣṇa is dancing with the gopīs. He is enjoying eternally. So you can join with Him. That information we are giving. Just imagine what a valuable service we are rendering. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattva (SB 5.5.1). Your existence is impure. Therefore you are undergoing the tribulation of birth, death, old age, and disease. But they are not making any research how to stop. Nobody wants to die. Why he is dying? Where is the solution? Can the psychologists give any solution, that "You think in this way"? No. That we are giving: "Think of Kṛṣṇa and you will become free."