Annihilation (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"annihilation" |"annihilations"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

Vedic literature are meant for the human being and not for the cats and dogs. The cats and dogs can kill their eatable animals, and for that there is no question of sin on their part. But if a man kills an animal for the satisfaction of his uncontrolled taste, he must be responsible for breaking the laws of nature. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly explained that there are three kinds of activities according to the different modes of nature: the activities of goodness, the activities of passion, the activities of ignorance. Similarly, there are three kinds of eatables also: eatables in goodness, eatables on passion, eatables on ignorance. They're all clearly described, and if we properly utilize the instructions of the Bhagavad-gītā, then our whole life will become purified and ultimately we shall (be) able to reach the destination. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6).

That information is given in the Bhagavad-gītā, that beyond this material sky, there is another spiritual sky; that is called sanātana sky. In this sky, this covered sky, we find everything temporary. It is manifested, it stays for some time, gives us some by-product, and then it becomes dwindling, and then vanishes. That is the law of this material world. You take this body, you take a fruit or anything what is created here, it has got its annihilation at the end. So beyond this temporary world there is another world for which the information is there, that paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature which is eternal, sanātana, which is eternal.

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

So we have got two kinds of bodies, gross and subtle, and within that, I am living, you are living, soul. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe, within this body, there is the dehī, the proprietor of the body. So people do not understand that this finishing of this gross body is not actually death or annihilation of the soul. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Even annihilation of the subtle body does not mean death of the soul. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). There are two kinds of bodies. So when the gross body is annihilated, the subtle body carries me to another gross body. Just like the air carries the flavor of a certain place. If the air is passing over rose garden, it carries the flavor.

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

So this chance is given. So if this chance is misused, this life, human form of life, it is very, very risky. Again we will have to accept the cycle of birth and death. And not only that, if we do not fulfill the mission of life, then again there will be annihilation of the whole creation and we will have to stay within the body of Viṣṇu for millions and trillions of years. Again we will have to come. So therefore it is called anādi karama-phale. Anādi means "before the creation." This is going on.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Where is the question of believing? It is a fact. It is not a question of belief. It is a fact.

Śyāmasundara (for woman): Unless you fully surrender to God, then there's no question of knowing that. (?)

Prabhupāda: Yes. To go back to Godhead means you don't get this material body. So long you get this material body, you have to change. That is the material nature. Anything which is material, it has got a date of birth and it has got a date of annihilation. And in the via media there is growth, their existence. So this body, not only this body, even this material world, it has got a date or creation, and it will be annihilated. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It comes into manifestation once, and again it is destroyed. This is material existence. When you go back to home, back to Godhead, you haven't got to accept this material body. Your spiritual body is already there within this material body. And in that spiritual body you shall exist along with God. That is the highest perfection of life.

Revatīnandana: Are there any other questions? Yes?

Guest: (too faint)

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

So everyone has got his individuality. That is a fact. Not that the... Just like there is a class of philosophers who says that the soul is a homogeneous, one entity, and after the destruction, after the annihilation of this body, the soul, as a substance, will mix up. Just like water. You keep in different pots. In different pots you keep water. So the water takes the shape of the pot, the bowl, round bowl. You keep water. The water takes the shape of round. So similarly, there are thousands of, or millions of, waterpots, and suppose all the waters are mixed up. Then there is no distinction. Just like they were in the pots.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

They were individuals in the past, they are now individuals, and they will continue to be individual even after annihilation of this body." Now, how you'll adjust? There are two theories, that after liberation all these souls, they become one. Just like all drops of water, if you put into the sea, they become one entity. There is no distinction. And the Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "No, they keep their individuality. They do not mix." Now we are supposed... We are all laymen. We are ignorant, what is actually position, what is the actual position.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972:

The living entity is never born; neither it dies. Na jāyate means he never takes birth. Na jāyate na mriyate, it never dies. Nityaṁ śāśvato 'yam, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). It is eternal, śāśvata, existing forever. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). By annihilation of this body, the soul does not die. Because... This is also confirmed in the Upaniṣads, Vedas: nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. The God is also eternal, and we are also eternal. We are part and parcels of God. Just like gold and fragments of gold; both of them are gold. Although I am fragment, a particle of gold or the spirit, still, I am spirit.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

Tattva-darśibhiḥ, those who are, who have seen the Absolute Truth, or those who have realized the Absolute Truth, they have concluded that the matter has no permanent existence and spirit soul has no annihilation. These two things would be understood. Asataḥ. Asataḥ means material. Nāsato vidyate bhāvaḥ. Asataḥ, anything asat... Anything in the material world, that is asat. Asat means will not exist, temporary. So you cannot expect permanent happiness in temporary world. That is not possible. But they are trying to become happy. So many plan-making commissions, utopian. But actually there is no happiness. So many commissions. But there is... Tattva-darśī, they know... Tattva-darśī, one has seen or has realized the Absolute Truth, he knows that in the material world there cannot be any happiness.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- Mexico City, February 16, 1975:

This body is temporary, but I, the spirit soul, I am permanent. I have already experienced that I had my childhood body, I had my babyhood body, I had my boyhood body, youthhood body, I know it, but the bodies are no more existing, but I am existing. So therefore I am permanent, and the body is nonpermanent. Therefore it is said, nāsato vidyate bhāvaḥ: "Permanency is not there in the body." Nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ: "And there is no annihilation of the permanent or the eternal."

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- Hyderabad, November 22, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa says, "That consciousness is avināśi." After the death of, after the annihilation of this body, which we call dead, the consciousness is not dead. That we do not understand. There is no science; there is no philosophy. Everything based on a foolish assumption. They say the consciousness is made possible by combination of matter.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- Hyderabad, November 22, 1972:

We have discussed this verse. That is living force. And Kṛṣṇa says, vināśam avyayasya asya. This consciousness has no annihilation. Vināśa. Nobody can kill this consciousness, or the soul. One can do harm to this material body, but not to the spirit soul and consciousness. Vināśam avyaya. Avyaya means which is never deteriorates. That is avyaya. Vināśam avyayasya asya na kaścit kartum arhati. Nobody can kill. Nobody can kill consciousness, nobody can kill the soul. Therefore it is said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). "The consciousness, or the spirit soul, is never killed, never annihilated, on the destruction of this body."

Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:

So the whole universe will be filled up with water. Then it will be evaporated, and the whole universe, cosmic manifestation finished. This is called annihilation. So in Bhagavad-gītā there is a statement that when everything is annihilated, the spiritual world is not annihilated. Na vinaśyasi. So as the spiritual world does not annihilate, similarly the soul, the spirit, by any such disturbances, the soul is never annihilated. Avyayam indestructible, immutable.

Lecture on BG 2.55-56 -- New York, April 19, 1966:

We are soul, spirit soul. We are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We do not die after the annihilation of this body. We simply change the body just like we change our dress. But we are eternal. But because we are under the spell of this material energy, we do not take seriously that "Why I shall agree to change my body life after life?" We have taken it as usual. This is our foolishness.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

Prabhupāda: The introspective man who is after self-realization, he knows very well, "Suppose if I do in future such and such big business, or such... I can construct such big skyscraper house." But because he's introspective, he knows that "What I shall do with all these things? As soon as I exit from the platform, everything remains here, and I take another form of body, begins another life." That is introspection. The materialistic person they cannot understand what is the future. They are thinking this body is everything. "We have got this body, and when it is finished, it is finished for all." These questions we have already discussed. But actually it is not. This is the first understanding of self-realization, that soul is eternal, it is not annihilated even after the annihilation of this body. This is the beginning of self-realization. So these people they do not understand it. They don't care for it. That is their sleeping. That is their miserable condition. Go on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "He goes on with his self-realization activity undisturbed by material reactions." 70: "A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still, can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires."

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

This is also yoga. This is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is the direct method of approaching God. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). This yoga is infallible. It is never lost. Avyayam. Avyayam means it has no annihilation because it is transcendental. Anything spiritual, transcendental, has no annihilation. Even matter has no annihilation. Modern science says conservation of the energy. So in God's creation there is no question of annihilation. But the difference between matter and spirit is this, that matter is, the nature of matter is bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It appears, it manifests. Just like you prepare a pot from clay, and some day the pot will be annihilated, but it will go to the clay again, and again you can prepare from clay, pot.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

Just like God is eternal, similarly I am also eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This living entity, the soul, after the annihilation of this body, he does not die. So this is, these are subject matter of knowledge in the human form of life. So etad aviditya without knowing this science, if somebody dies like cats and dog, he is a kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. And one who dies with the knowledge of this brahma-jñāna, self-realization, he is called brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who knows Brahman, the Absolute Truth, he is called brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:

That is the difference between God and the living entity. We had our past life, because dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), we have changed our body. And we shall change this body also. after annihilation of this body.... Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). Old garments, old cloth, when it is too old, unuseable, then we give it up. We accept another new cloth. Similarly, when this body becomes unuseable, then we change our body. We get another new body. This is the way of transmigration of the soul.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

The Lord says that "I come down, I incarnate Myself in My superior nature." Svām adhiṣṭhāya. But what is our position? Although we belong to the superior nature, we have come to this material world not in superior nature, but we are in contact with the inferior nature. Therefore death takes place. Our birth and death is due to this body. The body is subject to be annihilation at a certain period, and that we accept as death. And similarly, when we accept another body and come out of the mother's womb to work here, then we call it birth. And when we give up that body and go to another to take another body, that we call death. So this birth and death is due to this inferior nature.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Public Meeting -- Rome, May 25, 1974:

The birth, death, old age and disease are the inconveniences of the body. The spirit soul has no birth, no death, no old age and no disease, neither the spirit soul is annihilated after the destruction of this body. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is the statement of the Bhagavad-gītā, that after the annihilation of this body, the spirit soul does not annihilate. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to stop this disease: birth, death, old age and disease. And this can be achieved very easily if you simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world." Thirteen: "According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them the corresponding four divisions of human society were created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable." Purport: "The Lord is the creator of everything. Everything is born of Him, everything is sustained by Him, and everything after annihilation rests with Him. He is therefore the creator of the four divisions of the social order."

Prabhupāda: There are three conditions. Just like I have got this body, you have got your body. So this body is developed, created. You know. In the mother's womb the first body was just like a pea when it is first created. These descriptions are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. After sex life of the man and woman there are two kinds of secretions. They mix up, emulsify, and they form into pea-like shape. In that pealike shape the living entity, which is atomic, takes shelter and becomes the living entity takes shelter in that pealike form it develops, develops. Just like you see the child born, he is also developing, developing.

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

Prabhupāda: So this is the nature. Everything is born and it develops, it stays, and it gives byproduct, then it dwindles and then vanishes. These are the stages, different six stages. So after vanquishing, after annihilation, where does it stay? It stay in God. Then again takes birth. The whole material cosmic manifestation, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). The creation is coming into existence. It stays for some time, it develops, gives some byproduct, then dwindles, then vanishes. And after vanishing it stays in the same principle, the absolute truth. That is being explained. Go on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Beginning with the intelligent class of men technically called the brāhmaṇas due to their being situated in the mode of goodness. Next is the administrative class, technically called the kṣatriyas due to their being situated in the mode of passion. The mercantile men called the vaiśyas are situated in the mixed modes of passion and ignorance.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you, by activities, pious activities, or worshiping different demigods, you go to the Brahmaloka, where the standard of life is very, very great, life is also, duration of life is very, very great, so that is not permanent. But our problem is that we are permanent, eternal, and we are trying to be happy in the nonpermanent condition of life. This is called less brain. My problem is that I am the spirit soul... Nityaḥ śāśvataḥ. I am eternal, śāśvataḥ. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). I do not die even after the annihilation of this body. Then where is my eternal body? This question should be raised by the human form of life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Just like here we have got the president, the governor and so many big, big officers. But suppose, somehow or other this whole planet or the whole thing is gone, destroyed—because we can expect destruction every moment, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19)—then the whole thing, I mean to say, the president and the governor, everything is gone. Iha devatāḥ. So we are taking shelter of this material world, something big, but that will not exist with the annihilation, with the dissolution of this material world. Everything will be dissolved. Everything will be... So we have to take the leadership of the Supreme. Then it will be the largest perfection, the greatest perfection of life.

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

Prabhupāda: How He can become out of sight? He sees everything in Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa in everything. Everything in Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa in everything. Then how can he lose sight of Kṛṣṇa? Yes.

Viṣṇujana: "To merge in Kṛṣṇa is spiritual annihilation. The devotee takes no such risk. It is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā: 'I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal form of Śyāmasundara situated within the heart of the devotee.' "

Prabhupāda: Śyāmasundara, this is Śyāmasundara, that Kartamasana.

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

So that is the position of this material world. It is coming out and again going. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said that these material universes are being created at a certain period and again become annihilated. Now this creation and annihilation is depending on the exhaling and inhaling of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Just imagine what is the caliber of that Mahā-Viṣṇu.

Lecture on BG 6.40-42 -- New York, September 16, 1966:

And there are many instances. But that is the idea, that one who is spiritually advanced, he's not disturbed by any material miserable condition. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa says that a person who is spiritually advanced, for him there is no misery even in this world and what to speak of the other world? Pārtha na eva iha. Iha means in this world. Nāmutra. Amutra means next life. Vināśas tasya vidyate. Na vināśa. Vināśa means annihilation. So he has no annihilation. What is annihilation? We have understood from Bhagavad-gītā in the Second Chapter that soul is never annihilated. Indestructible.

Lecture on BG 6.40-42 -- New York, September 16, 1966:

Or you are thrown into the middle, you don't see any land, so you do not know... That is vināśa. That is annihilation. Although we are living there. Similarly, if we meet this... We do not know what I am going to be in my next life but my life, next life is a fact. Next life is fact. Suppose if you drive me away from this room, so I must take shelter of another room. So you do not know where I am gone. So this is called vināśa. This is called vināśa.

Lecture on BG 6.40-42 -- New York, September 16, 1966:

So one who takes to spiritual life, he has no vināśa. He has no annihilation means that his next life he's going to be again human being. He's not lost in the wilderness of other species of life. Because he has to begin again. Suppose he has finished ten percent Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now he has to begin eleven percent again. Now, in order to begin, I mean to say, eleven percent in Kṛṣṇa consciousness he has to take the human body. So this means that if anyone takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his next life human body is guaranteed. It is guaranteed. It is very nice.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The spirit soul does not die after the annihilation of this body. That is our position. We are accepting different types of bodies, but we are eternal, part and parcel of the Supreme. Not only eternal, full of knowledge and blissful. This is our position. But at the present moment, because we have got this body, it is no very pleasurable condition. It is miserable condition.

Lecture on BG 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966:

This verse we have been discussing last day, that avyaktaḥ akṣaraḥ. Avyakta means which is not manifested. This material world is manifested, but the spiritual world is not manifested before us. But, although not manifested, that part of this creation is eternal. Akṣara. Akṣara means "which has no annihilation." In the material world everything is born, it stays for some time, it develops, it gives some by-products, then it dwindles and then vanishes. These six forms of changes of the material form—ṣaḍ-vikāra. This is called in Sanskrit word ṣaḍ-vikāra, six kinds of changes. But the spiritual world, avyakta, which is not manifested at the present moment before us, that is akṣara. Akṣara means it is eternal. It does not annihilate.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate han... This is knowledge, that "If I am eternal, if I do not die after annihilation of this body, then why I am subjected to this body?" This is knowledge. And to manufacture a motor car, that is not knowledge. That is craftsmanship. Knowledge is here, that "I am eternal. Why I am put into this condition of temporary body, not only one kind of body, but there are 8,400,000 different forms of body, and I have to accept one of them, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), according to my karma.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

So we are not interested how to get out of the cage of mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. We are again and again coming back to the cage. This is called ajñāna. This is called ajñāna. Jñāna means that I am eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). I don't..., I am not annihilated after the killing, after the annihilation of this body. Nityaḥ śāśvatayam, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Then why I am entering this body, which is annihilated? That is the problem. That is mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. If you enter again into this material body, then again mṛtyu.

Lecture on BG 9.7-10 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

That should be our problem. There is no use calculating for how many years one kalpa, one duration of this cosmic manifestation, is maintained. But our concern is that whether we can get out of these clutches of material nature and get into our spiritual nature and have our eternal blissful life. That is our problem. That we can make solution. If we culture the Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, then even after annihilation of this body, we can get into the spiritual nature and spiritual nature, and we are also spirit. Therefore there is no difference; there is no question of birth and death. That is the problem.

Lecture on BG 9.7-10 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

Now one may think that "Such a huge manifestation of the material world, it is once created and again annihilated. Then God must be very much concerned about this creation and annihilation." But the Lord says, "No." Na ca māṁ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya: "My dear Arjuna, all this world is going on automatically. There is no concern about it." Just like a big man, big rich man in your city. Oh, he is dismantling so many big, big houses and again constructing skyscraper. Oh, his agents are doing. He has got money, spending. He is sitting nicely.

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

Tapoloka means those who have performed here severe penances, and they are transferred there in Tapoloka. In Tapoloka, when there is destruction, annihilation of this material world, in the Tapoloka there is no destruction. They get information, "Now annihilation has begun." There is a great fire, and they still feel that heat, and at that time they transfer themselves to the spiritual sky. That mention we have got. So yajñair iṣṭvā svargatiṁ prārthayante.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974:

Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya says, "Nārāyaṇa is beyond this material creation. He is, exists before the material creation." Aham eva asam agre. Before the material creation, the Nārāyaṇa is there, and after the annihilation of this material creation, the Nārāyaṇa is there. Just like we are part and parcel of Nārāyaṇa, living entities, soul. We existed before the creation of this body, this present body, my body or your body. And we shall remain also after the destruction of this body. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

Before this universal creation, Kṛṣṇa took the form of Mahavisnu, and Mahavisnu's breathing period is the creation and annihilation. So long the breathing goes on, exhaling, that is the creation period; inhaling, the destruction, annihilation. So the whole cosmic manifestation is being maintained within the breathing period of Mahavisnu.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

I talked with Professor Kotovsky in Moscow. He said, "Swamiji, after annihilation of this body, everything is finished." They have no idea that there is soul. And in India even the poorest man, he knows that, "There is next life. I existed in the past, and I will exist in the future." This Vedic conclusion is known even to the poorest man, illiterate man. That is, of course, the difference between East and West.

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

Unfortunately there is no education, there is no knowledge about this throughout the whole world. We are thinking that after annihilation of this body everything is finished. No, that is not the fact. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. If a young man thinks that "I have got now this body for enjoyment. I am young man. I shall not become an old man." That is not the fact. Young man has to become old man.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974:

You are not dead simply by annihilation of the body. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam. You are nitya, śāśvata. Na jāyate na mriyate. You have no birth, no death. The birth and death is simply changing body. Just like we have changed so many bodies. I was a child. But the child body is no longer to be seen. That does not mean I am dead. I had my body of a child. That body is now finished.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- South Africa, October 18, 1975:

Actually they do not know what is what, what is the adjustment. But our philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy, we don't say that "There is no God" or "This world is created by accident or combination of matter." We don't say that. We say that God is the creator. Not we say, but the Vedānta says. The essence of Vedic knowledge, Vedānta philosophy, Vyāsadeva, he says that janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The source of janma or creation, the maintenance and annihilation, the source..." Where it is? Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. This is Vedic information. That is Brahman, wherefrom everything is coming. The same thing is said in the Vedānta-sūtra. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

And what is the destination of going forward? The destination is to understand the original cause of creation, God. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is the Vedānta philosophy. Janmādy asya yataḥ. The original cause from where everything is coming into being, by whose management everything is maintained, and after annihilation everything will enter into Him—that is the original person. So human form of life is meant for understanding the original cause of all causes. That is human form of life. Inquisitiveness.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

They are going here and there, gacchati, very busy. Every man is going here and there. Similarly, the whole planetary system also, beginning from its birth up to the annihilation it is going, moving, orbit. It is going. Everything is going, moving. Even the sun, it has got its orbit. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta..., aśeṣa-tejāḥ, yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. The... Just like the earth has its orbit—it is rotating—similarly, every planet is rotating. The sun is also rotating. And so far I calculate, it is sixteen thousand miles per minute or second. I calculated once. The sun is rotating sixteen thousand miles either per minute or per second. I forget now.

Lecture on BG 16.11-12 -- Hawaii, February 7, 1975:

Kaṁsa was a great asura, but still, he was thinking of future life. When he was informed that his sister's son, eighth son, will kill him, so he was trying to kill his sister. "Because sister is the source of the nephew coming, so better finish the sister." So still he was thinking, "What people will say? I shall kill my sister." So they were also thinking of future. But at the present moment the asuras are so advanced that they don't think of future life also. Don't think. Therefore pralayantam. Pralayantam means annihilation. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). The result is at the same time... Because at the time of death, yaṁ yaṁ bhāvaṁ smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram. Pralayantam means at the time of death, when we give up this body. Upāśritāḥ. Then we get a similar body next life. That is, I mean to say, arranged by the nature's law. Nature has nothing to do. It will automatically follow.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

Just like your body, my body, or everyone's body: it has got a date of birth, it continues to live for some time, and there is annihilation. That is called janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1). Janma ādi. First of all birth, then sustenance, then death. This is three summary. But actually there are six. Six in the birth, then living for some time, then growth, then producing something out of the body, then dwindling, then finished. Every body. Every body takes birth, then remains for some time, grows also or changes different body, and then from the body some other bodies are also coming out. In this way one becomes old.

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

So janma ādi means birth and sustenance and death. We have got this body produced or born at a certain date. It keeps, sustains, for a certain period-say fifty years, sixty years, or a hundred years, utmost—and then again it is destroyed. Therefore janma ādi means birth is also coming from Him, maintained also by Him, and when it is destroyed, it goes unto Him. That is called janma ādi, means birth, maintenance, and annihilation. Janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1). All this material world, they are undergoing the same process. Janma, sustenance, and end. Everything. This universe also is like that, everything, even the ant's body or my body, your body, elephant's body, or there are many demigod's body. Just like we have learned from Bhagavad-gītā, Brahmā's body, it keeps for millions and millions of years. One day we cannot calculate.

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

And the answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā in the beginning, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. You'll have to accept another body. The nāstika, they say that "There is no, no more life." Just like Professor Kotovsky, when I was in Moscow, he said, "Swamiji, after the annihilation of the body, there is nothing. Everything finished." Just see. Now, Kṛṣṇa says that na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin na hanyate. Now, shall I accept Professor Kotovsky's statement or Kṛṣṇa's statement? Which shall I accept?

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

There is another nature, which is sanātana, eternal. This world this material world, is not eternal. Just like we have got this body. This is not eternal. It is temporary. It has got some particular date of his birth and it has got some particular date of his annihilation. Similarly, this gigantic body, universe, it is created at a certain date and it will be annihilated at a certain date. This is material world. But there is another world. That information we get from Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature.

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

These are analyzed, what is the nature of the Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. How He is? What He is? Immediately the answer is janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "From Him, everything is emanating." Everything is taking birth from Him. Janma. Not only janma, birth, but existence, maintenance, janmādi. Janmādi means birth, maintenance and death. Creation, maintenance and annihilation. Janmādi. Asya, anything you take, asya. Janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1). Janmādy asya yataḥ. From whom everything is emanating, everything is taking birth, this cosmic manifestation, it is being maintained in Him. And again, when it is annihilated, it enters into His own energy.

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

Upendra: "After this such fortunate living entities have no more to come within the occasional material creation. But those who can not catch up the constitutional truth are again kept merged into the mahat-tattva at the time of annihilation of the material creation. When the creation is again set up this mahat-tattva is again let loose and this mahat-tattva contains all the ingredients of material manifestations including the conditioned souls. Primarily this mahat-tattva is divided into sixteen parts namely the five gross material elements and the eleven working instruments or senses."

Prabhupāda: Five elements means the sky, air, then fire, water, and earth. And five senses acquiring knowledge, just like eyes, ear, tongue, smelling. We are acquiring knowledge by these... And working five senses, hands, legs, the genital, and in this way there are five working senses and five knowledge-acquiring senses, and mind is the center. Therefore eleven. Eleven plus five elements equal to sixteen. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.3.10 -- Los Angeles, September 16, 1972:

Then how this mind is created, intelligence is created, how the controller created? These are described in the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, in many places. So it is not that we are simply chanting and dancing. That is the ultimate goal of life. But we know how this creation has taken place, how it is being maintained, how it will be annihilated, what will happen after annihilation—everything we know by this sāṅkhya philosophy. But they do not know. The so-called scientists, they are troubled what will happen next. That is the...

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Hyderabad, August 18, 1976:

The result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). We are changing our bodies, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We are accepting... People do not know even this. We have talked with many big, big professors in Europe, in Moscow also. And they say, "Swamiji, after the annihilation of this body, everything is finished." But we get instruction from the Bhagavad-gītā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam (BG 2.20).

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

He is pūrṇa, and whatever He does, that is also pūrṇa. You cannot find any defect in the creation of the Lord. In the arrangement of maintenance and in the arrangement of annihilation you cannot find out any flaw. Perfection. Pūrṇa.

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

Pradyumna: "When the rays of the two brahmāstras combined, a great circle of fire, like the disc of the sun, covered all outer space and the whole firmament of planets. All the population of the three worlds was scorched by the combined heat of the weapons. Everyone was reminded of the sāṁvartaka fire, which takes place at the time of annihilation."

Prabhupāda:

saṁhatyānyonyam ubhayos

tejasī śara-saṁvṛte

āvṛtya rodasī khaṁ ca

vavṛdhāte 'rka-vahnivat

(SB 1.7.30)

dṛṣṭvāstra-tejas tu tayos

trīl lokān pradahan mahat

dahyamānāḥ prajāḥ sarvāḥ

sāṁvartakam amaṁsata

(SB 1.7.31)

So the heat increased. Radiation heat increased. One weapon was released by Aśvatthāmā, another by Arjuna to counteract, and the heat was so terrible that dahyamānāḥ prajāḥ sarvāḥ, all the inhabitants of different planets, they felt the great heat produced by two brahmāstras. And sāṁvartakam amaṁsata.

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

You have got experience when the atmosphere is too hot, then the rain falls. Same process. When everything will be burned into ashes there will be rain, torrents of rain, and it is said just like the trunk of the elephant, the rainfall will be like that. So everything will be covered with water. That is annihilation. Pralaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān asi vedam **. Then there will be pralaya, and by the grace of the Lord the Vedas will be saved. Keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

Another understanding is that because Kṛṣṇa is controller, beyond this material nature, therefore He is not a product of this material nature. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand. Their poor fund of knowledge... If God has created this material world, then He must not be anything of this material world. Because before creation He was existing, and after creation, after annihilation, He will remain, then how He can be anything of this material world? Material world, anything has got a beginning and end. But God is beyond this material world. He was existing... He said, "Let there be creation." Just like in your Bible it is said. So there was creation. So how He can be one of the created beings? By His wish there was creation. And another thing is then His desires, His wish, they are nothing of this material world. They are spiritual. Prakṛteḥ param means "superior to this material world."

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

So this question was there by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa that: "Whatever You are speaking, it is all right. That I am not this body, I am soul. Everyone is not this body. He's soul. So on the annihilation of this body..." (Aside:) Stop that. "On the annihilation of the body the soul will exist. But when I see my son is dying, or my grandfather is dying, I am killing, how can I solace me that my grandfather is not dying, my son is not dying, the, simply it is changing? Because I am accustomed to think like that. So there must be grief." So Kṛṣṇa replied: "Yes, that's a fact. So that you must have to tolerate, that's all. There is no other remedy." Tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Los Angeles, April 24, 1973:

They are making scientific researches, but they do not know that every living entity is spirit soul. He has no birth. He has no death. He's eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam, everlasting, purāṇaḥ, although oldest, na hanyate. The conclusion: na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So after the annihilation of this body the soul does not die. He accepts another body. This is our disease. This is called bhava-roga. Bhava-roga means material disease. So Kṛṣṇa, being the Supreme Living Entity, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) Kṛṣṇa is exactly like us.

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

Sun is very powerful planet, very important planet, of all the other planets. Rājā, it is the king of planets. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā: the sun is the king of all planets. Because without sun all planets will be frozen, or if the sun becomes too much bright, then everything will be ablaze. At the last stage of annihilation the whole universe will be ablaze by the scorching heat of the sun, and then there will be torrents of rain. For one hundred years the whole universe will remain ablaze. And then for one hundred years there will be heavy rain. In this way the creation will be annihilated.

Lecture on SB 1.9.2 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1973:

Pradyumna: Ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ...

Prabhupāda: Ah, prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā. In this world there two things, prabhava and pralaya. Prabhava means generation, generating, and pralaya means annihilation. Two things. Everything, whatever you take, it is generated at a certain point and it will end at a certain point. So Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā. That is the ultimate cause. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). We don't take simply generation. Generation, maintenance and annihilation, three things. Just this body is born at a certain date, it remains for a certain period, and then it is annihilated. So everything material means it has a beginning, it is born or it is manufactured at a certain point, it keeps for some time, then it will be destroyed. Therefore the Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ. Janma-sthiti-pralaya (SB 1.1.1).

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

Just like Professor Kotovsky, such a big professor, he says, "There is no life after death." He's a rascal number one. What is the meaning of this education? He does not know that the soul is eternal, and therefore Bhagavad-gītā teaches first, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanam... (BG 2.13). Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). "First of all understand this: soul is eternal; you are eternal; you do not die, after the annihilation..." This is the first education. And these rascals, they say there is no life after death. So how much educated they are you can understand.

Lecture on SB 1.15.21 -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1973:

It will be useless, all useless. Real spirit soul-na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20)—that we do not take care. After finishing this false body, which will exist, the spirit soul, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), which is never vanquished even after the annihilation of this body, we are not taking care of that, wherefrom it has come. People are ignorant, so foolish. They do not know. This is the ignorant, civilization of ignorance. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ (BG 7.15). They do not know therefore. In ignorance they are committing so many sinful life. For the satisfaction of the tongue, they are killing so many animals.

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

Not that sometimes we wish to live or sometimes we wish to die. No. Everlastingly, eternally, we never take our birth, never we die. Then what is this death? This death is of the material body, not of the soul. Therefore it is said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), more distinctly, that "We don't think that the soul is dead after the annihilation of this body."

Lecture on SB 1.15.42 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1973:

They ask this question generally, that "Everything is created. Then God must be created." That idea comes because we have no other idea than the creation, maintenance and again annihilation. We have no other idea. In this material world, we have no other idea. We see this body is created by father and mother. Then it remains for a time, it grows, and then it become old. Then it vanishes. Ṣaḍ-vikāra, six kinds of changes. Janma-sthiti-pariṇāma...

Lecture on SB 1.15.44 -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1973:

But what is my position? My position is that there is no death, no birth. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. In the Bhagavad-gītā, teaching, Kṛṣṇa is teaching that "Soul never takes birth, neither dies." Then what is this death? This is not death. This is changing of body. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Even if you take it is annihilation, yes, but the soul remains. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). People have no brain that "What is my problem? I am eternal.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

Just like the fragrance is carried by the air. You cannot see what is this fragrance, but you can smell. A very good smell, wherefrom it came? That is subtle carrying. Similarly, the soul is carried after annihilation of this body, gross body, material... Mind, intelligence, ego—that is also material, but subtle. You cannot see. Everyone knows that I have got mind.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

It has got a date of creation, and it will be annihilated at a certain date, everything. Therefore, this dark world or nature is subject to birth, death, old age, and disease, whereas that nature which is full of light, that is eternal and even after annihilation of this material world, it remains. That is called sanātana, eternal.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa descends, and He leaves behind Him so many activities. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. Sādhūnām. Paritrāṇāya means to give protection; sādhu, those who are devotees. To give protection to the devotees. And vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: and to annihilate the demons. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya (BG 4.8). Yuge yuge sambhavām. So God comes. So far destruction or annihilation of the demons is concerned, God is not required to come down, because His agents Take, for example, this material energy.

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

Since the nature of that region is unlimited, there is no history of such association, nor is there end of it. The conclusion may be drawn that because of the complete absence of the mundane qualities of ignorance and passion, there is no question of creation nor of annihilation. In the material world everything is created and everything is annihilated, and the duration of life between the creation and annihilation is temporary. In the transcendental realm, there is no creation and no destruction, and thus the duration of life is eternal unlimitedly. In other words, everything in the transcendental world is everlasting, full of knowledge and bliss without any deterioration.

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

There are no such actions and reactions of cause and effects there. So the cycle of birth, growth, existence, transformations, deterioration and annihilation or the six material changes are nonexistent there. It is the unalloyed manifestation of the energy of the Lord without any illusion as experienced here in the material world. The whole Vaikuṇṭha existence proclaims that everyone there is a follower of the Lord.

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

If we actually are very serious to get out of the clutches of māyā, the repetition of birth, old age, and disease, and get back our original spiritual life, eternal life, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), there is, that is our real identification. We do not die after the annihilation of this body, but you are so dull by the influence of māyā, we think that death is inevitable. No, why death is inevitable? Death can be avoided, birth can be avoided, disease can be avoided, but you do not know, you have become so dull. We do not know how to overcome. We are busy temporary inconveniences. The whole world is struggling, some temporary.

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

Just like my body will be annihilated. Anything. This table will be annihilated. This microphone will be annihilated. Anything will be annihilated. But there, the same things are there, but they are eternal and spiritual. They are eternal; they are never to be... Even after annihilation of this whole cosmic manifestation, the spiritual varieties will not be annihilated. This information we get from Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature.

Lecture on SB 3.26.17 -- Bombay, December 26, 1974:

This is the conclusion. So that ceṣṭā... Ceṣṭā yataḥ sa bhagavān. Therefore Lord Śiva's another name is Kāla-bhairava. Kāla-bhairava. And he is the master of the annihilation. When this whole material creation will be required to be destroyed, it will be done by Lord Śiva. It is created by Lord Brahmā, it is maintained by Lord Viṣṇu, and when it will be destroyed, it will be done by Lord Śiva. Therefore there are three original demigods.

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

Nitāi: "Thus, after manifesting variegatedness, the effulgent mahat-tattva, which contains all the universes within itself, which is the root of all cosmic manifestations and which is not destroyed at the time of annihilation, swallows up the darkness that covered the effulgence at the time of dissolution."

Prabhupāda:

viśvam ātma-gataṁ vyañjan

kūṭa-stho jagad-aṅkuraḥ

sva-tejasāpibat tīvram

ātma-prasvāpanaṁ tamaḥ

(SB 3.26.20)

Viśvam ātma-gatam. This body, everyone's body, is also a small universe. Whatever the arrangement is there in this body, the similar arrangement is there in the whole universe. The principle is the same. The same arrangement is within the seed of a banyan tree. We have got practical experience that a small seed of banyan tree, very small, but the potency within the seed is there, a big tree.

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

Similarly, in the dormant stage after annihilation, we living entities, we forget everything. Just like at night we are forgetting everything of this bodily activities, and again, during daytime, we are forgetting everything of the night dream. This is going on. Similarly, at the time of annihilation, prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām. Kalpa-kṣaye. When this millennium will be ended, at the end of Brahmā's life, at that time the living entities will stay in the body of the Mahā-Viṣṇu. (aside:) What is that sound? And again, when we are let loose from the deha, and there is creation, our old remembrances all come in, and we begin our life.

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit, na hanyate hanya... They do... These things do not strike even their dull brain, that "If ātmā... I am ātmā. I am the soul. I do not die even after the annihilation of this body. But that means I will have to accept another body. But is this very good job? Why not seek after our original position, when there is no more change of body?" This question does not arise even. But it is very easy. For that reason, Bhagavad-gītā is there. Everyone can avoid this birth and death. That is the business of human life, how to stop... Jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

So you cannot become free from anxiety by taking shelter of anything material. That is not possible. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Asat and sat. Sat means eternal, and asat means temporary. So we are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We are not annihilated after the annihilation or destruction of this body. Therefore we have to take shelter of the eternal. Then we'll be happy. And so long we shall take shelter of the temporary thing, asat, this material world, material society, friendship, love, state, community, nation—anything you take, they are not permanent—so you cannot be happy. But if you take shelter for security at the lotus feet of the Supreme, then you are actually secure.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

In the human form of life this is the only business: "How to transfer me to the spiritual world." Sanātana. "Because I am sanātana." Jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). Jīva is sanātana, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The jīva is never destroyed after the destruction or annihilation of this body. He is eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So this is our business, that "I am eternal. As Kṛṣṇa, God, is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), and I am part and parcel of sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, so as Kṛṣṇa is eternal, so I am also eternal." The Vedic mantra says that nityo nityānām. Kṛṣṇa is nitya, eternal, and we are plural number, nityānām. Cetanaś cetanānām. Sat cit... So as Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, so we are also sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. The difference is: Kṛṣṇa is the maintainer, Viṣṇu is the maintainer, and we are maintained. We are not maintainer.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:

Your existence. You are existing. Now your existence is not pure because we, all living entities, we are eternal soul, spirit soul. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The soul is never annihilated or destroyed after the annihilation of this body. Now, throughout the whole world we are traveling. There is not a single institution, neither any department of knowledge in the university, to understand that "After destruction of this body I am not destroyed. I exist." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Hanyamāne śarīre. After destruction of the body, the soul is not destroyed.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

So your question about the creation, maintenance and annihilation... It is being done by the Supreme Lord. The material world is... Our body is also like that. It is created at a certain date, it exists for a certain time, and it is annihilated. This is being done by God. This is the law, nature. Nature means an instrument in the hands of God. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10).

Lecture on SB 5.5.16 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1976:

There is competition of pulling the ear. So nature engages them. Jagat ahita ugra-karma. They have manufactured this ugra-karma world for the annihilation of this world. Russia has discovered the nuclear... What is that? Nuclear weapon? And the Americans, they are finding out the opportunity so, to drop the bomb here and there, and everything will be destroyed.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

So take advantage of this knowledge, understand the philosophy of life, that "I am eternal." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). "I do not die after the annihilation of this body. I accept another body." We have got two bodies: this gross body and one subtle body. Just like you have got your coat, and within the coat there is shirt, similarly, within this gross body, there is another subtle body. This gross body is made of the material elements, earth, water, air, fire, ether, these five elements. Pañca. Pañca means five.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:

Then you will be punishable. The living entity is never killed, but you have no right to get him out from that body. That is sinful. If you argue that "What is the harm if I kill one animal, because it is said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre: (BG 2.20) 'The living entity, soul, is never killed even after the annihilation of this body'?" that is all right. But you cannot force him. Just like if you get one person, by force, get out from his apartment—he is not dying, of course, but still, it is criminal because you are forcing to go out of the apartment. So that is the law of nature. You cannot force anyone to get out of the body. Then you are punishable.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

The things come out, just like this body has come out from the womb of my mother. It stays for some time, it grows, it gives some by-products, then it becomes old and again vanishes. So therefore janmādy asya: (SB 1.1.1) "Beginning from birth up to the annihilation, everything is emanation from the Absolute Truth." So is not that very clear? Absolute Truth must be that which is the source of everything and reservoir of everything and who is maintaining everything.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27-34 -- Surat, December 17, 1970:

Revatīnandana: In the picture in the revealed book, Nāradajī is asking questions of Lord Brahmā. I was thinking that Nārada has actually an all-spiritual body, and Brahmā has a material form, material body. And yet Nārada appears to Brahmājī to ask questions from him as spiritual master. How is that?

Prabhupāda: Brahmājī also enters the spiritual kingdom at the time of annihilation with his persons.

Revatīnandana: Does he undergo a change of body at that time?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That automatically takes place. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu's son is Prahlāda. It doesn't matter. And spiritual body, material body, that can be changed. (break)

Revatīnandana: It will all be one thing(?), spiritual into material or material...

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- San Francisco, July 18, 1975:

In Vaikuṇṭha there is no old age, although they are eternal. That is the real form of the spirit. The old age is due to this body, material body. Material thing is born and stays for some time, and then it is annihilated. So up to the time of annihilation, it becomes so old, nasty, bad-looking. But in the Vaikuṇṭha there is no such thing. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam.

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975:

So we are eternal spiritual spark. Kṛṣṇa says that the living entity is eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is the information we get from the authority, that "The living entity is eternal," nitya, śāśvata, "and ever-existing, and does not die on the death or annihilation of the body." Then what is the duty of the father? What is the duty of the government? Duty of the guru? Now how to save him from this repetition of birth and death. And that is the duty. Otherwise to give some food... That also, people cannot give now.

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

We have become so much harassed. And foolishly we claim that we are the Supreme Personality of Godhead who creates the whole cosmic manifestation. And Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, the directors of creation department, maintenance department, and annihilation department... Annihilation also required. That annihilation is one of the business of Kṛṣṇa, or God, for this material world. Not in the spiritual world. There is no annihilation. Here it is required. Sometimes, because everyone has come here to lord it over the material nature, so there must be an ultimate situation when it becomes intolerable, and therefore Kṛṣṇa has to annihilate, finish.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

Therefore they are mūḍhā. Is it not? He's understood that na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So this question does not come, that "I am eternal. I do not die after the annihilation of the body. Why I am subjected to this tribulation?" Nobody thinks; therefore mūḍhā. Just like animal. Animal, in the slaughterhouse, one animal is being killed, and the other animal is eating grass. He's thinking that "I am safe." He does not know that "Next moment I'll be killed." This is animal life. The human life means if somebody is being killed, so he should be immediately warned, taking warning, "Oh, my turn is coming. Let me go away."

Lecture on SB 7.9.30 -- Mayapur, March 8, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Translation: "My dear Lord, You alone manifest Yourself as the entire cosmic manifestation because before the creation of this cosmic manifestation You were existing, and You exist also after the annihilation. Therefore, between the beginning and the end, You are the maintainer. All these things are being done by Your external energy through the action and reaction of the three modes of material nature. Therefore the conclusion is that whatever is existing, it is You only, externally and internally."

Prabhupāda:

ekas tvam eva jagad etam amuṣya yat tvam

ādy-antayoḥ pṛthag avasyasi madhyataś ca

sṛṣṭvā guṇa-vyatikaraṁ nija-māyayedaṁ

nāneva tair avasitas tad anupraviṣṭaḥ

(SB 7.9.30)

Very interesting. This is realization of God. There is difference, varieties; at the same time they're one, unity in variety. So in the Brahma-saṁhitā also it is stated, eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. There are many millions of universes, jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Jagad-aṇḍa means this universe, and koṭi means millions. Don't think this is the only universe. There are many millions' universes. In God creation there is no limitation. Everything unlimited.

Lecture on SB 7.9.31 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Lordship, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the whole cosmic creation is caused by You, and the cosmic manifestation is the effect of Your energy. Although the whole cosmic creation is Yourself, still, You keep Yourself aloof from it. The conception of 'my' and 'yours' is certainly a kind of illusion, māyā. Because everything is emanating from You, it is not different from You. The manifestation is also not different from You, and the annihilation is also caused by You. In this connection, the example is of the seed and the tree, or the subtle cause and the gross manifestation."

Prabhupāda:

tvaṁ vā idaṁ sad-asad īśa bhavāṁs tato 'nyo

māyā yad ātma-para-buddhir iyaṁ hy apārthā

yad yasya janma nidhanaṁ sthitir īkṣaṇaṁ ca

tad vaitad eva vasukālavad aṣṭi-tarvoḥ

(SB 7.9.31)

Cause and effect, sad-asad. One disappears, the cause appears, disappears, and the effect comes into being. The very good example is given here, aṣṭi-tarvoḥ. Aṣṭi means seed, and the... From the aṣṭi, from the seed, a big banyan tree comes out. At that time the aṣṭi, the seed, disappears.

Lecture on SB 7.9.31 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1976:

One seed, a small seed, grain, and hundreds of thousands trees coming out of it, and in each tree there are millions of fruits, and each fruit, there are hundreds and thousands of seeds. Again, from the seed, the same creation, hundreds and thousands, millions and millions. This is God's intelligence, how from one source so many varieties are coming out. Again, when annihilation takes place, they again go into the original seed, Kṛṣṇa. Yānti māmikam, it is said. It's coming out.

Lecture on SB 7.9.31 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1976:

Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to take the living entity from this temporary world to the spiritual world or to the permanent world, where there is no more annihilation. It is eternal, nitya. Nityaḥ śāśvataḥ.

So we living entities, we are eternal. This is māyā, that I am thinking, "I am this body." This is our ignorance. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to deliver the human society from this ignorance, temporary things: "I am this body.

Lecture on SB 7.9.32 -- Mayapur, March 10, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "O my Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, after annihilation, the creative energy is kept in Yourself, but the energy being put within Yourself, it appears that You are sleeping with half-closed eyes. Actually, there is no sleeping like an ordinary human being. You are always in the transcendental stage, beyond the creation of the material world, and You always feel in transcendental bliss. In this way, You, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, remain in Your transcendental status, but although it appears that Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is sleeping, it is not that; (it is) sleeping distinct from sleeping in ignorance."

Prabhupāda:

nyasyedam ātmani jagad vilayāmbu-madhye

śeṣetmanā nija-sukhānubhavo nirīhaḥ

yogena mīlita-dṛg-ātma-nipīta-nidras

turye sthito na tu tamo na guṇāṁś ca yuṅkṣe

(SB 7.9.32)

This is the position, transcendentally. How we use this word transcendental, that is explained here, what is transcendental. Turya. Turya, the fourth dimension. Here, in this material world, there are three dimensions: length, breadth and height. And spiritual world, beyond that, not within the measurement of length, breadth and height, that is called turya. (aside:) Child...

Lecture on SB 7.9.32 -- Mayapur, March 10, 1976:

He is within everything and He is without still. So that is understood here. Nyasyedam ātmani jagat vilayāmba-madhye. Amba-madhye... Yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidram ananta (Bs. 5.47). He appears to be sleeping. Ananta-kāle. Again creation and, what is called, annihilation is going on. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ, viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā (Bs. 5.48). This creation and annihilation is going on continually. And what is the time difference? Niśvasita-kālam. Just like we exhale and inhale, a second, similarly, this creation—annihilation is a second for Mahā-Viṣṇu. So millions and millions of years stays... Everything is created, and it stays for some time. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti pralaya, three stages. So between the sṛṣṭi, creation, and pralaya, annihilation, there is one period which is called sthiti. That sthiti means the life of Brahmā. When the life of Brahmā is finished, then there is no more sthiti; it is now annihilated. Now you can calculate what is the life of Brahmā.

Lecture on SB 7.9.42 -- Mayapur, March 22, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa is bhava-sambhava-lopa-hetoḥ. Everything which is going on—creation, maintenance, and also annihilation—the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. When there is need of creation, the cause is Kṛṣṇa. When there is need of maintenance, the cause is Kṛṣṇa. Everything, the cause is Kṛṣṇa. And there is annihilation—the cause is Kṛṣṇa. So sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya, although it is being done... Sṛṣṭi means creation; sthiti means maintenance; pralaya means destruction. These things are going on in the material world. Everything is created.

Lecture on SB 7.9.49 -- Vrndavana, April 4, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "Neither the three modes of material nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, nor their predominating deities, the five gross elements, the mind, the demigods nor the human beings who are all subjected to birth, death, and annihilation can understand Your Lordship. Therefore the wise, spiritually advanced men who have taken to devotional service do not much bother with Vedic study, but rather they engage themselves in practical devotional service."

Prabhupāda:

naite guṇā na guṇino mahad-ādayo ye sarve

manaḥ prabhṛtayaḥ sahadeva-martyāḥ

ādy-antavanta urugāya vidanti hi

tvām evaṁ vimṛśya sudhiyo viramanti śabdāt

(SB 7.9.49)

So ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada Pañcarātra). Viramanti śabdāt. There are so many prescribed mantras for liberation. Oṁkāra-sarva-vedeṣu. Every Vedic mantra begins with oṁkāra, and He is Kṛṣṇa. Vedic mantra, we chant Vedic mantra. There are many, many Vedic mantras in Upaniṣad and tantras, saṁhitā.

Lecture on SB 7.12.4 -- Bombay, April 15, 1976:

We do not understand that we are in aśuddha-sattva. Our existence is impure. Therefore, although I am eternal, although I am living entity, nityo śāśvato 'yam, still I have to suffer this consequence: birth, death, old age, and disease. They have no brain even. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). After annihilation of this body the soul is never destroyed. Then why I am suffering this destruction, death? The whole problem is there, but they do not care. They have become so rascals and fools, they do not know what is the problem. The real problem is stop your repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease. They don't care, just like animals. The animals, they do not care. But the human form, if they do not care like that, they are animals.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

That we have got experience. And that is further explained by Kṛṣṇa, that living force means na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), na jāyate na mriyate kadācit. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that living force is not finished even after the annihilation of this body. Very nice statement by Kṛṣṇa. We can understand living... In the life, when we are alive, the body is moving, we can understand what is living force. And we can understand further when the body does not move—that difference, why the body was moving and why the body is not now moving. If we simply study this difference of position we can understand what is living force.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.11 -- Mayapur, April 4, 1975:

This creation is so easy? And maintain them, hold the creation? If you create some center of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how much strain you have to exert to maintain the standard, status quo. Similarly, there are so many universes created, maintained. And there is another phase, annihilation. That is the process of material creation. We have got experience.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.11 -- Mayapur, April 4, 1975:

Now we, being part and parcel of Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says personally, mamaivāṁśaḥ. So if Kṛṣṇa is not affected by this creation and annihilation, then we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, why we should be affected by this creation and annihilation? We are very much afraid of being annihilated, and we are trying to discover many scientific, so-called scientific methods how we may not be destroyed. Why this inclination that we may not be destroyed? Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore eternity of life is our aspiration.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.113 -- London, July 23, 1976:

Pradyumna: (chants verse, etc.)

śaktayaḥ sarva-bhāvānām

acintya-jñāna-gocarāḥ

yato 'to brahmaṇas tās tu

sargādyā bhāva-śaktayaḥ

bhavanti taptatāṁ śreṣṭha

pāvakasya yathoṣṇatā

"Translation: All the creative energies, which are inconceivable to a common man, exist in the Supreme Absolute Truth. These inconceivable energies act in the process of creation, maintenance and annihilation. O chief of the ascetics, just as there are two energies possessed by fire-namely heat and light—these inconceivable creative energies are the natural characteristics of the Absolute Truth."

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) full of living entities, and the moon planet there is no living entity. They are doubting also in the Mars planet. But we get information from the śāstra that every planet is full of living entities. Every planet. Janakīrṇa. This very word is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janakīrṇa, and there is vivid description of different planets and different types of oceans, just like milk ocean. We have got here examples, sweet water and salted water. So there is sweet ocean also. That is mentioned in the śāstra. Not that in this planet there is salted ocean and... There are other planets where there is sweet water ocean and milk ocean and liquor ocean and oil ocean, ghee ocean, butter ocean, milk, butter ocean, and so many different types.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.281-293 -- New York, December 18, 1966:

This material nature is like that. Just like you have seen one lamp. Once it is extinguished; once it is light. Similarly, there is creation, there is maintenance and there is annihilation of this material world. Now, these three functions are controlled by three guṇāvatāras, qualitative incarnation of the Supreme Lord. What are they? Now, Viṣṇu... Viṣṇu is the incarnation of the modes of goodness, and Śiva is the incarnation of the modes of annihilation, and Brahmā is the in-charge. Brahmā is secondary. Brahmā is the secondary creator. First of all, the everything is, the principle, the material principle ingredients and the guṇas and the everything is created by Viṣṇu. Then, the secondary creation, with those ingredients, all these planetary system, everything, is created by Brahmā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.298 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

So nijāṁśa-kalāya kṛṣṇa tamo-guṇa aṅgīkari', saṁhārārthe. But his business is destruction. When there is some destruction in this material world, you should know that is the action of Śiva. Perhaps you have seen one statue that is very popular, sold in antique shops-Naṭarāja, dancing and fire, all round there is fire. When Śiva begins to dance, his dance is very serious. As you dance, kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, so similarly Śiva also dances for annihilation. There is fire. By his dancing, there will be fire. Saṁhārārthe māyā-saṅge rudra-rūpa dhari. Māyā-saṅge. He has got connection with this material energy, and he is meant for destruction. Material energy is under the, I mean to say, control of this Śiva-rūpa of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is called father. He is called father, and the material energy is called mother. Father and mother, Durgā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.49-61 -- New York, January 5, 1967:

This inferior energy is only one-fourth manifestation of the energy. The three-fourths manifestation of energy (is) in the spiritual world, and that is sanātanam. That is not subjected to creation and annihilation as this material world is subjected to that creation and annihilation. That is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. All Vedic literatures, they say the same thing. So we have to learn from authorized sources, and we can be informed perfectly about parāvara, para and avara. Avara means this inferior nature, and para means superior nature. Parāvaras te.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

The spiritual world means there is no material consumption. Everything is spirit, as I told you. The trees, the flowers, the fruits, the water, the animals—everything is spiritual. So there is no annihilation. It is eternal. So if you want to go to that spiritual world, then you can have this opportunity now in this human form of life, and if you want to remain in this material world, you can do so.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

Nityaḥ śāśvato yaṁ, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Every one of us, we are eternal, nityaḥ śāśvato; Purāṇa, the oldest. And after annihilation of this body, we do not die. Na hanyate. The body is finished, but I have to accept another body. Tathā dehāntara prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13).

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Bombay, December 22, 1975:

This human life is meant for this purpose, to practice tapasya, or to practice nivṛtti. Then our life is successful. Tapo divyam. Why tapasya, why nivṛtti? Yena śuddhyena sattva. Sattva means here existence is impure. Impure means that you are eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), you do not die after the annihilation of this body, but I am subjected to repetition of birth and death, in different species of life. This is my disease. It is not pure condition of life. Pure condition of life as it is stated in Bhagavad-gītā, yad gatvā na nirvartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- Detroit Airport, July 16, 1971:

So he was speaking that "Swamijī, after this finishing, annihilation of this body, everything is finished." So I was astonished that a learned professor who is posing himself on a very advanced post, he has no idea about the soul and the body, how they are different, how the soul migrating from one body to another. And everyone is accepting this body as the self, and "There is no life after death; therefore make the best use of this bad bargain and enjoy sense gratification as far as possible."

Initiation Lectures

Initiations and Lecture Sannyasa Initiation of Sudama dasa -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

We living entities, we are all eternal. That is very nicely explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Those who under the impression that after finishing annihilation of this body, everything is finished, they are not in perfect knowledge. The living entity continues to exist either in this body or in another body. Just like very simple example, we can understand. All of us sitting here, we had a small baby body. I existed, you existed, in that baby body, but that body is not now existing, but I am existing. I know that "I existed in a baby body, I existed in a boyhood body, I existed in a youthhood body.

General Lectures

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

Here is one point. He says that "You have liberated me. Now let me know what is my duty." This is very important point. The Māyāvādī philosopher, they think that liberation is the ultimate goal. Just like in Buddha philosophy, the nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa means annihilation of material existence. Nirvāṇa. They think that as soon as there is annihilation of this material existence, that is the final goal. The Māyāvādī philosopher or the impersonalist, they think that not only to get freedom from this material existence, but to remain in spiritual status, jñānam, simply in the knowledge that "I am spirit soul. I am merged into the spirit soul," that is their goal.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

So this is to be understood. Kṛṣṇa consciousness science is a great science. It is stated...it is not a new thing. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā... Most of you, you are well acquainted with Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā, it does not accept that after the death of this body—not exactly death—after the annihilation, appearance or disappearance of this body, you or I do not die. Na hanyate. Na hanyate means "never dies" or "is never destroyed," even after the destruction of this body. This is the position.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

So there are... But we have to take from the authority. Just like the Bhagavad-gītā says that na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin: "The soul is never born and never dies." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre: (BG 2.20) "Even after the annihilation of this body there is no destruction of the soul." And soul is migrating in different species of life. So we have to take Kṛṣṇa the authority, Veda-Vyāsa the authority. There are many such authorities. So there is next life. There is no doubt.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

Aham: "I am." The Māyāvādī philosophers cannot accommodate this idea, how a person can be the cause of creation, maintenance, and annihilation. But Kṛṣṇa here says that ahaṁ kṛtsnasya. Ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), because He is the origin of all energies. We have already understood that the whole manifestation is nothing but, I mean to say, demonstration of the different types of energies of the Supreme Lord. That is confirmed in the Vedas: parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport).

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

Take this formula. Kṛṣṇa says here that everything that is working in this material or spiritual world, they are different energies of Kṛṣṇa. He is the original source of creation, He is the original source of maintenance, and He is the original source of annihilation. Therefore nobody is greater than Him. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Na anyat: "There is no other greater elevated." Kiñcid asti: "Not even one." You cannot say, "Here is something which is greater than Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:

That Brahma is that from where everything emanates, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Janma, śiti and loi(?). Janma means birth, śiti means stay, and loi(?) means annihilation. So wherefrom everything is coming out, and from whom everything is staying, and after annihilation, where everything is entering—that is Brahma. Janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1). Janmādi.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

Tathā dehāntaraṁ-prāptir. Just like we have got different types of body in this life. I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man, I..., I was a something else. Now I have got this old body. So as I am existing after changing so many different phases of body, therefore the conclusion should be that after annihilation of this body, I shall exist, and, which is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre. After destruction of this body, actually we are not going to die.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

It is very common thing. Just like a baby has got a body of a boy. The boy has got a body again of a youth, young man. The young man has got a body again of a old man. So similarly, old man, after annihilation of this body, he'll get another body. It is very, quite natural, logical. And we change our body. Although this gross body's destroyed, we change our body by the subtle body. The subtle body is made of mind, intelligence and ego.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

So we should be very conscious about our eternal existence. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam. We, spirit soul, we are eternal. We are not going to die after the annihilation of this body. This is the cultivation of knowledge. This is called brahma-jijñāsā, to know about one's self. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's first disciple, Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was minister, finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussein Shah, and he retired and approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:

And further explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The living entity, after the annihilation of this body, does not die. How it transmigrates? How the living entity transmigrates from one body to another? By the subtle body. There is a subtle body. This is gross body. The subtle body works when you are asleep. We go outside my bedroom and we see so many things, we work in so many ways.

Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

So what is the difference between this material world and the spiritual world? The difference is that in the material world you have to change your body, although you are eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). You are not destroyed after the annihilation of this body, material body, but you transmigrate to another body. And that body may be one of the 8,400,000's of forms. There are 8,400,000's of forms. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi.

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit: "The living entity is never born, never dies." Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre: (BG 2.20) "The living entity is eternal, ever-existing and very old, and," na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre, "it does not die after the annihilation of this body." But the modern civilization, they are thinking that "This body we have got somehow or other, a lump of matter, and so long we have got this body, let us enjoy life, sense gratification." This is atheistic theory.

La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974:

Similarly, as he is changing different types of body during this duration of life, similarly, after this annihilation of this body, when it is old... Just like old garment or old coat, old shirt cannot be used—it is thrown away; another new shirt, new coat is taken—similarly, this body, being annihilated, the soul accepts another body. This is a real knowledge. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13).

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

Durgā is the material nature. It is very powerful. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti, creation, maintenance and annihilation, is going on under her control, Durgā-devī. We have seen the picture of Durgā, ten hands with ten kinds of weapons. So she is very powerful, but still she is under the control of Govinda.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- London, March 12, 1975:

This is the first lesson, that "I am Brahman. I am spirit soul. I am eternal. I do not die even after the annihilation..." This is the first lesson. It doesn't require much time, that we have to devote our whole life to understand that "I am Brahman." It can be understood even by a child. It is not very difficult. But how to engage myself as Brahman, that requires education.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: No. Creation is..., God is always there. Before the creation and when the creation is finished, there is God. So God is not one of the creation. In the creation there are so many things coming out, so God is not one of the products of creation because He is created. He was before creation and He will exist to continue after annihilation. This is the Vedic knowledge.

Hayagrīva: Yes. This is, this is what he is saying.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: Not, not of the point of view. It is always there.

Hayagrīva: Oh.

Prabhupāda: But because we are imperfect, you are thinking like that, that individually we are imperfect. God is always there, and this cosmic manifestation is temporary creation. It is a chance to the individual soul to develop his consciousness, but if he does not take, again the annihilation, he remains in unconscious position, and when again there is creation he comes to consciousness. So this is going on.

Hayagrīva: He says, "If life realizes a plan, it ought to manifest a greater harmony the further it advances, just as the house shows a better and better idea of the architect as stone is set upon stone. If, on the contrary, the unity of life is to be found solely in the beginning in the impetus that pushes it along the road of time, the harmony is not in front but behind. The unity is given at the start as an impulsion, not placed at the end as an attraction." But he's...

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: He says when, I mean very openly, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin. This living soul, he is never born. That body is changed, that is called birth. But the soul is immortal. So he never takes birth, he never dies. "No, I see that he has died." No, that is the annihilation of his body. Take it from me that by the annihilation of the body, the soul is not dead. This, this is authority and this is, we have to accept this authority. If you don't accept authority, if you have no reason to understand how the soul is immortal, then what we are, except like the animals? So one who does not believe or cannot understand, he is no better than animal. He has no knowledge.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: Schopenhauer's second book was entitled The World Is Will. He writes, "My body is the objectivity of my will. Besides will and idea, nothing is known to us or thinkable. But if we narrowly analyze the reality of this body and its actions, we find nothing in it except the will." And he goes on to state that "The genitals are properly the focus of the will, and consequently the opposite pole of the brain, which is the representative of knowledge. The former, that is the genitals, are the life sustaining principle and share an endless life to time. In this respect they were worshiped by the Greeks in the phallus and by the Hindus in the liṅgam, which are thus the symbol of the assertion of the will. Knowledge, on the other hand, affords the possibility of the suppression of willing, of salvation through freedom, of conquest and annihilation of the world."

Prabhupāda: Therefore that is bhakti. Sarvopādhi, this willing... Why? This willing is (indistinct), because this willing is according to the body. So I get one body and will again, we get another body. So I am willing, but I am. So I have now identified with this willing situation. That is my trouble. When I understand that I have nothing to do with this material world, with this, the production of my will, material will, and I am spiritual, so when I will spiritually, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Materially willing means I get different types of body, that's all. That is dream life. But what he says?

Hayagrīva: Well, he sees that the basis of life is sex.

Prabhupāda: He has to...

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: Although it appears that Schopenhauer does not believe in God, although his stand appears atheistic, he writes, "If a man fears death as his annihilation, it is just as if he were to think that the sun cries out at evening, 'Woe is me, for I go down to eternal night.' Thus even already, suicide appears to us as a vain and therefore a foolish action. When we have carried out our investigation further, it will appear to us in a still less favorable light."

Prabhupāda: Investigation of father, that means God.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Hayagrīva: What dies will be born again.

Prabhupāda: So what is the solution?

Hayagrīva: The solution is the annihilation of the will to live.

Prabhupāda: How it is possible? So long the living entity is alive, he, he will will, some sort of willing. So that means the willing party, the living being, he is eternal, and the willing, this activity, has to be purified. Then his life will be happy. Willing cannot be stopped, because he is eternal. But he is wrongly willing; therefore he is unhappy. When he will come to the position of willing rightly, then he will be happy.

Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:

Śyāmasundara: The inbetween stage he calls becoming.

Prabhupāda: That is Brahman. Brahman is essence, and from Brahman is everything is coming out-janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So Brahman means everything is emanating. Now this janma is in reference to this material world. In the spiritual world there is no such thing as creation. Creation and annihilation, that is the nature of this material world. So when we speak of janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), it means the creation of the material world, but the original source of creation, that is eternal. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1)—the source from which everything is taking birth. So everything is taking birth means before the birth of everything there was the source wherefrom the birth is taking place. Just like child is born, and before the birth of the child the mother was existing. Similarly, before the creation of this material world, the source, Brahman, was there. Therefore Brahman is not matter. Brahman is not matter.

Śyāmasundara: Brahman is the essence.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: Still this does not prevent me from wanting something solid, something dense, some situation of permanency.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That situation is spiritual world. That we are giving information, because everyone is seeking after that, but they do not know where it is. We are giving that information here, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20), in the Bhagavad-gītā. "There is another nature which is permanent, sanātana. Even after the annihilation of this whole universe it will exist." That information we are giving.

Śyāmasundara: He says that in this unity of myself, the subject, that I desire objectivity, and he says this union of subject and object is called the "being in itself," or God; that man is desiring to be God or "being in himself."

Prabhupāda: This is the position more or less of Māyāvādī philosophy, that when I am completely in knowledge, I become God. It is like that.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And the Vedānta also it is, aham evāsam evāgre. That God says that "I existed in the beginning." Here the creation is temporary, existence is temporary, and annihilation is also temporary. This is material nature. And we can understand it very easily, that this body, your body, my body is created at a certain date, it will continue to a certain date, and it will be finished. This is material understanding. Anything you will take, it has a beginning, it has a duration of period to exist, then finished. So if you take broader way, the whole cosmic manifestation, it has a beginning and it has an end and it has a duration of period to exist. But before this creation, who was there? That is God. Otherwise how the creation is possible if God is not there before the creation?

Hayagrīva: Well, new philosophy means to resolve this question. You can't possibly resolve it by setting it aside, if it's the major question. It's been the major question of all philosophers we studied. So how can you say let us just set it aside?

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: No. What the philosophers, the... Not all philosophers they denied the existence, but from our practical study we can see that take personal existence, that before I got this body, there was my father and mother. So how can I deny this fact? This whole cosmic manifestation is exactly like the manifestation of my body. Everything you take, there is practical experience. So far you take this spectacle, it is created by some spectacle..., spectacle manufacturer, and it will exist for some time, then it will annihilate. Similarly, the whole creation, annihilation. There is another crude example, just like earthen pot is made from the clay, earth. It is, it gets a shape, and it continues to exist for a certain time, and then it is broken.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: How you can say that "There was nobody else before my creation, and there will be nobody else after my annihilation"? That is foolishness. How you can do it? So you have to accept that before your manifestation there was your father and mother. So this is right philosophy. The mother is the material nature and father is God. So father gives the seed, and mother begets so many children.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: So this manifestation and not manifestation is depending on His breathing process. When He is exhaling you see the manifestation; when He is inhaling, everything is finished. This is going on. So the cause of creation and annihilation is His breathing. So He is breathing always, but the process of creation and annihilation is going on. But if you think, "Kṛṣṇa is breathing like me," then it is finished; your knowledge is finished. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). "Because I am speaking to these rascal like a human being, they are thinking Me as one of them." This is..., they are mūḍha. They are misled.

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Prabhupāda: Those who are fortunate, they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead, and those who are unfortunate do not take advantage of the instruction personally given by God, and later on His devotees are engaged to preach, they do not take care; they remain conditioned within this material world. And material world is created and annihilated, and he suffers this annihilation while in this body, while in this material world. But the intelligent living entity, if he is fortunate, he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and again he goes back to home, back to Godhead.

Hayagrīva: He believed that the soul is eternal and incorporeal in men, animals, and even in plants, and in this he differed from other philosophers of the time.

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: When one is forgetful of his spiritual consciousness, God consciousness, he is supposed to be dead, and when he, one is alive to the spiritual consciousness or God consciousness, he is alive. In this sense, it is a question of two stages, awakening stage and forgetful stage, but actually a soul is eternal. He never dies, even after the annihilation of this body.

Hayagrīva: But the forgetful stage is never everlasting or eternal, is it?

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Henry Huxley:

Prabhupāda: So the difference...

Hayagrīva: The cosmic process is the process of creation, maintenance and ultimate annihilation. He says this can be checked by a..., an ethical culture.

Prabhupāda: The cosmic process cannot be checked, but the cosmic process is continuing in different modes. That is called tri-guṇa. One process is the process of goodness, another process is the process of passion, another process is process of ignorance.