Prabhupāda: So no illicit sex life, no meat-eating or animal food, no intoxication, no gambling. So every student has to follow these four prin... Otherwise I don't initiate. I don't take cheap students, that "You can do whatever you like, and you pay me some money. I give you some mantra, and you become God." I don't say like that. I don't bluff like that. I have not come to earn money from your country, but I have come to your country to give you something sublime, not to take you, not to take from you, not to exploit you, but to give you something sublime. You see?
Become God (Conversations)
Expressions researched:
"became god"
|"become god"
|"becomes god"
|"becoming god"
Notes from the compiler:
Does not include "become God conscious" or "become God-realized" or "become God-centered"
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupada Comments on Prahlada Maharaja Slides - August 25, 1968, Montreal:
Prabhupāda: Demonic nature means they do not believe in God. "Oh, what nonsense, God. I am God." Although he's a dog, he thinks himself, "I am God." That is demonic nature. He is being kicked every minute by the laws of nature, and still, he is superficially thinking that "I am God." God is not so cheap, but they have made to become God is very cheap. If you pay thirty-five dollars to a person, he'll give you a mantra and you become within six months God. This is very nice statement and people will follow. Thousands and thousands will follow. But if you say, "Oh, you have to undergo much austerity, penance, regulation and tapasya," "Oh, this is botheration. We shall enjoy material life, and the same time become God." So these cheap things are exhibited by the demons.
Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: And a physician which says, "Oh, you cannot do this, you cannot do this, you cannot eat this," it is a botheration. So they want something. That is a fact. But at the same time, they want it very cheap. Therefore the cheaters come and cheat them. They take the opportunity. "These people want to be cheated. Oh let us take the advantage." You see. Otherwise, they are advising that "You are God, everyone is God. You just realize yourself, you have forgotten. You take this mantra, and you become God, and you become powerful. Whatever you like, you can control. And there is no control of senses. You can drink, you can have unrestricted sex life and whatever you like." People like this. "Oh, simply by fifteen minutes meditation, I shall become God, and I have to pay only thirty-five dollars." So many millions of people will be ready, "Oh, let me."
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- November 4, 1970, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Our students, they have very quickly given up the four principles of sinful activity. And that is actually surprising to all these so-called sannyāsīs also. They are surprised. They cannot give up tea-drinking, smoking. Still, they are passing on as spiritually advanced. They are still servant of smoking and tea and they have become God. Just see the fun. "Nārāyaṇa." They address one another, "Nārāyaṇa. (laughter) You are Nārāyaṇa. I am Nārāyaṇa. There is no trouble because you are Nārāyaṇa."
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:
Prabhupāda: There are so many things to know but these things are not discussed nowadays. Very cheap thing: "You can do whatever you like. You simply meditate and become God, that's all." So much cheating is going on everywhere, all over the world. So-called yogis, they go, "Oh, you meditate. You are... And as soon as you realize, you are God, within six months." No. Therefore in this age the only method... It is a concession to the fallen people of this world, this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:
Prabhupāda: He does not know what is meaning of God. He thinks that God is something plaything. Therefore he claimed that "I am God." He does not know what is God. Therefore God personally showing—He's coming, Kṛṣṇa: "What is God, see." God is from very beginning God. Kṛṣṇa, from the birth He is God. He hasn't got to meditate. He hasn't got to go to the forest and..., to become God. He is God.
Discussion with Indians -- January 18, 1971, Allahabad:
Prabhupāda: Surrender to Kṛṣṇa. We are saying not "Surrender unto me." We say, always saying, "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore the same word. I am not saying that "I have become Kṛṣṇa. I have become God. You surrender to me." We are preaching, "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. So we are not speaking differently from Kṛṣṇa. You try to understand.
Temple Press Conference -- August 5, 1971, London:
Prabhupāda: But just like we are asking people no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. So people think it is very difficult, it is botheration. And if somebody says, "No, you do. Whatever nonsense you like do. You simply take my mantra," they will like it. So the thing is that they want to be cheated; therefore cheaters come. They don't want to undergo some austerity. Human life is meant for austerity. But they are not prepared to undergo austerity. Suppose some cheaters come. They say, "Oh, no austerity. Whatever you like you do. You simply pay me and I'll give you some particular mantra, and you become God within six months." (Laughter) And that is going on. So you want to be, if people want to be cheated like that, the cheaters will come.
Temple Press Conference -- August 5, 1971, London:
Woman Interviewer: I mean if someone in all seriousness wishes to find the spiritual life and happens to finish up with the wrong guru, I mean should they beware?
Prabhupāda: Yes. But... When ordinary education, to take ordinary education one has to devote so much time, labor, and understand, and if one is going to take spiritual life they must be serious. And how is that, they think that simply by some wonderful mantra within six months they become God? Why they want like that? That is... That means they want to be cheated.
Room Conversation -- August 15, 1971, London:
Prabhupāda: There is no need of taking sannyāsa. If you are sincere in preaching you can do in this dress. Where is the harm? Simply by changing, taking a rod, you'll not become God immediately. You have to work, steadily. What is there in sannyāsa? Do you mean to say taking a rod one becomes sannyāsa? Sannyāsa means you must be sacrificing everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive.
Bob: All-attractive.
Prabhupāda: All-attractive.
Bob: All-attractive.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So unless God becomes all-attractive, how He can become God? (pause) A man is important when he's attractive. Is it not?
Bob: It is so.
Prabhupāda: So, God must be attractive and attractive for all. Therefore, if God has got any name, or if you want to give any name to God, only "Kṛṣṇa" can be given.
Room Conversation and Interview with Ian Polsen -- July 31, 1972, London:
Prabhupāda: There is a Bengali verse, (Bengali). Just like a person ghostly haunted, he speaks so many nonsense, up to somebody's declaring "I am God." First of all "I am this; I am that. I am this; I am that. I want to become this. I want to become this." And when he is frustrated with everything, then he says, "I am God." That is also another illusion. How you can become God? So, insanity. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means sanity, that's all. So to come to that position of sanity, Lord Caitanya has given us very simple method: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. If anyone sincerely chants without any offense, then his life is successful.
Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban:
John Nordheimer: What about the United States government?
Prabhupāda: Yes, it should come forward. My students here are all United States citizens. I have not imported them from India. They are Americans, and they are in difficulty. So why shouldn't the government come forward? Their character is being formed, and they are becoming God conscious by participating in this movement. The government is spending millions of dollars to stop LSD and other drug intoxication, but my students are giving up everything simply by following my word. So why isn't the government coming forward to help me?
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: So you can, at any time, visit our temple. You can understand, try to understand the conception of God. We shall try to explain. But we can, at least, so far our knowledge is concerned, we have got a clear conception of God, what is meant by God. Therefore we do not accept the so-called dogs as God. No. So many people come: "I am God. I am God." We kick on their face. We don't accept. We don't accept such cheap gods. God is one, and He's all-powerful. That is our conception. We all servants of God. If anyone says that "I am servant of God," he's welcome. He's my master. The servant of God is my master. And if anyone claims to become God, I kick on his face. This is our principle. Because he's pretender, cheater. He should be punished immediately.
Conversation with Mr. Wadell -- July 10, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Just like when we say God, Kṛṣṇa, this word conveys the meaning "all-attractive." So what is the wrong? This Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. So unless God is all-attractive, how He can become God? It is not that God is for me God. God is for you also. God is for him also. Therefore He must be all-attractive.
Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- July 11, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa personally says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). "There is no more superior living being than Me." So these things are there in the Vedas. And they are supposed to be Vedic scholars, but they do not know the simple thing. So in that way they are ignorant. They read the Vedic literatures, but they do not understand, or they misinterpret in a different way for their own purpose. So they are, they're offender. Otherwise, there is no difficulty. This Māyāvāda philosophy has created this situation, that "God is impersonal, and, everyone can become God, or everyone is God." This Māyāvāda philosophy has created this havoc. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended that māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhi. "All the Māyāvādīs, they are offenders to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore they cannot make any progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That difficulty is there—offenders. And later on, there are so many institutions. They say that "You can create your God. You can become God." That is going on. "Whatever you think as God, that is God." So how one can make progress under these circumstances?
Discussion about Guru Maharaji -- August 13, 1973, Paris:
Prabhupāda: So what is the evidence that he is God? Anyone can say, "I am God." Then, anyone will be accepted as God?
Haṁsadūta: Well, I think they take it just on the strength of this, whatever it is, experiences that they have. When they become initiated, they get some kind of experience. So...
Prabhupāda: What is that experience?
Haṁsadūta: They say they see some light and...
Prabhupāda: Light-seeing, he becomes God?
Haṁsadūta: Well, people are so... That's the...
Devotee: Propaganda.
Prabhupāda: Then you have to make propaganda against that, that simply pushing two eyes... Anyone can push two eyes and there is natural some light. Is that the proof that he has become God? You are so foolish? And you say that God is, God has created the universe. So what he has created? What he has done, wonderful thing? That simply by pushing your eyes, you see some light, and you become God? You have become so foolish, European brain? You have no intelligence. Preach against him.
Discussion about Guru Maharaji -- August 13, 1973, Paris:
Prabhupāda: But whatever propaganda, little, he has made, we must make some counter-propaganda. We must prove him... Simply pushing eyes, pushing eyes. And anyone can push one's eyes and there is some light within... That is called retina light or... What is called? And he has become God. At least, we, we should not allow the people to be in darkness and accept him as God. We have got our meeting. We shall say: That he is a rascal. Call him by all ill names. A cheater. He does not believe in the authoritative scriptures. And he has become God? What he has done? How you have become so foolish? God has created the universe, what he has created?
Morning Walk -- December 11, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prajāpati: No. There is one rascal, Prabhupāda, who can do tricks. His name is Sai Baba. He can make jewels appear, give people photographs of himself, give them to people like tricks.
Prabhupāda: But another rascal will be victim of that tricks. Why shall I accept him as God?
Karandhara: Besides, they're insignificant tricks.
Prabhupāda: Insignificant tricks. So if gold is the standard of becoming God, then there is gold mine. So who has created the gold mine, I shall accept Him God. Why shall I you. If gold is the standard, why a little chaṭāka(?) of...? We are not so fools. You can make this trick for other fools, not to us.
Morning Walk -- December 15, 1973, Los Angeles:
Karandhara: Lenin said that God is just opiate of the people, just to keep them intoxicated.
Prabhupāda: No, no, no, no. That means Lenin wanted to become God. That's all. The God idea is there, but he cannot be God. Because he was under the laws of God, he died. He died. He could not save himself from death. Therefore he is not supreme authority. He accepted supreme authority, but he wanted himself to become the supreme authority.
Morning Walk -- December 16, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Must be. That is the point. If you have abolished monarchy, then why you are electing another rascal to become a monarch? What is the answer? Why do you need it?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because they need law and order.
Prabhupāda: Yes, there must be. In our organization... Just like in each temple we elect a president. Then we get GBC. Then above all, I am. So that is needed. It is not conventional. It is needed. Therefore above everything, there must be God. So if these people, they say, "There is no need of God, there is no use for Him," that means they are all rascals.
Karandhara: They themselves want to be that God.
Prabhupāda: That doesn't matter. You become God. But our point is there is need of God.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- February 23, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Antarātmanā means beyond his mind and intelligence...
Dr. Patel: No, within yourself.
Prabhupāda: Yoginām api sarve... So within yourself, if one thinks, antara mad-gatena, Kṛṣṇa, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, that is first-class yogi. But the so-called yogis, they want to become Kṛṣṇa. "Now I have become God."
Morning Walk -- February 23, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes. He was a pākā Māyāvādī. Just like... Just see that he said that he is a worshiper of goddess Kālī. Is it not?
Dr. Patel: (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: Eh? And he became God. By worshiping Kālī. Just see how much Māyāvādī he is. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ: (BG 7.20) "Anyone who is worshiping other demigods, his intelligence is lost." Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ. And this man says that worshiping a demigod, goddess Kālī, he became God. Just see. How much great Māyāvādī he is! Where is the śāstra, where is in the śāstra, Vedic śāstra, that one becomes God by worshiping goddess Kālī?
Morning Walk -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Suppose one is engaged in cooking prasādam. You should see that nice prasādam is served to the worker, quickly, so they can take prasādam, be healthy and go on preaching. So he is helping preaching by cooking. Just like you are working and the brain is also working, "Go this side, go that side, the car is coming." Brain says, the... "Leg, come this side." Everyone is working. The leg is working, the brain is working, the hand is working, the tongue is working. But the business of the tongue and business of the leg is different. The aim being, the central point being Kṛṣṇa, to help, to serve Him, then everything is work, absolute. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand it. They think that "Kṛṣṇa is working like ordinary man. How He can become God? It is māyā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is also māyā." Therefore we called them Māyāvādī.
Morning Walk -- March 29, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Nivṛttis tu mahā-phalām. Here, at the present moment... Not at the present moment, always in the material world, the desire is that "I shall become the greatest enjoyer. I shall become king, I shall become minister... And at last I shall become God." (laughter) You see? So this the false pravṛtti. And one who can cut down this rascal propensity, he's successful. But I'm neither king, neither a minister, neither I'm going to become God. I'm a tiny living entity, being kicked by the māyā, like football. When he comes to this understanding, he is in knowledge.
Morning Walk -- March 29, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Because he, my disciple respects me as God, that does not mean I'll think I have become God.
Morning Walk -- March 30, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So amānitvam. Instead of becoming amānitvam, these Māyāvādīs say, "I am God." Just see. This is amānitvam. He falsely claims that "I have become God now." Does it mean amānitvam? And here, Vaiṣṇava says, gopī-bhartuḥ pāda-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). This is amānitvam. This is amān... "I am servant of the servant." And these rascals are claiming, "I am God." This is amānitvam.
Morning Walk -- March 30, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: This is the first-class ahaṅkāra, that "I have become God."
Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: Jñānī, jijñāsu and jñānī, both together.
Prabhupāda: Yes. The jijñāsu and jñānī is almost the same thing. Anyway, so, so gṛhasthas are inferior because as soon as their distressed condition is over, they, they are no more interested.
Dr. Patel: They forget so.
Prabhupāda: They are no more interested. But these jñānīs and jijñāsu, because they want to know what is Kṛṣṇa, they continue. That is the difference.
Guest (1): Even jñānī and jijñāsu also?
Dr. Patel: Teṣāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśiṣyate.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Jijñāsu is the beginner, and jñānī is realized. Jñānī is realized. Therefore he's better. But that jñānī does not mean that "I have become God." One who is situated in bhakti-yoga. Eka-bhaktiḥ.
Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So to understand Bhagavad-gītā one must be a devotee. The so-called jñānī, yogis, they cannot understand. It is not possible, because they are trying to become God. Although it is simply dream, they can never become, but they are envious, that "Why Kṛṣṇa should be God? I have got so many gods." Anasūyave.
Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. They do not know what is the all-omniscient nature of Kṛṣṇa.
Dr. Patel: The spiritual power of Kṛṣṇa. No. Paraṁ bhāva? Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ (BG 9.12).
Prabhupāda: Therefore, as soon as these rascals, they get little power, yogic perfection, they think, "I have become God. I have become God."
Dr. Patel: Mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ. (laughing)
Prabhupāda: Yes. Rascal, he thinks that because "I can make like this, little gold, therefore I have become God." The rascal does not think that "I am making, say, two grains or five grains of gold, but one who has made gold mines, millions, so he will be God or I will be God?" The rascal does not think that. And other rascals follow, "Oh, here is God. Here is God. He is creating gold." You see? Therefore mūḍha.
Morning Walk -- April 6, 1974, Bombay:
Girirāja: (reads) "Kṛṣṇa's knowledge is so perfect that He remembers all the incidences of His appearances some millions and billions of years in the past. But Arjuna's memory and knowledge are limited by time and space, for he is an ordinary human being." (break)
Prabhupāda: ...Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa did not become God by the so-called meditation or mystic power. He has already all this yogeśvara. All mystic powers are already there.
Morning Walk -- April 11, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Permanent, but who has made it this? You have not made. You make a permanent body. Then you are God.
Indian Man (1): That nobody can do.
Prabhupāda: Therefore he is not God. That is existence of God. You cannot do because there is higher power controlling you. God means controller. He is controlling you. You cannot do that. Therefore you are not God. There is superior controller, who does not allow to do this. You have to abide by the laws. This is common sense reasoning. If you are being controlled, how you become God? God means the supreme controller. Is it all right? So long you will be controlled, you are not God. But where is the position that you are no more controlled? That position is never.
Morning Walk -- April 11, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Nature? What is this nature? Nature is an agency of God by which He controls. That is nature, that "I have got a stick. I can beat you. But the stick is not beating, I am beating." This is knowledge. And the rascal will think, "The stick is beating." What stick has got power?
Indian Man (1): Somebody is there.
Prabhupāda: "Yeah, behind the stick there is my hand." That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣena prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Under My control the nature is working." But these rascals, they do not know. They think nature is working automatically. Even they accept, but they cannot control nature. Now, how he is God? You control nature. Suppose behind the nature there is no God. All right, you control the nature. Suppose behind this stick my hand is working. You cannot see my hand. But you control this stick, which is beating you, which is kicking you. Control that. So you cannot control anything and you have become God. So 'ham, tat tvam asi. These slogans misused, simply misused.
Morning Walk -- April 11, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajanti anya-devatāḥ: (BG 7.20) "A person who is lost of his intelligence, he worships demigods." And a person worshiping a demigod, he becomes God. Just see. He's a nonsense, naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, because he is worshiping demigod, and by worshiping demigod he became God. Where is this in the śāstra? This rascaldom is going on. First of all, anyone who worships a demigod, he is a rascal. And it is advertised "By worshiping such and such demigod, a rascal has become God." And we have to accept that. We are not so foolish. First of all, he is a rascal, he has no knowledge. And one who has no knowledge and rascal, and he has become God. We have to accept that.
Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 1, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Sahajiyā... Sahaj means easy. Easy-going. They will smoke cigarette at the same time they will play rasa-līlā. This is sahajiyā. This is sahajiyā. They will do all nonsense; still, they will become God, imitation of God.
Reporters Interview -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: We are created as being controlled. So instead of aspiring to become controller, if we remain controlled, that is our natural position. But some rascals, they are trying to become controller, "I am... By meditation I have become God." But if you are a God, then how you have become dog? This is going on. The cheating, the so-called swamis. Do they not say, "I am God?" Do they not say? "I am God. You are God. Everyone God."
Room Conversation with Devotees -- July 2, 1974, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: Yes, they did it in the Guru Maharaji's camp also. Hundreds of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is sold.
Satsvarūpa: Thousands.
Prabhupāda: Thousands. So we take advantage of this meeting. We do our business and go away. And they have no books. They have simply that pressing of nose, that's all, nothing else. They have no philosophy, nothing of the sort. What they will write? They have no philosophy. Simply cheat that "Press your nose; you get Bhagavān." That's all. And people think, "It is so easy. Why shall I go to Bhaktivedanta Swami? Let me go to this Guru Mahārāja." They think like that. And some of our men, feeling too much pressure, they go away. But here there is nothing cheap, that simply by pressing nose and eyes and you become God. Don't make compromise. This principle must be observed. Then you'll remain strong.
Morning Walk at Marina del Rey -- July 12, 1974, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: So many birds are floating on the sea. Nobody's interested. But one rascal will advertise that "I can walk." They purchase five hundred rupees ticket. (laughter) (pause) People want to see magic.
Jayatīrtha: Yes.
Prabhupāda: And if somebody can show magic, then he becomes God.
Room Conversations -- September 10, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Hṛd-rogaḥ kāmam, that is the heart disease. It has been described as heart disease. Lusty desire within the heart. Just like one who has got heart disease, he succumbs to that disease, similarly, all these living entities they have succumbed—what is called, succumb?—by lusty desires. By spiritual advancement means that heart disease is cured. Then you will be... Then there is no more envious that "I shall become superior. I shall become Kṛṣṇa. I shall become God." These are different symptoms of the same material disease. Somebody is thinking "I shall become minister," somebody is thinking "I shall become leader," somebody is thinking "I shall become millionaire," and at last, "I shall become God." So even the so-called religionist, that heart disease is there.
Room Conversations -- September 10, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Bhukti-mukti-siddhi kāmī. Bhukti means ordinary karmīs want to enjoy in this material world. And mukti, they also want "I shall become God, I shall become one with God." That means "I shall become God." One with God means I'll become. Bhukti-mukti and siddhi. The yogis, they want to show some magic power and gain. Just like this rascal is doing, (indistinct) Baba. He has some yogic siddhi, so he has some (indistinct). Otherwise what is the attraction? He is a most wretched man, always he's smoking, and he sleeps too long, no regulation of life. But people are attracted because they have been captivated that "If I pay him one lakh, I shall get two lakhs." This is the propaganda.
Room Conversations -- September 10, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Our disease, material disease is the lusty desire. Lusty desire is so strong that you will find it is existing amongst the so-called religionists performing religious rituals. But the same disease is there, that "If I execute the rituals, then I shall be promoted to the heavenly kingdom (indistinct)." Similarly, the so-called monist philosophers, meditation, this, that, the disease is there: "I shall become God." Similarly, the yogis, they can perform so many gymnastics, but the disease is there. The disease is cured when he is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:
Prabhupāda: All these Western students, they were in need. Now they have got Kṛṣṇa. This young man, twenty-four years old, he has got all the desires for enjoyment, but he's no more after enjoyment. He's a sannyāsī. He's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Why? (break) ...playing jugglery? He becomes God. So even the so-called yogis, they are in need. The so-called jñānīs, they are in need. The so-called karmīs, they are also in need. Only the bhakta... That Dhruva Mahārāja, he said, "No, I am not in need." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). So therefore this is the only platform to bring man to feel completely fulfilled.
Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- March 13, 1975, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Guru means, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Whomever you meet, you just instruct him in what Kṛṣṇa says, that's all. You become guru. It is not very difficult to become guru, provided we simply preach the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. That we are doing. We do not say that we are perfect, we have become God, or we have so many, so many magic jugglery. No, we have nothing to do, that. No magic, no jugglery, no God. Simply to become servant of God, and whomever we meet, we speak the words of God, that's all. Then you become guru.
Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:
Ānanda-mārga woman: If I meditate, then I become surrendered to God. And I'm trying to do that by trying to take this distance away.
Prabhupāda: That means when you surrender to God, then you become God, that you are surrendered God, and He is the person to be surrendered. There are two Gods, why not? You say, "I surrender to God."
Ānanda-mārga woman: I said when I surrender to God...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that means God is different from you; otherwise how you can surrender to Him?
Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:
Guest: Is it also good to chant the name of a person who is holy, who is one with God, not the name of God.
Prabhupāda: That you have to find out, but here it is already there. Why should do trouble to find out a holy man, another holy man? The holy man says, Muhammad never said that "You chant my name." Then how one can be holy man if he says like that? We have to test whether he is holy man or not. Here is the perfect holy man. He never said that "You chant my name." He said "Chant Allah's name." That is holy man. That is test of holy man. He does not become God, he serves God. That is holy man.
Conversation with Devotees -- March 31, 1975, Mayapur:
Acyutānanda: The people say that just like Rāmakrishna, the disciples presented Him as God, but He never said He was God.
Prabhupāda: But then where is the śāstra? Three things: the devotee or saintly person, śāstra and guru. He has no guru. He has no support from the śāstra. (laughs) So he's a fool, rascal number one, and he is God. He was a illiterate priest. He had no knowledge of śāstra. Besides that, in the śāstra it is said that "Those who are worshiping other demigods, their intelligence is lost." So he was worshiping Kālī. So he had no intelligence or spiritual realization, and he became God? So these things can be accepted by other fools and rascals. But those who follow śāstra, they will reject immediately.
Conversation with Devotees -- March 31, 1975, Mayapur:
Acyutānanda: Simply the disciples have said He's God.
Prabhupāda: No. That... Why do you...? I have already said that He's supported by śāstra. He's supported by śāstra. He's supported by learned scholars, means, in the transcendental scholars. And supported by guru. We follow our guru. So guru says; śāstra says; saintly persons say. Therefore we accept.
Acyutānanda: They interpret that verse in another way.
Prabhupāda: That, the rascals do. They are... What is their value? When these rascals says that worshiping Kālī, one becomes God...
Morning Walk -- April 2, 1975, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: But "Can't explain"—that means you are fool. You remain fool. Don't try to expose yourself, nonsense. You are a rascal number one; you remain rascal number one. When the neck is caught up, he says, "Yes, it is complex. We shall see in the future." Why "future?" What about now?
Pañcadraviḍa: Well, a hundred years ago we couldn't make this movie camera either. But now they are producing easily.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. But you cannot do this business. This is an art. Hundred years ago, people could not produce electricity by mixing two wire.
Pañcadraviḍa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: That is an art. It is artist's... What is called? Craftmanship. Hundred years, could not produce motor car. But that does not mean you have become God, you rascal.
Pañcadraviḍa: :Well, isn't God just a craftsman also? He's just an...
Prabhupāda: Yes, He is everything. He's everything—but not a fool like you. That's all.
Morning Walk -- April 2, 1975, Mayapur:
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Many of the scientists actually believe in God, and they think that by experimentation, they'll come to understand God more and more.
Prabhupāda: That is another thing. That we admire, that you are trying to understand God. But there is no God, and they are becoming God—that is nonsense.
Morning Walk -- April 3, 1975, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: Everything comes from God, but He's self-sufficient. That is God. That is the searching out God, that you search... You... Wherefrom you came? From your father. Then your father comes from his father, from his father. Go on, go on. When you reach one person—he does not come from any father; he is self-sufficient—then He's God. That is the definition of... If God also comes like you, from a father, then how He is God? He's like you. That is the difference.
Satsvarūpa: But they say that's not logically proved.
Prabhupāda: That is logical... Means you have no brain to understand. That's all. That is the distinction between God and ourself. We are caused, but He is cause of all causes. That is God. Otherwise, how you'll distinguish between you and God? You are caused, but He is not caused. He's causeless. If He becomes caused, then He becomes like you. Then how He becomes God? That is the distinction between God and ourself. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning it is said, svarāt.
Morning Walk -- May 7, 1975, Perth:
Amogha: They think that if they sin it's all right, because man is imperfect. So they think we should believe in Jesus.
Prabhupāda: Every animal is imperfect, but man—animal can become perfect. If he likes. So it is very important life.
Śrutakīrti: They say it's not possible to become perfect, that that's saying "I can become God."
Prabhupāda: What?
Śrutakīrti: They say only God can be perfect, that we cannot become perfect.
Prabhupāda: No, you cannot become as perfect as God, but near about.
Room Conversation with Kim Cornish -- May 8, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: Pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate. And in spite of taking so much energy from the sun, it is still full of light and energy. This is one of the creations of the Supreme. Now how much perfect is the Supreme? Its one of the creations, sun, is maintaining the whole universe. And there are many millions of universes, and each of them has got a sun to conduct the business. And all these suns are created by somebody. How much complete He is? You can just imagine. That is God. God is not such a cheap thing. People become God, "I am God." You are a nonsense rascal. What you can do? These are bluff. They do not know what is God. Here is God—complete. Pūrṇam adaḥ, pūrṇam idaṁ (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). The whole creation is complete, still He is complete.
Morning Walk -- May 12, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: The sun is moving near about that. This is one universe, and there are thousands and millions of universe. Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). That is God's creation. And they are becoming God, "I am God." Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya (Bs. 5.48). If we simply think of the creation of God, we can appreciate how great He is.
Morning Walk -- May 12, 1975, Perth:
Gaṇeśa: What have the scientists got to gain by bluffing?
Prabhupāda: Position. Material world means they want some material gain, some adoration, and some fame. That's all. This is material world. So if by bluffing you I get some material profit and adoration and fame, why shall I not do it? Everyone is doing that.
Amogha: That's the cheating propensity.
Prabhupāda: Yes. In material world they have come to imitate God—adoration, fame, material profit. Just like this man. He has come to this country. He is getting money, he is getting woman, and becoming God amongst the fools. He is satisfied. That's all. This is not gain? If I get woman, money, and adoration, is it not gain for me?
Gaṇeśa: Yes, just like Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Materialistic man means he wants all these things in different way. Somebody is becoming God, somebody is becoming philosopher, somebody is becoming scientist, in this way. Real purpose is these three things. Abha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā.
Morning Walk -- May 12, 1975, Perth:
Paramahaṁsa: (in car) Because so many of them are saying that "I am God," they become envious of one another, and then they fight and expose each other.
Prabhupāda: Competition. God's competition.
Paramahaṁsa: Yes. And then everyone can see that they are simply materialists.
Prabhupāda: Not only he, but there are many others claim to become God. All of them should be brought into the court.
Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: No, I don't teach them that I am God. I never taught. I always teach them I am servant of God, you are also servant. And they accept it. Actually that is our position. This is bluff. When somebody says "I am God," that is bluff, cheating. We protest very vehemently against the declaration that "I am God." No. Nobody can become God. God is one.
Room Conversation with Dr. Copeland, Professor of Modern Indian History -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:
Dr. Copeland: But you ask a great deal of people. So why do you think they're willing to give?
Prabhupāda: No, I ask only four things: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. That's all. But these four things are very, very, difficult for the Western people. That I know. Just see. God consciousness cannot be achieved by any third-class man. One must be the topmost first-class man. Then he can become God conscious.
Room Conversation with Dr. Copeland, Professor of Modern Indian History -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: Now also, this morning, I accepted so many... "First promise whether you are going to do this. Then I initiate." This is my policy. If I would have said, "No, you can do whatever you like, and give me some money. I shall give you mantra," then you would have seen millions. But I accept very selected disciple, not that anyone, everyone comes, and I accept disciple. No. He is first of all trained up six months. Then, when he is able to promise to follow the regulative..., then I accept. This is stricture. It is not that everyone comes, "Give me thirty-five dollars. I give you mantra, and within six months you become God." I do not do that.
Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:
Harikeśa: So when they said they created life in this laboratory experiment, the capability...
Prabhupāda: But that also they cannot do. That also they cannot do.
Harikeśa: But the capability was there and they just watered it. They...
Prabhupāda: What is the capability?
Harikeśa: There was one of these four circumstances for life in that test...
Prabhupāda: Potency, that is potency.
Harikeśa: Yeah. And they just made the circumstance proper so that life came.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Harikeśa: That is their big thing on the path to becoming God.
Prabhupāda: For the time being, let them be kicked by the God's servant, that's all. Then some day they will become God. For the time being, let them be kicked. That's all.
Morning Walk -- July 2, 1975, Denver:
Prabhupāda: As soon as I want a smaller car, not smaller car, I want bigger car, smaller car also. That is change. Whatever you deserve. You desire; at the same time, you deserve. First deserve, then desire. Just like these rascals, "I desire to become God." That kind of desire will never be fulfilled.
Yadubara: It's according to the qualification also.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Your position is very minute. So you can desire up to that limit, not that you can desire "I become complete, universal."
Morning Walk -- July 24, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: ...God throws a stone, big stone, it floats because He is God. When you throw a stone, it will drown. When God makes one big planet floating, that is possible. You cannot do it. Therefore you have to accept
Rādhāvallabha: (break) ...on a small scale we have set up...
Prabhupāda: Therefore you accept that you are small. You are not the great. God is great; you are small. So claim a small credit, don't claim as good as God. That is your foolishness. Because we are part and parcel of God, we have got capacity to do part and parcel, not the whole. So remain small, don't try to become big. Remain servant of God. Don't try to become God, that is foolishness. That is our philosophy. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. Remain humble and meek. You will understand God.
Morning Walk -- September 9, 1975, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: They have been forced to forget Hare Kṛṣṇa by the so-called rascal leaders. Otherwise India is meant for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, the whole India. (break) ...scandalous these Māyāvādīs and next the politicians, killing the spirit of India. These Māyāvādīs teaching "Why you are after God? You are God." That's all. And he says, "Yes, I am God. Why shall I worship God?" This is the... And becoming God, when they do not get any relish of becoming God, then the politician says, "It is all useless. Come to the political field. Take daridra-nārāyaṇa-seva. That's all, finished." The Māyāvādī creates the field of atheism, and later on, the politician make them perfect atheist.
Morning Walk -- September 13, 1975, Vrndavana:
Dhṛṣṭaketu: They will also say that this condition of being one with the Supreme is also...
Prabhupāda: How you become one? If Kṛṣṇa or the consciousness is there but you lose your consciousness, why you become one?
Harikeśa: Well, it's not exactly that we lose consciousness but we merge into the supreme consciousness.
Prabhupāda: Supreme consciousness?
Harikeśa: Then we become God.
Prabhupāda: No. You cannot. Then why you are different now?
Harikeśa: It's my līlā. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Then if it is līlā, then why you are undergoing austerity? That is also līlā. If it is līlā, then why you are trying to get out of it by practicing austerity?
Harikeśa: Mahārāja Ṛṣabhadeva performed austerity.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Harikeśa: Ṛṣabhadeva, he performed austerity.
Prabhupāda: No, what...? I do not follow what you say.
Brahmānanda: He's saying that Ṛṣabhadeva performed austerity, so therefore I am performing austerity.
Prabhupāda: You are performing but what is Ṛṣabhadeva's position?
Brahmānanda: He never claimed to merge with the supreme consciousness.
Press Conference -- October 2, 1975, Mauritius:
Guest (4): No, but do you mean the perfectness is to become God or to become the man? Then I want...
Prabhupāda: You never become God.
Guest (4): What does perfectness mean?
Prabhupāda: Perfect means to become godly.
Morning Walk -- October 3, 1975, Mauritius:
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is this desire for material happiness the cause of material attachment?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. When they forget to serve Kṛṣṇa and wants to enjoy this material world... Don't you see that these Māyāvādī philosophers are trying for liberation, and still, they are expecting to become God. That is another desire. Daridra-nārāyaṇa. The high ambition, to become God or equal to God, that is going on, struggle for existence.
Morning Walk -- October 12, 1975, Durban:
Indian man (3): Is there any other books before Bhagavad-gītā?
Prabhupāda: Yes, Vedas there are. Yes. But what is the purpose of Veda? The purpose of Veda is to understand God. If you do not understand God... Just like the Ārya-samājīs. They are concerned with Vedas, they say. But they do not know what is God. They say, "I am God." This is their knowledge. If he is God, who is going to worship him? Nobody comes to kick on his face, and still, he says, "I am God." This is going on. How you become God? Who worships you? But still, he will say, "I am God." You see. Such foolishness is going on. Ārya. Ārya means advanced, and this is their advancement. Ārya means advanced, and this is their advancement that they think, "I am God." Just see. Everyone can think like that. Then what is the use of advancement? This is going on. (break)...sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. Veda means knowledge. So the ultimate knowledge is to know God. But if you do not know God, then what is the value of your knowledge?
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: Even those who are so-called advanced in knowledge, karmī, jñānī, yogī, they are also after sense gratification. Karmī is openly after sense gratification and jñānī is subtly. "No, no. This kind of..." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. "Now I shall enjoy Brahman. I shall become God." This is another side, the same sense enjoyment. Because I have failed becoming a minister or becoming a king, becoming a leader, becoming—I have failed, now I shall become God. Same sense grati.... They cannot understand that this is also sense gratification. "I am not no more satisfied by becoming a little minister and king and.... No. I shall become God.
Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: By becoming king or minister I beg to the goddess of fortune, 'Mother, give me a little money.' Why shall I beg? I shall enjoy her. I become Nārāyaṇa." Same disease. A yogi also, after mystic power they want to show magic: "I shall make like this and gold will be there. People will worship me as I am God." Do that. People do that. If you play something wonderful they will accept you: "Oh, you are God." But he does not know that he cannot become God. That is not possible. Although he gets little fractional authority to puzzle others that he has become God.... Because people are fools, if he can produce little gold like this, they will be immediately amazed: "Oh, how powerful he is." They have no capacity to understand. If God is meant for making gold, why not worship the God who has made already millions of gold mines? Unlimited. There is no limit. Why this paltry god? They have no such knowledge. They are amazed.
Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: What of the Maharsi? Maha.... He was also after some yogic power.
Harikeśa: I don't know.
Prabhupāda: You were with him. You do not know? "The transcendental meditation—you will get this, you will get that." He is advertising in that...
Hari-śauri: All material opulence.
Harikeśa: Ultimately you will become God.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is the attempt.
Hari-śauri: And in the meantime, you can enjoy material world.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Harikeśa: They never said anything more than you'll just get good sex life and good health.
Prabhupāda: That is.... Becoming God means the same, money and sex. That's all.
Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:
Harikeśa: Wouldn't it be handy, though, to be able to fly around without having to use airplanes?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Harikeśa: I mean, if you had some mystic opulence like being able to fly.
Prabhupāda: Yes, the yogis can do that.
Harikeśa: Wouldn't that be handy? Couldn't a devotee utilize that?
Prabhupāda: What is the use?
Harikeśa: Well, instead of taking airplanes here and there, you could just...
Prabhupāda: No, no. What is the difference? If by practicing severe yogic means you fly, the birds are also flying. They are flying without airplane. Does it mean that it has become very great? There are many birds, garuḍa bird. They can fly from one planet to another. Just like small birds—they fly from one tree to another, take rest again—so they fly from this planet to another. Take rest, again another. What is the value of your airplane? You cannot go to another planet. There are birds; they catch up elephants and take it away for eating. Does it mean he has become, it has become God?
Morning Walk -- February 18, 1976, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: ...to become sevaka. Everyone wants to become sevya.
Hṛdayānanda: Served.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And, ultimately, God. Se pasha pasha pasha bo... (?) When everything failure, then to become God.
Morning Walk -- April 8, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu said jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). You are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, so you desire only how to serve Him. Why you are desiring otherwise? They will suffer. We are desiring, "I shall become God," "I shall become one with God," "I shall become this, I shall become..." So many hundreds and thousands. So that you have to stop. Because you are servant, you should desire how to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is your natural...
Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: ...becomes humble. God is for the humble and meek. In Bible also it is stated. And because everyone is trying to become God, how he becomes humble?
Dr. Patel: I think Christ taught humility by his own action.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Even Vaiṣṇava...
Morning Walk -- April 15, 1976, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: Because God is present everywhere by His avyakta-mūrti and He is present in Goloka...
Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana.
Dr. Patel: In His original.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). This is God. Not that... (Hindi) That is not God. God is in His apartment, at the same time everywhere. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). That is God. (Hindi) Without knowing God, they are becoming God.
Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: After all, imitation is imitation. Sometimes it is perfect imitation.... Perfect cannot be. But as far as possible. But imitation is there. And the material life is imitation. Because material life means we want to imitate God. That is material life. God is all-powerful; we want to become all-powerful. That is material life. And the struggle for existence. Because we cannot become God, it is impossible, but artificially, they are trying to become God. And that is struggle for existence. So material life means imitation. Everyone is struggling to become God. Even when one is so-called liberated, self-realized, just like the Māyāvādī philosophers, they are also writing "Self, my own self," but "I am independent." That is the material disease. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā.
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Arnold Weiss: In the beginning, when we were first part of God, as I understand from reading Bhagavad-gītā and some of your other translations and purports, which I enjoy very much—I thank you for making them available—I understand that our souls are also part of God, as a drop of water is part of that ocean. How... Is there any knowledge or information of how we incurred this first separation from God?
Prabhupāda: Separation... Generally, when we want to become God, there is separation.
Arnold Weiss: A rebellion.
Prabhupāda: You cannot... There is one God, and if you want to become God, you are immediately driven away: "Just become God in the material world. Go there and try to become God."
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Dr. Wolfe: Prabhupāda? There is a parallel in the Bible that Lucifer broke away from God because He wanted to be God.
Prabhupāda: That's it.
Arnold Weiss: I was thinking that too.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) This rascaldom... This rascaldom makes him a dog. Instead of God, he become a dog. So this rascaldom is going on, that "I am God." For this purpose he's suffering, and still, he wants to continue it. Nobody can become God; God is one. Ekaṁ brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. So how we can become God? But that endeavor is going on.
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, after instructing Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa is asking, "Now I have instructed you everything. Now whatever you like, you can do." Yathechasi tathā kuru. That independence you have got. Kṛṣṇa, or God, does not interfere with the little independence He has given to us. And because we are part and parcel of God, God is fully independent, so we have got little portion of independence. So by misusing that independence, we can desire to become God, and we suffer.
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Arnold Weiss: So that small, miniscule amount of independence we have represents our free will in making decisions and choices towards either returning toward God or trying to go on our own way, which is the origin of our original position, being in this material world. Very interesting.
Prabhupāda: So therefore Kṛṣṇa said that "The most confidential part of knowledge I am giving you, Arjuna, because you are My very intimate friend, that you give up your nonsense plans." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just surrender to Me. This is the most confidential knowledge. You can misuse your independence, but I am instructing you most confidentially because you are My intimate. Don't make plans like rascals. You just surrender to Me. This is confidential." Or in other words, "Don't foolishly try to become God. You remain a servant. Surrender to..." This is the ultimate instruction.
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: So instead of becoming devotee, he wants to become God. And that is the problem. But it is the most confidential part of knowledge. Instead of carrying out the orders of God, he wants to order God. You see? Even in the lower stages of devotion, that mentality continues, that "God is order-supplier. If God carries my order, then I accept God. Otherwise I reject Him."
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: We cannot become another God. That is not possible. But artificially you are trying. Therefore you are suffering. Anything you try artificially, you'll suffer. If you try for a thing artificially, then what is the result? Result will be suffering and disappointment. Therefore śāstra says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayeteta kovidaḥ. Don't try for such things... You have tried all through in different forms of life. You have failed. So don't try for that. But try to become servant of God. Then your life will be successful. Because in the material world the endeavor is how to become God in different varieties: how to become president, how to become minister, how to become master, how to become very strong man, very wealthy man, very beautiful man, so on, so on, so on, up to—when everything fails—then how to become God. When everything fails, then, ultimately, "Now I shall become God." The same disease is there, how to become big, now the biggest. And that is the same disease in a different form.
Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Either you dress the Deity or you cleanse the floor of the temple, the same thing. You get the result the same. Tan-mandira-mārjanādau. Anything you do. Somebody is cleansing, somebody is chanting, somebody is cooking, somebody is printing, somebody is selling books—everything is Kṛṣṇa conscious. And that is the best yoga. Sa me yuktatamo mataḥ. Yoginām api sarveṣām: (BG 6.47) "Of all the yogis, who is thinking of Me, always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the topmost yogi." "By meditation I am trying to become God. By meditation one can become God." This is their foolish theory. Kṛṣṇa, when He exhibited His godly power at the age of three months, where was meditation? (laughs) God is always God. You cannot become by meditation God. You can become godly; that is possible.
Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Why mystic power? To show some jugglery—"How I can fly in the sky, I can walk on the water"—by this mystic power, they create amazement and become imitation God. Imitation God you can become, but you cannot become real God. That is not possible. That is warned. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). That's all. Asamaurdhva: "Nobody equal to Me; nobody better than Me." So why should you waste your time to become God? You cannot become actually. So why should you waste your time? Remain servant.
Interview with Kathy Kerr Reporter from The Star -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:
Kathy Kerr: Why is it that you seem to attract a large following of youth?
Prabhupāda: Because my..., it is fact, it is not a bogus thing. It is not some imagination, "By meditation you become God." We do not bluff like that. We give education, scientific education. The books are there. You'll find this Bhagavad-gītā... Have you read ever? No. Here, how to understand God and myself, my relationship. There is no such thing that "You sit down fifteen minutes and you become God." There is no such bogus thing. It is science.
Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Prabhupāda: This is the authoritative source, that you are not master, you are servant. Cultivate this knowledge. Don't try to become a master, falsely. That will never be successful. Remain servant of Kṛṣṇa, you'll be happy. That is the business of spiritual master. He gives the right information; therefore he is respected so much, because he does not cheat. "You can become master, even God you can become"—this is cheating. The real spiritual master says that "You can never become master. You are always servant." And therefore he's worshiped. He gives the right information. Therefore he is honored so, because he does not cheat. The so-called spiritual master is cheating, that "You take this mantra and give me some money and you become God." This cheating is going on. Spiritual master is to be worshiped. Why? Because he does not cheat. He gives the right information. That is his credit.
Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Kīrtanānanda: But what if they say that "Actually this life of growing the castor seed is very difficult, farming is very difficult. It is easier to go to the factory for eight hours, and then I come home with my money and I enjoy."
Prabhupāda: No, you enjoy, but by enjoying, if you forget your real business, is that intelligent? Your real business is that you have got this human form of body to improve your next life. You are going to have a next life. Suppose you are going to be a dog. Is that success? So you must know the science that instead of becoming dog, how shall you become God. That is intelligence.
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This next question is rather interesting. Question sixteen. "Is it not possible for all sections of Hindus, be they Advaitans, Dvaitans, or viṣiṣṭādvaitans, to come together instead of remaining isolated as warring factions?"
Prabhupāda: Yes. Dvaita and advaita. This is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to bring all the dvaitas and advaitas in one platform. To understand that he is essentially servant of God. The Advaitas, they are wrongly thinking that he is God himself. That is wrong, or not the proper way of thinking. How you can become God? God is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇam, full with six opulences, all-powerful, all-strenght, all-beauty, all opulent. So this is artificial, to think to become God. And... This is Advaita. And Dvaitas, they think that one is different from God, God is separate from the living entity. But actually, from the Bhagavad-gītā we understand that God is always the Supreme and the living entities, they are subordinate.
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:
Hari-śauri: "The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind."
Prabhupāda: So if he's eternal fragmental parts, how he can become one with the whole? The part is never equal to the whole. That is axiomatic truth. This is wrong conception, to become like God. The Māyāvādīs, they are trying to become God. That is impossible. They... Let them remain godly. Godly means servant of God. That will make him perfection, his life perfect.
Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Prabhupāda: Any process you accept, rejecting devotional service, the result will be that there is no profit. You simply labor for nothing, as much as to beat the husk, you'll never get the rice, you will simply be tiresome, that's all. Just like so-called religion. There is no faith in God. There is no need of God, and "religion." This is nonsense. Religion means without God? This is going on. God, you can accept anyone, Ramakrishna Mission. Any rascal...He was a fool, illiterate rascal, Ramakrishna. He became God. No standard, and they are propagating Ramakrishna Mission. As we are preaching Kṛṣṇa is God, they are preaching Ramakrishna. And who's accepting them? For the last hundred years, they are preaching. So who has become a devotee of Ramakrishna?
Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: Now what is the philosophy of Ramakrishna?
Indian woman: He does not say that Kṛṣṇa is God. (indistinct) and I was very young at that time.
Prabhupāda: If you want to discuss, there is points of discussion. (laughs) Yes. He worshiped Kali, is it not? Everyone knows it. Do you know that? And by worshiping he became God. Do you agree to that?
Dr. Sukla: No. He said, "I'm Rāma and Kṛṣṇa both."
Prabhupāda: But he realized by worshiping Kali. (laughter)
Devotee: ...he dressed up as Rādhārāṇī too.
Prabhupāda: So do you agree to that? Then how you appreciate it? Indian woman: No, I don't appreciate it.
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. It is a common sense. He, later on, he became God, by worshiping Kali, is it not?
Dr. Sukla: He was cursed by Kali.
Prabhupāda: No, he was a big worshiper of Kali. And he was meat-eater also, Ma Kali's prasāda, that unless one eats that prasādam he cannot become a devotee. So this was his position, that he worshiped Kali, and later on by worshiping Kali... His picture is there, mother Kali's embracing. And he also preached yata mata tata pat: "Whatever path you take, accept, that is all right." Is it not? So do you think it is all right? He worshiped Kali and he said yata mata tata pat. You agree to this? Now, Ramakrishna says yata mata tata pat. And Kṛṣṇa says... He became Ramakrishna, identifying himself with Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa said mam ekam, and now he's becoming Kṛṣṇa, he says yata mata tata pat. Just see. When he's actual Kṛṣṇa, he says mām ekam, and when he became imitation Kṛṣṇa, he says yata mata tata pat. Kṛṣṇa has changed his views. (laughter) Just see, this foolishness is going on.
Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Dr. Sukla: Yes, because he was, when he was thirteen or seventeen he was walking, he was going from one village to another village through the paddy fields, and the clouds were very thick and thunder and lightning, and he writes that he saw Kali, and I have a friend in England, Carl Wilson, who has done some work on Ramakrishna, he believes that at that very moment...
Prabhupāda: These are miracles, that's all. It has no value. People are after miracles. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante 'nya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are worshipers of other demigods, they are hṛta-jñānāḥ. Hṛta-jñānāḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives his comment, hṛta-jñānāḥ naṣṭa buddhayaḥ, one who has lost his intelligence. So by worshiping the demigod Kali he is to be considered as hṛta-jñānāḥ, one who has lost his intelligence—and he becomes God. Is it possible? One who has lost his intelligence, he becomes God. With that lost intelligence. And this is the proof that on account of lost intelligence, he says yata mata tata pat. Kṛṣṇa says mām ekam. Sarva dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). And when he became Ramakrishna, same Kṛṣṇa is speaking, yata mata tata pat. So he has changed his view. We have to accept this?
Room Conversation -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: In future millions of years after it will create one living entity in the laboratory, so he's taking all the credit, and God is creating millions and millions already, He has no credit. You'll see their intelligence. What the people will gain even if you manufacture one life in the laboratory? So what is the gain? Why you are spending so much money?
Yadubara: They want to become God.
Prabhupāda: God becoming is far away. First of all, make some living entity. But even if you do it, then what is your credit? Why you want to take so much great credit?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's called false prestige.
Prabhupāda: Just see, how nonsense they are, misleading people, making them atheist, Godless. Great dangerous, the so-called scientists.
Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: So even in the Vaikuṇṭha, if I desire that "Why shall I serve Kṛṣṇa? Why not become Kṛṣṇa?" I immediately fall down. That is natural. A servant is serving the master, sometimes he may think that "If I could become the master." They are thinking like that, they are trying to become God. That is delusion. You cannot become God. That is not possible. But he's wrongly thinking.
Vipina: Why doesn't Kṛṣṇa protect us from that desire?
Prabhupāda: He's protecting. He says, "You rascal, don't desire, surrender unto Me." But you are rascal, you do not do this.
Evening Darsana -- July 10, 1976, New York:
Prabhupāda: So the so-called gurus, they are cheater. They want to become Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are cheater. And it is very easy thing. If you cheat people that "You take this mantra, and you become God..." Is God so easy thing, to become God? But they want to be cheated. "Purchasing mantra, I shall become God." They want to be cheated. They do not think that "Whether I can actually become God?" They do not take the weight of His existence.
Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These posters are from Reverend Moon, advertising his big Yankee Stadium appearance.
Ādi-keśava: Fiasco.
Hari-śauri: It says "God Bless America."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's the title of it, "God Bless America." But who is God? He says "I am God."
Prabhupāda: No, he has taken advantage, that "So many rascals are coming from India, God, why not from the Christian league? I become God." He's taking advantage. He's intelligent man. So many gods are coming from India, why not from Korea?
Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:
Prabhupāda: Teacher is he who simply teaches what Kṛṣṇa has said, that's all. He is teacher. That is not difficult. Anyone can do it. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Whomever you meet, you simply speak to him the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Then you become guru. And if you don't say that, if you manufacture your own words, then you are cheater, you are not teacher. The so-called gurus, they're cheaters. They want to become Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are cheater. And it is very easy thing if you cheat people, that "You take this mantra and you become God." Is it so easy thing to become God? But they want to be cheated. "Purchasing mantra, I shall become God." They want to be cheated. They do not think that "Whether I can actually become God." They do not take the weight of His existence.
Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: Ukta, ukta means "said." And sadbhiḥ, "by great personalities." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas, tathā, and "accordingly," tathā means "accordingly," bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ, those who are actually in transcendental platform, they should accept it. So why? Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva... It does not mean Māyāvādī, that he has become God. But kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya, he is the most confidential servant. He's therefore servant-God. He's God, servant-God. God is master-God.
Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. So why he has become priya? That is, Kṛṣṇa says personally, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ: (BG 18.69) nobody is dearer than him in the whole world. Why? Ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidā... (Bg 18.68). "Who preaches this gospel of Bhagavad-gītā among My devotees." So the guru has got two business. He has to make devotees and teach them the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore he's so dear. Not that he has become God, not Māyāvādī philosophy. He's living entity, but because he acts very confidentially on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, therefore he's as good as God. This is bhakti. Not the Māyāvādī philosophy that guru has become God. Guru as God, not become. He's servant-God. And Kṛṣṇa is master-God. So the success is that both the Gods, when one is accepted by both the Gods, then his life is success.
Room Conversation -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Real meditation is to find out the Supersoul within the core of the heart. That is real meditation. God is situated in everyone's heart, so the yogis, they try to find out the Supersoul within the heart. That is real yogi. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginam. This is real yogi, trying to contact the Supersoul. They are searching after the God in His all-pervading feature. But, ah, some of them, they want to become one. That is asuric. One with God, that is asuric. Because they are being defeated by God, so therefore they want to become God to stop this defeat. That is asuric. Therefore they will never be able to be, but they are trying for it.
Room Conversation -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:
Jñānagamya: It is the highest blasphemy, isn't it? If one says, "I am God."
Prabhupāda: No, highest ignorance, highest rascaldom. (laughter) Yes. How one can become God? If one can become God, that means the such-and-such, he was God. Then how he has become dog? That is another rascaldom, ambition.
Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: That Chicago Address was the worst. He is defying, "Why you give credit to God?" This is the... We have seen that Chicago Address. Now they are eliminating. Most blasphemous. One Christian priest, he was surprised, "What kind of nonsense these Indians are..." He asked him, "How you are speaking in this way, 'Why you are giving credit to God?' " He said like that, "You are working, why you are giving credit to God?" This is Vivekananda's realization. And he created God, a illiterate priest, he become God. Because he said, "I am God." That is the proof.
Evening Darsana -- September 1, 1976, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: The whole world is (indistinct) is sense gratification. And at the end, when he's little spiritually inclined, he wants to satisfy senses by thinking artificially that "I shall become God." That is the greatest sense gratification. "Because remaining a small living entity I have been hampered in my sense gratification. Now let me become God so that there will be no restriction of my sense gratification." Bhagavān (indistinct). Because he has failed to satisfy his senses remaining non-Bhagavān, now he wants to become Bhagavān.
Letter to Sai Baba -- September 13, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: (dictating:) You are desiring to become God. There cannot be no desire. But you're unceremoniously desiring to become God. Although there is no proof in the śāstras. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is accepted that the living entities are sparks of..., part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa.
Pradyumna: "In the Bhagavad-gītā it is accepted that the living entities..."
Prabhupāda: Are part and parcel of God. But part is never equal to the whole.
Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: But they want to take the position of God. "Everyone is God. I am God, you are God." This is they are claiming.
Mr. Saxena: Bhagavan Rajneesh.
Prabhupāda: So many rascals. Why Rajneesh? There are many other.
Mr. Saxena: There are others, Satya Sai Baba, and so many others.
Prabhupāda: This is going on. What? People also do not ask that "How you become God?" That's also so foolish. They accept any rascal as God. That Rajneesh, what he is? He advertises "Bhagavān," and there are many rascals, they accept him. What he has done?
Evening Darsana -- December 3, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: So everyone is acting whimsically, whatever he likes, and the so-called swamis are preaching, "No, no, whatever you like, that's all right. You can eat whatever you like. You can do whatever you like. You think yourself that you are God. That's all right." This is going on. By thinking himself that he's God, he becomes God. This is going on, so many meditations: "I am moving the sun, I am moving the Moon, I am moving... mo mo mo mo." (laughter) And rascals are following them.
Morning Walk -- December 5, 1976, Hyderabad:
Devotee (2): Śrīla Prabhupāda, this morning we went to this engagement. There was the inauguration of the Vivekananda Society Home, so we went there on saṅkīrtana because we were invited by them. And one swami spoke and he said service to mankind was also service to God. And at the end he also said that Vivekananda used to say that for the housewife, that the cooking pot was becoming God, had become God, had become a God.
Prabhupāda: People applauded. This is foolishness. They do not know how to act. Just like if you pour water on the tree, then it is accepted that you are pouring water on the tree but that is not the process. The process is to pour water on the root of the tree.
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Prabhupāda: If we cannot serve God, that is our diseased condition. The same example. This finger is part and parcel of my body. But I ask finger, "Please come here, to my nostrils." If it cannot do, then it is diseased. It is not in normal condition. So anyone who does not serve the whole, part and whole, he is diseased. He is not in normal condition. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Therefore because we have forgotten this relationship with God, declared ourself as God, that is diseased condition. Therefore God comes and He orders, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). "Surrender unto Me. Don't talk nonsense." That is God. So when we agree, that is our perfection. Not to artificially become God, but to agree to serve God. That is liberation.
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Prabhupāda: You should know that you are eternal part and parcel of God. God is eternal. Just like gold and a small particle of gold, both of them are gold. A small particle of gold, it is also gold, but not equal to the gold mine. That is real understanding. And because you are little gold...
Mr. Malhotra: But potentiality?
Prabhupāda: Potential different, because a lump of gold and a small particle of gold, the value is not the same. Gold it is quality, but not the value the same. That you cannot say.
Mr. Malhotra: Qualitative it is gold, but...
Prabhupāda: But quantity it is different. God is all-pervading. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). God is all-pervading, He is in everyone's heart. Can you live in everyone's heart? Can you know what I am thinking? Then how you can become God?
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa says mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Therefore He shall remain the Supreme always. We have to refer to the Vedic śāstras. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. This is description of Bhagavān. That He has nothing to do, na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. (Hindi) (Explains in Hindi that Kṛṣṇa does not need or show any magic, when He was just a child He killed Pūtanā. Not that by meditation He became God. Bhagavān is always Bhagavān.) Either he is three months old or three years old or three hundred years old. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate, nobody can be equal or greater than Him. If someone is equal to Him then how He is Bhagavān?
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Mr. Malhotra: Father begets father but he feels that he may, will progress...
Prabhupāda: No, no. Father may want to see that the son is equally qualified, but still the father is father, and child is child. That is perpetual. Similarly, a part and parcel of God may be very powerful, but that does not mean that he has become God.
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Mr. Malhotra: Other traditions, guru disciple, then the disciple becomes guru, then disciple. The gurus may change.
Prabhupāda: They cannot change. If there are change of guru, the disciple acts, but does not, he'll never say that I have become equal or one with guru. That is not so.
Mr. Malhotra: I am thinking about this, Swamiji, that your Guru Mahārāja is preaching through you, and you are preaching through them.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Mr. Malhotra: So disciple is guru through his disciples.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam (BG 4.2). But that does not become, he has become. He may be representative of guru, representative of God, but it does not mean that he has become God.
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Prabhupāda: There are two kinds of men. Daiva, devatā and asura. Viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Those who are devotees of the Lord, they are devatā, and just opposite number is asura. Who does not recognize the authority of God, he is asura. He himself becomes God foolishly. That is not God.
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Prabhupāda: I offer my obeisances to Govinda. But if I say I am equal to Govinda, I can stop sun. "Don't bother me by heating. Stop." Will it become...? Then how I become all-powerful? Let me stop the activities of the sun. Or at night there is no sun, can I ask the sun, "Get up, I want light immediately," is it possible? Then how I become the God? Nobody cares for my order.
Mr. Malhotra: They say those who know their bhāgavata, they call themselves Bhagavān.
Prabhupāda: That anyone can say that I know my Bhagavān, nobody knows. I am Bhagavān but nobody cares for me. What kind of Bhagavān? It is rascal Bhagavān.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: When Bhagavān has a toothache he goes to the dentist.
Prabhupāda: Yes, when there's a toothache he goes to the doctor. These kind of nonsense has to be stopped. Otherwise people become atheists. "Anyone can become God, anyone can become Bhagavān."
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: It is natural to serve God, to remain faithful to Him. This is natural. Artificially you are trying to be independent. This is the Māyāvāda... Still, they are trying to become God himself.
Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: When I was born, the finger was born. So similarly, so long God is there, I am also there. So God is eternal; I am also eternal. You understand this? Then why you are changing bodies? And that is knowledge.
Guest (9) (Indian man): No, why do we at all enter into this circle?
Prabhupāda: That I have already explained. You want to be a separate Kṛṣṇa. That is your ambition.
Guest (9): Initial thing is that.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is initial. A servant, big man's servant... That is natural, that "If I would have become the master." So a servant, if he wants to become the master, that is artificial. A servant remains a servant—he is happy. And as soon as he tries artificially to become the master, that is the beginning of distress. So we are eternal servant of God. As soon as we try to become God, that is the beginning of our suffering.
Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) The starting is there. Icchā-dveṣa-samutthena sarge yānti parantapa (BG 7.27). (Hindi) Kṛṣṇa bhūliyā jīva bhoga vāñchā kare, pāśate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare. As soon as you desire like this, that "I shall become God," so immediately there is māyā. That is māyā. So when you are entangled in māyā, then there is question of mukti. The mukti means muktir hitvā 'nyathā rūpaṁ svarūpena avasthitiḥ. This is mukti. Mukti means when we are acting differently. That is my condition. That is my bondage. And when I act according to my original position, that is mukti.
Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ. For kāma... Just like one is lusty for sex, they are for false name. "I shall become God. People will adore me." This is their.... "And we shall bluff like this, by magic, word jugglery." This is the aim.
Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Satsvarūpa: If we condemn everything they do, then they say, "All right, if you think we're nonsense, then don't use our printing press for your books."
Prabhupāda: No. You are nonsense, that is accepted, but do not think that because you have manufactured printing press, you have become God. That is our proposal. We give you credit. And we can also say that without your printing press, people were not dying. Formerly people were copying. Everyone's business was going on. There was no need of mass studying. Only the brāhmaṇas, they used to copy and they used to vibrate the knowledge. And those who were interested, they were hearing and getting the knowledge.
Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Ramakrishna, he was worshiping goddess Kālī. It is condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20), that "Anyone who is worshiping a demigod, he is lost of all sense." So this man, by losing his all senses, worshiping a demigod, he became God. People do not take reference from Bhagavad-gītā, that "A demigod worshiper has no sense, and he has become God?" What kind of God? Senseless God? And God's definition is aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), jñāna. God means full in knowledge. And a man who has no sense, he has become God? From logic. Jñāna-vairāgyayaś caiva. God means he has got full knowledge. And this man is senseless and he has become God. Logic, how you can defy? And they're accepting: "Ramakrishna is God." How you defend it? I am giving this logic. Defend.
Evening Darsana -- May 11, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: So I have got this body. You have got that body. The dog has got body. The cat has got body. So He's everywhere. So according to his karma or desire, he gets a body. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 18.61). And he works. Therefore the body is the kṣetra, the field, and the individual soul is the worker. So he is working and getting the fruitive result, but at the same time, God is also with him. But He is everywhere. I am not everywhere. I am one individual. Do you understand? And that is the difference between God and me. I cannot say what you are now thinking now, or you cannot say what I am thinking, but God knows what you are thinking and what I am thinking, what he is thinking. That is the difference. That is explained. Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi mām. He is also within body, but that is the difference between Him and you. You are limited within your body, and He is unlimited. He is everywhere. So how you can become God? Therefore one who says, "I am God," he's a fool. You cannot say what I am thinking now or what I am suffering. You cannot prove. But He can feel your suffering and feeling, and that is the difference.
Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: You are God—limited. Limited God. You cannot maintain. Therefore you are limited. You can become God within your family, within your office, within your kingdom. You are not Supreme God. To a limited extent you are God. Because you have got the quality of God, so according to your capacity, within limited jurisdiction, you may be God. So dictionary is there. Vedic assertion is there. Logic is there. Science is there. Prove. Then your education will be successful. Avicyutaḥ arthaḥ kavibhir nirūpitaḥ. When you can prove this, then the meaning of your education will become... Avicyutaḥ arthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito yad-uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam (SB 1.5.22). To glorify the exalted position of God, that is... Is it clear?
| Page Title: | Become God (Conversations) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika |
| Created: | 26 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=122, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 122 |