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Austerities and penances (Lectures)

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Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

Those who are trying to merge into the Brahman existence, for them, it is not very safe. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: vimukta-māninaḥ. Vimukta-māninaḥ. They're thinking that "Now I have merged into the Brahman effulgence. Now I am safe." No, it is not safe. Because it is said, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty (SB 10.2.32). Even after great austerities and penance, one may rise, paraṁ padam, in the, merging into the Brahman effulgence. Still, from there, he falls down. He falls down. Because Brahman, the spirit soul, is ānandamaya. As Kṛṣṇa, or the Absolute, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So simply by merging into the Brahman existence, one cannot become ānandamaya. Just like you are going very high in the sky. So to remain in the sky, it is not very ānandamaya. If you can get shelter in some planet, then it is ānandamaya. Otherwise, you have to come back again on this planet.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

So that pleasure of life cannot be had in the spiritual effulgence. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we get this information that āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). Kṛcchreṇa, after undergoing severe austerity and penance, one may merge into the Brahman effulgence... Sāyujya-mukti. It is called sāyujya-mukti. Sāyujya, to merge. So āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam. Even one goes up to that point, to merge into the Brahman existence after severe austerity and penances, still, they fall down. Patanty adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means again comes into this material world. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Why they fall down? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. They'll never agree God is person. They'll never agree. Their teeny brain cannot accommodate that God, the Supreme, can be a person. Because he has experience of the person of himself, or others. If God is a person like me and you, then how He can create universe, innumerable universes?

Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:

Not that one becomes God by doing something. Nowadays it has been practiced to say that "I have meditated so many years, I have undergone so much penance. Then I have become now God." Oh, God is not manufactured in that way. God cannot be manufactured. Now, Kṛṣṇa, when He was in the lap of His mother, He was God at that time also, not that He had to grow up and undergo some penance and austerity and vows and go to the jungle or Himalaya or accept some very great spiritual master and so on, so on; then He became God, as it has been now the practice, that anyone who... He's a little advanced in spiritual life, and if he can display some wonders, oh, he at once becomes God. So God is not so cheap thing.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

The full knowledge is brahmeti bhagavān iti, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11). The three things one must know. That is full knowledge. But if you understand partially, either Brahman or Paramātmā... But if you understand Bhagavān... Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. This is Vedic injunction. If you understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you understand Brahman and Paramātmā. But if you simply understand Brahman or Paramātmā, you do not understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, intelligence is not yet pure. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ (SB 10.2.32). They, after undergoing severe penances and austerities, they approach the Brahman effulgence, param... Patanty adhaḥ. Again falls down.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

I have given several times the example. Just like if you go high in the sky, but if you don't get any shelter, then you come back again. Just like the people are going in the moon planet, but because they actually do not get any shelter, they are coming back again. So that is the position. Simply by worshiping impersonal Brahman, after severe penance and austerity, you can enter into it, but you cannot remain there because there is no ānanda. It is simply eternity.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:
Just like heat and light. I have already explained. That is sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, that understanding. But that does not mean the Supreme Brahman, Kṛṣṇa, is lost. No. Kṛṣṇa, in spite of expanding in so many ways—as Paramātmā, as Brahman, as cosmic manifestation, material energy, everything, still, Kṛṣṇa is there, person. So there are so many ways explained in the Bhagavad-gītā to understand Kṛṣṇa, and if we get this opportunity to understand Kṛṣṇa.... If we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā and śāstra, Kṛṣṇa therefore giving us the very easiest method. "All right, you cannot understand Me? You are drinking water every day, four times, three times. You just remember, 'This taste is Kṛṣṇa.' " That's all. Smaraṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). Because you'll remember Kṛṣṇa, you life will be successful, simply by drinking water. It is so easy. You don't require to undergo very severe austerities and penance. Simply try to follow one instruction of Kṛṣṇa, that while drinking water, the taste is Kṛṣṇa. Begin this life and your life will be successful.
Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:

Now, how that potency we can have? That is the thing we should culture. Jñānāgniḥ. And that can be achieved by jñāna, by knowledge. The knowledge... For knowledge, everything is there. We have to accept that. That... Therefore, formerly people used to observe penances and austerity to attain perfection. Now, here, in this age, oh, that, such austerities and penances are not possible, are not possible. Because our life is very short, and we are always disturbed. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ kalau asmin yuge janāḥ. Kalau. Kalau means this age, the age of quarrel and insufficiency. This age is called Kali. Kali means "the age of quarrel." We fight. On insignificant questions we fight. Therefore this is called Kali-yuga. So in this yuga we have got very short period of life.

Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

Sages means those who have undergone austerities, penance, and many tribulation for attaining perfection, they are called sages. "The sages knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of sacrifice." Now if you perform austerities and penances that is a kind of sacrifice. But yad icchanto brahmacaryaṁ caranti. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find these are explained that yad icchantaḥ. Simply by desiring to go back to home, back to Godhead one is supposed to follow the vow of brahmacārī. Brahmacārī, to live the life of celibacy, this is called brahmacārī. So it has got so nice effect that if anyone from the birth to the death simply observe this life of celibacy he is sure to go back to home. Simply by observing one rule: yad icchanto brahmacaryaṁ caranti. It is so nice, brahmacarya. So this is sacrifice. Sacrifice means my senses dictate that "You enjoy," but I am not enjoying. I am not enjoying. This is sacrifice.

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

So this human form of life is meant for purifying this existential position. No more birth, no more death. As soon as there is birth, there is death. If there is no birth, there is no death. So this can be done simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Divyam, this word is used, divyam. So we are to undergo austerities, penances for this divyam, for transcendental life, divyam. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1), little tapasya. In the Kali Yuga we cannot perform very severe... Kṛṣṇa is very kind. He has given us different opportunity for elevating to our transcendental life in different ages. In this age, because we are so fallen and so limited, and so badly associated, that it is very difficult to undergo severe austerities and penances. We cannot go into the forest. We cannot perform yoga systems very nicely. We cannot perform yajñas. We cannot worship the Lord in temple very nicely. So many difficulties. Therefore śāstra has given us concession: kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. In this age, simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra one can be elevated. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has blessed: ihā haite sarva-siddhi haya tomāra. If you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you'll get all perfection, all perfection. So everything is there. But we do not wish to take advantage.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

So everywhere in the Vedic literature this life, this materialistic way of life is condemned, is condemned. So Ṛṣabhadeva says that "This life is meant for tapasya." Tapaḥ. Tapaḥ divyaṁ putrakā: "My dear sons, you are so... If you think that this human form of life is meant for, oh, sex happiness and working day and night so hard, oh, this life is not meant for that purpose. That is visible in the cats' and dogs' and hogs' life. They are also laboring the whole day and satisfied by sex life. So your life is not meant for that." Then what it is meant for? He says, tapaḥ: "It is meant for tapasya, austerity, penance." "Oh, you are... We are taking so much pains also." Don't you think these materialists, they are earning, they are making so improvement without any labor, without any tapasya? No. They are also laboring. They are undergoing, I mean, severe austerity. That's nice. But here it is said, tapaḥ divyam: "You have undergo austerities and penance for God realization." Divyam. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā (SB 5.5.1).

Lecture on BG 7.15-18 -- New York, October 9, 1966:
She said, "Oh, I understand so many great sages and saints, they go to the jungle and forest. They see God there. They undergo penances and austerity and then find God there." Oh, he at once went to the forest. Then he was asking the tiger, "Oh, you are God?" The elephant, "You are God?" In this way, when Nārāyaṇa saw, "Oh, this boy is very much inquisitive," so He sent Nārada that "Go and see what is the condition of this boy." So Nārada came. Nārada is the agent of God. "My dear boy, you are royal... You belong to the royal family. You cannot suffer all this penance and austerity. Please go back to your home. Your father is very much anxious for you. Your mother is very much anxious for you."
Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966:

It is said that "Persons who are interested of becoming liberated," ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ, "simply by the concept of impersonal merging into the spiritual existence," so ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa, "they consider themselves that they are liberated." That is also point of liberation, but the Bhāgavata says that "Although they consider themself as liberated, the aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ..." Aviśuddha means their knowledge is not very pure, not yet pure. Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. The result is āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ: (SB 10.2.32) "They can rise up to the Supreme Absolute platform by their penances and austerities, meditation." That is right. They can reach to that platform. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa means "raising themselves, elevating themselves by severe penances to that platform," āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32), the Supreme Absolute platform. But patanty adhaḥ: "They again fall down in this material world." Why? Anādṛta: "Because they have not taken seriously about Your personal feature." Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Without worshiping Your lotus feet, the result is that they come down again in this material world."

Lecture on BG 9.26-27 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

If you want to work, well, work day and night, but you work for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you don't work, if you are simply eating, if your father has got money and you are eating, oh, eat for Kṛṣṇa. What is that? You offer the same to Kṛṣṇa and eat palatable dishes. Kṛṣṇa will not take away your dishes. Simply offer it. Yad aśnāsi (BG 9.27). Yaj juhoṣi. Oh, you are trying to elevate yourself to higher standard of life? Just try to go back to Kṛṣṇa, God, Godhead, and try for that. Accept all kinds of austerities and penances. Yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat. You are making some charity? All right. Make charity for Kṛṣṇa. "Well, Kṛṣṇa is God, and He is very rich. Why shall I make charity to Kṛṣṇa?" No. Kṛṣṇa says, dadāsi: "Give Me that charity. Give Me that charity." Kṛṣṇa is not poor, but you are very proud that you try to make charity with Kṛṣṇa's property.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Bombay, October 28, 1973:

So simply to realize that "I am Brahman," ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that is not perfection. That is aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, uncleansed intelligence. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Simply understanding ahaṁ brahmāsmi will not help us because it is stated in the śāstra that āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32), even by severe austerities and penances one comes to the stage of merging into Brahman, sāyujya mukti, still, there is chance of falling down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Why? Now anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. One who has not realized the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, he falls down.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

...about Kṛṣṇa's forbidding Arjuna not to speak this Bhagavad-gītā to a person who is not very much advanced in austerity and penance. The verse is on the Eighteenth Chapter, verse number 67, in which Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna:

idaṁ te nātapaskāya
nābhaktāya kadācana
na cāśuśrūṣave vācyaṁ
na ca māṁ yo 'bhyasūyati

Kṛṣṇa says, "This confidential knowledge may not be explained to those who are not austere or devoted or engaged in devotional service, nor to one who is envious of Me." So Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He knows very well that there will be so many rascals who are envious of Him. Actually, everyone is trying... Because Bhagavad-gītā is very popular book of profound knowledge, everyone is trying to prove his own theory through the medium of Bhagavad-gītā, excluding Kṛṣṇa. This is going on. They want to kill Kṛṣṇa, demonic. Anyone who is trying to kill Kṛṣṇa, he's a demon. So to warn the devotees from these demons, this śloka was spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

So this is the warning of Ṛṣabhadeva, that this human life is not meant for this purpose, like hogs and dogs. Then what it is? Tapa. That is state..., stated here also: nātapaskāya. One who has not undergone austerities and penances according to the Vedic system, what he can understand Bhagavad-gītā and the Vedas? Therefore He has warned. And what is the result of tapasya? To become bhakta, devotee. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). One who has actually undergone austerities, penances, then the result will be that he will surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is bhakta. So after tapasya, one becomes bhakta. And as soon as one becomes bhakta, he enjoys life. He enjoys life. Natural stage. That is mukti. Hitvā anyathā-rūpam. Muktir hitvā anyathā-rūpam. Anyathā-rūpam means defying the authority of God. That is anyathā-rūpam. Because we are a part and parcel of God, therefore our business is to abide by the orders of God. But as soon as we defy God, that is anyathā-rūpam. So mukti means hitvā anyathā-rūpam. That is mukti. Mukti means hitvā anyathā-rūpam, giving up this nonsense practice, defying God. Anyathā-rūpam. Sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ, to be situated in his own constitutional position. What is the constitutional position? The constitutional position is to serve. Just like part and parcel of my body, this finger, is to serve the body. This is constitutional position. If the finger denies, "No, I am God. Why shall I serve you?" that is anyathā-rūpam.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

There are certain persons, they are thinking, "Now I have become liberated." Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Vimukta-māninaḥ means "thinking that they have become liberated." But aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, their intelligence is not yet clear. So what is the result? Suppose one realizes Brahman realization. He is not mukta? Yes, he is mukta. That's all right. But the intelligence is not yet purified. Why? Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ (SB 10.2.32). After undergoing sever austerities and penances, they rise up to the Brahmaloka, paraṁ padam. Patanty adhaḥ, again falls down, again falls down. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Just like the impersonal sky. You can go in the sky with your seedy airplane, but if you don't get a shelter in any planet, you will have to come again. Just like this moon planet-goers, going and coming. Why don't they stay there? So it doubtful whether they are going.

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

You'll hear about Kṛṣṇa in so many varieties of activities. Bhagavad-gītā, you hear. It's so many activities of Kṛṣṇa. So we have to hear about these. And unless there are activities, what you will hear? Simply "Brahman, Brahman, Brahman... nirākāra." How long you will hear? And how long you will enjoy? That is... There is no enjoyment. Therefore they, these Brahmavādīs, these Nirākāravādī, although by austerities and penances they may rise up to the Brahman effulgence, still, they will fall down. Because we are living entities, we want varieties of enjoyment. We are not satisfied in void, in zero. That is not possible. Therefore śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). One has to hear about Kṛṣṇa, varieties of activities. Varieties of activities. Not nirākāra, without any activities. No. That activity is different from material activity. Janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). Therefore it is called divyam. They are not ordinary activities. They are all transcendental, spiritual activities. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

One who does not take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he may rise up very high by austerity and penance, but he cannot remain in that position. He may give up artificially this material world, jagan mithyā, but he has to come down again to this mithyā jagat and open schools and hospitals, because he cannot remain in that impersonal way. That is the experience. All so-called brahmavādī, they say that "We have become liberated" but not liberated. That is simply concoction, vimukta-māninaḥ. They think like that. Actually they are not liberated. Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Without being liberated, when one speaks that "I have become liberated," that means aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ: the intelligence is not clear. He does not know what is liberation. Liberation means prasanna-manasa, full of joyfulness, that is liberation. Evaṁ prasanna-manasaḥ, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam (SB 1.2.20). Tattva means truth. You have to understand Bhagavān in truth.

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

Therefore Bhāgavata says, vimukta-māninaḥ. They are thinking that after undergoing such severe austerities and penances, now he has become God. That is māyā. He does not know. He's not God. But he claims like that, falsely. This is the cause of his suffering. Nobody can be..., can become God or equal to God. That is not possible. The same quotation: ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Only the Supreme God, Supreme Person, Īśvara, supreme controller, is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). You are, why you are, rascal, trying to become Bhagavān, God? This is māyā. He does not know. He's thinking that "I have become God." This is māyā. Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ means his intelligence is not yet cleansed. It's still dirty. Although he has undergone good austerities, penances or taken sannyāsa, but the mind is dirty. Mind is dirty. So that will not help. The whole process is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. We have to cleanse our heart. We have to understand our position. Then it will be successful.

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

If a man is attacked by some rogue, nobody is going to help him. If a man's apartment is, there is a burglar, thief, nobody is going to help him. Or if a man is very poor, nobody is going to help him. It is dwindling. It is decreasing. Similarly, duration of life. Your grandfather, your forefathers, they were living up to hundred years or more than that. And nowadays hardly they are living sixty or seventy years. Similarly, memory. The memory is also reducing. Knowledge is also reducing. This is the symptom of this age. Things will be reduced. Therefore Lord Caitanya is the most magnanimous. He knows that "People will not be very much alert in accepting spiritual knowledge after undergoing so much austerities and penances. Let them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take everything.(?)" That is the special gift of Lord Caitanya. And Rūpa Gosvāmī therefore prayed Him, namo mahā-vadānyāya: "You are the greatest munificent incarnation." Kṛṣṇa prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "You are the greatest munificent incarnation." Kṛṣṇa prema-pradāya te: "You are distributing love of Kṛṣṇa." So unfortunately, we are not ready to accept His benediction.

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

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

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

Enjoyment is the goal of everyone's life. But the difference is that the materialist is trying to hanker after flickering enjoyment, and the transcendentalists, they are hankering after the spiritual enjoyment, or eternal enjoyment. Enjoyment... Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Because enjoyment is our life. We cannot be void. That is not possible. Therefore the impersonalists, about impersonalists, this Bhāgavata version is that although they rise up almost to the spiritual platform, but because they cannot enjoy... Impersonalists means there is no enjoyment. There is simply light, a life of knowledge. But simply knowledge will not make me happy. I must enjoyment. I must have enjoyment. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), because my nature is to enjoy. That enjoyment cannot be done in the impersonal or void philosophy. That is not possible. Therefore Bhāgavata says, ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ: "If somebody thinks that he has become liberated after undergoing the process of impersonal philosophy and austerities and penances..." The impersonalists, they also practice severe penances to attain to that Brahman stage. That is also nice thing. But they cannot stay there, because there is no enjoyment.

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

So in spite of their rising to that platform of Brahman understanding, they again come down. That is described in the Bhāgavatam, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ: (SB 10.2.32) "After undergoing severe penances and austerities, they may rise to the Brahman platform but again falls down." Why falls down? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Because they do not enjoy Your association." They have neglected the association of Kṛṣṇa and company. Therefore they have no, I mean to say, shelter. The same example can be explained: just like if you go on a plane or sputnik very high, very high, it is void, all side void. If you go very high, 25,000 miles, you'll see void. But that, there you cannot stay. You can travel for many years in that void, but if you don't take shelter in a planet, then you'll come back again to this planet. Similarly, the impersonalists, they cannot stay in their impersonal understanding. Simply they suffer some trouble. Kleśa... Bhagavad-gītā says, kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Those who are attached, those who are attached to that impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, they undergo greater trouble.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:
Photons. We have got name. But this is al... We know. Kaṇa, kaṇa, a small particle. So when they are put together, it appears homogeneous. But they are not homogeneous. They keep their individuality. They keep their individuality. So that is eternal. That's a fact. But we are not only eternal... Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), and His bodily effulgence, that is only eternal part. Sat means eternal, cit means knowledge, and ānanda. So these three things are required. Simply eternity is not good. There must be knowledge and ānanda. So this monist theory, Advaitavāda, eternity, that may be achieved. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa, by severe penances and austerities, they can be attained. But patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. That is the statement of Bhāgavata. They again fall down. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. They could not get the information of the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Without taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa, they fall down again. Patanty adhaḥ. Again.
Lecture on SB 1.7.26 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1976:

So that is Kṛṣṇa. He can give you immediately liberation. Simply you have to surrender. Therefore He's deva-deva. Sometimes we go to this demigod, to that demigod for some material perfection or ultimate liberation. But Kṛṣṇa can give you liberation within a second. That is Kṛṣṇa. Within a second. Otherwise, it is not very easy. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). The jñānīs, they are trying for liberation and undergoing very severe type of austerity and penances. Kṛcchreṇa. Kṛcchreṇa means very severe type of austerities they undergo. But still they fall down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa, then his knowledge, his so-called jñāna... Maybe to some extent it is perfect, but it is not completely perfect. Completely perfect will be possible when you understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :

Everyone is trying to become perfect, but the perfection means when one can see Kṛṣṇa within and without. That is perfection. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṁ. If you have been able to worship Kṛṣṇa, then there is no need of any more austerities, penances, (indistinct) to self-realize or to know God. There are so many processes, austerities, penances. Sometimes we go to the forest, go to the forest to see where is God, where... There, there are different processes, but the śāstra says that actually if you are worshiping Kṛṣṇa, ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṁ, that there is no more need of your undergoing severe penances and austerities. And narādhito, narādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, and ultimately after going severe..., undergoing severe austerities and penances, if, if you do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, then what is the use? It is useless. Narādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, antar bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṁ. Similarly, if you can see twenty-four hours Kṛṣṇa, within and without, then the that is the end of all tapasya.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Therefore śāstra says that alakṣya... Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: (Nārada-pañcarātra) "If one has come to the point of worshiping the Supreme Lord, there is no more necessity of undergoing severe austerities and penances." Because others, karmīs and yogis, for their sense gratification, karmīs, jñānīs, and yogis, they have to undergo severe austerities. But the bhakta, somehow or other, he can, if he simply learns how to love Kṛṣṇa, then he hasn't got to undergo severe austerities and penance. Immediately he is released. Because that is the perfectional stage. If you live in Kṛṣṇa, always loving... Just like the gopīs. The gopīs, they learned how to love Kṛṣṇa. That's all. They never underwent any severe austerities like the great saintly persons going to Himalaya and pressing their nose and something like that. No, never did. Their only business was how to love Kṛṣṇa. Automatically. Without any... Of course, that stage is not easily obtained, but the śāstra says if you come to that stage, simply to love Kṛṣṇa, then you are on the highest platform of blissful life. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (Bs. 5.38). Santaḥ, those who are devotees, they are twenty-four hours seeing God. That is to be... That is the highest stage of perfection. And by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, one can be brought to the platform, how to love Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours without any cessation.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the ideal sannyāsī. He says, mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). He never claimed that "I may not have any more birth." Mokṣa means one who hasn't got to take birth of this material body. That is called mokṣa. So a Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, they do not want even mokṣa. Therefore they have no demand. So that sannyāsī is different from the ordinary sannyāsī. Ordinary sannyāsī, he has demand. He wants mukti. But Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, either he is in sannyāsī dress or in not sannyāsī dress, simply because his aim and object is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa; therefore he is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma. He has no shelter of the work that he is doing for Kṛṣṇa. Not that "I shall work in this way, and there will be good result, and I will enjoy it." Other sannyāsīs, they are thinking like that: "I will go austerities and penances severely. I shall go to Himalayas and execute very rigidly all the principles of sannyāsa. But as a result of this, I will get liberated, mukti." Therefore he has got demand.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

So Brahman realization without activity of Brahman will not allow you to stay in the Brahman position. You'll fall down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Patanty adhaḥ. By great austerities and penance, they can rise up to the paraṁ padam, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, brahma-pada. But āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ, from that place, patanty adhaḥ, again falls down in this material world. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Because they did not learn how to honor Your lotus feet." Because they are impersonalists, they are—"God, or the Brahman, has no leg." So how they will take shelter of the leg or lotus feet? Impersonal. Therefore the very word is used, anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Aṅghrayaḥ means this leg, or lotus feet. So because they have no information, or they, even they have got information, they are not inclined to render service, therefore they fall down. This is the position.

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:
Aṇḍāntara-stha. He's present within the universe and within the heart of all living entities, even within the atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara... That is Kṛṣṇa. That is only by His one part. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So such Govinda has become the son of Vasudeva and Devakī. So how it is possible? And therefore the devotee is so great that although Kṛṣṇa, or God, is so great that by His one portion He can create the innumerable universes, He enters into the womb of Devakī and comes out as her son. This is Kṛṣṇa's grace. You see. He can make His devotee so great that the greater than the greatest is coming out of the womb of Devakī. So apare vasudevasya devakyām. And why He agreed? Yācitaḥ, yācitaḥ: "requested." Requested as Sutapā and Pṛśni. Vasudeva was Pṛśni in his former life, and Devakī was Sutapā. Sutapā. Sutapā means one who can perform austerities and penance very nicely. Su means nicely, and tapaḥ. So they underwent austerities and penance to get a son like Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

So the Māyāvādīs, they simply see the effulgence, something impersonal, effulgence. They cannot see anything more. Just like the sunshine. In the sunshine, there are so many things. Suppose in bright sunshine, you saw one airplane is gone up, but after some time you cannot see. You cannot see. You cannot see because due to the dazzling sunshine, although the airplane is there you cannot see. Similarly, simply if we try to see the effulgence, brahmajyoti, we are unable to see inside. The Īśopaniṣad, there is this statement that a devotee is praying to the Lord that "You wind up Your, this effulgence so that I can see You properly." So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot see the personal activities or the planets where Kṛṣṇa is personally active. That they cannot see. Therefore Bhāgavata says anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they neglected to see the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, therefore, despite their severe penances and austerities, on account of not seeing the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they come back again to this material world. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32).

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

We have seen many, many sannyāsīs. They first of all give up... Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "The jagat is mithyā." And ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I have no more anything to do. I have become Nārāyaṇa." Then he comes down again to feed the daridra-nārāyaṇa. That's all. He becomes Nārāyaṇa, but he comes to take activities in feeding... But why? It is mithyā. You have already left. Why do you come here again? That means he hasn't got anything. The unnecessary labor... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. They undergo severe penances and austerities, and they reach up to the impersonal Brahman, but because there is no pleasure... Suppose if I send you in a nice aeroplane in the sky... There is no varieties. Just like so many aeronautics. They, after flying in the impersonal sky, they become tired. And sometimes they pray to God, "Please let me go back to the land." And I have read in the paper, when the Sputnik was carrying the Russian aeronautics, he was simply seeing down, "Where is Moscow?" (laughter) "Where is Moscow?" Because this impersonal traveling was very much agitating, he was finding out, "Where is Moscow?" So this kind of realization of the Absolute Truth will not stay, will have, will have to fall down. Exactly like that.

Lecture on SB 3.25.17 -- Bombay, November 17, 1974:
If anyone thinks that Nārāyaṇa is..., or other demigods are equal to Nārāyaṇa, sa pāṣaṇḍī. He is pāṣaṇḍī, atheist. So we should not think like that. You may think that you have become liberated, you have got the position of Nārāyaṇa... That is all false thinking, aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. They have been addressed as aviśuddha, nonpurified, buddhayaḥ, intelligence. Not intelligent. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvāt (SB 10.2.32). This is... Why these things happen, one compares Nārāyaṇa with ordinary demigod or ordinary man? Because aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, their intelligence is not purified. So āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ (SB 10.2.32). Such persons, by severe austerities and penances, may elevate oneself to the position of Brahman. Still, āruhya kṛcchreṇa param... Paraṁ padam means brahma-pada. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Again he falls down. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Because they neglected to worship Your lotus feet." So unless one becomes devotee, there is no secure position in the spiritual world.
Lecture on SB 3.25.17 -- Bombay, November 17, 1974:

Rocket, yes. But then, going with great force, but āruhya kṛcchreṇa... Similarly, one can rise up to the Brahman effulgence, but if there is no shelter. Just like these people are going, but they don't get any shelter. But they come down again. Similarly, one, by severe austerities and penances, may go up to the Brahmaloka, but he has no position. He has no position. Because in the Brahmaloka, or Vaikuṇṭhaloka, in the Paravyoma, the spiritual sky, there are spiritual planets. They are called Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Hundreds and millions there are. Very, very big, big planets than these material planets. So unless you get a shelter in one of the planets, then you again fall down.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

I have repeatedly said that cure of disease is all right, but after curing, if you are not engaged in your healthy activities, then means, that means that your disease is again, will be relapsed. The śāstra says therefore, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). One sometimes, after practicing much severe austerities and penances, he can approach the Brahman, paraṁ padam, that is Brahman realization, or Brahmaloka. Patanty adhaḥ. But from there also you will fall down. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they did not care to worship the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Māyāvādīs, the impersonalists, they fall down. Because they cannot stay. It is not possible. Simply impersonal effulgence, Brahman effulgence, you cannot stay. You can... That example I have given many times, that you can go very high in the sky by your very powerful sputnik and airship, but if you have no place to stay there, then you'll come back again. You'll come back again. Similarly, you can go to the Brahman effulgence, but within the Brahman effulgence, there are Vaikuṇṭha planets, or the spiritual world, there is Vaikuṇṭha planet. If you have no place to stay in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, then you'll come down again to this material world.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

The Vasudeva and Devakī, in their previous life they underwent severe austerities. After their marriage, they immediately were not anxious to beget child. They went to the forest and began practicing austerity and penances, severe, some hundreds of years. Then Kṛṣṇa appeared that "What do you want? Why you are undergoing so much severe...?" "No, we want a son like You. Then we enter into the family life." So Kṛṣṇa said that "Where is another Kṛṣṇa?" Because God is one. "So if you want a son like Me, then I will have to become your son. There is no competitor." God has no competitor. God is one. Ekaṁ brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. This is the... Kṛṣṇa therefore says, mām ekam. Mām ekam. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is one, but Kṛṣṇa can expand. That is Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvādī philosophers say that "If Kṛṣṇa has become everything, then where is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is finished." This is Māyāvādī philosophy. That is materialistic idea.

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

So that self-realization is not very difficult. But it requires a little fortune and intelligence. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. These big, big saintly person, they are undergoing severe penances and austerities to understand ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But if you believe in the Bhagavad-gītā statement, Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "The living entities are My part and parcel." So if Kṛṣṇa is Parabrahman... Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). This is accepted by Arjuna when he heard Bhagavad-gītā. At the end, he is accepting, "Kṛṣṇa, You are Parabrahman." So if we are part and parcel of Parabrahman, then we must be Brahman. Where is the difficulty? So this brahmāham, brahmāsmi, this Brahman realization, can be understood in a moment if you believe Bhagavad-gītā as it is. But if you foolishly interpret in this way and that way, then it will take millions of years. You will not understand what is Bhagavad-gītā, what is God, what is... But if you take it as it is, then immediately you can understand that you are Brahman. There is no difficulty.

Lecture on SB 3.26.46 -- Bombay, January 21, 1975:
If we practice this simple method: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma..., then it is possible. So where is the difficulty? Where is the loss? If we ask you to do something, if you think there will be loss, you may reject it. But if there is no loss and the gain is that you get Kṛṣṇa, then why don't you do it? Such is our, what is called, bigotry, "No, we shall not chant. We shall not do this." This is our misfortune. Therefore, those who have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they are the most fortunate persons in the world. Yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam, the śāstra says. Aho bata śva-paco 'to garīyān: "Even one is born in the family of dog-eaters, but somehow or other, if he takes to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, he is garīyān, he is glorious. He is very glorious." Nāma tubhyam. Tepus tapas te: (SB 3.33.7) "It is to be understood in their previous life they undergone severe type of penances and austerities." Tepus tapas te sasnur āryāḥ: (SB 3.33.7) "They are really Aryan." So this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is very authentic movement from the śāstra, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu practiced it, Nārada Muni practiced it. All the great sages, they practice it.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

Just like Kṛṣṇa's name is Rādhā-Ramaṇa. His sense gratification is with Rādhārāṇī. So the sense gratification is also there, but not this sense... Don't consider like this. Here it is only... Sense gratification is a perverted reflection of the spiritual sense gratification. The whole devotional line of service is also sense gratification. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam (CC Madhya 19.170). Hṛṣīka means senses, and Hṛṣīkeśa means the master of the senses. The master of the senses is Kṛṣṇa. So when your senses will be applied for the sense gratification of Kṛṣṇa, that is your transcendental position. And when your senses will be employed for your sense gratification, that is material. This is the difference. So when one is situated in the transcendental platform, when one's existential conditions are purified by tapasya, by voluntarily accepting austerity and penance under the guidance of spiritual master, śāstras, scriptures, saintly person, at that time it will be possible that you are in the platform of satisfying the senses of Kṛṣṇa and you are fully satisfied.

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

So the real purpose of life, as it is advised by Ṛṣabhadeva: tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). "My dear boys, just accept austerity and penances for transcendental realization," divyam. Divyam means the platform where God can be understood. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If we can understand God on the transcendental platform, not in this material platform by imagination or speculation—that is not God. One has to understand God on the transcendental platform, śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. On the vasudeva platform we can understand Vāsudeva. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. So here it is advised: tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). The whole business is... Everyone is hankering after happiness. That's a fact. The karmīs, the ordinary workers, fruitive workers... Just like big, big city, they are whole day and night the motorcars going this way and that way, this way and that way... "Whoosh, woosh, woosh, woosh, woosh, woosh, woosh..." Why? For finding out, "Where is happiness? Where is happiness? Where is happiness?" Happiness. But happiness we are not receiving because in this contaminated world happiness is not possible; therefore we have to get out of this body, material body. Then there will be happiness.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Vrndavana, October 25, 1976:

So the recommendation is that if you want to go back home, back to Godhead, divyam, so you have to practice austerities, penance. That austerity and penance is according to the age, deśa, kāla, patra. Not that... Just like in the common law also, if a grown-up man commits some theft, he is punished more. And if a child or a boy commits theft, he is not so much punished. So there is consideration of deśa kāla patra. In the Kali-yuga people cannot undergo very severe austerities. That is impossible for them, because mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are already very much suppressed and suffering because they are all unfortunate, manda-bhāgyā. Mostly people, they have no provision for eating either today or tomorrow. Manda-bhāgyā. There is no sufficient grains. Formerly even in the villages you would see that a common man has very good stock of foodgrains and cows, dhanvena dhanavan, gavaya dhanavan. Formerly the standard of richness was considered how many morai, the bank, what is called? Where grain is stocked? Silo. So in India it is called morai, grain stock. And how many cows one has got in stock. Then he is rich man. Nowadays how much paper money he has got. Actually it has no value.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Just like we are sitting together now. After some hour, every one of us will feel what is our individual... Everyone will be engaged in his individual activity. Therefore, according to Bhagavat-siddhānta, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanti (SB 10.2.32). The individual soul who simply tries to merge into the effulgence, Brahman effulgence... That position is attained after many, many years' austerity and penances. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. Kṛcchreṇa means with great trouble and difficulty one is elevated to that position, merging into the impersonal brahmajyoti. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). That is called paraṁ padam. But again says, patanty adhaḥ: "But they still, again they are prone to fall down." Why they fall down? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Because they do not care for Your lotus feet."

Lecture on SB 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 8, 1976:

Just like spark and the whole fire. Both of them are fire, but spark is spark, and the big fire is big fire. So the spark cannot become big fire. If he wants to become so, then he falls down. Then whatever little light was there, fire, it becomes extinguished. If the spark out of impudency wants to try to become the big fire, then he falls down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Āruhya kṛcchreṇa, by severe austerities and penances you can rise up to the impersonal Brahman, but you'll fall down again. That is the fact. So many persons, they are trying to become merged into the existence of the Supreme Brahman, but the result is they are falling down. They must fall down. It is not possible. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Without taking care to worship the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they are falling down. So we should be very, very careful not to try to become equal or greater than Kṛṣṇa. There are some rascals, they say that "Such and such rascal is greater than Kṛṣṇa." I do not wish to mention their name. That rascals, they say that "Aurobindo is greater than Kṛṣṇa." They say like that. Do you know that? So this, the world, is full of rascals and fools. We have to... Very cautiously and intelligently we have to make progress in spiritual life. Don't take it very insignificantly. We should be very much careful. Otherwise there is falldown, and once falldown means a gap of millions of years. You have got this human form of life to complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but if you are not serious, then again the gap will be millions of years.

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1977:

But those who are devotees, they are allowed to enter into the planet, Vaikuṇṭha planet or Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. In this way one gets his original position. But if we do not take to bhakti, then we may enter into the Brahman effulgence, but there is chance of falling down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yusmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). So those who are impersonalist, they may enter into the spiritual kingdom. That is called paraṁ padaṁ. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām (SB 10.14.58). But there is also chance of fall down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. After severe austerities and penances one can enter into the Brahman effulgence. But unless one gets information of the paraṁ padaṁ-samāśritā ye pada pallava plavam—there is chance of falling down. In the material world there is bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). But in spiritual also, if you enter into the spiritual kingdom, from there also... Even sometimes it so happens. Of course, that is by God's desire.

Lecture on SB 7.9.29 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1976:

There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, and above them there is the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet, Kṛṣṇaloka. So in either of them, if you enter, then that is not impersonal. Personal. Impersonal Brahman is outside. Although impersonal Brahman is also spiritual existence, but it is outside the Vaikuṇṭha planets. So the demons and the impersonalists, they cannot enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planet. And because they cannot enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planet, they again fall down, again fall down in this material world. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yusmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Patanty adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means in this material world. Those who are impersonalists, they may enter into the Brahman effulgence, āruhya kṛcchreṇa, with severe execution of penance and austerities. The Māyāvādīs, they perform severe austerity. Those who are actually Brahmavādīs, their mode of life is very, very strict and severe also. So even after severe penances and austerities one enters into the Brahman effulgence, there is no security. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ (SB 10.2.32). Why they come down? Now, anādṛta-yusmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Because they did not get the information about Your lotus feet." That means person. When we speak of "feet" or "hand" that means the Supreme Person, a person. But they do not accept the person. That is their difficulty. They'll never accept that the Absolute Truth is person. Therefore they fall down again and again. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

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

First decreasing-religiosity. People will become irreligious, and they will forget what is telling truth. They will be accustomed to speak lie. And śaucam, no cleanliness. And kṣamā. Kṣamā means forgiveness. Suppose I have done some wrong... (break) ...but there is no forgiveness. Kṣamā-rūpaṁ tapasvinaḥ, people is advised, especially those who are following penance and austerity, yogic principle or devotional life, they should learn to excuse. In our dealings, there are so many faulty dealings between ourselves. So if we take everything very seriously, then it is very difficult to live. So kṣamā. But that kṣamā—kṣamā means forgiveness—will reduce. Nobody will forgive. Retaliation, vengeance, that will increase. So four items: religiosity, truthfulness, cleanliness, and forgiveness. Four. Then dayā. Dayā means mercy. What is dayā? Who is, I mean to say, less strong. Just like animals, birds, beast, you should be very merciful. Just like children: you should be very merciful to children. According to Vedic injunctions, children, woman, brāhmaṇas, old men, and cows.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

According to Vaiṣṇava, paraṁ pada means to go to Vaikuṇṭha or Goloka Vṛndāvana and be engaged as servant, eternal servant of the Lord. But according to the jñānīs, the paraṁ pada means merge into the effulgence of brahmajyoti. Śāstra says that āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). To go to that paraṁ padam, that is also not very easy. Kṛcchreṇa. Severe austerities and penances, one has to undergo to merge into the Brahman effulgence. Therefore you'll find, the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, their stricture is very rigid. They must take bath thrice in, in a day and lie down underneath a tree and... Their renunciation is very rigid. Of course, those who are strictly following. In our Brahmā, Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa, there is little leniency. Because they live in Kṛṣṇa, so there is no need of very strict, rigid following. Although it is stated that they should live like this. But there is leniency. But Māyāvāda, they are very rigid in their principles of sannyāsa life. That is called āruhya kṛcchreṇa. Kṛcchreṇa, with great difficulty, they merge into the Brahman effulgence. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32). They attain in the perfectional stage. Not perfectional. Paraṁ padam. In the spiritual realm. But patanty adhaḥ. Again falls down. Again falls down means because in the effulgence there is no varieties.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

Just as they're going in the moon planet, but do not get shelter and come back, similarly, supposing they are getting shelter, but that shelter is not very secure. They again come back. So without shelter, how long you can fly in the sky? The sky is unlimited. You can fly on your sputnik or capsules, but if you don't get the shelter in some planet, then again you come back to your place. So this is... The same example is given in the Bhāgavata: āruhya kṛcchreṇa, with great scientific method you can go up. But if you don't get a shelter, then you come back again on this planet. Similarly, the nondevotees, the impersonalists, they undergo severe penances and austerities undoubtedly, and they rise up to the brahmajyoti... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). From there, he again falls down. Same example. Why? Anādhṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they did not care for the shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, therefore they have to come back again to this material world.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

So, so if you want to fulfill all the pleasures of life, sat-cit-ānanda, then you have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. The śāstra says, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛtaḥ-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). One who has no information of Kṛṣṇa, one who does not take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he may take the sāyujya-mukti after severe penances and austerities, but again he'll fall down, because he wants ānanda. Simply impersonal, without any varieties, he cannot have ānanda. That spiritual variety is available in the Kṛṣṇaloka, in the Vaikuṇṭha. So for want of spiritual variety, you'll again like to come into the material variety. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Ye 'nye ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas (SB 10.2.32). So this kind of mukti is not first-class mukti. Therefore Vaiṣṇavas, they do not want it. Vaiṣṇava does not want any kind of mukti. This Vaiṣṇava wants simply to remain in the service of the Lord. They don't aspire for any kind of mukti. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). So this mukti the sāyujya-mukti, means to become one with the Supreme, it not very safe, because there is, there is want of ānanda and knowledge.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He went to Kṛṣṇa, he went to worship Kṛṣṇa under the instruction of his mother in the forest with a desire to achieve the kingdom of his father or better, better kingdom than his father. That was his aspiration. But later on, when he actually met the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he said, "My dear Lord, I have no other aspiration. I am completely satisfied." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). So this is the advantage of worshiping Kṛṣṇa. Even one has got some material desire, that material desires will be fulfilled. At the same time, he shall become a pure devotee, just like Dhruva Mahārāja became. He went to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, fulfillment, for fulfilling his material desires, but because he engaged himself in severe austerity and penances for having darśana, or seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when he saw Him actually he forgot all his material desires. That is the advantage. We need not go to any other demigod for fulfilling our material desires.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.3 -- Mayapur, March 3, 1974:

Just like Viśvāmitra Muni. He was a great yogi. So artificially he was trying to stop the sense activities. But it also failed, the attempt. Later on he met one beautiful woman and he failed in controlling the senses. That is the history. He was the biggest yogi, Viśvāmitra Muni. Similarly, there are many so-called jñānīs also, trying to become one with the Supreme. That is also not possible. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas (SB 10.2.32). Vimukta-māninas, they are thinking that they have become liberated, but that is not the fact. Why it is not fact? Tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Because they did not take to the devotional service. Tvayy asta-bhāvād. They have no information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore despite their severe austerities and penances and rising to the platform of Brahman realization—āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty (SB 10.2.32)—they fall down.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:

So if one is intelligent enough, if he has got actually the bitter taste of this material world, he'll never agree. He'll never agree. But those who have not advanced to such knowledge, oh, they think, "Oh, this material enjoyment is very nice. Let me taste it and let me do business in my sannyāsī life, and stealthily and privately, let me enjoy." These things are going on. That means they have no taste. They come to hospital-making or this philanthropy. This come again. Sthānād bhraṣṭād patanty adhaḥ. Ye 'nye aravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. "Those fools who are thinking that 'Simply by thinking myself, "I am God, I am Brahman, I have become liberated," ' " but ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvāt (SB 10.2.32), "but there is no knowledge about You, Kṛṣṇa," āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam, "they, after performing so much austerity and penances, they rise up to the highest position, Brahman realization, but," patanty adhaḥ, "they fall down." We have got so many instances. They take sannyāsa. They say that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "This world is false. Brahman is truth." But after some days, they come to politics, they come to sociology, they come to hospital, they come to this and that. That's all. Finished. Brahman finished. Patanty adhaḥ. They must fall down because they have no shelter in Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sputnik goes very high, clap, hear clap. Uh, come down again. Where you'll go? Yes. Simply for the time being clapping, that's all. (laughs) But the fools, they are so nonsense, they are satisfied with that temporary clapping. That's all.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137 -- New York, November 28, 1966:

Just like so many ladies and gentlemen, they purchase books from the market. They have heard that Bhagavad-gītā is very nice book. So svādhyāya. Svādhyāya means studying the scriptures. Studying the Vedic literatures, that is called svādhyāya. Svādhyāya. And tapaḥ. Tapaḥ means penance. Somebody is fasting. Somebody is in the solitary place in the jungle. They are meditating. So many, there are process of penances and austerities. And tyāga, and renunciation. Just like sannyāsī, renounced order of life. So (the) Lord says, "All these processes—the yoga process, the sāṅkhya process, the ritualistic process, or studying the Vedas or undergoing severe type of penance and austerities—all these processes, combined together or individually, they are not suitable for achieving Me. They are not."

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

Simply by devotional service, one becomes purified even he is born in the family of the dog-eaters. That is the Vedic version. Caitanya Mahāprabhu quotes from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Ataeva bhakti kṛṣṇa prāptyera. Therefore He concludes that "If you want at all Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa... We should, everyone should want Kṛṣṇa. Because as soon as we get Kṛṣṇa... Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. If actually we get Kṛṣṇa, then we shall not consider any other profit more valuable than Kṛṣṇa. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja went to practice yoga in the forest, Madhuvana. The idea was to get the kingdom of the father. Now, actually when he saw Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu... The picture is here. You can see. Actually when he saw by his severe austerities and penances..., a small boy, five-years-old boy, then he said, "My dear Lord, now when You offer benediction that 'You take whatever benediction you want, you take from Me,' " he said, svamin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). That is the process. If one gets Kṛṣṇa, he thinks that no more any other benediction is required. He becomes fully satisfied. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi: "I am fully satisfied." Therefore we find a Kṛṣṇa-bhakta is always satisfied because he has no demand.

General Lectures

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 18, 1968:

After accepting sannyāsa and all this renunciation, because he has no shelter to render service to the Supreme Lord, he comes down to render service to this nonsense thing which he left. Mithyā, it is false. He again comes to the false. I have seen one sannyāsī in India, very learned, very good scholar. Now he's rotting in the jail. He has taken to political movement. He wants to make, nullify this Pakistan and so many things. Now he has become a politician. Vivekananda came here to preach in 1893 to Vedānta. Now he learned the business of opening hospital. If you have taken sannyāsa, that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, "The world is false; Brahman is reality," then why you come to the false platform again? He has to, because he has no information of the reality. He wants to render service, but because he has not found out where to render service, he has to come to engage himself in this mithyā platform, which he has rejected as mithyā. So āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho (SB 10.2.32). Even by their austerity and penances they go so up... Just the same example. A very nice sputnik, and running 20,000 miles an hour...

Lecture -- New York, April 17, 1969:

Hari is present everywhere, so one who sees Hari, antike, near, or distant place, within, outside, he does not see anything except Hari. How it becomes possible? Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). When one is merged into the love of God, he does not see anything in the world except Hari. That is his vision. So antarbahir yadi hari, inside and outside, if you always see Hari, Kṛṣṇa, tapasā tataḥ kim, then what is the use of your other austerities and penances? You are on the topmost level. That is wanted. Nanta-bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. And if you do not see within and outside Hari always, then what is the value of your austerities? Therefore in the morning we chant this mantra, govindam ādi-puruṣam tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. We have no other business. Simply we have to satisfy Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Then everything is complete. He is complete and His worship is complete, His devotee is complete. Everything is complete.

Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:

Anyway, the idea is that beautiful life, beautiful education, beautiful situation, should be utilized for beautiful end, not degrade to the platform of hog worship. That is not very palatable thing at least. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, "My dear boys, the sense gratification process after hard work day and night is available in the hog's life. That is not a very important thing. This human form of life is meant for a different purpose." And that purpose he explains, that tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattva śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam: (SB 5.5.1) "This human form of life is meant for austerity and penance." You will find in the history of Vedic literature, there were many, many exalted emperors and kings. They also gave to the, led to the practice of austerity and penance. Dhruva Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja—they were all kings. They were called rājarṣi. Rājarṣi means although they were king, most opulent, still, they were great sages. So the same thing is advised, that those persons who have got this opportunity of the spiritual, human form of life, with facility for economic welfare, with facility for giving very nicely everything—the opportunity should be used for better life. Ye tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Tapasya, austerity.

Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:

So Ṛṣabhadeva advises, "My dear boys, you don't spoil your life simply for sense gratification, but voluntarily accept some austerity and penances so that your existence will be purified. And when you get your purified existence... You are seeking after happiness. Whatever happiness you are inclined in this material world, that is only limited. But if you purify your existence and some way or other be promoted to your spiritual existence, then..." Brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam. Brahman. Brahman means the greatest. As I told you from the Vedānta-sūtra, athāto brahma jijñāsā, so what is the Brahman life, so there is Brahman pleasure also. In the Brahman pleasure there is also dancing, there are young girls, young boys—everything. These are only reflections. Whatever we are finding in this material world, the last evening we explained, that it is that perverted reflection of the spiritual world. So if you want unlimited happiness, unlimited knowledge, and eternal life, you should not spoil your, this very nice opportunity simply for sense gratification, but adjust it to accept this life of austerity to promote yourself to the spiritual life. Then you will get unlimited happiness, unlimited life, unlimited pleasure. That is the sum and substance of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Brandeis University Lecture -- Boston, April 29, 1969:

Most of you, many of you may be students of anthropology, of Darwin's theory, that the life is evolving. This anthropology long, long years was stated in the Padma Purāṇa. There it is, it is stated, aśītiṁ caturaś caiva bhramadbhiḥ jīva-jātiṣu. Bhramadbhiḥ jīva-jā... These very words are there. These are Sanskrit words. What is that? Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs... That means 8,400,000 species of life, and you have got this human form of life, civilized form of life. This life has to be properly utilized. That is the whole purpose of Vedic literature. It is not to be spoiled like cats and dogs simply for sense gratification. One has to control the sense life or animal life and take to tapa. This very word is used there. Tapa means austerity, penance. We have read in the Indian history that there were many, many great sages, even kings; they left everything, they went to the forest for practicing austerity and penances. Recent, very recently... Every one of you know it that Lord Buddha... He was also Indian. He was also a kṣatriya, a prince, but he left everything and he went to the forest for self-realization.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

One person, well talented, well trained as the head of the government, very peacefully he could execute the governmental function. There were many instances, the Vedic civilization, how the kings were perfect. You'll find from Dhruva Mahārāja's instances that Dhruva Mahārāja went to the forest to search out God, and he found out. By severe type of penances and austerities, he found out God within six months. How? He was a five-years-old body, child. According to the direction of his spiritual master, Nārada, he went alone in the forest, although a king's son, very delicate body. So in the first month he simply used to eat some vegetables after three days, each three days. One, two, three—then he eats something, some fruits, some vegetables. Then next three months, each six days, he used to little, drink little water. And next month, in each twelve days, he used to inhale some air. In this way, for six months he stood in one leg and executed these austerities, and at the end of six months, God became manifest before him eye to eye. So if we follow austerities, then it will be possible to see God eye to eye and perfection of life.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

One cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness unless he is completely washed of all sinful activity. So we forbid four things because they are pillars of sinful activities: illicit sex life, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. Unless one gives up these four sinful activities it is not possible to approach Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa clearly says in the Bhagavad-gītā, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. Pāpam means sin. One who has finished the sinful activity... And these are four pillars of sinful activity. So we have to voluntarily give up these habits. That is called austerity, penance. The human life is meant for austerity and penance, not for increasing the items of our sense gratification. That is animal life. Human life is meant for restraint. Laws are for the human being. When you go to the street—"Keep to the left"—this law is meant for human being, not for the dog. The dogs can go from left to right; he has no punishment. But if you go from left to right, violating the rules or violating the color, symbol, signal, then you will be immediately arrested because you are human being. So all the laws or injunctions are for human being. So human being, human life, is very responsible life. As you cannot violate the state law, similarly, you cannot violate the laws given by God. That is called dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the laws of God. If you violate, then you are punished. That's all.

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

The hog is whole day working to find out "Where is stool? Where is stool?" The human life should not be like that. Human life should be very peaceful and prosperous and save time for spiritual culture. That is stated here. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1), for tapasya, tapasya, voluntarily accepting renouncement. This is human life. That is our Vedic principle, compulsory sannyāsa. There are varṇāśrama-dharma. So student life, brahmacārī; then married life, gṛhastha; then vānaprastha; then sannyāsa. That is tapasya. The brahmacārī is also trained up for austerity and penances. That is brahmacārī. The gṛhastha also... Because from brahmacārī life, they go to gṛhastha life, they are trained up in tapasya. Then again, at the age of fiftieth year, they give up the family life, they take vānaprastha. Only the husband and wife go out of home and travels all over the holy places. Then, when one is little trained up, he sends back his wife to the care of his grown-up children, and he takes sannyāsa. This is varṇāśrama-dharma. The so-called Hindu dharma, that is a gift of the Muhammadans. We don't find the word "Hindu" in any Vedic scripture. This "Hindu" word has come from the Muhammadan countries. They used to say the people of this part of the world, means, across the river Indus, they call "Hindas" or "Hindus." So actually, Hindu not..., that is not Hindu dharma. Our... From the Vedic literature, we understand the varṇāśrama-dharma, varṇāśrama: four varṇas and four āśramas. Varnāśramacaravata. In the Viṣṇu-Purāṇa, you'll find this word. In the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find. In the Bhāgavata you'll find. So really Indian civilization or Aryan civilization, Vedic civlization, means varṇāśrama-dharma.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Śyāmasundara: Oh. So penance and austerity, that it is not really suffering? What does suffering involve?

Prabhupāda: No, no. No suffering. Those who are advanced in knowledge, there is no suffering. Actually those who are spiritually advanced, if there is some bodily pain, he knows that "I am not this body. Why should I suffer? Let me do my duty. Hare Kṛṣṇa." That is advancement.

Śyāmasundara: Well, by this inwardness of suffering, he applies... The same principle, the same idea is there, that one goes on, and he risks...

Prabhupāda: Actually, suffering is due to ignorance, that's all.

Śyāmasundara: Yes. That he risks serving God on his faith of...

Prabhupāda: There is no reason.

Page Title:Austerities and penances (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:21 of Jul, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=64, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:64