Become intelligent

Expressions researched:
"became intelligent" |"become intelligent" |"becomes intelligent" |"becoming intelligent"

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 15.20, Translation and Purport:

This is the most confidential part of the Vedic scriptures, O sinless one, and it is disclosed now by Me. Whoever understands this will become wise, and his endeavors will know perfection.

The Lord clearly explains here that this is the substance of all revealed scriptures. And one should understand this as it is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus one will become intelligent and perfect in transcendental knowledge. In other words, by understanding this philosophy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engaging in His transcendental service, everyone can become freed from all contaminations of the modes of material nature. Devotional service is a process of spiritual understanding.

BG 15.20, Purport:

Everyone must take to this consciousness of Kṛṣṇa and engage in devotional service to become intelligent and purified. Unless one comes to this position of understanding Kṛṣṇa and engages in devotional service, however intelligent he may be in the estimation of some common man, he is not perfectly intelligent.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.10.41, Purport:

If one is in good association he can develop the mode of goodness, and if in bad association he may develop the mode of darkness or ignorance. Nothing is stereotyped. One can change his habit by good or bad association, and one has to become intelligent enough to discriminate between good and bad. The best association is the service of the devotees of the Lord, and by that association one can become the highest qualified man by the grace of the Lord's pure devotees.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.26.21, Purport:

In the Manu-saṁhitā it is said that the King should be considered merciful when he condemns a murderer to death because a murderer punished in this life becomes freed from his sinful activity and in the next life takes birth cleared of all sins. If one accepts punishment as a reward dealt by the master, he becomes intelligent enough not to commit the same mistake again.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.1.2, Purport:

All living entities are rotating throughout the universe, going sometimes up to the higher planetary systems and sometimes down to the lower planets. This is the material disease, which is known as pravṛtti-mārga. When one becomes intelligent he takes to nivṛtti-mārga, the path of liberation, and thus instead of rotating within this material world, he returns home, back to Godhead. This is necessary.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 22.35, Translation:

“Due to bad association, the living entity desires material happiness, liberation or merging into the impersonal aspect of the Lord, or he engages in mystic yoga for material power. If such a person actually becomes intelligent, he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness by engaging himself in intense devotional service to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa."

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 87:

Because of ignorance, these living entities misidentify themselves in different species of life, and especially when elevated to the human form of life, they identify with a particular class of men, or a particular nation or race or so-called religion, forgetting their real identity as eternal servants of Your Lordship. Due to this faulty conception of life, they are undergoing repeated birth and death. Out of many millions of them, if one becomes intelligent enough by associating with pure devotees, he comes to the understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and comes out of the jurisdiction of the material misconception.

Krsna Book 87:

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is confirmed by Lord Caitanya that the living entities are wandering within this universe in different species of life, but that if one of them becomes intelligent enough, by the mercy of the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, then he begins his devotional life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is said, hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti: without the help of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one cannot get out of the clutches of repeated birth and death. In other words, only the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, can relieve the conditioned souls from the cycle of repeated birth and death.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

Suppose my father has died. Now I am crying, "Oh, my father is gone. My father is gone." But if somebody says, "Why do you say your father is gone? He is lying here. Why you are crying?" "No, no, no, that is his body. That is his body. My father is gone." Therefore in our present calculation I am seeing your body, you are seeing my body, nobody is seeing the actual person. After death, he comes to sense: "Oh, it is not my father; it is my father's body." You see? So we become intelligent after death. And while we are living, we are in ignorance. This is the modern civilization. While living... Just like people have insurance policy to get some money. So that money is received after death, not during life. Sometimes during life also.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Manila, October 12, 1972:

You have to be full of anxieties. But there is another world, where there is no anxiety. That is called Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha, vigata-kuṇṭha, kuṇṭha means anxiety. So these information we get from the śāstras, from the Vedas. And if we become intelligent enough to understand the śāstras, then our life is successful, human life. Otherwise, if we live like animal, eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, without any other knowledge which I am destined to gain in this life, arthadaḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Germany, June 18, 1974:

So in this way, if we try to understand, dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Dhīra, those who are intelligent and sober, they are called dhīra, not disturbed mind, not rascals. Rascals cannot understand. Therefore the very word is used, dhīra. What is the meaning, dhīra? Dhīra, "the sober," those who have got brain substance, not cow dung. You see? They can understand. Therefore one has to become intelligent, dhīra. For spiritual understanding we have to create the favorable circumstances. Favorable circumstances... Just like to create healthy body, you have to remain in such a way that you'll not fall sick; similarly, dhīra means if you try to remain just like cats and dogs, then you remain as a cats and dog, but if you want to remain as a human being, then you must remain as perfect human being.

Lecture on BG 2.18 -- Hyderabad, November 23, 1972:

Because we are manda, manda-mataḥ, we have accept some bogus logic, bogus "ism," and wasting our time. We should take from the śāstra the real path. Then we shall become intelligent. Su-medhasaḥ. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). The short-cut method. Intelligent class of men will take this saṅkīrtana movement for his spiritual elevation of life. It is a fact, it is scientific, it is authorized. So don't neglect. Take this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa heart and soul, and anywhere... Niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. There is no rules and regulations, that "You have to chant at this time or that time, in this position or that position." No. Because it is especially meant for these fallen conditioned souls, there is no hard-and-fast rule.

Lecture on BG 2.19 -- London, August 25, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you just imagine how important movement it is. It is the best welfare activities for the human society. They are all fools and rascals, and they have no knowledge, ignorant of their constitutional position, and they are unnecessarily working hard day and night. Therefore they have been said, mūḍha. Mūḍha means ass. The ass works day and night for the washerman for little grass. Grass is available everywhere, but he, still, he thinks that "If I do not work for the washerman, very hard, I'll not get this grass." This is called ass. Therefore, when one becomes intelligent after cultivating knowledge, one becomes intelligent by and by. First of all brahmacārī. Then, if one cannot remain a brahmacārī, all right, take a wife, gṛhastha. Then give up, vānaprastha. Then take sannyāsa. This is the process. The mūḍha, they'll work day and night for sense gratification. Therefore, at a certain period of life, that stupidity should be given up and taken sannyāsa.

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

Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. Narādhama means lowest of the mankind. And māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, and one whose knowledge is deluded by the external energy. These people, they do not take the shelter of Kṛṣṇa. They do not like, although the opportunity is open for everyone. But we may not be like the miscreants, foolish, and lowest of the mankind. Let us become intelligent.

Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:

The hand is working, protecting me. The brain is giving me intelligence. In this way every part is working for the whole body. Similarly either you become intelligent class of men or you become administrator or you become mercantile class or laborer, if you engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness then your position is transcendental. You are no more in the material nature. This is the process of transcendental position.

Lecture on BG 4.27 -- Bombay, April 16, 1974:

So actually we are all servants of our senses. The whole activities of the material world means everyone is acting as the servant of his senses, that's all. This is the material world. Everyone is working. Everyone is working so hard. So when one becomes intelligent, then he understands that "What I am doing? I am thinking that I am master, I am proprietor, I am the head of the family, but what I am doing actually? I am acting as servant of my senses, my son's senses, my wife's senses, my daughter's senses, my servant's senses. That's all." If you speak something wrong even to your servant, the servant will resign, and you will be in trouble. Therefore you have to serve his senses so that he may not be angry. This is our position.

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

So sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad buddhi-grāhyam (BG 6.21). One has to use his intelligence to understand what is real happiness. Foolish man cannot understand what is real happiness. Intelligent. So as soon as one becomes intelligent... The next śloka will describe it. Vetti yatra na caivāyaṁ sthitaś calati tattvataḥ. One who does not know what is real happiness, they are seeking happiness in this material world.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

The nonsense civilization, they do not know that what is our main business. They do not know. Ajñānata. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto. Abodha jāta, these, all these living entities born in this material world in different forms of life, abodha jāta, all rascals. All rascals. We can prove they're all rascal. Nobody is intelligent. As soon as he'll become intelligent, kṛṣṇa ye bhaje seva(?). As soon as he becomes intelligent, he must be Kṛṣṇa conscious. If he's not Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we must accept him as rascal number one. (indistinct) He may be a very big man in the society, but we take him as rascal number one. That is our challenge. Anyone, he may be a ordinary man, he may be so-called swami or maybe so-called yogi or so-called leader, but our test is whether he's Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

When we have got this human form of life, we should understand, "How things are happening? How I am getting different types of body? How I am dictated according to the body and I am not happy? Now what is the reason? Then what I am? I do not want distress. Why distress is forced upon me? I do not want to die. Why death is forced upon me? I do not want to become old. I want to remain perpetually young. Why old age is forced upon me?" There are so many things. In this way, when we become intelligent enough and approach Kṛṣṇa or a Kṛṣṇa's representative, then our life becomes reformed.

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

Any one of us can consider this, how from unfortunate life they are coming to fortunate. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are giving chance to the unfortunate. Everyone is unfortunate, everyone is a rascal. We are giving chance how to become intelligent and fortunate. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If the people are not so unfortunate and rascal, then what is the meaning of preaching? Preaching means that you have to turn the rascals and unfortunate to become intelligent and fortunate. That is preaching. But unless you are fortunate and intelligent, you cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is a fact.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Montreal, August 3, 1968:

Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ: (SB 11.5.32) "This form of the Personality of Godhead is worshiped by the intelligent class of men." Su-medhasaḥ. Su means very good, and medhasaḥ means brain, brain substance. One who has got very good brain substance, they will understand this saṅkīrtana movement nicely. Just like in our India, especially in Bengal, sometimes they say a dull-brained man, "Oh, you have got cow dung within your brain. You have no brain substance." Actually a man becomes intelligent by the greater amount of brain substance. It is a psychological fact. It is called celebrum... Doctor knows.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

Kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam. So how these sufferings can be mitigated? So people have become so dull-headed, they cannot understand what is the real suffering, and neither they have any inquiries how to mitigate the sufferings. This is the position. Therefore they are called śūdras. Śūdras, they are like. A brāhmaṇa is intelligent. A brāhmaṇa... Therefore we are trying to make people brāhmaṇa so that he may become intelligent. Not śūdras. Others are trying to make them śūdras. Śūdras means to remain in ignorance, and brāhmaṇa means to remain in knowledge. That is the difference between brāhmaṇa and śūdra. And these two other classes, via media, kṣatriya and vaiśya. The brāhmaṇas are supposed to be the first-class men in the society. The kṣatriyas, the second class, the vaiśyas, the third class, and the remaining, all fourth class and fifth class.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

God, God is cognizant, He knows everything. He is a sentient being. Not that a dead stone. If God is not sentient being, if God is not a person, how so many powerful persons, sentient persons coming from Him? If the father is not intelligent, how the sons and daughters can become intelligent? A dog cannot give birth to an intelligent person, a person who is intelligent, he can give birth to intelligent children. This our practical experience. Therefore this description of God, aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥv, we should try to understand what is God. If you can find out a person who is superior in everything, in wealth, in strength, in beauty, in fame, in knowledge, in renouncement, He is God.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Los Angeles, August 18, 1972:

So when actually one becomes intelligent, then the enquiry is: "Why? Why I am put into this miserable condition of life? I do not want this, and it is forced upon me. I do not want to die; death is there. I do not want disease; the disease is there. I do not want this; it is forced upon me. I don't want war, but they, the draft board drags me to the war. Why these are?" This "why" question must be there. That is intelligence. That is Kenopaniṣad, Kena. There is Upaniṣad, Kena. And Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he also inquired this "Why?" Ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. "Who am I? Why I am put into this miserable condition of life?" That is intelligence. He was minister.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Los Angeles, August 23, 1972:

Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life is meant for simply understanding what is God. The animal life, they cannot understand. That life is different. But the human life is developed, consciousness is developed. He can understand. This is called goodness. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. How one becomes intelligent? He can study... When he is on the platform of goodness, he can study the nature that "Why I shall work so hard for getting all my material necessities?" This is being supplied by nature. The birds and beasts, they are getting their food, they are getting their mates, they are being protected in their own way, they have got a sleeping nest, apartment. So even an animal, even a small ant... We sit down in the garden, we see, even the small ant it has got family, it has got home, it has got eating. Everything is there. From ant to the elephant. Who is supplying? They have no business. They do not do any business. They have no profession. But they are getting their necessities of life.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

Those who are students of psychology, they know it. I was student of psychology, and our professor... He was a Scotman. He explained this brain substance, cerebular substance, Dr. Urquhart, that the more brain substance is there, more one becomes intelligent. And it has been found that a woman does not have more than thirty-six ounce of brain substance, whereas in man it has been found that he has got up to sixty-four ounce. Now, this is modern science. Therefore generally, generally, woman, less intelligent than man. You cannot find any big scientist, any big mathematician, any big philosopher amongst woman. That is not possible. Although in your country, you want equal status with man, freedom, but by nature you are less intelligent.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Mayapura, October 25, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa says very simple thing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we become intelligent enough, then we fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We take up the principle, to think of Kṛṣṇa always, twenty-four hours. Satataṁ cintayanto, kīrtayanto mām. If you chant Kṛṣṇa's name, then satatam, twenty-four hours... That is possible. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to do. Then you think of Kṛṣṇa without fail, and other things automatically come. Man-manā bhava mad... Who can devote so much time for thinking of..., unless he has become a devotee? So man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī.

Lecture on SB 2.1.6 -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

Therefore our movement is to revive this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). So it is very important movement. Those who are very intelligent, they can take to it. Or you become intelligent or not intelligent, but know, at least, unless one is pious, he cannot take to this movement. But somehow or other, if you take this movement, then your this valuable life is successful. Janma-lābhaḥ paraḥ puṁsām. It is not cats' and dogs' life. It is human form of... Utilize it properly. Properly means to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, not dog conscious, cat conscious or this conscious or... No. These will not help you. Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then you will be able to remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death and your this valuable life is properly utilized.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1 -- Los Angeles, May 19, 1972:

In human society, those who are specifically intelligent, for them, Caitanya-caritāmṛta kāṛacā, he says, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Catura means very intelligent. Without being intelligent, nobody can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But our propaganda is to educate people to become intelligent. They are foolish. They do not know the value of life. They do not know what is going to happen after death. No. Just like cats and dogs.

Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who is engaged in My devotional service with love and faith, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam." This is buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yoga means bhakti-yoga. Buddhi-yoga means, bhakti-yoga is not for the foolish person. Bhakti-yoga means buddhi-yoga, one who is highly intelligent. Or somehow or other he has become intelligent, that "I shall take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Then his life is perfect immediately, and gradually he will realize Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). You somehow or other take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, engage yourself in devotional service under the direction of śāstra and the spiritual master, then you will understand Kṛṣṇa and then your life is perfect.

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

You don't foolishly accept that you are very happy. Don't be fool. Be intelligent. That is śāstra. The śāstra means... A person goes to school, college, to become intelligent. Therefore there are so many śāstras, Veda, Vedas. Why Vedic literatures are there? To make us intelligent. Kṛṣṇa bhuliyā jīva... Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa kailā (CC Madhya 20.117). We are so foolish rascals that we have forgotten. We are suffering every moment, and still, we are thinking we are very happy. Therefore it is our misfortune that human life is meant for understanding, "What is the position of my life? Why I am suffering?" So for that understanding Kṛṣṇa has given us so many Vedic literature: four Vedas and the Purāṇas and the Upaniṣad and Vedānta-sūtra, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata.

Lecture on SB 3.26.34 -- Bombay, January 11, 1975:

If, by your intelligence, you learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and worship Him with bhāva, that is real intelligence. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). And if you try to become intelligent, some tricks, material trick, to get some money or cheat others, that is not very good intelligence. These cats and dogs that... They have also such intelligence. How to steal food from the room, the cat knows very well. So that is not intelligence. That intelligence can be found, even birds, beasts, everywhere. Real intelligence is how to regain your Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be promoted to the stage of bhāva, and at the time of death maintain that bhāva, and then your life is successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9).

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

Guest (4): But the significance that we give to the word "food" is the creation of man's mind, the word "God" is the creation of man's mind. We attach spiritual significance to one word and not to the other. But if you speak of everything emanating from God, that ultimately means everything He is.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So if you become intelligent more, then you'll inquire, "Wherefrom the food comes?" At the present moment you may chant "food, food, food," and you get food. Then, if you are intelligent, you'll inquire, "Wherefrom the food came?" That is the next step.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- London, September 3, 1971:

What you are seeing, his father or his son, that is lying there, but he does not know who is his father, who is his son. This is called defeat. Abodha-jātaḥ. He remains the same fool and rascal as he was born. A born rascal. Otherwise why children are sent to school? To become intelligent, to become men of knowledge, wise men. But where is the wisdom? Your technology is not there. The whole world is working under this wrong impression, that "I am this body." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). That is the defeat. It is practical. And they are simply meeting crisis after crisis, because they're rascals and fools. This is a civilization of rascal and fools. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Why rascal and fools? Yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. There is no inquiry, "What I am? Why I am becoming befooled? I am trying so much. Why the problems are still there, or the problems are increasing?" These questions are not there.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

This is very important. Ṛṣabhadeva says, yadā na paśyaty ayathā guṇehāṁ svārthe pramattaḥ sahasā vipaścit. So we have to become intelligent that guṇehā... Guṇa, guṇa means these three guṇas, goodness, three modes of material nature. Everyone is trying to love one of these three guṇas: goodness, passion and ignorance. That is material existence. Somebody is trying to become brāhmaṇa, that is goodness. And somebody is trying to become a kṣatriya. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these are under the influence of different modes of material nature.

Lecture on SB 5.5.24 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa says, mūḍha. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍha. And Prahlāda Mahārāja stresses more, vimūḍhān, first-class mūḍhas. Yes. Vimūḍhān. So anyone who does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is busy in other business, he's a vimūḍhān. Don't remain a vimūḍhān. Become intelligent. Kṛṣṇa ye bhaje sei baḍa catur. Be the first-class intelligent man and be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving actual knowledge of the living entity, mīmāṁsā. Mīmāṁsā means that think over the matter, that "Why I am doing this?" This is called brahma-jijñāsā, this is called brahma-jijñāsā. Means when a person becomes inquisitive about this "Why?" "Why I am suffering?" then he becomes intelligent. The he comes to the standard of human life. And there is Upaniṣad, Kena Upaniṣad. Kena means "why." Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he placed this question, "Why? Why I am suffering?" Ke āmi, kene jāre tāpa-traya. "I do not want to die. Why there is death? I do not want to suffer from disease. Why there is disease? I do not want to take birth. Why I am put into the womb of mother again and again? Janma-mṛtyu jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Honolulu, May 11, 1976:

Nowadays it is democratic days, majority. So as this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also taken as one of the sentimental movements... It is the most scientific movement, but because there are so many gurus, rascals, they imagine something and cheat people. People want to be cheated. They take advantage. So we are also one of them, because majority is this. "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." When everyone is rascal, to become intelligent is rascaldom. Otherwise you say, "I am also a rascal." Then it is all right. If you say, "No, you are rascal," then there is fight.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Chicago, July 11, 1975:

So every intelligent man should first of all see to his self-interest, how to become free from this repetition of birth and death and go back to home, back to God. That is self-interest. And if we do not know, we do not execute in that way—that means Kṛṣṇa consciousness—then however we may be philanthropist, affectionate, very good economist, very good philosopher, everything is nonsense, mūḍha. That is the statement, that we should not remain mūḍha; we should become intelligent and see to our self-interest, and that is the success of life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- Detroit, June 15, 1976:

Everyone knows animal life is full of suffering, but they cannot realize. But a human being can realize. And when the question comes, when he becomes intelligent enough that "Why I am suffering?" then his human life begins. Otherwise, he is animal. The animal cannot inquire. An animal is being taken to the slaughterhouse, but he cannot question or inquire that "Why I am taken by force in this slaughterhouse?" That is animal. But if you take one human being to be killed, if he understands, he'll make a great noise, that "This man is going, taking me. Why I am being...," so on, so on. Yes. That is human life. That is the distinction between human life and animal life, that one can understand that "Why I am put into this condition of suffering?" This is called brahma-jijñāsā. That is the beginning of Vedānta philosophy. athāto brahma jijñāsā. Then we understand, one after another.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- Vrndavana, December 11, 1975:

Unless one is very rigid devotee, even he has approached the other feature—that means the Brahman feature: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān—so he falls down, very, very easily. And why? That is this attachment—sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham. Dṛḍhair baddham. That, I was citing Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song, jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā jīvake karaye gādhā. Gādhā means ass. Uṣṭra khara. Śva-viḍ uṣṭra khara. So this so-called advancement of civilization means the living entity is always compared as an ass, mūḍha. So instead of becoming intelligent, by material education one becomes more and more first-class ass. jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā, because the more you become advanced in so-called material civilization, you'll forget God. Māyāra vaibhava. Māyā's business is to keep you always sleeping, forgetting God. This is māyā's business. Daivī hi eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is māyā's business.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 1, 1968:

Passionate means always hankering after sense gratification. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "I am born of a father so greatly passionate. How I can satisfy the Lord, where great personalities and sages and demigods have failed?" He is presenting himself so humbly. But he's intelligent. Without becoming intelligent, nobody can worship God. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Catur means very intelligent. Unless one is first-class intelligent, he cannot worship God. It is not possible. Foolish person cannot worship God.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.9 -- Mayapur, April 2, 1975:

The mūḍhas must be explained as mūḍhas. And because the mūḍhas are going as intelligent, therefore there is chaotic condition. (bird chirping) There it is confirmed. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to become intelligent, not to remain mūḍhas, and to expose these rascal mūḍhas. That's this, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So you must be prepared. While making propaganda, expose these mūḍhas. That is one of the service of Kṛṣṇa. Don't remain foolish. Wherever there is required, fight with these mūḍhas and tell them rightly, straightforward, that "You are mūḍhas."

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

Just like after putting your hand in the fire, you never put it again if you are really intelligent. So those who are going back to Godhead, they become intelligent. Why going back to Godhead? Just like we are in renounced order of life. So we have renounced our family life after thinking something. Now, if somebody comes, "Swamijī, you take thousand millions of dollars and marry again and become a family man," I'll never become, because I have got my bad experience. I'll never become. So if one is intelligent enough, if he has got actually the bitter taste of this material world, he'll never agree. He'll never agree.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 8, 1977:

So we should not remain vimūḍha. We should become intelligent. And to make us intelligent, Kṛṣṇa comes, Kṛṣṇa's devotees come, some messenger comes. And Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is one of the messengers of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And not only he preached, but he trained up many disciples to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. So by his grace we are also endeavoring to do something. This is called paramparā system. So we should take advantage of this Vaiṣṇava mission. As Caitanya... Prahlāda Mahārāja said, they are very anxious. Vaiṣṇava means para-duḥkha-duḥkhī.

General Lectures

Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:

I differ from you; you differ from me. Now, nobody knows who is intelligent. So by this analytical study we can understand that at the present moment there is need of intelligent class of men. Not that everyone should be intelligent, but even a small percentage of people, if they become intelligent, with these qualifications—truthful, clean, and controlling the mind, controlling the senses, simplicity in behavior, and tolerance, knowledge, application of knowledge in practical life, and full faith in God... That, these nine symptoms, brahma-karma svabhāva-jam... (BG 18.42). The intelligent class of men is called brāhmaṇa, according to Vedic literature. And the next class, the administrative class, is called kṣatriyas, and the next class is called the vaiśyas, and the general class of men is called the śūdras. So even in that, according to Vedic literature, it is said that kalau śūdra sambhava.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

So these are the definition of intelligent person. So if we want to be intelligent, we can adopt the process how to become intelligent. But on the other hand, if we are actually intelligent, why not take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness immediately and become intelligent? Without, without going to the process, you take... It is offered to you by the most magnanimous incarnation, Lord Caitanya. He's offering you, kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). He's giving you love of Kṛṣṇa. Rūpa Gosvāmī offered his obeisances to Lord Caitanya, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: "O my dear Lord Caitanya, You are the most charitable, magnanimous of all incarnations. Why? Because You are directly giving love of Kṛṣṇa. The love of Kṛṣṇa which cannot be achieved after many, many births, You are delivering cheaply, 'Take it immediately.' " Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Devotee: And therefore the person reacts on a physical level and they can't (indistinct) psychoanalyzing him and having him recall that event, then he is free...

Prabhupāda: Therefore our prescription is that in the beginning of life, teach him brahmācārya restraint, and when he is grown up, he is above twenty, get him married. In the beginning he will learn how to restrain. If you teach your child to become saintly, he retains his semina, his brain becomes strong, he can understand things, because wasting your semina means less intelligence. So from the beginning, if he is brahmacārī, if he stops misuse of semina, then he becomes intelligent and strong and fully grown. For want of education, everything is being stunted-brain, bodily growth, and everything. So after he is trained as a brahmacārī, if he thinks that still he will have sex enjoyment, all right, he can be married. But because he will have strength of body and brain, he will beget a child, immediately there will be male child. This is practical remedy.

Philosophy Discussion on Auguste Comte:

Prabhupāda: Spiritual, first of all they must know that the spirit soul is the basis of material life even, and the body is built up on the soul, and within the body there is soul. This understanding is required both for the man and the woman. Although woman is less intelligent, still, by the help of the husband, he..., she can become intelligent. This we think, we see in the instruction of Kapiladeva. Kapiladeva is the son of Devahūti, and He is engaged in teaching the mother. So a woman, either as daughter, as wife or mother, remains subordinate and gets knowledge from the man, either from the father or the husband or son. Then that life is elevated. We find also in the conjugal life of Lord Śiva and Pārvatī, in the Purāṇas we see always Pārvatī is questioning and Lord Śiva is answering. In this way woman is elevated, and the comforts given by the woman, comforts of the tongue, of the belly, and the genital, in this way, cooperative life, both of them becomes advanced in spiritual life.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 25, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: They'll like. Enough ingredients to preach. Simply one has to become intelligent how to express. The, what is called, outlines of thought are already there. You read one line, you can speak half an hour. They are so full of meaning. Provided you can express the meanings. So we are not reading all the lines. We are going quickly from one śloka to another. Otherwise, if we explained each line of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Just like my Guru Mahārāja explained the first śloka for three months in Dacca. (break) ...after this verse, he explained for three months. Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained ātmārāma-śloka in sixty-four ways. That is described in Teachings of Lord Caitanya. Sixty-four ways. Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya explained in nine ways. He did not touch on those nine ways. Setting aside those nine ways, personally He explained in sixty-four ways. Formerly such scholars were there, such religious persons were there. Therefore people were happy.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So these people, these rascals, Nixon and company, they want to keep the people in ignorance so that they'll get vote and enjoy. If the people become intelligent brāhmaṇas, then immediately he'll be kicked out. What is his value? He has no value. This is policy. They don't want to see that people become elevated in knowledge. That is not their policy. Therefore, they do not agree. Actually they are seeing that "These Hare Kṛṣṇa people, they're so nice character, they're religion, God conscious, so if all people become like this, then where we are?" Because as soon as people become Kṛṣṇa conscious, they'll noncooperate with the slaughterhouse, liquor industry, gambling, illicit sex. They will noncooperate. Then the whole plan of civilization will be collapsed.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 15, 1973, Los Angeles:

Karandhara: Yes, they say now there is an anti-intellectual movement. People are rebelling to science and modern progress.

Prabhupāda: What is that science? That is not science. That is ignorance. Ignorance. Simply ignorance. Ignorance is going as science. Irreligion is going as religion. So how long it will go? People are becoming intelligent.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 11, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Why? That is rascaldom. That is rascaldom. That is rascaldom. If you do not find any difference between me and my disciple, then you are foolish man. If you say, if you say...

Indian Man (1): In the beginning everybody is foolish. We are born foolish.

Prabhupāda: Well, born foolish. That... He has to become intelligent. But when he talks foolishly, he remains foolish.

Indian Man (1): Well, so far he is not enlightened.

Prabhupāda: If he talks foolishly, that means he is still foolish. He has not attained any knowledge.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- November 14, 1975, Bombay:

Devotee (3): Why do they want to fool the people?

Prabhupāda: Because you are fool. Because you are fool, therefore you become befooled. We do not become befooled by their words. You are fool; you will be befooled. If you want to remain fool, then you will be befooled. And if you become intelligent, then you will not be befooled. They can befool when there are many fools. If there is no fool they cannot befool. So you follow this?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 17, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: To know what is your position, whether still you are foolish or you have become intelligent. That is...

Dr. Patel: If he had not become intelligent, he would not have gone there.

Prabhupāda: That has to be.... Then...

Dr. Patel: That means he had become intelligent.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Tāvac ca śobhate mūrkho yāvat kiñcin na bhāṣate: "A rascal fool is very beautifully dressed, very nice sitting. But his rascaldom will be disclosed as soon as he will speak." So these rascals, as soon as they speak, "We shall surpass the laws of nature," then we can understand what kind of rascals. Tāvac ca śobhate mūrkhaḥ. By their, these words we can take, "Oh, rascaldom," at once. "I shall break the wall. I shall push the mountain with my head." It is like that. If somebody is thinking that "I shall push the Himalayan mountains by knocking with my head," then we can understand. So where it is? A rascal, the innocent, he is also rascal. But innocent is eager to become intelligent, so there we shall deal. And the stubborn atheists, they are dviṣat. They cannot be corrected immediately, unless they become ruined. (break) ...their standard of life. Try for that. Concentrate in your country.

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Because he was fool in the beginning, and after understanding Bhagavad-gītā he became intelligent. Why don't you take in that way? In the beginning, he was rascal. Therefore he needed instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. And when he understood Bhagavad-gītā, what did he say? Naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā. Find out this verse. Naṣṭo mohaḥ, "Now my illusion is over." Smṛtir labdhā tvat prasādān madhusūdana.

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Then why do you preach? First of all know, then preach. If you did not know, you should not preach. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41). First of all make your life perfect, then try to make others perfect. Don't cheat others. So when Arjuna actually became intelligent, he said sthito 'smi gata-sandehaḥ kariṣye vacanaṁ tava. This is understanding. "Yes, now I am situated in my proper understanding, I shall carry out Your order."

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: One thing is that you have to become intelligent. Just like Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Now why I shall accept interpretation on these plain words? That is my foolishness. If somebody says dharma-kṣetra means this body and Pāṇḍava means the five senses, why this nonsense interpretation? If you are not intelligent, then you will accept such rascals interpreting unnecessarily. Interpretation is required when things are not very clear. But when the things are clear, why you should accept interpretation? That is my foolishness. There is no need of interpretation. (break) ...is it still there? Why, if the rascal interprets Kurukṣetra means this body, why shall I accept it? Kurukṣetra is still there. There is no difficulty to understand. And if somebody interprets... (break) ...interpretation, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that as soon as you interpret, the whole thing is lost.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: And if they submit, they'll never have to suffer again.

Prabhupāda: Again. That's it. That is our proposal. We say, "You rascal, you don't be overintelligent. You submit to God. You'll be happy. Because you cannot become intelligent, you are rascal. So give up this rascaldom. sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), whatever you have created, all rascaldom. Simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. Your science, your politics, your philosophy, your so on, so on, so on—all rascaldom. Sarva-dharmān. You are thinking that we have created so many humanitarianism, this ism, that ism, that." We say these are all rascaldom. The sooner you give up this habit, simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa, you...

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: It is foolish, undoubtedly, but there is some concession. But this concession is so restriction that he'll become intelligent, that "What is the use of this concession?" Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantoḥ. It is not encouragement. The so much restriction means to convince him indirectly that "This is nonsense. Better you give it up." Otherwise why restriction? In other things... Suppose eating bhagavat-prasādam. There is no such restriction...

Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, there is stoppage of change of body when you...

Devotee (3): How so?

Prabhupāda: How you... How you know? You are a rascal. What do you know? You learn it. You are rascal. What you know? You become intelligent. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). You are a rascal. What do you know? The difficulty is that you are rascal; you want to take the position of a learned man. And that is your fault. You do not accept your position, that you are a rascal.

Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They think that the destiny of man lies in their hands. Sometimes they say like that.

Prabhupāda: That is yes. A rascal can become intelligent man. That's good. But without becoming intelligent, remaining rascal, they are living. Otherwise there is no hindrance. I may be rascal, but in future, I may be intelligent by education, by... That is not checked. But the difficulty is that he remains a rascal and claims to be intelligent. That is the difficulty. That is the difficulty. We don't say that "Because you are rascal, you shall continue to remain a rascal." No. You become intelligent. Take advantage of intelligent person. But you remain a rascal and claim to be intelligent, and that is... They are doing. Little learning is dangerous. We say that don't remain rascal.

Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose, that "You are rascal, but don't remain a rascal. Come to the light." Tamaso mā jyotir gama. That is our business. But this rascal, he'll remain in rascaldom, and he will claim that "I am not." That is the difficulty. Take enlightenment. Bhāgavata is there. Bhagavad-gītā is there. And become intelligent. But don't claim to be intelligent while you are on the rascal platform. That is not good. That is suicidal. So very carefully read Bhāgavatam. Don't continue to remain rascal. Then life is successful. This is the Western obstinacy. They want to remain in the rascal platform, and still they claim.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 22 June, 1970:

I am so glad to hear that many new boys are coming to London temple and they are of good calibre intelligence and seriousness. Yes, this is a nice sign. If some intelligent persons join us, then our movement may advance swiftly. This is encouraging. But intelligence or no intelligence, if some way or other somebody comes and sticks to the principles automatically he becomes intelligent.