Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Bible (Other lectures)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu displayed that mahā-bhāva. That mahā-bhāva is not possible for ordinary man. It is especially prerogative of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and who played the part of Rādhārāṇī, although He's Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So mahā-bhāva, the ecstasies, that is not to be imitated by us, but to be aware of this fact that how mahā-bhāgavata, mahā-bhāva, they treat with Kṛṣṇa. So generally, advancement, especially those who are preachers, they should remain on the second platform. Even a mahā-bhāgavata, when he becomes preacher, he comes down to the second platform. He does not remain on the topmost platform. He plays the part of second platform. And sometimes it is stated in the Bible, I think, that Jesus Christ said, "I had many things to say, but I am not saying." Is it not? So actually, the mahā-bhāgavata, he has many things to say, but because he's preacher he does not say everything to the neophyte devotees. Because they are not competent to accept that. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu...

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.39-47 -- San Francisco, February 1, 1967:

Just like in Christian religion, those who do not follow the Bible, they are called heathens. Similarly, in Muslim, those who do not follow the Koran, they are called kafirs. Similarly, those who do not follow the Vedic principles, they are called nāstika or mlecchas. Nāstika means those who do not believe in the Vedic principles, they are called nāstika, atheist.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.39-47 -- San Francisco, February 1, 1967:

But the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, they could not tolerate. They were, I mean to say, backbiting. What they were saying? "Oh, here is a sannyāsī, and He's dancing." According to Māyāvāda sannyāsa, this dancing and singing is forbidden, forbidden. In Muhammadan religion also, dancing and singing is forbidden. I do not know what is there in the Bible, but I understand in the Bible there is saṅkīrtana allowed. I have asked our Kīrtanānanda to write some article, "Saṅkīrtana and Bible," because he is, he knows Bible very well than other members. So we shall see very nice how in Bible there is saṅkīrtana. The Muhammadan Koran, they do not... In some of their sections, there is saṅkīrtana, not within the mosque, but without. Anyway... So similarly, these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, they also do not like singing and dancing. Of course, now they are stopping, finish. They are also taking now to this process of singing and dancing in India. So formerly they used to, I mean to say, decry. So sannyāsī ha-iyā kare nācana gāyana: "Oh, here is a sannyāsī. He is dancing and singing." Nā kare vedānta-śravaṇa: "He does not give His attention for studying Vedānta," kare saṅkīrtana, "and always engaged in Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." Mūrkha sannyāsī: "That means He has (no) knowledge. He has not studied all this Vedānta philosophy, and He's a nonsense.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.80-95 -- San Francisco, February 10, 1966:

What are the four perfectional stage? In the material world there are supposed to be four perfectional stage of human life. What is that? First perfectional stage is that when one becomes very expert in following the religious principles. That is also another perfectional stage of common man. You have got your principles of religions, say, either Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Jew. You have got your own Bible or Testament or Koran or Vedas. There are rules and regulation, rituals, everything. So one who follows those rules and regulations, they are called religionist. And what is the effect of becoming religionist? The effect is that you can live very peacefully without any material want. Simply by following the rules and regulation of your scripture, it doesn't matter in which religion you belong to, but if you follow the rules and regulation, then your life will be peaceful and there will be no material want. That is not, of course, peaceful. You cannot expect any peace in this material world because the major problem is birth, death, old age and disease. So you cannot check this. But somehow or other, your life will be peaceful and more than those, I mean to say, upstarts who do not follow any rules and regulation. You'll be in better position, far better position than them. So this is one perfection, to become a man of religiosity.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

The Lord, God... God is out of all these imperfections. And what are the scriptures? The scriptures are the words of God. In every scripture, you'll find, "God said." In Bible it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation.' " So therefore why God..., we are bringing God for creation? Because that will be perfect. If God said "Let there be creation," that creation will be perfect. Don't you see how this creation is perfect? We require water, so much, a large quantity. So God has created this earth in such a way that three-fourths of the earth is covered with water. And the water is salty. Why? The water is reserved. Unless it is salty, it will decompose. And how the water is distributed? Oh, there is sun. Sun evaporates the water, and that means salt is made minus and the pure water is evaporated on the sky, and that is distributed all over the world and it is kept on the highest summit of the mountain so that it can come down by gravitation throughout the whole year through the rivers, channel, and you can get water. Now see—nature study—how it is perfectly made. Can you do that? No. It is not possible. When there is scarcity of water, you have to see to the sky. You have no power. Your science cannot acquire when there is scarcity. There is no rain—you cannot create rain. You have to wait. So therefore everything made by the Lord, that is perfect. There is no question of imperfection.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

Therefore whatever He creates, it is also perfect and full. Actually, there is no scarcity in this material world. We have created scarcity by our mismanagement, by our mismanagement. Actually the whole world, the whole earthly planet belongs to the, all the living entities there. They are meant for them. God has created vegetables for the animals, and He has created fruits, flowers, grains, and you take milk from the animals. All live peacefully. But we nonsense, rascals, we have created all these distinctions: "Oh, this is American," "This is Indian," "This is Chinese," "This is Russian," "I am this," "I am that," "Oh, I am Christian," "I am Hindu." Why? All of you, you are God's servant, dependent on God. The leader is God. Just think in that way; the whole thing becomes perfect. Everything is there, perfect. The arrangement, nature's arrangement is such that you eat nicely, whatever your bodily wants are there, there is sufficient supply. You take, eat nicely, and live peacefully, and utilize the words of God. There are Bible. There are, I mean to say, Koran. There is Vedas. And try to understand God and make your life perfect and go back to Godhead. This is the whole policy.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness means just as an obedient citizen of the state, he's always conscious of the state's supremacy, similarly, a person who is always conscious of the supremacy of God, or Kṛṣṇa, he is called Kṛṣṇa conscious. He's called Kṛṣṇa conscious. And if we say that "Why should we become Kṛṣṇa conscious?" if you do not become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you become criminal. You become sinful. You have to suffer. The laws of nature is so strong that it will not let you go without suffering. As the state laws are so stringent that if you commit some criminal thing... Simply by keeping marijuana and LSD you are still immediately arrested. You see. So what so speak of using them. (laughs) You see. So this is to be known. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that we should not violate. And whatever, everything is there, whatever is spoken... Caitanya Mahāprabhu wants to stress on this point, that nobody can interpret that, in the, either in Bible or Vedānta-sūtra or Koran. That is the principle. You cannot make any change. If you do not understand, then you go to the right person.

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

Similarly, there are other statements. Sa vṛkṣaḥ kalaḥ kṛtibhiḥ paro 'nyat yasmād prapañca-parivartateyaṁ dharmavahaṁ pāpamaruddham. Then another statement, vedāham etat puruṣaṁ mahāntam āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastād, that vedāham: "I understand that Supreme Person." Vedāham. Vedāham means "I understand." Puruṣa. He's again puruṣa. In the Bhagavad-gītā also you'll find, when Arjuna is recognizing Kṛṣṇa, he said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣam (BG 10.12). Again puruṣam. So God is never woman. The foolish person who says that God is, can be worshiped as woman, as mother... No. That is not according to Vedic literature. God is always father. Therefore Bible is all right-conception of father, not mother. Not that "I worship Kali, goddess mother, and become God." These are all nonsense. He's always father, puruṣa. Everywhere we find puruṣa. Never we find that God is a female. No. God cannot be female. Female is energy. Just like Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā is Kṛṣṇa, but the energy of Kṛṣṇa, pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and still, Kṛṣṇa is male and Rādhā is female.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

Oh, yes, certainly. Certainly. Yes. The same thing, just like I have given example several times that pocket dictionary and the big dictionary, both of them are dictionaries. It is not that because it is small pocket dictionary, therefore it is not dictionary. It is also dictionary. So when he's advanced and finished pocket dictionary, he may consult the big dictionary. That is the difference. Bible is not different from Bhagavad-gītā, but when one is perfectly conversant with Bible, he'll understand more nicely Bhagavad-gītā. It is not contradictory. It is helpful. All right. Distribute prasādam.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

Viṣṇu śaktir parā proktā. All energies of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, they are transcendental, parā, or aprakṛta, not prakṛta. Just try to understand what is transcendental śakti. Just like transcendental and mundane, or material. Material world is created by the transcendental desire of Viṣṇu. Just like in the Bible it is said, "Let there be creation," and there was creation. And Kṛṣṇa also says that this material... Ekāṁśena sthito jagat.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.254 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1968:

Just like mother gives evidence who is your father, similarly, the Vedic literatures is compared to a mother, and the Vedic literature says that Kṛṣṇa is the father. In your Christian literature, Bible, Jesus Christ is accepted as the son of God. He presented himself as son of God. And here Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the father." So there is no contradiction. The son of God also says about God, and the father also says about the God, Himself. The son of God says that "You surrender unto God," and God says, "You surrender unto Me." Then where there is contradiction? There is no contradiction.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

They have forgotten the protection of Kṛṣṇa, God. They think that "By this adjustment, we shall be able to protect." Nonsense. It is not possible. Can you protect yourself from death? No. Then what is your protection? So this is the formula: bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt. Dvitīya means that a, a secondary existence beyond God which is, in Bible, it is said, Satan and God. So this satanic mentality has made them under the control of material nature. Satanic mentality. What is that satanic mentality? That "I want to be God." Always thinking falsely, "I am God," or "Independent," "I can do anything, everything," "Whatever I survey, I am the lord of whatever I survey." These foolish things are going on.

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

As have got pilgrimage, everyone has got pilgrimage. Muslims have got, Christians they have got, Hindus they have got. That means they go to pilgrimage with God consciousness. So in Koran there is God consciousness, in Bible there is God consciousness, in Vedas God consciousness. Now you have to utilize it, develop it. The aim and objective is already there. But in the Vedic literature they are very explicitly presented. That is the difference. The Christians, they agree, "God is great." We also agree, "God is great." But how God is great, that is explained in the Vedic literature. That is the difference between... There is no difference of opinion if one is actually religious. God created this world, God is the supreme father, God is great. This is accepted by everyone, either Hindu or Muslim or Christian. There is no doubt about it. But in the Vedic literature you'll understand how God is great, how He is acting as father. That's all. Even God's name is there, God's address is there. Do you agree to this point? Yes, that is the difference. Any other scriptures, if you ask what is the name of God, what is His address, what He is doing, they cannot give you.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.337-353 -- New York, December 25, 1966:

Similarly, this Vedic culture is so nice, they don't give one class of literature for all. No. There are so many different literatures because there are so many varieties of people. How can you convince you, convince all classes of people by one literature? No. That is not possible. Now the people are here in your country, they are losing interest in religion because the Bible was given to a certain class of people long, long years before. So people are far advanced in scientific knowledge. So that does not appeal. So they're all... We should always remember that there are always different classes of men, and for different classes... The aim is all the same that, see, "Two plus two equal to four." Nothing. But different classes of men there are. So different class of arithmetic, higher mathematics, middle mathematics, lower mathematics. The mathematical, mathematical principle is the same, "Two plus two...," "One to three to nine." There is no other figure.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.367-84 -- New York, December 31, 1966:

So before His coming, some of His devotees, they come first, just to become His father, become His mother, become His family members, like that. Because He does not do anything which is against the process of this world. A man is born out of his father and mother, so He has to take His birth from a father and mother. So these fathers and mothers were, are first sent. I think in the Bible they call messiahs, or what you have? Similarly, nobody can become the father and mother of God. But, when He manifests Himself in this material world, He shows that "He's My father." Just like Kṛṣṇa accepted father, Vasudeva, Vasudeva as His father and Devakī as His mother. Or His foster-father, Nanda Mahārāja, and His foster-mother, Yaśodā. So they are all devotees. Kṛṣṇa's friend, Kṛṣṇa's father, Kṛṣṇa's everyone, when He displays Himself, they are all devotees. He's the Supreme. Nobody can be father of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.19-31 -- San Francisco, January 20, 1967:

There is no profit. Similarly, if you give up God, or Kṛṣṇa, who is the essence of everything, and you make your advancement in scientific knowledge, in physics and chemistry and so many departments of knowledge, so according to Bhāgavata this is simply waste of time. Simply waste of time. But what we'll gain? Kevala-bodha-labdhaye. Suppose you understand in your human form of life the whole constitution of the universe... That is stated in Bible also, that "If somebody understands everything, but not God, then what does he gain?" Similarly, there is another verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that one may be very much expert to count even the atoms of the universe. You smash the universe and grind it into powder, and you just count all the atoms. That is possible . But still, it is not possible to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore who understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he understands everything. Tasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. If somebody understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, he understands everything because He is everything.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:

So I shall not take much of your time, you are tired. But some of the important things I may inform you, that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a religious type; it is a great culture. It is a great culture for spiritual emancipation. Try to understand that we are in this world—not only we are; everything is combination of matter and spirit. Just like your body, this body is matter; but within this body, you, the spirit soul, is encaged or embodied. So anywhere you see, the tree... There are so many species of life, every species, every individual living entity is combination of spirit and matter. When the spirit is out of this body, then the body is matter only. Just like in your Bible also it is said, "Dust thou art, dust thou be-est." That dust is this body but not this spirit soul. So in this material world we are part and parcel of God, Jagannātha, and we are under the auspicious protection of Subhadrā, and we have got, I mean to say, implicitly the spiritual strength. In the Vedic literature you will find, nāyam ātmā bala-hīnena labhyo. Bala, bala means this Balarāma, the spiritual strength. The spiritual realization can be achieved by the grace of Lord Balarāma.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

Another man, who is better arguer, he places his argument in a different way. So if you simply go on arguing, it is not possible. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ. It will never help you. Argument. Śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. If you think that "I shall read scriptures and I shall understand God," no, that is also not possible. Śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Scriptures are also different. Because scriptures are made according to time, circumstances, people. Just like Bible. Bible Lord Jesus Christ preached in the desert, Jerusalem. Or where it is? People who were not so advanced. Therefore his first instruction is "Thou shall not kill." That means they were very much engaged in killing affairs; otherwise, why is this instruction? And actually, it so happened that they killed Jesus Christ. So that society was not very enlightened society. So a scripture for a society which is not very enlightened and a scripture for a society which is very enlightened must be different. Just like a dictionary. For the schoolboy, a pocket dictionary.

Varaha-dvadasi, Lord Varaha's Appearance Day Lecture Dasavatara-stotra Purport -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1970:

So He was very white in complexion, and He was wearing blue garments, and with His plow He was, sometimes He was angry with Yamunā River, and He tried to dry up the Yamunā River. That description is given here. And Yamunā, out of His fear, she agreed to the proposal of Balarāma. And the next incarnation is Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha, He decried the Vedic principles. Therefore He is calculated as atheist. Anyone who does not agree with the Vedic principles, he is considered as atheist. Just like one who does not believe in the Bible, they are called heathens, similarly, those who do not accept the Vedic principles, they are called atheists. So Lord Buddha although incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, He said that "I do not believe in Vedas." What was the reason? The reason was to save the poor animals. At that time people were sacrificing the poor animals under the plea of Vedic sacrifice. So demonic persons, they want to do something under the protection of authority.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968:

They should be given that. You should avoid chanting, every one of you, ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to decry the scriptures, Vedas. To accept authority of Vedas. Not to accept or decrying scriptures. Vedas means the book of transcendental knowledge. Not only Bhagavad-gītā, even Bible or Koran, they are also, although Bhagavad-gītā... Higher or secondary or primary, that is different. But whenever there is information of God, that is scripture, recognized. So we are concerned with the Vedas. So anyway, other scripture which is giving information of God scientifically or accepted by persons, that is also Vedas. One should not blaspheme the Vedas. This is first offense, to blaspheme. And satāṁ nindā, those who are preaching the message of God, they should not be blasphemed. And then never interpret in the scriptures or in the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968:

This is a special gift of Lord Caitanya that... In this age there are so many anomalies, defects in the life of human being that gradually they are giving up the idea of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. Not only gradually they are giving up, they have already given up. So Vedānta-sūtra therefore says, athāto brahma jijñāsā. It is not that a different type of religious system we have introduced. It is a great necessity of the present day. Because we say that either you follow scripture, Bible, or you follow Koran or you follow Vedas, the aim is God. But at the present moment, due to the influence of this Kali-yuga... Kali-yuga means the age of quarrel and disagreement. So in this age people are embarrassed in so many ways. First disqualification is that they do not live for long time. The average duration of life in India is thirty-five years, and I do not know exactly what is the average age here, but in India the people are overcrowded. They have no such intelligence, or they did not care to go outside India, colonize. Everyone went there to exploit, but they never thought of exploiting other places. That is their cultural... They do not try to encroach upon others' property.

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

But it says the conchshell is pure. It can be placed before the Deity, it can be used in the Deity room in His service. Now there may be argument, "Oh, this is a bone of an animal. How is that? Contradiction." No. So one should accept the injunction of the Vedas like that. Whenever it says this is impure, it is impure; when it says it is pure, it is pure. Now if there is any doubt, that should be understood by questioning submissively and with service from the spiritual master. The spiritual master is there. Then? But we should always accept the injunction of the scripture as truth. Just like there is a proverb, "Bible truth," "Biblical truth." Nobody can deny Bible. This should be the attitude. Bible is also part of Vedas. Therefore Vedic injunction should be accepted as it is, without any interpretation. Just like Bhagavad-gītā is Veda. Why Veda? The Supreme Personality of Godhead personally speaking; therefore it is Veda. There is no mistake. One should accept—no interpretation—as it is. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Yes.

Initiation Sri Ranga, Romaharsana, Sridhara Dasas -- Los Angeles, July 3, 1970:

Whatever You have done, that is all right. But You do something, that we blessed this man for long life to speak. Now he is dead. So our version is also nullified. But we want that our version may not be nullified and Your action may not be nullified. You do something like that." (laughter) So then Balarāma said, "All right. You bring his son. I shall empower him and he shall be a great speaker on this Vedic literature." And because his son means he himself... Ātmaiva jayate putra. Son is born, there is no... The father and son there is no distinction. Just like in Bible sometimes it is said the son of God and God is one. That's a fact, because son is expansion of the body of the father. So Romaharṣaṇa's son was Sūta Gosvāmī. This Sūta Gosvāmī's name you have heard. He is speaking Bhāgavatam. So Sūta Gosvāmī was blessed by Balarāma that "You, on behalf of your father..." So their version and Balarāma's action was mitigated in this way. All right. Come one. So you be careful. Huh? Don't be like Romaharṣaṇa. You take the advantage, but don't make, commit mistake like Romaharṣaṇa. (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

General Lectures

Lecture on Maha-mantra -- New York, September 8, 1966:

We cannot realize the Supreme Truth simply by argument or logical presentation or philosophical speculation. No. Tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā (CC Madhya 17.186). Śrutayo means scriptures. Now say, for example, Bhagavad-gītā and your Bible and the Muhammadans, they'll present Koran. So of course, this Bhagavad-gītā is little different from Vedic scripture. That we have already explained. It is an independent something, universal. So Vedic scripture, Koran, Bible, or Zoroastrian... There are so many religions, Buddhist religion, so many. So there may be some difference of opinion. Śrutayor vibhinnā. Vibhinnā means different. Now, you cannot realize the Absolute Truth simply by your mundane arguments and by your logical strength, neither you can catch up the right thing by reading different scriptures. Śrutayor vibhinnā. Nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. And if you follow great philosophers, great thinkers, then also you will find one thinker is different from another thinker, one philosopher is differing from another philosopher. So whom to follow? This philosopher says that God is a person; another philosopher says God is imperson; another philosopher says that God is everywhere and there is no separate existence of God.

Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968:

This Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God. Just like in your Christian Bible or any other scriptures, Muhammadan or Christian or Jews or Buddhists... So ahaṁ brahmāsmi means that "I am spirit soul," this realization. As soon as this realization is there, then the other things immediately follow. What is that? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Immediately one becomes cheerful. So long we have got this bodily concept of life, we cannot be cheerful. Full of anxiety. And as soon as we understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," the next moment you will be cheerful. There will be no anxiety. I am full of anxiety because on account of this bodily concept of life. Just like one man has got very costly motorcar, and he is running the car on the street. He is very careful so that there may not be any accident in the car, the car may not break. So much anxiety. But a man who is walking on the street, he has no such anxiety. Why the man in the car is so anxious? Because he has identified himself with the car.

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, June 29, 1968:

Devotees are not under the karma. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured by his father in so many ways, but he was not affected. He was not affected. Superficially... Just like in the Christian Bible also, that Lord Jesus Christ was tortured, but he was not affected. This is the difference between ordinary man and the devotees or transcendentalists. Apparently it is seen that a devotee is being tortured, but he is not tortured. There is one example, nice example. Just like the cat. The cat carries the kitties in the mouth, and it carries a mouse also in the mouth. So apparently it is seen that a cat is carrying its kitties in the mouth means it is in pain. But it is not in pain. That is a fact. Rather, she feels very comfortable. You see? But when the cat, the same cat, catches one mouse, his life is gone. But you see that she is carrying in the mouth both of them. Similarly, whenever you'll find that a great devotee is placed into torturing condition, he does not feel. But the demon thinks that "I am torturing him."

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

Love is not definition; love is the action. Yes, love. I love God. Love is my activity. But there must be some definition of God. That also you know. You now forget. Now, in one word, they say "God is great." So how do you test one's greatness? Next point. If you say that "This man is very great," now there must be an understanding how you estimate that he is great. These are different stages of understanding. So how do you understand that God is great? What is your calculation, that from, on this point, God is great? Just like in your Bible it is said, "God said 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? Is it not statement? So here is greatness. He simply said, "Let there be creation," and there was creation. Can you do that? Suppose you are very nice carpenter. Can you say, "Let there be a chair," and at once there is a chair? Is it possible? Suppose you are manufacturer of this watch.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

Therefore whatever Lord Jesus Christ says or whatever Kṛṣṇa says or what Rāma says, that is in terms of the place, in terms of the circumstances, atmosphere, persons, hearer. There is different. One thing which I try to convince a child is not possible to teach the same thing to his father. Or a child cannot understand what is sex life, but a young man can understand. The same child, when he'll be grown up, he'll know. So you do not think that everyone can understand everything. So Bible is spoken under certain circumstances; Bhagavad-gītā is spoken under certain circumstances. It is the difference of the circumstances. Otherwise, the principle is the same. In the Bible also it is said, "Love God," and Bhagavad-gītā also says, "Love God." There is no difference.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

When you read Bible, you follow spiritual master. How can you say without? As soon as you read Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ, that means you are following spiritual master. So where is the opportunity of being without spiritual master?

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Spiritual master is not the question of... Spiritual master is eternal. Spiritual master is eternal. So your question is without spiritual master. Without spiritual master you cannot be, at any stage of your life. You may accept this spiritual master or that spiritual master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept. As you say that "by reading Bible," when you read Bible that means you are following the spiritual master represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. So any case, you have to follow a spiritual master. There cannot be the question without spiritual master. Is that clear?

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Similarly, you have to understand Bible with the help of the priest in the church.

Madhudviṣa: Yes. But is he receiving a good interpretation from his disciplic succession or his bishop? Because there seems to be some kind of a discrepancy in the interpretation of the Bible. There's many different sects of Christianity that interpret the Bible in different ways.

Prabhupāda: Of course, there cannot be any interpretation in the Bible. Then there is no authority of Bible. If you interpret something... Just like "Call a spade a spade." So if you call something else, that is a different thing. He's not spiritual master. Just like this is watch. Everybody has called it watch, and if I call it spectacle, then what is the value of my being spiritual master? I'm misleading. (laughter) It is watch, that I must say. So when there is misinterpretation, he's not a bona fide spiritual master.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

When a thing is not understood. If I say, "It is watch," and everyone understands that "This is watch, yes," then where is the opportunity of interpreting that this is spectacle? If anyone can understand the clear passage... Just like in the Bible, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Where is the question of interpretation? Yes, God created. You cannot create. Where is the opportunity of interpretation? So unnecessary interpretation is not required and that is not bona fide, and those who are interpreting unnecessarily, they should be rejected immediately. Immediately, without any consideration. God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation. Simple thing. Where is the question of interpretation? What can be the interpretation here? Suggest that this can be interpretation. Am I right? In the beginning of the Bible it is said like that? "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation. So what is your interpretation? Tell me what is your interpretation. Is there any possibility of interpretation? Can any one of you suggest? Then where is the opportunity of interpretation? One can explain.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Just find out the condition of the society. So we have to take account of the time, circumstances, society, and then preaching. So to society like that it is not possible to understand the high philosophical things as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. But the primary fact, the authority is God, that is accepted both in Bible and Bhagavad-gītā. Bible begins, "God is the supreme authority," and Bhagavad-gītā concludes, "You surrender." Where is the difference? Simply the description is according to the time, society, and place and people. That's all. They are not Arjuna. You see? So the things to be understood by Arjuna is not possible by the persons who had crucified Lord Jesus Christ. You have to study in that light. The same thing. A dictionary, a pocket dictionary, child's dictionary, and the dictionary, international dictionary, both of them dictionary, but the value is different. That dictionary is meant for a class of children, and that dictionary is meant for high scholars.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

So we have to take the examples of great personalities, we have to study authorized books and Vedas, and we have to follow their example; then Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God realization or God consciousness is not difficult. It is very easy. There is no, I mean to say, any stumbling block on the path of your understanding what is God. Everything is there. The Bhagavad-gītā is there, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata is there. Even you accept, your Bible is there, the Koran is there, everywhere. Without God, there cannot be any book or scripture. Nowadays, of course, they are manufacturing so many things. But in any human society the conception of God is there—according to time, according to the people, but the idea is there. Now you have to understand, jijñāsā. Therefore Vedānta-sūtra says that you try to understand God by inquiry, inquiry. This inquiry is very important. In our process, ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma pṛcchāt. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master and he has to inquire from him, sad-dharma pṛcchāt. Similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also says that jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

Now in our childhood... Not childhood. We were at that time college student, Scottish Churches College in Calcutta. So that is Christian college, Scottish Churches. So we had to read Bible also. There was a Bible class from 1:00 to 1:30. So I remember our professor, he was a great philosopher also, Dr. W.S. Urquhart. He was very nice man, very friendly. So he was explaining from Bible. I do not know... The Christians, they do not believe in karma. Is it a fact? They do not believe in karma?

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

So he was receiving direct order, He was speaking directly. But if somebody says that "How I can know that I am satisfying the Supreme Lord, because the Lord is not directly present before me?" this argument is not a very strong argument. The Lord is present by His words. Just like in your Bible, there are ten commandments. So if you follow... Just like the state is present by the lawbooks. If you follow the law, then you are satisfying the state. Just like "Keep to the right." If you are following the rules, you are keeping your car on the right side, you are stopping when there is red light, that means if you are satisfying the regulation, then you are satisfying the state. Similarly, if you satisfy the regulative principles, then you are satisfying the Lord. It is very nice. It is very simple thing. But you must try to satisfy. Whether by your work, by your activity, you have satisfied, then your life is perfect. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, svanuṣṭhitasya. It doesn't matter whatever you are doing, but you have to see whether by your action the Supreme Personality of Godhead is satisfied.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

So you can judge from this how God can be imperson? He's person. And Vedic literature informs that He's a person like you and me. And your Bible also says that man is made after God. Not that God is made after man. Your feature, your two hands, two legs, one head, nice eyes, nice face, everything, this is imitation of God's feature. Therefore man is made after God. Not that because we have got two hands, two legs, or one head, therefore artists have imagined a God like us. No. Actually, this version of Bible is truth. Any scripture, there is truth. So the Vedic literatures also say that He is the supreme living entity above all other living entities, every individual living entity.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

If you find that following some religious principles you are developing your love of God, then it is perfect. It doesn't matter whether it is Bible or Koran or Bhagavad-gītā. It doesn't matter. We have to see what is the fruit. If the fruit is that people are developing love of Godhead, then it is perfect. Don't try to understand whether this is good, this is good, this is bad, this is... No. Try to understand by the result. Just like the same way: if you see the fruit, then it is first class. So it doesn't matter whether it is Bible or Gītā. If you can develop love of Godhead by reading Bible, it is first class, and if you can develop love of Godhead by Bhagavad-gītā, it is first class. And if you do not, then either it is Bible or the Koran or Bhagavad-gītā, it has no effect for you. So it is up to you. Not by comparison, but by your own activities. If you actually follow the instruction given by Lord Jesus Christ, you will also develop love of Godhead. There is no doubt. Similarly, if you follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, you will also develop. So it is up to you. You try to follow. If you do not follow, simply try to make a comparative study "This is good" or "This is bad," "This is bad" or "This is good," that is called śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8)—simply laboring. Why comparative study? Just see how much you are developing love of Godhead, that's all. Phalena paricīyate. "Whether it is apple is there, that's all right; never mind what is this tree. I'm concerned with the apple." Yes.

Lecture to College Students -- Seattle, October 20, 1968, Introduction by Tamala Krsna:

Our consciousness can be brought to the point where I can develop love for God. This is what our spiritual master teaches, that God is great and He is mighty. He is teaching this, and there is no difference in any scripture. They all teach this. We are in complete agreement with Lord Jesus and the Bible. The Bible too states that the Lord is great, God is great, He is mighty. The differences in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in the Bhagavad-gītā and the Vedic scriptures which we study in our courses at our temple, is that the Bhagavad-gītā is like this: If there is a young boy who is in the sixth grade and he wants to find out about birds, he'll open a dictionary, a pocket dictionary, and he'll read about birds, and the definition will state that it's an entity which flies through the air. There might be a picture there of a bird. Whereas a person who's studying for a graduate course and doing a thesis perhaps on the different kinds of birds, he needs something more for finding out about birds than just that they fly through the air. He opens an international dictionary. He opens an encyclopedia. He finds out all the varieties of birds, where they fly to, where they nest. He gets all the details about birds. Similarly, for those who are interested in finding out all the details about how God is great, how He is mighty, that is "What does He look like?" "What does He do?" "Who is He?"—you go through the Vedic scriptures. This is not to say that the Bible is nonsense. The Bible is the Absolute Truth.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:

The purport is that those who are vegetarian, they are thinking that "We are better than the nonvegetarian." But it is not the fact. Either you eat vegetables or nonvegetable, you are liable to be punished because you are accepting something without offering to the supplier. That is the law. We must acknowledge at least that "This foodstuff is supplied by the Supreme Lord, and we are obliged to Him." In Christian Bible also, they pray, "O God, give us our daily bread." So one should accept that it is supplied by God. So if one does not even accept this obligation, then he is sinful, certainly. So, yajñarthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra. Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. One who offers sacrifice and then he takes foodstuff, then he becomes freed from the sinful activities. In the eating there is sinful activity also. But bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt: (BG 3.13) anyone who is simply cooking for himself, he is simply eating sins. These are the statements of Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore it is our duty to offer foodstuff to the Lord and then take it: "My Lord, You have supplied so nice foodstuff for my maintaining my life, so You first of all taste it, and then I shall eat it." It is very nice. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is not going to take your foodstuff. But simply if you think like that, then you become freed from the implication of sinful activities.

Press Release -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1968:

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement maintains the (sic:) speciality of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. From the Vedic Upaniṣads we can understand that both the Supreme Person, or God, and the individual person are eternal and living entities. The difference is that the supreme living entity, or Supreme Person, maintains all the innumerable living entities. In the Christian way of understanding, the same principle is admitted because in the Bible it is taught that the individual entities should pray to the supreme father for supplying means of maintenance and giving pardon for their sinful activities.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:

The definition of God is given there, and the qualification of God is given there, that He instructed Brahma. Brahmā is calculated to be the prime personality within this universe, but he was also instructed by God. Tene brahma, ādi-kavi. Ādi-kavi. Ādi-kavi means the first man, the first man of knowledge. So you may question that "In the creation, first, there was only one living creature, Brahma. Then where he went to take lessons? Who instructed him? There was no other living creature." That is also another qualification of God. God created. That also you know. You have read in your Bible. God created, but He is not one of the created beings. He created. Therefore, before creation, He was there. It is to be concluded. Before creation of this cosmic manifestation, He was existing. That information you'll have from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), in Vedānta-sūtra, "the original source of all emanation."

Lecture -- Boston, April 25, 1969:

So tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā. If somebody says, "Well, argument and logic is not the way to approach the Absolute Truth. Then let us take scriptures, the authority of the scriptures," that is also very nice. In every human society there is some sort of scripture. Just like in your country there is Bible or any other scripture. We have got Vedas. The Muhammadans, they have got Koran. They can help also, because that is also authority. But you will find that one scripture is differing from the average there is no difference. Just like Bible preaches, Lord Jesus Christ preaches love of God, we are also preaching the same thing, love of God. But our process is little different. That's all. That process may be different according to time, circumstances, people. That is natural. Therefore, for a neophyte, simply by consulting scriptures, he will not be able to reach to the absolute goal. Because he will find, "Oh..." Sometimes they become skeptic. Just like in the modern age, the youngsters, you all boys and girls, they are becoming skeptic.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

So this is lamentable in this sense, that people are reducing in their sense of spiritual realization. That is a very regrettable fact. And the Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam: "A man is supposed to be defeated in all his activities if he does not inquire what he is." This statement is also in Bible, you know, that "If one loses his own self and he gains all material prosperity, what does he gain?" Actually, this is the fact. Therefore Lord Caitanya, five hundred years ago, He appeared in Bengal and He introduced this movement, saṅkīrtana movement—not whimsically, but according to the tenets of Vedic literature, where it is stated that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). In the Golden Age it was possible to realize God by meditation, when people were all cent percent pure.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Well, that energy is so perfect. Just like you are feeling some itching. You want to itch it. Immediately hand goes. It does not require that you have to train the hand to itch it. So you have got such energy. So just imagine—He's complete. He's full—how much His energy is perfect. He doesn't require. Immediately He desires... Just like in Bible it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,'—immediately there was creation." So His energy is so perfect that He wanted to see this material cosmic manifestation—immediately there was. But because we haven't got such energy we think this is all illusion or fictitious or something like that. Because if you want something immediately, you have no such energy that, immediately, the same thing is done. That is not possible. That is possible also when you are also in spiritual life. But now you are conditioned by the matter; therefore that is not being perfected. But when you are also in pure spiritual life, you can do like that, like God. Immediately, whatever you want, you can do. Immediately, wherever you want to go, you can go. That is the... That perfection is there.

Lecture Excerpt -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

f He is not living, how this world is working? We have no eyes to see. Bhagavad-gītā says, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Under My superintendence." Background is God. Under His direction. In the Bible also it is said, "God created this." Yes. That's a fact. Not that there was, there might have been a chunk and it was spread like this and there was sun, there was... No. Actually sa aikṣata. In the Vedas also it is said, sa aikṣata, sa (indistinct). So these are Vedic injunction. But this is fact, God created. So we have to open our eyes to see. That is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). That is the process of cleansing your heart. If you cleanse your heart, then you will understand what Bible says, what Veda says. It requires to be purified. Just like a man suffering from jaundice, if you give him a piece of candy sugar, "Just taste it," he will say, "Oh, it is very bitter." But candy sugar is bitter? No. It is very sweet. And the medicine for jaundice disease is that sugar, that candy sugar. Modern science also prescribes, and it is prescribed in the Ayur Vedic medicine also. If he takes much quantity of this candy sugar water, then he becomes relieved from jaundice. And when he is relieved, then he says, "Oh, it is very sweet." The same thing. Same thing. So the modern disease of godless civilization, jaundice, can be cured by this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture at Boys' School -- Sydney, May 12, 1971:

That is called God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone says, "God is great. God is omnipotent. God is all-powerful," but we do not know how God is great, how God is all-powerful, how God is omnipotent. That we should know. And that is the prerogative, a special power for the human being. The animals, they cannot know what is God, how God is great, how God is all-powerful. But a human being, if he tries, if he consults books of knowledge just like Bible or Bhagavad-gītā or similar other scriptures, he can know what is God, how great He is, how omnipotent He is, and what is our relationship with God. We should know also our relationship with God. And that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Our relationship with God is that we are all part and parcel of God. Just like your father has got many children—you are part of the father's body—similarly, God, the supreme father, He has also many children, and you are one of them; therefore you are part and parcel of God.

Lecture at Boys' School -- Sydney, May 12, 1971:

We should know this fact. And religion means to abide by the laws of God. In the Sanskrit language it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma, or religion, means the codes of God. Code. Just like laws cannot be manufactured by some individual man, laws are enacted by the government, similarly, religious principles, they are made by God. Godless man does not care for religion, but those who are sober, devotee, godly, they abide by the laws of God, and they are happy. Just like in your Bible there are commandments. So one has to abide by the commandment; then he will be happy. And if one disobeys the commandments of God, he will be unhappy.

Lecture at Boys' School -- Sydney, May 12, 1971:

Especially in America, they have got so many nice arrangements of big, big universities. Unfortunately, nowadays they are producing hippies. So this is not very encouraging. In every schools and colleges the God consciousness should be taught. Never mind whether through Bible or Koran or through Bhagavad-gītā. Everywhere there is knowledge of God consciousness. That teaching should be introduced in every schools and colleges so that children, from the very beginning, may understand what is God, how great he is, how we are related with God, and how we have to live. So our, this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is teaching that thing. Don't think that it is a sectarian religion. We are making people God conscious.

Lecture -- Delhi, December 13, 1971:

Yes, immediately. It is just like it is said that you forward one step, when you see that the forward step is right place, then you take the other step. Like this. When you find this is solid, then you take it away, then you put again. It is like that. So at the time of death, as soon as it is settled up that this soul should migrate to such and such body, by superior. It is not in my hands. Daiva-netreṇa. Daiva-netreṇa means superior examination. That is called day of judgement in the Bible. Whether this soul is going to hell or heaven, that is the day of judgement. But they have insufficient knowledge, therefore they think that all the souls after death they lie down for perpetually. It is not that. Actually the judgement is there immediately and he gets another birth, either hell or heaven. Not that he has to wait for the day of judgement. Immediately the day of judgement is... It is does not linger, it is not ordinary court that you have to wait for your judgement for three years or... No, immediately. Immediately it is settled up and the soul is transferred to the father and the... That is material process, how the body will grow. That is also arranged by prakṛti, by nature, under the direction of the Supreme.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

No. Just like in the Bible it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? It is fact. It is fact. Now you find out who created this universe. If you deny this fact, "No. God does not create," then you explain how it was created. So there is no difference between Bible and Vedic literature. We accept also, "God created." But in the Vedic literature you will find how God created. That you'll find. So if you are actually serious to understand how God created, why don't you come to Vedic literature? That is the duty of every student. If you are after the knowledge, why should you stick to one particular place or...? If the knowledge is available in other places, you must have it. That is inquisitiveness, seriousness. But if you say, "No. We are Christian. We have studied Bible. That is all. We do not touch," I don't think that is very nice conclusion. You remain Christian, but what is the harm to study other literatures where more informations are there? That is quite reasonable. We are not asking you to become Hindus. We simply want to, everyone, that you become God conscious. That is our mission. Our mission is not that to convert. What is the use of converting? If my habits are the same... Suppose I am Hindu. I become Christian, but my habits are not changed. Then what is the use of becoming from Hindu or Christian or to Christian or Hindu?

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

God says... For the time being you are not in direct touch with God, but you can follow the Biblical instruction. God's agent, Lord Jesus Christ, says—you follow that. The ten commandments are there. Lord Jesus Christ said, "Thou shall not kill." So you should not kill. Why should you kill? You follow this instruction, God's representative. Then you gradually develop your God consciousness.

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

The liquor shop is there. Those who are drunkards, they can go. That's a facility. That's all. Otherwise, that is not encouragement. Similarly, the... When God created this material world... I think in your Bible also it is said that the Adam and Eve, the forbidden apple... That means He made some rules and regulations, "Do this; do not this." And if you do this, what is not sanctioned, then you suffer. God forbade not to eat the apple—I do not know actually—but by the request of Eve, Adam ate it, and he became conditioned. Similarly—it may be story—but the fact is that God created this world. That's a fact. And He created the rules and regulation also.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

These are the Vedic information. God means na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. He has nothing to do; He has simply to desire. I think in your Christian Bible also it is said, "God said 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." He has to simply desire. Other things will be done by His energies. Just like big man, a king or president, his simply sanction order—"This must be done"—the things will be done by the subordinates, by... He has go so many energies, secretaries. So why not for God, the Supreme Being, God? So therefore the Vedic instruction is, God has nothing to do, practically. Simply His desire is sufficient. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tasya samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. There is nobody equal to Him or above Him. Everyone must be below, subordinate.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Just like this is also Upaniṣad, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). So He's a person. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). There are so many. Apāṇi-pādo javano grahītā. Sa aikṣata, sa asṛjata. So when they say... In Christian Bible also, they believe God created. So if He's a creator, He must be a person. But His body is different from our body. That I have explained. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

(break) ...kindly taking part in this saṅkīrtana movement. (translated into French throughout by Jyotirmayī dāsī) This saṅkīrtana movement means vibration of the transcendental sound. In the beginning of creation, sound is the origin of all creation. That is admitted in the Bible also. (aside:) Where is that paper? Yes. Read it. We are reading a passage from your Bible.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

Where it is? So the same thing explained in the Vedic literature. Here it is said that "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God." So God being Absolute Truth, there is no difference between God, His form, His qualities, His words and everything relating to God. That is also God. Just like in the material world the name and the subject, or the substance, they are different. Just like when you are thirsty, you simply utter the word "water, water," it will not quench your thirst. But in the spiritual world, the name "God," or "Kṛṣṇa," and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, They are the same. Just parallel to this Bible passage I'll quote one Sanskrit verse from the Vedas.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

So according to Vedic conception, any living entity, in any form of life, they are all part and parcel of God. (someone yells out, "No!" and yells some things in French) Your Bible says that in the beginning there was word only, and the word is God. So before the creation, the God was there. Then all the created creatures, wherefrom they came? They came from God. It is clearly stated in this verse, "All things were made by Him." So original creator of everything was God. Everything means including all, not only a certain person or certain thing. Everything means everything, all. So all things were made by God means..., "made by Him" means that all these creatures... There are different creatures, 8,400,000. They were created by God. One who creates, he is the father. Just like in the material sense also, a father creates his children. So how can you say "No"? Because here in the Bible it is said that "All things were made by Him, created by Him." Therefore He is the father of everything. "And without Him was not anything made that was made." So you cannot deny the authoritative statement of Vedas or Bible by your whimsical way. When you go to your church, you ask, "Father, give us our daily bread." That means He is father of everyone. This is perfect knowledge, that God is father of everything that is made. Here it is clearly stated, "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made." That is also statement of the Vedānta-sūtra, the most perfect philosophy of Vedic language. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, athāto brahma jijñāsā, means "This human life is meant for inquiring about God." So the first understanding of God is that He is the creator of everything.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

The soul is within your body. The soul is the part and parcel of God. If you try to understand what is the soul, then partially you understand what is God. If you study yourself, then you study to some extent what is God, because you are the sample of God. It is also stated in the Bible that human being is made under the image of God. So if you study yourself—that is called meditation—then you can understand what is God. Therefore the yoga system is recommended. Those who are in bodily consciousness of life, for them, this meditation yoga, or to understand oneself, that is very important thing. If you try to understand yourself, very simple method... You take your finger. You ask yourself whether you are finger, the answer will be "No, I am not finger. It is my finger." Everyone will say, even a child will say, "This is my finger, my hand, my leg, my head." Nobody will say that "I leg, I finger, I head." Nobody will say. Therefore the conclusion should be I, the soul, is different from this material body.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

So now let us conclude that there is God and God's word, or God's vibration, means God is person. As soon as we accept the word of God, then we have to conclude that God is a person. Just like you are vibrating some words, I am vibrating some words. This means both of us, we are all persons. So the word of God and God is not different. But God is person and He speaks. If He speaks, then He hears, He smells, He eats—everything. All the activities are there. If He cannot hear, then our prayer to Him, "O God, give us our daily bread," is useless. So from this statement of the scripture, either you take it Bible or Bhagavad-gītā, it is understood that God is a person like you. That is the statement of the Vedas, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13), namely that God means He is the supreme being. In the dictionary also it is stated, "God means the Supreme Being." We are all beings, but God is the Supreme Being.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

But that is your statement. But the Bible statement, Bhagavad-gītā statement is different. Why shall I take you as authority?

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

But in the human form of life there is possibility. It doesn't matter whether it is in India or America or Australia. Any human being, if he tries and if he reads the scriptures—never mind, Bible, Bhagavad-gītā, Bhāgavata—then he will understand God. Therefore this life, human form of life, is only meant for understanding God. If we divert our attention to any other business, that means we are spoiling our energy. Because what are the activities? That... Everyone is active for sleeping, eating, having sexual intercourse and defending. So these things are present even cats and dogs. They also eat, they also sleep, they also have propensity for sex intercourse and they also defend, in their own way. So if human life is also spoiled only on these activities, then you are missing the chance. Human activities should be to understand God or the Absolute Truth. That is the philosophy of Vedānta philosophy. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Vedānta. Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

You surrender unto Me. Then you will be happy." And Kṛṣṇa assures that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "And when you have surrendered, I will excuse you from all reaction of sinful life." Why He has said, "sinful life"? Because in the material world every activity is sinful, because the main principle is how to become master. Therefore to become master everyone is prepared to do anything, never mind whether sinful or pious. Another meaning is that if we do anything against the order of God, that is sinful. Just like in Bible also there are so many commandments that "You shall not do this," because they are sinful. A sinful man cannot approach God. That is the verdict of Vedic literature.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

To put ourself again into the spiritual energy means we have to get free from the designation. What are the designation? "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that"—these are designation. And to become free from designation means "I do not belong to any of these categories. I am eternal servant of God." If you come to that position, then that is the common platform. Let everyone perceive that he is eternal servant of God. Then all the problems will be solved.

So this is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and we are chanting the holy name of God, and we are recommending others also to chant the holy name of God. God must be, must have some name. In the Bible also it is said... What is that? "Hallowed be thy name"?

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

I do not know whether it is said. (break) ...expert in calling Bible, but where it is said, he does not know. He is so expert in Bible (laughter) How do you know? Now, apart from Bible or any scripture, how do you find that the animal has no soul? How do you consider it? What is the symptom of having soul? That is very easy, but you do not know. When the soul is gone from the body, it does not move. And when the soul is there, it moves. This is the understanding of soul. So do you think the animal does not move? The animal has no blood? The animal has no bone? How do you say that animal has no soul? This is foolishness. The soul is there. Even one small ant, there is soul. Otherwise how it is moving? So long the soul is there, the dull material body is moving. And as soon as the soul is gone, you will cry, "My father has gone away." Why your father gone? It is lying there.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

Other religion... Why you are concerned with other religion? Talk of what God says in your Bible.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

That is another thing. Just like in the Bible it is said, "Thou shalt not kill." It is very clear and simple thing, but we make some interpretation, "This, that, this." Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Don't make the meaning perverted. Take it as it is. Then you become perfect. "Thou shalt not kill"—if you take this as it is, then you become perfect. But if you add your own meaning and go on killing and still you become a Christian, that is your business.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: So these rascals, foolish, they are thinking material nature is for our enjoyment. That is the materialistic view. There is a flower. "Nature has produced this flower for me. Everything is for me." Just like in the Bible, Jesus Christ says the animals are given under the protection of man. So they are thinking, "They are given to us for eating. God has given." Suppose I entrust Brahmānanda Swami that you give him protection, but if you think, "He's in my protection. I can eat him..." How intelligent! How magnanimous! They are giving protection by eating. And the Māyāvādī philosophers support them, that when they eat animals, Vivekananda's philosophy, "So what is there? I am Brahman, he is Brahman, so we become united." What is that? And I ask him, "Why don't you go to the tiger Brahman?" Because they are thinking that he is Brahman, the goat is Brahman, so when the man Brahman eats the goat Brahman, they unite. So why don't you unite with the tiger Brahman? This is rascaldom.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: No. Suppose just like Jesus Christ instructed his disciples, "Thou shall not kill." Say two thousand years ago in the Western countries, the men were killers, that's all. But we'll see Bhagavad-gītā, five thousand years ago, Kṛṣṇa is arguing that "If our women become widows then they'll be polluted. There will be varṇa-saṅkara, unwanted children, the society will go to hell." How much elevated society. Five thousand years ago. It is a question of place. It is a question of place. If Darwin says... Here in the Bible it is said that "Thou shall not kill," so that means two thousand years ago they were simply killers. That does not mean five thousand years there were no highly elevated personalities. That is his lack of studying. He is too much localized. He has no broadened knowledge, neither he has studied all the books, contemporary books; therefore he has poor fund of knowledge. He's very poor in his knowledge. Just like, still, there are many Americans... You Americans are completely different from others. You cannot say that all the Americans are drunkards and irresponsible; therefore, they are also. Side by side some moral is still there. You don't drink; you don't take meat; you are all God conscious; side by side there is. So how you can write history that "Such and such, 1971, '72, all Americans were LSD"? How you can conclude like that?

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Darwin says he does not know the beginning.

Hayagrīva: He based his arguments strictly on the Bible, Bryan. This is not Darwin, but the prosecutory.

Prabhupāda: What they... What is the beginning of Bible?

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: And they have developed this philosophy and this Bible, after the demise of Jesus Christ. More or less it is concoction.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: That is the main question. That is the main question, that God has created everything. He has created you, He has created your mind, intelligence, your body, your existential circumstances—everything He has created. So how you can deny God? In the beginning, that Bible says, "In the beginning there was God." Is it not?

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: Meaning is one, but interpreter are different. Just like even in the Bible it is said, "God created the universe." So that is a fact, God created. So unless you interpret in a different way, how you can say that the universe is created by some chunk and this way and that way? So we accept scripture in that sense, without any change; therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We cannot change the words of God. That is our principle. And interpretation with motive, there are so many interpreter, and that has spoiled the God consciousness of the human society.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not many meaning. Meaning is one, but if one is not realized, then he can make many meanings. Otherwise meaning is one. What can be any other meaning? Suppose God created this universe. This is stated in the Bible, or in the Bhagavad-gītā the same thing is expressed in a different way, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "From Me everything emanates." So that's a fact, that everything is coming out from God's energy, so why there should be second meaning and second interpretation unless one is godless? What is the possible second meaning?

Purports to Songs

Purport to Sri-Sri-Gurv-astakam -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1969:

That is the eternal qualification of spiritual master. Trāṇāya means for deliverance, and kāruṇya means compassionate, very merciful. The spiritual master comes to the deliverance of the fallen souls out of his causeless mercy. Nobody has any business for the sufferings of others. The best example is Lord Jesus Christ, that he suffered for others. And it is the principle in the Bible that he accepted all the sins of others. This is the sign of spiritual master, that he voluntarily accepts the sinful activities of others and delivers them. That is the qualification of spiritual master. How it is? Just like ghanāghanatvam. Ghanāghanatvam means dense cloud in the sky. The first example has been said, that this material existence is just like forest blazing fire. Now, to extinguish the forest blazing fire, there is no use of sending fire brigade. The fire brigade cannot approach the forest fire; neither any man can go there to extinguish the fire. One has to depend completely on the mercy of nature.

Page Title:Bible (Other lectures)
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas, Mayapur
Created:31 of Dec, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=75, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:75