BG 07 09 punyo gandhah prthivyam ca... cited

Expressions researched:
"jivanam sarva-bhutesu" |"punyo gandhah prthivyam ca" |"tapas casmi tapasvisu" |"tejas casmi vibhavasau"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 7.9, Translation and Purport:

I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics.

Puṇya means that which is not decomposed; puṇya is original. Everything in the material world has a certain flavor or fragrance, as the flavor and fragrance in a flower, or in the earth, in water, in fire, in air, etc. The uncontaminated flavor, the original flavor, which permeates everything, is Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, everything has a particular original taste, and this taste can be changed by the mixture of chemicals. So everything original has some smell, some fragrance, and some taste. Vibhāvasu means fire. Without fire we cannot run factories, we cannot cook, etc., and that fire is Kṛṣṇa. The heat in the fire is Kṛṣṇa. According to Vedic medicine, indigestion is due to a low temperature in the belly. So even for digestion fire is needed. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness we become aware that earth, water, fire, air and every active principle, all chemicals and all material elements are due to Kṛṣṇa. The duration of man's life is also due to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, man can prolong his life or diminish it. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is active in every sphere.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be spread. It is very easy. You drink water—Oh, you remember Kṛṣṇa. You hear something—Oh. Suppose there are... So many sounds are occurring in the street, but if you know that "This sound is Kṛṣṇa," then in every step you will feel Kṛṣṇa.

Then again He says,

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca

tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau

jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu

tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu

He is describing more elaborately. How is that? Now, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Puṇyo gandhaḥ means flavor, the flavor. Any flavor, that is Kṛṣṇa, that is God. You cannot create any flavor. Synthetically, we may create some scent, but that is not as good as natural scent. So that is... When you have a good flavor, you can remember, "Oh, here is God. Here is Kṛṣṇa." When there is some natural beauty, oh, you can understand, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." And when there is something uncommon, very powerful, wonderful, oh, you can understand, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." And when there is life, jīvanam... As long a tree lives, as long a man lives, as long as animal lives, so you understand, "This life, this life is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." As soon as the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the spark, is taken away from that body, oh, everything goes. No meaning. So nice brain, we are acting—Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose. But as soon as that small particle of Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel is removed from this body, no more Sir Isaac Newton working. Finish.

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

So jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūtānām, He is the life. He is the life. We can see in every step God. People say, "Can you show me God?" Yes. God is seen in so many ways. You just try to see. If you close your eyes, that "I shall not see God," then who can show you? But you can see God in every step. Jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu. Tapaś cāsmi, any kind of penance, any kind of perseverance, that is also God. Tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu. Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam (BG 7.10). And bījam. Bījam means seed. The seed is sanātana, that is eternal. Sanātana means eternal. There is a gigantic tree, but what is the platform, what is the background of this gigantic tree seed? That small seed, that mustardlike grain, seed. That is the background of this large tree.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

So I do not know why they say, "Can you show me Kṛṣṇa?" Kṛṣṇa is showing Himself in so many ways. They will not take it. It is not at all difficult to see Kṛṣṇa every moment, in every step, if we study what Kṛṣṇa says: "I am," "This is." Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Everything is there. Now, within the earth, the every stock is there. The flavor of rose flower is there, and the flavor of some other flower is also there, but you cannot take out by your so-called scientific chemical process. You take some lump of earth and extract from it the flavor of rose. It is there. That is a fact. Because you sow the seed of a rose flower, it will exact the rose flavor from the earth. That's a fact. Who can deny it? Otherwise, wherefrom the flavor is coming? Kṛṣṇa also, He, it is said, jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. He's the life, seed. Bījo 'ham... Next, next verse He'll say, bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 7.10). Bīja, the seed. The seed is so nicely made by Kṛṣṇa's brain that as soon as you put on the seed within the earth and put some water, it will come out, fructify, and gradually grow and exact the flavor, the color, everything. This is a fact. No, everybody knows. Not only that, a small seed of banyan tree... Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām. There is also Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise how this wonderful thing can happen? A small seed just like a mustard seed, and it... Not only one tree, but many millions of fruits, and in each fruit, many millions of trees. This is Kṛṣṇa's brain. You cannot do that. The so-called manufacturers, they can manufacture one watch, very complicated, but not that from that watch many watches will come. No, that is not possible.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

But Kṛṣṇa is so powerful, omnipotent, that He has manufactured... Because He is there. Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 7.10). Whenever He is there, He can play wonderful things. This is the study of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Where is the difficulty? Bīja... Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś ca, tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau. Now, this electric lamp, it is brilliant or it has got some heat, temperature. Wherefrom it is coming? It is coming from Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. Cause of all causes.

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

This is a fact. These are explained here. Everything, that is there. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).

But we should not, like Māyāvādī, we should not make mistake: because the electric bulb, or electric light, is being caused by Kṛṣṇa, therefore the electric lamp is Kṛṣṇa. No, not that. Kṛṣṇa—always separate from the electric light. The Māyāvādī says that "Because Kṛṣṇa is there in the electric lamp, or in the tree, or in the seed, or in the color, or in the flavor, therefore Kṛṣṇa is finished. There is no more Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa has spread Himself in so many ways, therefore Kṛṣṇa is finished." This is material consideration. Just like you take a piece of paper and make it small fragments and throw it, then the original paper is lost. This is material.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

So these features of Kṛṣṇa, how He is simultaneously one and different, acintya-bhedābheda... Kṛṣṇa is this electric lamp, and still, He's not the electric lamp. Kṛṣṇa is this pillow, but He's not the pillow. If, when we say that Kṛṣṇa is everything, therefore... Just like some big mission, they say, "Anything we accept as God, it is all right." No. We do not say like that. Neither Kṛṣṇa says. When Kṛṣṇa speaks of worshiping, He does not say that you worship the electric light or something else. Mām ekam, that is the instruction. Not that "Kṛṣṇa has become everything; therefore everything has to be worshiped." No. This is wrong. This is acintya-bhedābheda. We have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa personally—mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja—not the varieties. You have to understand that varieties are dependent on Kṛṣṇa, but not that "Because there are varieties, therefore Kṛṣṇa is finished." No, that is not the philosophy. Jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu. Especially tapasvī...

Tapasvī means those who are seeking after eternal happiness. Karmīs, yogis, there are many tapasvīs. But real tapasvī... Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). That is... Divyam means transcendental. Just perform tapasya for realizing Kṛṣṇa. Tapo divyam. Otherwise, Hiraṇyakaśipu, he also performed tapasya. What was that tapasya? He performed severe tapasya, so much so that the whole universe became perturbed and Brahmājī came to see, "What do you want?" "No, I am performing tapasya for becoming immortal. So if you make me immortal, it will be very kind of you." He said, "I am myself not immortal. How can I make you immortal? That is not possible." So the idea is he also performed tapasya, but that tapasya was for material gain. But that is not tapasya.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

At the present moment our existence is not purified, impure. Therefore we are suffering. Just like when one's physiological condition becomes infected, he suffers from fever and other symptoms of disease, similarly, we are suffering in this material world on account of this material body. If we want really happiness, then we must accept tapasya. Tapasya is required. Without tapasya, if you think that very easily... Or "Without tapasya, I can get it simply by imagination," then you become sahajiyā, to take things very easily. No. Tapasya.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu. That acceptance of tapasya means that tapasya is itself Kṛṣṇa. You associate with Kṛṣṇa. When you voluntarily give up meat-eating or intoxication, this giving-up, this process, is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu. This is tapasya. Tapasya means to accept voluntarily something as enjoined in the śāstras. Śāstra says... Kṛṣṇa says. Whatever Kṛṣṇa says, that is śāstra. What is Veda? Veda means what Kṛṣṇa says; that is Veda. There is no other Veda. Just like in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, tene brahma hṛdā. Brahmā hṛdā. Brahma means Veda. Brahma, śabda-brahma. So Kṛṣṇa tene, imparted, injected brahma, Vedic, Vedic śabda, śabda-brahma, Vedas, tene brahma hṛdā, through the heart. Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. So Brahmā had no other spiritual master, but Kṛṣṇa is there within the heart. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Caitya-guru. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. The caitya-guru, the guru... Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He is guru within, and when we are serious, He manifests Himself as a spiritual master. This is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there. It is very simple. There is no difficulty. We have to always... Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ (BG 9.34). Now, for us, those who are materially attached, we cannot think twenty-four hours of Kṛṣṇa. It is very pleasing, but because we are materially attached, we cannot do that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is prescribing that "You see the varieties of this material world and try to remember Me." These are the varieties: puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau. "You study, nature study." Just like we study nature study, similarly, "You study nature and see these important points. And there I am." It is very scientific. You study nature and pick up some point and Kṛṣṇa says that "This is I am." Where is the difficulty? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You drink water—you remember Kṛṣṇa. You see the light—remember Kṛṣṇa. You see the flavor, aroma of very nice flower, puṇya gandhaḥ—immediately remember Kṛṣṇa. Practice this. It is not difficult.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca

tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau

jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu

tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu

(BG 7.9)

Prabhupāda: Next verse also.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

viddhi pārtha sanātanam

buddhir buddhimatām asmi

tejas tejasvinām aham

(BG 7.10)

Translation: "I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics. O son of Pṛthā, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of the intelligent and the prowess of all powerful men."

Prabhupāda:

puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca

tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau

jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu

tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu

(BG 7.9)

Puṇyo gandhaḥ, it may be original. Also the fragrant... Just like there are some flowers like rose, the fragrance is very nice. Of course, all fragrance is varieties, but pṛthivyāṁ ca: the fragrance is coming from the earth. It is not synthetic fragrance. So the same earth, the same watering, the same, what is called, sāra? For growing the trees, you...

Devotee: Manure.

Prabhupāda: Manure. The same manure, same water, the same gardener, but according to different flowers, the fragrance is different. How this is done? Can any scientist answer? How it is coming differently? And why there are differences? If it is nature, and the ingredients are the same, why nature is not producing the same quality or the same kind of flower or trees or fruits? Why? Therefore it is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā that nature is not all in all. Nature cannot work independently. Nature is the material world, material elements.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

So it is answered there in the Bhagavad-gītā: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). There is superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. He, He likes that "This kind of bīja, or the seed, will produce this kind of flower and this kind of flavor." The superintendence is there of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We fools, we say, we cannot explain. We say "Nature." What is this nature? There must be brain behind the nature. Otherwise, how a rose, so nicely it is coming? Even from artistic point of view, if you want to paint one flower, you have to take so much labor, so many colors, reflection, and so many instruments, then hardly you can paint one nice rose flower. Still, it is not as good. And not at all good in comparison to the original flower. So if this third-class flower, you have to apply so much brain, and this first-class flower has no brain behind it? Is that very good logic? What is this logic? There must be brain. And that is stated here: puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau, aham. "It is My, under My superintendence."

So Kṛṣṇa is giving us intelligence that "If you do not go to the temple or do not hear to the ācārya, you can at least try to understand My presence when you see a flower or smell a flower." Is that very difficult job? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Even drinking water, even by seeing the sunshine, even by seeing the moonshine, or, if you are a Vedic scholar, by chanting om, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, or even by hearing the sound vibration, or by seeing a flower, or smelling a flower, something brilliant... Just like the sun is brilliant, the moon is brilliant. Tejaś cāsmi. So wherefrom this brilliance comes? The brilliance is imitation, reflection of the bodily brilliance of Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "I am the taste of water." Now, you are drinking water hundreds times. So as soon as you taste water, how nice it is, you can immediately see God, Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa." So how do you say that "Can you show me Kṛṣṇa?" You can see. Here is the process. You adopt it. You taste water, and when you enjoy the taste, that taste is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am this taste." Then where is the difficulty to see Kṛṣṇa? There is no difficulty. The people say, "Can you show me God?" God is everywhere, in every moment, in every step. You do not like to see Him. That is the difficulty. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. "I am the sunshine and moonshine." Who has not seen sunshine? Everyone has seen. From the very morning, we see sunshine, and at night also, when there is darkness, there is no sun, we see moonshine. So sunshine, moonshine—Kṛṣṇa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. So as soon as I see the sunshine and moonshine, I see God. What is the difficulty? Śabdaḥ khe. When there is some sound, rumbling sound in the sky, khe... Khe means sky. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the sound." So as soon as you hear even the sound of airplane, that is also God. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. When you smell a nice flower, that smell is Kṛṣṇa. So you can remember immediately Kṛṣṇa.

So to remember Kṛṣṇa, there are so many opportunities. But we don't want to remember Kṛṣṇa. That is the difficulty. Therefore it is said that janma guhyam bhagavataḥ. Janma, God's appearance. God is appearing every moment everywhere. Here is just in front, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Personally He is present. But others will see a stone, because he has not purified his eyes.

Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

So either you become a highly learned scholar in Vedic literature or you are simply an ordinary person, you can think of Kṛṣṇa and you become successful in your life. There is no difficulty. Raso 'ham. If you are ordinary person... Any, every, every person drinks water or drinks something. Let him immediately think of, as soon as he tastes, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. A flower, a rose flower, very fragrant. As soon as you smell you can remember Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, this smell is Kṛṣṇa." Actually, that is Kṛṣṇa. You cannot create that smell. It is Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's art. That, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca, that gandha, that smell, flavor, is within the earth. Wherefrom the rose is coming? From this earth. But still the rose is so fragrant. You cannot take out the fragrance from the earth. Everything is there. Sarva-kāma-dughā-mahī. Everything is within the earth. But you cannot take out. It is Kṛṣṇa. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He has got this power to exact, to extract puṇya-gandha through the rose flower. You haven't. You may be very big chemist, but you cannot do that. So in this way, if we study Kṛṣṇa, if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your life is successful. That we are teaching. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And the śāstras will help you.

Lecture on SB 3.26.42 -- Bombay, January 17, 1975:

So we have to understand, as Kṛṣṇa says, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām: "I am the seed." Such subtle things, how it is coming out? In the small seed what is the chemical composition? You put the seed, sow the seed, anywhere and put little water, that tejo-vāri-mṛd-vinimayaḥ, but the things are coming out differently. How the variety is possible? Therefore we cannot mix up. There is rose scent within the earth. Otherwise wherefrom the rose is getting its scent? There is. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Pṛthivyām, on this earth, there are potency of different flavor, different taste. Now let the chemist come and take the earth and make different taste. That is not possible. That is not... Therefore you cannot simply say that prakṛti is the cause of everything, no. Prakṛti is there, the same water. Prakṛti means earth, water, air, fire. The same water is there, the same fire is there, same water is there, and same earth is there. So why varieties are coming? You take from the water, from the earth, varieties of smell, varieties of taste. So that you cannot do. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

So further analytical study of water is mentioned here by Kapiladeva. So the rasa, taste. Taste changes into gandha, smell. So the taste is created by daiva-coditāt. Taste of everything... Everything is being done, daiva-coditāt, the beginning. But the taste creates the different kinds of fragrance, gandha, smell, within the earth. There is water, there is taste, and taste and formation—either you say chemical or physical changes—it becomes smell. So different kinds of smell there are already within the earth. Simply it brings out by different methods. The scientist does not know. That we have already explained several times, that the different gandha, or smell, or fragrance, or aroma, whatever you call, there are already within the earth. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, puṇyo gandhaḥ and pāpo gandhaḥ. In the material world, everywhere, there are two things: pious and impious. So the pāpo gandhaḥ, bad smell, when it passes, so you close your nose, nostrils, not to accept it. But when there is puṇyo gandhaḥ, you feel fresh: "Oh, it is very nice."

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa says, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. When you smell something very fragrant... Just like in the flower. There are different varieties of flower, and they are exacting different varieties of aroma from the earth. So the good smell of the flower... In some other place it is said in the Bhāgavatam that the..., when you see flower, you see Kṛṣṇa smiling. That is the seeing of Kṛṣṇa smiling. Therefore the flower should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's service. Because these flowers, everything, is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). So specifically good fragrance of flower, Kṛṣṇa says that "I am that." Kṛṣṇa's particular presence is there. So we can remember Kṛṣṇa immediately. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that you remember always Kṛṣṇa. Always Kṛṣṇa. Just like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). He engaged his mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa simply by engaging the mind. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. If we utilize our senses always in the service of the Lord, that is bhakti. At the present moment we are utilizing our senses for material objectives. That is to be purified. It should be used for Kṛṣṇa's service. We are using our senses for the service of society, friendship, and love. But that service should be transferred to Kṛṣṇa. Then it is bhakti.

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

So to come to the bhakti-mārga, or devotional service, it is not very difficult. The smell is creation of God, or Kṛṣṇa, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Therefore the smell should be used for Kṛṣṇa's pleasure. This is bhakti, not for my pleasure. This is called tyāga. Tyāga means that actually it should be used for Kṛṣṇa, who has produced it. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Our senses are also Kṛṣṇa's senses. He is Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka-īśa, iti hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka means senses. Unfortunately, our senses are being used for sense satisfaction, neither for our use. It is for sense gratification. So bhakti means this practice of using the senses for sense gratification should be rectified, should be purified. Then the same senses will be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, and then you become a bhakta. Kṛṣṇa's things may be used for Kṛṣṇa. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170).

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Mayapur, February 19, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja's conclusion is that "I shall offer my prayers, glorifying the Lord according to my capacity." Yathā manīṣam. Everyone is not of the same intellect. You may be more intelligent than me, another may be more intelligent than you, but that varieties of intelligence does not mean missing the real point. The real point is the same. Just like Kṛṣṇa has got so many queens, or He, in Vṛndāvana, He was associated with so many gopī friends or cowherd boyfriends. So everyone was Kṛṣṇa's devotee, everyone loved Kṛṣṇa, but there were varieties, varieties, vaicitra. It is called vaicitra. Kṛṣṇa is not without variety. Just see in the flower. Kṛṣṇa says, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. The flavor is Kṛṣṇa. We were studying in the morning. But there are still varieties of flavor. The rose flower has got a particular type of aroma; another flower, aroma. So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand that the variety, vaicitra, is creation of Kṛṣṇa. Although they are one, the same, Kṛṣṇa, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca, but still, there are varieties. Everywhere you'll find varieties, visesata. And the Māyāvādī philosopher-nirviśeṣa. In common English it is said, "Variety is the mother of enjoyment." So Kṛṣṇa wants this variety. So you all are devotees. You, the central point is to love Kṛṣṇa and offer Him service, but that service may be of variety. Variety. You cannot claim that because you are serving Kṛṣṇa in a type, and therefore, if somebody is serving in a different way—must be approved by the authority... You cannot criticize him. Varieties. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. The same vegetable, the same ghee, the same salt, same spices, but there are varieties of preparations. That is required. We Vaiṣṇava, we want varieties. Bahūnmukhi-sevā. How... The central point is how... The Vṛndāvana-Kṛṣṇa is the central point. The cowherd boys, they are satisfying Kṛṣṇa by going in the forest, playing with Him, mock-fighting with Him. That is also variety.

Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:

Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā, āra nā koriyā mane āśa **. This is tapasya, that "I shall not act anything which is not ordered by my guru," that tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā (SB 5.5.1). Then we'll be nicely guided, and then sattva śuddhyam... Then our this existence will be purified. And as soon as our existence is purified, then we realize the situation, what is God, what is our relationship with Him, what is our activities, athāto brahma jijñāsā, janmādya asya yataḥ, everything.

Here it is, tu ātmani īśa bhuvi. So what was the realization of Brahmā after tapasya? Now, gandham iva atisūkṣmaṁ bhūtendriya. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca: "I am the smell within the earth." So everyone knows there is smell within the earth. There is color within the earth. Everything is there within the earth. Otherwise how in a particular plant the color and the smell, the flavor, and everything is..., beauty, everything is coming? You daily see. So ordinarily you see heaps of dirt, but everything is there. Similarly, ordinarily we see this universe, but in every atom there is Kṛṣṇa. That was realized by Brahmā. Then he became the great personality to teach us.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110-111 -- Bombay, November 17, 1975:

Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ, goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. He is situated in His planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana; still His energies are going on. The material energy is working, this material world. Kṛṣṇa says, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Under His vigilance all the laws of material nature is going on. Exactly in time the sun is rising, the moon is rising. Everything is going on minutely, very nicely. Parāsya śaktiḥ. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. It is going so nicely that Kṛṣṇa hasn't got to learn how to do it. The machine is so perfect, it is going on perfectly. The flower is coming by His energy. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. The special seed you sow on the ground and a particular type of plant will come out, then rose will come out, a particular flavor will come out. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. We do not see how Kṛṣṇa's energies are working, but it is working. Don't think that "It is automatically... There was a chunk and there was..." No. Not like that. Everything. But His energy is so perfect. Just like if you want to paint one nice flower, you have to arrange so many things—color, and the brush, and the painting cloth—and you have to apply your energies and... But still, it will not come so perfect. But Kṛṣṇa's energies are so perfect that we see automatically, but there is supervision of Kṛṣṇa. There is no question of accident. Everything is supervised.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Śyāmasundara: Don't all living things have experience?

Prabhupāda: No. All the living things are experienced, but ultimately they are put into certain condition by the experience of the Supreme. And the flavor of the flower is stated in Bhagavad-gītā: puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. There are many flowers, but all of them have no flavor. It must be the arrangement of somebody else who has given flavor to some flowers. He has given somebody beauty and somebody not. Otherwise who will deny beauty? If it had been done by his own experience, then everyone would have been beautiful or every flower would have given flavor. Where is that experience? That means either you say flower's experience or your experience, it is conducted by another, superior experience. What is that?

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Darsana -- June 28, 1971, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Everyone should have Kṛṣṇa. This is the best service. Go everywhere, every part of the world, and give Kṛṣṇa. That is the best service you can do. And actually, they are now feeling, because they are Indians. Even in India, where there are so many devotees of Kṛṣṇa, but when they saw "These American devotees are so nice," thirty thousand people were coming daily. And what was our magic? This man was asking me, "Swamiji, what magic you have got?" I said, "I have got this magic that I don't tell lie. I don't make 'This rascal is God.' God is Kṛṣṇa. That is my magic. I don't bluff people. Here is God. See God, be with God, serve God. That's my business." Why God should be unseen? You see Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa says that "I am taste of the water," while you are drinking water, tasting, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." As soon as you see sunshine, moonshine, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." As soon as there is a nice flavor, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau. These are all described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter. Where is Bhagavad-gītā? Just turn to Seventh Chapter. Somebody come up to this. So it is very important movement. You take it very seriously and spread it. Seventh Chapter. Read it.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:

Mr. Sar: Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Sar: Tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau.

Prabhupāda: There are two kinds of smell, bad smell and good smell. So when you smell a nice flower, puṇya-gandhaḥ, you remember Kṛṣṇa. "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa." Puṇyo-gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca.

Mr. Sar: Tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau.

Prabhupāda: When we, when you find vibhūtimat sattvaṁ, a very powerful man, a powerful elephant, you should, you know that "There is Kṛṣṇa. This power is Kṛṣṇa."

Dr. Patel: This is standard nyāya.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Sar:

yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ

śrīmad ūrjitam eva vā

tat tad evāvagaccha tvaṁ

mama tejo-'ṁśa-sambhavam

Prabhupāda: So where is the difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa? (laughs) Every moment you can remember Kṛṣṇa. Every moment you can see Kṛṣṇa, provided you have got eyes. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Santaḥ. So you have to become a santaḥ, perfect santa. Then you'll see Kṛṣṇa always.

Mr. Sar: Jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu.

Dr. Patel: The very life of every individual is Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So without Kṛṣṇa, as soon as... So long the Paramātmā is there... Or the jīva is there... Jīva is also Kṛṣṇa. Because part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, acintya-bhedābheda. So so long Kṛṣṇa is there, either as ātmā or Paramātmā, then the body's moving. But the so-called scientists, they do not know. Therefore they do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 16, 1975, Honolulu:

Devotee (2): ...front of the hedges, all those hedges in the front? They produce this flower.

Prabhupāda: Very nice. Very good. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. As soon as such fragrance, one should remember Kṛṣṇa: "This is Kṛṣṇa." Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. (break) Where is that scientist? Just like from the earth we are getting so many varieties of flavor and taste. The fruits are different taste, the flowers different fragrance, but wherefrom it is coming? From the earth. So why the scientists do not take all these things from the earth?

Bali-mardana: All they do is create smog. Kṛṣṇa creates fragrant flowers.

Prabhupāda: No, smog is also created by Kṛṣṇa. That's all right. I mean to say in the ground everything is there, the flavor.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 4, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. The beginning is arcā, arcana. And because he was given the chance of arcana, if he thinks that "I become paramahaṁsa," then he's a foolish. It will take time. The process is there. Therefore preaching is madhyama-adhikārī. One should take to preaching work gradually. When the preaching... Preachers, they have got discrimination, "Here is abhakta; here is bhakta." But in the paramahaṁsa stage, uttama-adhikārī, he sees "Everyone is devotee. I am not devotee." That is uttama-adhikārī. Just like Kavirāja Gosvāmī said, purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha (CC Adi 5.205). Sanātana Gosvāmī said that "I am born in low-grade family. My work is low grade." (break) ...issued that complaint? "I am the counterpart."

Śāstrījī: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī.

Prabhupāda: The laborers have not come yet? (break) ...Bhagavad-gītā verse? Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca? What is the full śloka? Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. That this flavor of the rose...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Original fragrance of the earth"?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Out of that, most fragrant flavor, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am directly that." So if you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, having this flavor, he'll understand, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. This flavor is there all over this earth, but you cannot see it. That does not mean there is no God. But He is there.

Viśvakarmā: It would be easier for them if they didn't live in the cities, because the cities make it so hard for anybody to understand there is a God.

Prabhupāda: After all, understanding... Therefore they are mūḍhas. They have to understand. If they do not understand, they remain mūḍha. That is human life. The human being should understand that "I am mūḍha, so I'll have to learn." And the Vedas says, "Then go to guru."

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, no, you, you are scientist, but you are a greater rascal. You cannot explain. Wherefrom this flavor has come?

Acyutānanda: Well, we're working on that, and we'll find out.

Prabhupāda: But working... But we have got the already conclusion. Why should we work like a fool?

Acyutānanda: That's an excuse because you cannot explain to your children when they come.

Prabhupāda: No, no, we are explaining. Kṛṣṇa says, "This is I am." This is God. This is God. You are fool. You are searching after. But we know. Here is God. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am this flavor." So as soon as you have this flavor, you understand Kṛṣṇa is there. It is easier. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ.

Acyutānanda: There was an arti...

Prabhupāda: Just like the sunshine is there. Here is Kṛṣṇa. So we have no difficulty. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. Here is puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca.

Acyutānanda: There was now a statement from the scientists, "Scientists are no longer positive why the sun shines." Like... They were positive, and they said, "We are positive." Now they are no longer positive why the sun shines.

Prabhupāda: What is that, "positive"?

Acyutānanda: They don't know... Before they were sure. Now they're not sure why the sun shines. They had concocted an idea, and they declared it as a law, a scientific law. Now they have..., again doubting their own law.

Guru-kṛpā: Actually the flavor that's in the flower comes from the different secretion, and by different mixture, different flavors come out.

Prabhupāda: Rascal, what is that mixture?

Guru-kṛpā: By chance.

Prabhupāda: By chance. (laughter)

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Upendra: (bringing garlands) This one was made by a little girl. The boy who fixed the buzzers, his little daughter made.

Prabhupāda: This is our flower? Hm? Get all round, flower, the first land vacant. You should plant them. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca.

Upendra: Paramparā mālās. There's five mālās here for the paramparā.

Prabhupāda: First of all hear. Then tomorrow they... Kṛṣṇa is helping. He'll help more, more. We are not going to be misled by their leadership.

Girirāja: No. They have nothing to say. Actually, the way you've trained us is very good, that you always present their arguments and then how to defeat them or what is the defect, so when we go out for preaching, we're not baffled by their arguments.

Prabhupāda: That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's policy. Let the rascal Sarvabhauma speak first of all. Let his talk be finished. Hear silently. And then reply. He'll hear.