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Blind (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"blind" |"blinded" |"blindfolded" |"blinding" |"blindman" |"blindness"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:

So because we are cheater in conditioned stage... Because that is my qualification, from qualification. Conditioned life means we must have four disqualifications. What is that? To commit mistake, to become illusioned, to become cheater, and to possess imperfect senses. This is our qualification. And we want to write books and philosophy. Just see. One does not consider his position. Andha. One man is blind, and he is saying, "All right. Come with me. I shall cross over the street. Come on." And if one believes, "All right," He does not inquire that "Sir, you are also blind. I am also blind. How you can help me crossing over the road?" No. He is also blind. This is going on. One blind man, one cheater is cheating another blind man, cheating. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja used to say this material world is a society of cheaters and cheated. That's all. Combination of cheater and cheated. I want to be cheated because I don't accept God. If there is God, then I become responsible for my sinful life. So therefore let me deny God: "There is no God," or "God is dead. Finish, finished."

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:

Last night we discussed the verse, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra, that "In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the cheating type of religious system is rejected." We have already explained. Dharma does not mean a kind of faith, blind faith. Dharma means the real characteristic. For example, just like water is liquid. This is the characteristic of water. That is dharma. Stone is solid. That is the characteristic of stone. That is dharma. So faith is different thing. Faith, I have got faith today in something; tomorrow I may have faith in some other thing. And actually we see. Sometimes a person called a Hindu, he is changing his faith to Muslim or Christian. Or a Christian is changing his faith to another way. So faith can be changed. But the characteristics cannot be changed. Just like water is liquid. The liquidity cannot be changed of water.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

They purchase some book, fictitious book, and read it. Not only they, even elderly men, they read it. But this book is different from those books. It is meant for persons, those who are desiring to get out of this world of ignorance. Tamo 'ndham.

Gṛha andha-kūpam. Andha. Andha means blind or darkness. So our materialistic way of life is described as gṛha andha-kūpam. The family life is just like a dark well. We are already in the darkness, and another darkness is to fall in the dark well. If one falls down in the dark well, it is very difficult to get out because he may cry very loudly and people may not hear. These dark well are sometimes there in the paddy field. I have seen one dark well. In your country when I was guest in John Lennon's house in 1969 we saw in the garden there was a dark well. Dark well means a very deep ditch, well, but it is covered with grass.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Edinburgh, July 17, 1972:

They're busy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "If Kṛṣṇa sends some food, I shall eat. Otherwise, it doesn't matter. I shall starve." They have got that determination, strict. They do not go anywhere, but Kṛṣṇa sends him everything. Just like Bilvamaṅgala. He was not going anywhere. He was living in Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa personally was coming to give him some milk. He became blind; he could not see. So Kṛṣṇa would come just like a boy. "Bilvamaṅgala, I think you are hungry. Will you take some milk?" Oh, he was very glad. "All right, You give me a little milk." Next day He will come. Then he would ask, "Who is this boy, I cannot see. He comes and gives me milk daily." Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "Unto the devotee who is completely dependent upon Me, I carry personally whatever he needs." Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. That one person is supplying all the necessities of all the living entities. That is God. God is not beggar.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

So Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in front of whom we are now speaking, he gave us the definition how one can make progress in spiritual life. Everyone is blind after material way of life. So the mission of human life is to get out of these clutches of māyā. That is the real mission of life. We are missing the point. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). We are accepting this body as everything. And the modern civilization means to enjoy bodily comforts as much as possible. That is perfection of civilization. No. That is not perfection of civilization. That they do not know. Especially the demons, the nondevotees, they do not know.

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

Prabhupāda:

om ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Na te viduḥ, they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31), they are trying to adjust things by material adjustment. That is not possible. They do not know that. Adānta-gobhir. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānāḥ, But they are being misled by blind leaders. They are themselves blind and some blind leaders. Therefore we should not accept blind leaders, we should accept a leader who is not blind. We therefore accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person, Who knows everything, past, present, and future. We take His leadership or we take the leadership of His representative. That is our process. So here some of our leaders, Sūta Gosvāmī says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ, because ultimate goal is how to get out of the entanglement of material convention.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

You do your work, duty. Dharma means duty. You are very dutiful. Do your duty nicely, but see by executing your duty whether you are developing your love for Kṛṣṇa. That is the criterion. If it is not done so, if you are in the blindness, then it is said that notpādayed yadi ratim. If you do not become attracted by Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then, śrama eva hi kevalam, simply you are wasting time.

So our propaganda is that do everything, but don't waste your time. Make improvement. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). Just like by evolutionary process you have come to this human form of body, you can make farther improvement. You can do to other planets. There are many, many other planets where thousand times better standard of life is there. We cannot go. We are so conditioned.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

He is asking his secretary. He was blind man. So he was asking his secretary, "My dear Sañjaya, after my boys, māmakāḥ, and pāṇḍavāḥ, the sons of my younger brother Pāṇḍu, samavetā yuyutsavaḥ, they assembled for fighting in the dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre... (BG 1.1)." Dharma, kuru-kṣetra is still there. Everyone knows. And it is dharma-kṣetra. Everyone knows. Then where is the difficulty to understand dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra māmakāḥ pāṇḍu? But if you foolishly interpret, "Dharma-kṣetra means this, and kuru-kṣetra means that, and pāṇḍavāḥ means that," you spoil the whole thing. That is going on. Otherwise there is no difficulty. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Actually, it is historical fact, Mahābhārata. There was fight between two cousin-brothers. They, "No. Pāṇḍava means this and this. Kuru-kṣetra means this and... This means this." In this way, things are being spoiled. So we are misled in that way.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

So those who are anxious to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of imperfect knowledge, this is right conclusion. If your senses are imperfect, whatever your knowledge may be, that is imperfect, because you are gathering knowledge from..., by imperfect senses. You know the story of studying..., blind man studying an elephant. So blind man is going, somebody is catching the leg. So they, "Oh, elephant is just like a pillar, a column." And somebody is studying the tail, somebody is studying the trunk. So different knowledge, because they have no eyes. And one who sees the elephant as it is, he can understand that elephant is neither column, nor a trunk, nor this; he is a complete body. Similarly, those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of blind knowledge, they come to the understanding of impersonal Brahman, brahmeti.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

That is also truth, just like you touch the elephant, a blind man touching the elephant, but because he hasn't got eyes he is concluding that elephant is like, just like a column. But he has touched. Similarly, either the impersonalist or the yogi or the bhakta, they have come to the Absolute Truth; therefore it is called advaya-jñāna. There is no difference between impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference, but still there is difference. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva: inconceivable one and simultaneously different.

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

"No, there is no need of God. Ah, book. Simply I say; you accept it." The people are accepting. How foolish rascals they are. Just see. There must be a test. We are accepting Kṛṣṇa as God not blindly, but by testing. By testing. His character is mentioned in the books. Therefore, we accept God, not by blind faith, but by testing. Although we cannot test, but śāstra gives us the chance of testing. We accept spiritual master by testing, not by blind faith. No. According to the Vedic instruction, tad-vijñānārtham.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

He is Professor Kotovsky. He said, "Swamiji, after finishing this body, everything is finished." Just see. He is a professor. He has no knowledge that there is life after death. So world is going like that. They do not know what is karma-granthi, what is transmigration, nothing. Simply superficial. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. Blind men, they are leading other blind men. Therefore they are kept in ignorance, and the world is suffering therefore. They do not know what is the goal of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are trying to adjust things by illusory energy. That's all. Therefore, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. It is exactly like the, a blind man is trying to lead other blind men. This is going on.

Therefore this is the process, yad-anudhyāsinā, you have to take one knife. This is knife. What is that? Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23).

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

No. The dāvāgni is so that... That is not the medicine. Medicine is bhavauṣadhi. Medicine is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that simply changing from this ism to that ism, this political party to this... That is not. Because everyone is imperfect. How they can give you perfect happiness? It is not possible. They are themselves andha. Andha means blind. So if you follow the blind man, how you'll cross? That is not possible. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. Why they are andha? Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know the ultimate goal of life is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That they do not know. They are manufacturing their own ways of advancing. That will never be successful. They do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are thinking, "By adjustment of this material world, we shall be happy." That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:

That is the best thing. One is rotting in this family life, which is just like a blind well, andha-kūpa, ātma-pātam. Just like a man falls in the blind well. He has no other alternative than to die, crying, crying. That's all. So he advises, hitvā, "Just give it up." Hitvātma-pātam andha-kūpam, gṛham andha-kūpam. Then where shall I go? Vanaṁ gataḥ. Vanaṁ gataḥ. Vanaṁ gataḥ, "Go to Vṛndāvana, or in the forest." Then how shall I live? No, harim āśrayeta: "Just take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, Hari. He'll give you protection." This is the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

Then they will present themselves: "I am great scientist, I am great philosopher, so give me money, millions of dollars. I'll go to the moon planet, I'll go to the Mars," and taking money and wasting. And because we are rascals, we are also: "Oh, they are making so much advancement, yes." Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). We are following blind leaders. Because we are blind, we do not know. This is the position. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. So we have to open our eyes. How these eyes are opened?

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

We are blind. We can have our eyes through the medium of bona fide spiritual master. That is required. Ādau gurvāśrayam.

So this adhokṣajam, Kṛṣṇa, we have to worship. Adhokṣaja. So we cannot see if it is beyond our sense perception. How we can worship Him? Therefore you have to take shelter of the spiritual master who has seen Him. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). You try to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead by surrender. Praṇipātena, paripraśnena. First of all, surrender. Not asking before surrender. This is not allowed. If one is not surrendered, then he should not put any question, because the first principle is lost. First of all you must surrender, then put question. And when you put question, don't argue. Take it. Just like Arjuna.

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

Unfortunately, you people, you are, by force, making them materialist. They had the opportunity to take advantage of the contribution of great sages, ṛṣis, to study and to become a successful human being, but you are, by force, dragging them from that attitude to this materialistic way of life. This is violence. This is violence. What you are speaking of, nonsense, nonviolence? This is violence." So about twenty years ago I was thinking like that. So actually, people are being killed not only in India, but outside also, by these blind leaders. They do not know how to lead people, how to make them happy, how to make them successful in their human form of life.

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

"Don't eat meat," he'll be revolting. Therefore there are so many prescription of worshiping different demigods. Otherwise, there is no necessity. There is no necessity. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are worshiping other demigods, they have become blind, they have lost their senses. Hṛta-jñāna. Hṛta-jñāna. Real knowledge is lost. Real knowledge is lost. Therefore they're after so many demigods. Kṛṣṇa says, "It is not My manufactured word." Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). There is no need of worshiping any demigods. This is the Govardhana-pūjā. This Govardhana-pūjā, Nanda Mahārāja was arranging for worshiping Indra, and Kṛṣṇa stopped it. And He engaged him for worshiping Govardhana, which is representation of Kṛṣṇa. That is the Govardhana-pūjā.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

If you read Caitanya-caritāmṛta, there are so many quotations from the śāstras. Then we accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There are some men here in Vṛndāvana, they do not accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, but there are... They'll not see... They'll not see to the evidences in the śāstra. They'll blind. They'll make themselves blind.

So any incarnation... We should be very careful, that, although there are many thousands and thousands of incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, still, when we have to accept somebody or something as incarnation, we must refer to the śāstra. Then it will be right. Otherwise, we shall be misled. That is being done. So many. In the street, in the lanes, there are so many gods. And especially the god, all the gods are going to Western countries. Especially.

Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:

So mostly, people are adhīra. They are agitated by a slight disturbance, because they have not been trained in such a way. Otherwise... Just like Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa was being elected as president in the rājasūya-yajña assembly of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, so somebody remarked that "This man..." Because those who were blind, they would see Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man... So "He is woman-hunter from the very beginning. So how He can be elected?" So at that time Bhīṣma, the most celebrated brahmacārī... He never accepted any wife or he had no connection with any woman. He immediately stood up. He said that "I am celebrated throughout the whole world as brahmacārī, but if I would have been in the position of Kṛṣṇa... He was dancing with young girls, but He was not agitated. But I would have been agitated. I admit. Therefore He is dhīra. He should be elected."

Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:

So incarnation, in the śāstras... Here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, some of the incarnations are described. But all incarnations are described in the śāstra. We should not be blind to accept any rascal and rogue as incarnation of God. Incarnation of God is not so cheap. That we should understand.

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

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano 'bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

Just like in our country we have seen the Mahatma Gandhi was given the title mahātmā. You can give your, any title. Nobody objects. Just like in Bengali we say kānā-locana nyāya padma-locana(?). Padma-locana means very beautiful, lotus-eyed. But one mother has got a child who is born blind. Out of her love she has given the name Padma-locana, "lotus-eyed." You see? So that she can give because she loves the child. Even he is blind, that's her whim. "My boy, my child is padma-locana." Similarly, this "mahātmā," this title you can give to any person you like, but it has a meaning, "mahātmā."

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

So this press propaganda, this literary propaganda, is required because it is not sentiment. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not sentiment. It is not that some sentimental people have gathered here and dancing and chanting. No. There is background. There is philosophical background. There is theological understanding. It is not blind or sentimental. So therefore Nārada advises Vyāsadeva that "You are not only fortunate, but you are amogha-dṛk. Your vision is perfect because you are liberated." Amogha. Our vision—we are not perfect. Therefore you'll find in Vedic version, anuśṛṇuyet, anuvarṇayet. Anu. Anu means following. Following. We have to follow the ācāryas. Just like Vyāsadeva. Amogha-dṛk: his vision is without any impediment. There are four kinds of impediments for the conditioned soul. What are those?

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

Therefore the qualification... Those who are prepared to do good to the human society, they must have clear vision. Then where is the clear vision? Everyone is becoming leader. Everyone is trying to lead people. But he himself is blind. He does not know what is the end of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). So therefore Vyāsadeva can do it because he has clear vision. Nārada certifies. Nārada knows his disciple, what is the position. A spiritual master knows what is the condition. Just like a physician knows. By simply feeling the beating of pulse, a... An expert physician can know what is the condition of this patient, and he treats him and gives him medicine accordingly. Similarly, a spiritual master who is actually spiritual master, he can know, he knows the pulse-beating of the disciple, and he therefore gives him particular kind of medicine so that he may be cured.

Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

No more tapasya. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. But if you have got doubt, make research work. You'll have to come to the conclusion. But if you have concluded it, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything," then your business is finished. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. But if you have got doubt, then do it. That is your business. Don't be blind. Either you accept here the words of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the original cause of everything." That's all right. If you believe that "Kṛṣṇa says," it is all right. If you do not believe, then make the research and find out. That is perfection. In both ways you'll have to come to the...

Because the fact is fact. Either... Suppose somebody says, "Don't touch fire. It will burn your hand." If you accept it, your father's advice or your teacher's advice, "Don't touch fire," it is as good.

Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:

He went to Dvārakā, back. Of course, Kṛṣṇa was there, because Kṛṣṇa was to give hint to Bhīma how to kill Duryodhana. So Duryodhana, by the blessings of his mother, his whole body became iron-like solid. So by beating by the Bhīma, it was not easy. So the story is that Gāndhārī, the mother of Duryodhana, she was great chaste woman. Because her husband was blind, she used to remain as blind woman covering the eyes. But she had some power. Chaste woman, anyone who sticks to the regulative principles, he gets a power, spiritual or material. He gets power. A brahmacārī gets power if he follows brahmacarya. Everyone, if we follow the prescribed rules and regulations, automatically you become powerful.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976:

So therefore "I have got such a nice chaste wife, she will save me from the Yamarāja hands." Then I can speak shortly that Sāvitrī-Satyavān... Satyavān was to die on the marriage day. But Sāvitrī was attached to Satyavān, so her father, mother said that "You don't marry this boy. He'll die on the very day of his marriage." So love is blind. She said, "Still I shall marry him." So she married, and the husband died. So Yamarāja came. So she pleased the Yamarāja, and Yamarāja, being pleased, said, "My dear girl, you'll have a very good son"—because every girl expects some son. So Yamarāja gave her the benediction that "You will have very nice son." Then the husband was dead... No, she prayed for a good son, yes. And Yamarāja gave her benediction, "Yes, you'll have good son." First of all she pleased Yamarāja by prayers, and then Yamarāja asked, "What do you want?" "A very good son."

Lecture on SB 1.7.40 -- Vrndavana, October 1, 1976:

Therefore na aicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutam. He did not... Although Kṛṣṇa advised him "You kill him," he did not like it. Guru-sutam. This is consciousness. Even there is duty, we have to see what will be the effect of the duty. Not everything should be done very blindly. Arjuna... This is devotee. Devotee means he's not blind. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Bhagavad-bhakta means he will act in such a way that all qualified, nobody can criticize him. That is bhagavad-bhakta. Sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ.

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

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

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

Just like the cloud covering the eyes to see. One cannot see the sun in complete or in full vision when there is cloud. Similarly, māyā, yoga-māyā, has created a cloud on account of which we cannot see God. But the same eyes can be also, I mean to say, purified. The same eyes. Just like you have got cataract, you cannot see, you become blind. But if the cataract is operated, then your vision is again revived. So you can see. Ordinarily, you cannot see God, either inside or outside. Alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhūtānām antar bahiḥ (SB 1.8.18). Although we say that God is there within, God is outside, but why you cannot see? Because we are not devotees. But as soon as you become a devotee, you become a lover of God or Kṛṣṇa, then you can see.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :

This word is used. One who does not know what is God, and what is his relationship with God, he is a mūḍha. In so many places, there are so many śāstras you will find this word mūḍha. Here it is said, na lakṣyase mūḍha. Mūḍha-dṛśa, whose sense perception is just like blind man. A blind man is given a elephant, an elephant. Now, "Mr. Blind Man, just understand what is this." So, he is blind, he simply, I mean to say, moves his hand over the leg. "Sir, it is a column. It is a big column." So blind man, he cannot see; he thought that elephant is big column. So anyone who is speculating about God, he is the blind man studying the elephant, like that. Or the frog in the well studying Atlantic Ocean. What he will understand?

Lecture on SB 1.8.23 -- Los Angeles, April 15, 1973:

Aticiram means for long time. So he was saved. Devakī was saved after all. Similarly if we take the position of Devakī and Kuntī... Kuntī, just like with her sons, Pañca-Pāṇḍava, five Pāṇḍavas... After she became widow, the whole plan was, Dhṛtarāṣṭra's, "How to kill these children of my younger brother? Because, by chance, I was blind, so I could not get the throne of the kingdom. My younger brother got it. Now he's dead. So at least my sons, they should get the throne." That was his policy, Dhṛtarāṣṭra's policy: "I could not get." This is material propensities. "I shall be happy. My sons shall be happy. My community shall be happy. My nation shall be happy." These are extended selfishness. Nobody's thinking Kṛṣṇa, how Kṛṣṇa will be happy. Everyone is thinking in his own terms: "How I shall be happy, how my children shall be happy, my community shall be happy, my society shall be happy, my natio..." This is the struggle for existence.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Mayapura, October 4, 1974:

So it is, after all, a, what is called, varṇāśrama family, Vedic family. So the elderly people had the responsibility to raise the fatherless children. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra took charge as the eldest member. So māyā is very strong. He began to think that "Actually this kingdom belongs to me. I am the eldest son, but because I am born blind, therefore it was given to my younger brother. Now he is dead. Now he's dead, so the property belongs to me. Some way or other, it was transferred to my younger brother. Now the younger brother is dead. Then again I become proprietor. So at least I could not rule over the kingdom, why not my sons?" This was the beginning.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

Everything is finished. So these soldiers, either as father or son, the father is finished; the son will be, also will be finished. Asatsu api. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api, teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanam. These soldiers will be killed. Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. He knows; he has got experience. Still, he is blind, that "These soldiers will not be able to give me protection. When death will come, they'll not be able. But my real miserable condition is birth, death and old age and disease. So when I fall sick, they can help. They're eager to help. But real help they cannot give me." One should understand that. Ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api. They will be killed. Real protection is Kṛṣṇa. That we do not know.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

So wherefrom this body came and where, after finishing, where it goes? There are so many scientific laws, conservation of energy. So who is that conservation or the source of energy? That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). There is source. It is not blind. Just like these rascals think it has come out of nothing. How something can come out of nothing? There is no proof, but they claim like that. Therefore they are blind. No. Bhāgavata says: janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣu abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). The original source from whom everything has come and in whom everything is existing and within whom everything will enter. Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. These are the Vedic instructions.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:

Then why people are leading in that way, the so many political leaders, social leaders? Nobody speaks of Kṛṣṇa. They are simply making plan... This party, the Communist Party, is making one plan. The other party is making plan; another party... But the world is suffering. So therefore they have been described in the śāstra: andha. Andha means blind, rascal They do not know. Actually they have no knowledge that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness the human society can be happy. That is not possible. They do not know this. But by Kṛṣṇa's grace, by our guru-paramparā's grace, we understand, we people who are conducting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, nobody will be happy.

Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:

Why they speak lies, that "I have not seen God." Why don't you see God as God directs you to see? Why do you manufacture your own way? You cannot see God by your own way. That is not possible. Then you will remain always blind. That is happening at the present moment. The so-called philosophers and scientists, they are trying to see God in their own way. And it is being supported by rascals that "You can find out in your own way to see God." That is not possible. You cannot see God in your own way. You have to see God by God's way. Then you can see Him. It is not possible to see God in you... What you are? Just like if I want to see President Nixon, can I see him in my own way? So how you can expect to see God in your own way?

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

What is that prayer? Now call Kṛṣṇa by ill names. That is their prayer. They offer prayer to the Supreme that "You have no eyes, You have no hand, You have no leg, You cannot speak, You cannot..." So many things, all negation. So is that prayer? If I say, "You have no eyes," so in an indirect way it is to call you, "You are blind." If you have no legs, that means you are lame. You cannot hear: you are deaf. You cannot speak: you are dumb. So is that prayer? If I say, "My dear sir, you are blind, you are lame, you have no eyes..."

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974:

What is it? Yad uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam: (SB 1.5.22) "God is to be worshiped simply by glorifying Him by the best words, uttama-śloka." Not that "My dear God, You have no eyes. You have no leg. You have no hand. You have no mouth." What is this? It is the indirect way of insulting God. If one man has no eyes, then what he is called? He is called blind. So if one man has no legs, he is called lame. So similarly, if we worship God that "You are blind. You are lame. You are headless. You are brainless," what is this worship? Similarly, this kind of worship-daridra-nārāyaṇa, "Nārāyaṇa is daridra"—is just like that. No. Here Kuntī says that kala-padaiḥ, Kala-padaiḥ, "by chosen words." Just like if you worship some superior, when you give foodstuff to your spiritual master, superior, you find out the best, selected foodstuff, not that anything, worst: "You eat it. If you don't like, don't eat.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974:

The best words. Actually, if you love somebody, out of love you cannot use anything, means any word, which is not very much appreciated. So... And they are all applicable. It is not like the logic, kāṇa-chelera nāma padma-locana(?): one man has got a child who is blind, but he has given the name Padma-locana, "lotus-eyed." Not like that. The selected words which Kuntī has used, it is not improper. They are properly used. Just like here is one word used, Vaikuṇṭha. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Vaikuṇṭha, or God's another name is Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha means vigata-kuṇṭha hy asmāt. Therefore spiritual world is called Vaikuṇṭha. And the material world is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). It is not Vaikuṇṭha. You cannot even walk without anxiety. Just like we were walking on the street, and the leg slipped. So we should be very much careful even in walking. Beginning from your morning walk, you are full of anxiety.

Lecture on SB 1.9.40 -- New York, May 22, 1973:

They do not understand. There are big, big scholars, rascals, all rascals. Our difficulty is these rascals are going on as scholar, dehātma-buddhiḥ. Their life is bodily concept of life and they are passing as scientists, scholars, leaders, politicians and they are leading us andhā yathāndhair. They are blind and they are leading us, so we have, we are also put into difficulty. So only this Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement can save the human civilization and get him raised to the platform of the gopīs. We have got such nice thing, these gopīs' unalloyed Kṛṣṇa love. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

So Gāndhārī, she was the daughter of Afghanistan, Ghandahar. Still, the name is there Gandahar. Gandhar. Formerly the name was Gandhar. So Gāndhārī means the daughter of Gandhar country. So when she was informed that her would-be husband is a blind man—Dhṛtarāṣṭra was blind from birth—so immediately she practiced austerity. Voluntarily she closed her eyes with cloth that she would also live as blind. "My husband would be blind. So, although I'm not blind, I must live also as blind." This is the beginning of austerity, Gāndhārī. So Gāndhārī was so faithful, one of the most exalted chaste wife mentioned in the śāstras, Gāndhārī, that in all conditions she followed the husband.

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

Pradyumna: "The death news of Bhīṣmadeva, uncle of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, was another great shock for the king and the queen, and therefore they required solace from Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was conscious of his duty, and he at once hurried to the spot with Lord Kṛṣṇa and satisfied the begrieved Dhṛtarāṣṭra with kinds words both from himself and the Lord also. Gāndhārī was a powerful ascetic, although she was living the life of a faithful wife and kind mother. It is said that Gāndhārī also voluntarily closed her eyes because of the blindness of her husband. A wife's duty is to follow the husband cent percent, and Gāndhārī was so true to her husband that she followed him even in his perpetual blindness. Therefore in her actions she was a great ascetic. Besides that, the shock which she suffered because of the wholesale killing of her one hundred sons and her grandsons also was certainly too much for a woman. But she suffered all this just like an ascetic. Gāndhārī, although a woman..."

Prabhupāda: Ascetic means who voluntarily suffers all kinds of suffering. Titikṣavaḥ, the exact word.

Lecture on SB 1.9.49 -- Mayapura, June 15, 1973:

So the Pāṇḍavas proved their bodily strength, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra was under the impression that because actually the kingdom belonged to him, but on account of his becoming blind, he could not inherit on the throne. Defective in the body. A king should be all complete. So not a blind man can be king. That is not possible. So after the death of his younger brother Pāṇḍu, he thought, actually the kingdom belonged to him. Now, after the death of his brother, his sons should inherit. That was the political conspiracy of the battle of Kurukṣetra. Now everything finished, decided by the battle. Dhṛtarāṣṭra accepted, "Yes, my dear nephews, you can become king now. We have tried our strength, and you have come out victorious.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- London, November 25, 1973:

Kāmam. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41). In the human society, to make everything very regulated, the prescription is dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. Dharma means to be situated in one's position. That is called dharma. Dharma is not a kind of faith. Faith is sometimes blind. That is not dharma. Just like we say, varṇāśrama-dharma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Varṇa. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī. This combination of eight makes dharma, constitutional position. Everyone is animal. So if one is not trained up in these eight principles of human society, so that is not dharma; it is sentiment. But that does not stand very long. It will vanquish. But if dharma is accepted on the principles of this varṇāśrama-dharma, that is... For material purpose.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

If you imitate Kṛṣṇa of His rāsa-līlā, then you have to imitate to lifting the mountain. You have to kill demons like Kaṁsa. But you'll find the so-called artists, they will paint pictures of Kṛṣṇa only with gopīs dancing and the... Not other things, how He's killing Kaṁsa, how He's killing Aghāsura, Bakāsura. That they'll not paint. That side is completely blind. But in our Kṛṣṇa book you'll find both the pictures.

So here you have to understand that the rivers, the ocean, the mountains, and the trees, and the creepers, they will all serve you very, I mean to say, regularly, provided you are obedient to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. Phalanty oṣadhayaḥ. Nowadays we do not know. As soon as we become sick we go to the doctor or to the drug shop. But in the forest all the medicines are there.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

And the controller is Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhagavad... Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). "The prakṛti, material nature, is working under My direction." So nature is working... (aside:) Again the (coughing) same trouble. So do not think that nature is working, producing things, blindly. No. There is no such thing as blind. There is, arrangement. Just like we see the aeroplane is flying in the sky. It is not that the aeroplane is automatically flying. No. There is a pilot. This is intelligence. Similarly, the whole material nature is working, and these are the venues of nature's work, rivers, ocean, and the mountains, and the vegetables or the plants and creepers, and trees, drugs. Everything will give you sufficient supply if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you act according to Kṛṣṇa's direction.

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

Because they are all rascals, they have no other alternative than to elect more rascal. But they are thinking that "By rejecting this rascal, we shall be happy." He does not know how to elect. He does not know how to elect. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are themselves blind, and they are accepting a leader who is also blind. So what will be the profit? If you are led by... You are blind, and if you are led by another blind man, then what will be the profit? Both of you will fall down in the ditch. That is going on.

Therefore, if you want real happiness, you must take the leadership of a man who has got eyes to see. Then it will be all right. So whose eyes are open?

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

It is the business of the guru... Because everyone is blind or in darkness, cannot see, so it is the guru's business to open his eyes, or to help him to see things as they are. That is guru's business. Ajñāna-timirāndhasya. Everyone is covered by the darkness of ignorance. So how darkness can be moved? If there is light. Immediately, if you make the switch off of electricity, this room will be dark. And again you make the switch on, there will be light. Just like at night, we cannot see. Everything is dark because the light, sun, is not there. In the morning, as soon as the sun is there, again everything you can see. So things are there. Because we are in the darkness of ignorance, we cannot see them properly. I am there, you are there, God is there, everything is there. Simply we have to get the light or the proper situation to see things as they are. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:

The soul's karma. But he has no information of the soul or how the soul is working, how he is getting a different body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). This science is unknown to him, but still, he is known as the master of evolution, and people are following him. This is ignorance. Andhā yathāndhaiḥ. One blind rascal gives some theory, and the followers are also blind rascals; they follow. They do not take instruction from the perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974:

He can create His servants. He doesn't require your service. But if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa and render service unto Him, that is your interest. That is your interest. They do not know this.

So na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). And people, the blind leaders, are teaching everyone that "This is your interest: You eat whatever you like, you drink as much as you like, you go on gambling." If such leader is there, there is no restriction of eating. If such swamiji comes, that "No, no, you can eat everything," "Oh, a good swami." And "This swamiji is very conservative." Just like Allen Ginsberg told me, "Swamiji, you are very conservative." Because I restrict. But he does not know that actual benefit will be derived when you are actually conservative.

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

What is the original cause of life?" But because andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31), the so-called philosophers, scientists, they have been taught by another unscientist, not scientist, so he is also not scientist, not philosopher, because he has been taught by another andha. Just like one blind man leads other blind man. So what he will get, knowledge? So therefore, according to Vedic civilization, it is enjoined, it is ordered, that "If you want to take knowledge," tad-vijñānārtham, "to understand the complete science," tad-vijñānārtham, "the spirit," sa gurum eva abhigacchet, "oḥ, you must approach a bona fide guru." Otherwise there is no knowledge. That is not knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

Therefore you require vehicle. Then you require petrol. Then you require so many nice road. So many things will be. But formerly, it was village. They will take it, "This is primitive." But remaining primitive, you were more happy than becoming so-called civilized, creating so many problems. You have already problems, but people are so rascal, so blind, they do not see to the real problem. They artificially create problem and try to solve it. Instead of touching the real problem, that is set aside.

The Bhagavad-gītā says that problem, one should be very vigilant to the problem. And what is that problem? He says, Kṛṣṇa says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam. They do not know what is the real problem. Real problem is repetition of birth, death, old age and disease.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Simply acting sinfully. If they are advised that "Don't do this. This is very dangerous. You will be involved again in the birth and death cycle..." They have no knowledge what is birth, what is death, what is this body, what is the aim of... No. Simply blind animals. Simply blind animals. And still, they are going under the name of scientist, philosopher, politician. This is the misfortune of the present age. So nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). The same thing is explained here: vyavāyonmukha-jīva. Indriya-prītaye. Simply for sense gratification they are doing anything nonsense, as madman. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute yad indriya-prītaye. What is the aim?

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

This is Vedic culture, that before death one should prepare very nicely to go back to Godhead. This is Vedic culture. The modern civilization, they do not know what is going to happen after death. But our Vedic culture is not so blind. Vedic culture has got an aim, what is the aim of human life, not aimless life. Aimless life is animal life. They have no aim. By the laws of nature they are going on, transforming from one body to another, and ultimately they are coming by evolutionary process to the human form of life. And especially this civilized human form of life, it is very responsible life. One has to make his choice whether he wants to continue his materialistic way of life and change the body, one after another. That is very risky job.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

Nṛṇām means human beings. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). But what class of human being? Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam: "Those who are fools and rascals without any self-realization knowledge. For them." Apaśyatām. Apaśyatām means blind, cannot see. They have got their eyes, but they have no introspection, what is the value of life. Therefore he says, apaśyatām. Simply they have eyes like the peacock feather. (laughter) They have no introspection. Eyes means introspection. Therefore Vedic culture says, eyes... Śāstra-cakṣus: "You should see through śāstra. Don't try to see by these eyes." These are, what is the value of this eye? They are conditioned in so many ways. You don't believe the eyes. See through the śāstra, through the spiritual master, through the śāstra. Try to see through this. That is perfect seeing.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

And here, although we see that household affairs, their resting place, is not so nicely decorated, but their aim is Kṛṣṇa. So that is the difference between gṛhamedhī and gṛhastha. Gṛhamedhī means they simply want to decorate their apartment and children and wife. That is their end of life. That is all. They have no other business. Apaśyatām, blind of the value of life. Whereas the gṛhastha, he is not blind about the value of his life. He is simply looking forward, how to become successful, Kṛṣṇa conscious. So those who are blind of the point of self-realization, such householders, they have got many subject matter of hearing in the newspapers. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). Sahasraśaḥ means thousands of subject matters. For whom? Gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. Such householders who made their aim of life to decorate the apartment. That's all. Work whole day and night, and have good dress, good apartment. That's all. They think this is success.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

Yes. They will give. I am now well-protected. I have got nice children. I have got nice wife. I have got good bank balance. I have got so many properties. So why shall I go to Kṛṣṇa conscious? I am well-protected. These boys and girls, they have no bank balance. They have no home. Therefore they should go." But they are blind. How they are blind? They are thinking that these things will give him protection. Pramatta. Pramatta means crazy. (laughter) Crazy. By craziness he is thinking that "These things will give me protection." No. Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. Because he is crazy, he does not see to the destruction of these things although he is seeing others, that they are being destroyed every moment. "My father has died. Naturally I shall die. Naturally my sons also will die. So why I am so much anxious of protecting this family? Everyone will die." Paśyann api na paśyati.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-6 Excerpts -- Los Angeles, July 2, 1970:

I am getting reports from outside that some of our family disciples, they are not very much attending temples regularly. So if they do not attend temples, do not take to the service, then gradually they'll become gṛhamedhī, just like ordinary karmīs.

So as soon as one becomes gṛhamedhī, he becomes blind to see what is self-realization. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that those who are blind, those who have been encaged in the materialistic way of life, for them, there are thousands and thousands of topics to hear and to chant. But those who are seeing to the self... Self is one. Ekaṁ brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. For them, one talk only about Kṛṣṇa. So I'll request you, all my beloved disciples present here, that don't turn to that point, gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. Stick to this point, Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. Don't talk, create. Thousand... As soon as we go out of the scope of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there will be so many talks.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

Why varieties? Why not one? Why people are not interested in one subject matter? That is replied in the next line that ātmā... Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Apaśyatām means those who are blind. Paśya means to see, a means negation. Those who are blind, those who cannot see, what is that? Ātma-tattvam. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), those who are blind to the subject matter of self-realization. There is a subject matter of self-realization that just like we are body, mind, and soul. The soul is covered by the underwear, mind, intelligence, and ego, and the underwear is covered by the gross coat, this body. This is our position. So those who are blind to the subject matter of the soul, those who are thinking "I am this body," they are very less intelligent class. They are almost animal.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

This is very important part of knowledge in human form of life. In the human form of life, if he does not come to this stage of inquiring what I am, am I this body, am I this mind, am I this intelligence, or I am something else? So apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), those who are blind to see the self, for them there are so many subject matters. The newspaper will supply, the magazine will supply.

Just like, for example, our students in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they never read newspaper nor any other magazine. They simply read these Kṛṣṇa consciousness books. We have got so many books. Kṛṣṇa, Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord..., big, big books, one of the Bhāgavatam in twelve parts. So we have got about twenty books already published, and our program is to publish at least sixty books like this.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

So one who is not interested to know about the other nature of light, how that nature is, how there are planets, how living entities are living there, who is predominating, so many things we have to learn, that is called ātma-tattvam. But people are blind, they do not know. In the university, there is no such education. They are simply satisfied with the knowledge that they are going to moon planet, that's all. (Sanskrit) What is this moon planet? There are living(?) within this material world, there are millions and trillions of other planets, how you can go there? Just try to understand how much limited we are, how much our freedom is (indistinct) in this material world. You are trying to go the nearest planet, Candra, moon planet, still you are unsuccessful. What to speak of other. There is sun planet. I think they cannot dream of going to the sun planet.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

So how to understand the other nature where there is spiritual planets, where there are spiritual living entities, they are also working, their center is God. So there are so many information, these are called ātma-tattvam. So apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), those who are blind or rascals, have no complete knowledge, their subject matter of understanding is this newspaper, that's all. Their subject matter is newspaper. Because they have no other information.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

That we forget. And after I leave this place, leave this body, I do not know what is going to happen to me, we are in ignorance. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ (SB 2.1.2), because we are blind.

Life is not finished by this body. It is a chance, it is a chance only. Just like you are going somewhere and you, on the way you find so many stations, some of them not very good and some of them very nice. Similarly, this human form of life is a station of our journey. We have begun our journey since we separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead to become happy without God's connection. Therefore, our journey has begun, we do not know when it has begun, but it is going on through different(?) species of life. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13).

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Paris, June 11, 1974:

Nitāi: "Those persons who are materially engrossed, being blind to the knowledge of the Ultimate Truth, have many things as subject matter for hearing in the human society, O Emperor."

Prabhupāda:

śrotavyādīni rājendra
nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ
apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ
gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām
(SB 2.1.2)

Now, subject matter of hearing long, long, very... Not long, long, say, about sixty, seventy years ago, one big politician of India, Madanmohan Mayabhya,(?) he came to see my Guru Mahārāja. So he was inquiring about our activities. So he was informed, amongst other activities, my Guru Mahārāja was publishing papers monthly in English, in Bengali, in Hindi, in Oriya, in Assamese, and one Bengali daily, Nadiya Prakash. So this politician was surprised that "Oh, you are publishing daily a Bengali paper?" "Yes.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

When you come to the point of God, then you see, "Oh, everything belongs to God. Everything belongs to God. Here is an animal. Here is an animal. He also as good as I am because he is also soul." So ātma-tattvam to be discussed, but they are not prepared. Therefore gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. So what is their business, those who are blind to the ātma-tattvam? So that business is described in the next verse.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

This is the description of the persons who are blind. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Yesterday we have discussed this verse. Apaśyatām means one who does not see. Apaśyatām, paśyati. Paśyati means "one who sees," and apaśyati, "one who does not see," "blind." So there are two kinds of men within the world: paśyati, apaśyati. Simply having the eyes, one cannot see. This is not... Because our senses are imperfect. We see every day the sun just like a small disc. But it is not a small disc. It is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this planet. Therefore our sensual perception is not all. That is not perfect. We are deficient: we commit mistake, we are illusioned, we cheat, and our senses are imperfect. As such, there is no possibility of having perfect knowledge by a conditioned soul. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

So what is the value of your eyes? Why you are so much proud to see everything? "Can you show me God? Can you show me the soul?" You cannot see. You have no eyes to see. And what you cannot see, you can hear. Just like a blind man, he is sitting. He cannot see. Somebody comes. He inquires, "Who has come here?" Now, if somebody says, "It is such and such person," by hearing only he can understand, "Oh, such and such person has come." So seeing is not extremely perfect experience. There are other senses.

So which is beyond the sense perception you have to hear. Therefore Vedic knowledge is called śruti. You have to hear. Not by seeing. Simply by hearing. Śravaṇam.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

Those who are simply attached to this bodily conception of life, they are unable to see the truth. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam. They cannot see. Their only business is... That is described here: nidrayā hriyate naktam. (aside:) Yes, come if you like. Their business is, these apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), those who are blind, those who cannot see, the ātma-tattvam, "What I am," such persons, what is their business occupation? That is the distinction between devotee and nondevotee. A nondevotee, he is very much happy by sleeping. We have seen it practically in Western countries. You know very well, if they can sleep twenty-four,-five hours instead of twenty-four hours, they are very happy. They think that they are getting some profit. Not only Western countries.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

'Then go to the shop. Purchase this thing for my wife, for my children, for this, for that." So money earned and spent, and night, sleeping and mating. Then where is your time for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness? This is the position. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Those who are blind, who do not know what is the value of this life, this human form of life, they are busy in these things. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2).

But actually, this life is meant for understanding ātma-tattvam. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life is not meant for like cats and dogs-eating, sleeping, mating and defending. This is all cats' and dogs' business. Therefore those who are engaged only in these business:

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

Yes. The same word is being continued, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), "Those who are blind about ātma-tattva, the spiritual science, the knowledge of spirit soul." So these persons, those who are blind, those who are accepting this body as the self like cats and dogs, their description is given here again that deha... They are bodily, beginning from bodily cons... "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that." Deha and then apatya, children, and kalatra, wife. First of all, one deha, one body. Just like this child. His only one conception, "Yes, I am everything, this body." Gradually, when one grows, becomes youthful, there is sex desire. Therefore finding out the opposite sex, kalatra, wife, or girlfriend or boyfriend.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

You go somewhere, you go, you go somewhere, you go somewhere, this way... Therefore here it is said that dehāpatya-kalatra, those who are blind to understand the self, those who are not realized, self-realized, such person, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), those who are... Because human being, human life is meant for understanding ātma-tattva. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life is meant for understanding "What I am." But they have lost their all intelligence. They are thinking like cats and dogs: "I am this body," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra." And they are busy with that business. Just like cats and dogs, they are busy: "I am dog," "I am cat," "I am tiger," "I am bull," "I am this," "I am that," so human society has also become like cats and dogs, the same conception, bodily conception of life. Because apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). They..., he has no knowledge of self.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

They cannot give us. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: "I am the only friend." Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). These rascals, they come as my friend. these blind leaders, who cannot give protection himself. He becomes friend. He gives me advice about nationalism and this "ism" and that "ism." But he cannot give even himself any protection. How he can give me protection? This is intelligence. This is intelligence. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī, tasmād bhārata: "You cannot depend all these foolish things. That is not possible. Now you prepare for death. It is very nice." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ: (SB 2.1.1) "Your question is very nice, that 'Whom shall I take shelter of? Shall I take shelter of Kṛṣṇa?' Yes."

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Vrndavana, March 19, 1974:

Ātma-tattva, apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). This verse we have discussed. People are blind about the interest of the soul, actually, his own person. The soul is the chief within this body. Neither the mind, nor the body—they are simply covering. Just like we are covered by dress. Dress is not important. But I, the man who is putting on the dress, I am important. That we cannot see.

Everyone is busy to see the body. And the body, expansion of the body, is described here. Body, deha, then from the body there are children, apatya. And then, through the wife, body expands, strī.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Vrndavana, March 19, 1974:

Nowadays they have discovered so many problems. But actual problem—janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi—they are not very much serious. Therefore they have been described here as pramattaḥ, madmen. He does not know what is the real problem, but he is very busy with the superficial problems. Therefore śāstra says that these people, blind, they do not know what is the problem. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). My real self-interest is to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is my real self-interest. They do not know. They want to live here, which is described as duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), simply a place of miserable conditions and repetition of birth, death, old age and disease.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Vrndavana, March 19, 1974:

Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). I do not die, even after the destruction of this body. These things are unknown. And still, they are posing themselves as leader of the society. Therefore the śāstra says, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ: (SB 7.5.31) "One blind man is leading several other blind men." Te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ: "They do not know that they are bound up by the laws of nature very tight, hands and legs." There is no question of freedom.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:

"Oh, you are so fool. You are talking like this." Because the body has changed. So body is changing. That's a fact. But apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), one who does not know that the spirit soul is eternal and changing body, they are blind, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). They are simply engrossed in this bodily concept of life. Gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. Compact, encaged in this body, encaged in society, encaged in nationalism, encaged in religion, encaged in ideas, philosophy. But there is no question of discussing about the soul. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2).

Lecture on SB 2.1.7 -- Paris, June 15, 1974:

'What kind of leader I am? I do not know what is beneficial for me. I am such a leader. I am such a fool. I do not know my own benefit, and I want to become leader to lead others for benefit of life.' " Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). A blind man, he does not think that he's blind. How he can lead others, other blind men? But this is cheating. All these leaders, so-called rascal leaders, they are blind themselves. They do not know what is the aim of life, and they're becoming leader. And the leader, blind leader, and the blind follower, they're all going to hell. This is the position of the world.

So therefore we should be careful that don't imitate that "I am now become paramahaṁsa. I do not require to follow the rules and regulations. Let me do whatever I like." Don't do that. The test is there. Test is there, here.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

You have no other interest in this human form of life. Then your problems of life will be solved. Otherwise there is no possibility. If any other person is giving you any other idea, he's simply misleading you.

That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Just like a blind man is leading other blind men. What he'll do? If a blind man says, "Come on. Come along with me. I shall cross you this road." What is the benefit of this assurance? He is blind himself. Therefore in spite of so much endeavor in the United Nations for the last twenty or twenty-five years, there is no solution. Simply the flags are increasing. Instead of becoming united, the flags are increasing. I have got practical experience. Now India become independent. So India was one. Now there are two: Pakistan and India. So there was one flag; now it is two.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

So India was one. Now there are two: Pakistan and India. So there was one flag; now it is two. And gradually, it will increase to four. So when I pass that United Nations building, I simply see the flags are increasing. Instead of increasing the peace movement, the flags are increasing, that's all. So this sort of bluffing blind leaders cannot make happy the human society. This is the only solution: to push on Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, love of Godhead. Everyone will be happy, the human society. Viśvaṁ pūrṇaṁ sukhāyate. Whole universe will be just like Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha means without anxieties. The material civilization means full of anxiety, full of anxiety. Nobody... Just like everyone, every animal, every bird, everyone is anxious. The bird, you give him some grains, it will eat, but it will look like this: "Oh, if somebody is not coming to kill me." Anxiety, you see.

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

Where is God? I am God." Just see. Such foolish persons, that every moment he's being kicked on his face by the boot of material nature, and still he's saying, "I am God, I am independent."

You see? So andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Just like one blind man is speaking other blind men, "Please follow me. I shall lead you to the right path." "But you are blind yourself, and we are also blind. What will be the help?" But no, they will follow. In our country, Gandhi promised that "I shall give you independence in one year, if you follow me—non-violence, non-cooperation." People followed, but it took thirty years. But actually, that is not independence. So these politicians, especially, they mislead us. Not only politicians, the so-called yogis, so-called... So many things. Real leader is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.3.2-3 -- Los Angeles, May 20, 1972:

So this is the defect of modern civilization, that the whole society is being governed by cats and dogs, actually. So how there can be any peace and prosperity? It is not possible. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ.

Blind man leading other blind men. If one has eyes to see, he can lead hundreds and thousands of men, "Please come along with me. I shall cross the road." But if the man leading, he is himself blind, how he can lead others? Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. So Bhāgavata, there is no comparison. There cannot be. It is transcendental science. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Īśa-tantryām, these blind leaders, they are bound up by the laws of material nature, and they are giving advice. What advice they can give? Then? Go on.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

They do not refer to the authorities, what is the actual position. They make, they manufacture their own way of life.

It is very dangerous civilization. Because ... Dangerous in this sense, that this life, human form of life, is especially meant for God realization, but in that subject matter they are blind. There is no educational system, there is no university, nothing of the sort. Simply animalistic way of life, "How we can increase our eating capacity, our sexual capacity," and this ... This is going on. So Bhāgavata is pointing out, "My dear sir, by these things you cannot be very much proud." Then? One more verse, yes.

Lecture on SB 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972:

Generally, people understand that "I have got my own dharma." "I am Hindu; I am Christian; I am Muslim; I am this; I am that." But in Sanskrit language, dharma does not mean like that, "a kind of faith." No. Faith is blind. Today you are Hindu, tomorrow you are Christian, today you are Christian. So this faith-changing is not dharma. Dharma means "which you cannot change." That is dharma. Not that whimsically I change. That dharma is service. Every one of us rendering some service to others. That is dharma. Every one of us. Jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives us immediate information what is a living entity. He immediately gives the definition that a living entity means who is rendering service to the Lord.

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

So on every occasion he would consult him, and his consultation was so valuable that later on it became vaidurikam, "consultation as expert as given by Vidura." So he was invited. Diplomacy, politics were going on, how to cheat the Pāṇḍavas. That was his politics, Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was born blind, although he was eldest son of his father, but he was born blind. So he could not occupy the throne. His next brother, younger brother, Pāṇḍu, the father of the Pāṇḍavas, he occupied. He became king. Now, this Pāṇḍu died at an early age, and the sons of Pāṇḍu, they were minor children. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra took charge for their maintenance as his other sons. But his policy was that "I could not be elevated on the throne because I was blind, but actually the kingdom belongs to me. So anyway, my brother occupied the throne. Now he is dead and gone. So why his sons should be king? My son should be king."

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

Andha. Andha means blind man. If one blind man is trying to lead other blind men, then what is the benefit? The leader is blind and the follower is blind. Then there will be no result. They do not know... Īśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. They are tied. They are tied hands and legs by īśa-tantra, by the regulative principles of the nature.

Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

Here it is also said like that: tasya tvaṁ tamasaḥ andhasya duṣpārasyādya pāragam, sac-cakṣur janmanām ante. Janmanām ante. Janmanām. Janma is singular number, and janmanām is plural number. Many, many janma, many, many births we are spoiling in this darkness. We do not know that. The university education is blind, andha. They cannot give you this information that we are going to the university, we are spoiling our time simply. Spoiling, actually spoiling. What university education? They give some technical education, that śilpa-vidyā, to earn money and eat and sleep and have sex life and die. This is the education. This education is described here that duṣpārasya, andhasya duṣpārasya. This kind of education will not help us because our sufferings are different. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:

He comes. He's very anxious. People are ignorant, so therefore Kapiladeva has come. And the mother says, lokasya tamasā andhasya cakṣuḥ: "My dear son, Kapila, You are just the real eyes of these blind men, who cannot see You, or who cannot see God." Cakṣuḥ. So how cakṣuḥ? Because by knowledge. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). By knowledge, when we shall develop or awaken our dormant love for God, then we can see God—with these eyes. Simply it has to be treated. Premāñjana-cchurita. You have to apply the ointment, eye ointment, of loving God. Then you'll see God everywhere. How? Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). He sees twenty-four hours God and nothing but God. Not only within his heart, but everywhere he sees God. If he goes to the sea, he'll see Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:

This is the mūḍha. The mūḍha says like that. No intelligent man will say like that. So why it is so happened? The Devahūti says that tamasā andhasya, lokasya tamasā andhasya. Generally, all these people in this material world, lokasya, they are blind by the darkness of ignorance. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Therefore Kapiladeva comes. When they become dark, when they become blind out of ignorance—"There is no God," "I cannot see God"—then God comes, "Here I am. See. See My feature. I am a person. I am a flute-player. I am... I enjoy in Vṛndāvana. Why don't you see Me?" That is called yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).

So God comes, God explains Himself. He leaves behind Him His instruction, Bhagavad-gītā. Still... He says, "You try to see Me like this, see Me like that," raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi... (BG 7.8).

Lecture on SB 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974:

So they are becoming more and more entangled. Unfortunately, they do not know that there is life after death, but they do not know what kind of life is going to happen next after death. They are blind, andha. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The leaders are also blind. And they are leading them. They are also blind. Especially in this age, the human society is in great danger. They do not care what is next. But there is next life. We get it, information, from Kṛṣṇa: tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Dehāntara-prāptiḥ there is. How you can deny it? The authority says. And we have got experience also. We are having dehāntara from boyhood to childhood, from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to youthhood. In this way, we have changed so many bodies, dehāntara. This is called dehāntara.

Lecture on SB 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974:

Somebody... I am asked in foreign countries, "How many Kṛṣṇa conscious people are there in India?" That "India... In India the cent percent, they are Kṛṣṇa conscious. Unfortunately they have artificially covered that by the so-called blind leaders." Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The leaders are advising them, "What is the use of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious? Now you become technical conscious." So no, that will not make us happy. We have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, especially in India, because he has got his birth in India for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we should not give up this opportunity. Not only that, we shall become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, and we shall go out, outside India, to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is para-upakāra. That is the best welfare activities in the human society.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

What kind of guru? Just like Kapiladeva, Kṛṣṇa, or His representative. Not a bogus guru. Then you will be cheated. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānāḥ. The so-called rascal guru, he does not know also what is the aim of life, and if he makes some disciples then śāstra says, andhā yathāndair upanīyamānāḥ, one blind man is trying to guide many other blind men. So what is the benefit? There is no benefit. So if you want to be guided by somebody, he must have opened eyes. Tattva-darśinaḥ, upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ tad jñānī tattva-darśinaḥ. Darśana. Darśana means who have got eyes to see what is the absolute truth. Don't go to a blind man, who has no knowledge about the absolute truth. The absolute truth is there, Kṛṣṇa. The sun is there, everyone can see. Sun is not hiding but I am hiding. I am closing my door, how can I see sun? Come to the field, open to the sun and you will see sun. There is sun, there is light. Similarly God is there, Kṛṣṇa. You come to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.32 -- Bombay, December 2, 1974:

"This man is coming after me. What to do?" So that merchant received him. "Oh, he's saintly person. All right, you serve him." So Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura came to his senses. He said, "Mother, you give me the pins of your hair. So I am so much after the beauty of woman, so let me pluck out the eyes." So he made voluntarily blind. So he could not see, but still, Kṛṣṇa was coming in Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa is always in Vṛndāvana. So He was supplying milk. So divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ, he practically realized through bhakti. Therefore he wrote by his personal experience, bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā bhagavan yadi syād daivena naḥ phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ. And so far dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41), mokṣa, muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān: "Mukti is not very important thing. She is always standing at my service," mukulitāñjali, "with folded hands, Mukti: 'My dear sir, what can I do for you?' " This is mukti's position.

Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:

Divyāni. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). Divyam. They are not material things. One has to see. So if you say, as it is said, sākaṁ vācaṁ spṛhaṇīyāṁ vadanti, spṛhaṇīyām, very favorably you talk... Suppose if I say, "You have no eyes. You are blind," this is not favorable. So the nondevotees, Māyāvādīs, they say that God has no eyes. So it is indirectly saying, "God is blind." So if I say, "You are blind. You nonsense, you are blind," is it favorably talking? Most unfavorable. Directly insulting. So those who are talking about God, nirākāra—no eyes, no leg, no head, no tail, nothing, nirākāra—they are simply blaspheming, not spṛhaṇīyām. God does not want to hear such nonsense things. Therefore it is said, sākaṁ vācaṁ spṛhaṇīyāṁ vadanti. You cannot say that "Kṛṣṇa is blind. Kṛṣṇa is lame. Kṛṣṇa has no hands.

Lecture on SB 3.25.36 -- Bombay, December 5, 1974:

There are living entities whose body is so made. Just like the fish and other aquatics, they live. Their body is so made. This is intelligent study. Otherwise, if you simply compare with my intelligence, my position, my circumstances, and we'll conclude all others like that, that is blindness. That is not... Blindness.

So similarly, impersonal realization of God, that is imperfect exactly like the understanding of the sunshine is not understanding of the sun globe and the sun-god. Everyone can understand. It is not very difficult. If you think that "Because I have seen sunshine, then I have seen everything. I have known everything of the sun..." No. You do not know even how big the sun globe is. And when you read books, when you read scientific books, you can understand it is fourteen hundred times bigger than this planet.

Lecture on SB 3.26.3 -- Bombay, December 15, 1974:

It is the guru's business to operate the blind cataractic eye..., eyeball, giving eyesight. So how it is done? Now, jñānāñjana-śalākayā. Just like in the darkness you cannot see. But if there is lamp, you can see. So jñāna means knowledge. You must know what is your position. There are śāstra. You read Bhagavad-gītā, try to understand your position. That is ātma-darśanam. Ātma-darśanam. Everything is there. Ātma-darśanam.

So first ātma-darśanam is that anādir ātmā. Ātmā. The soul and the Supersoul, both of them. We must always know that soul and Supersoul, īśvara and Parameśvara... So ātmā... Ātmā means Bhagavān; ātmā means this individual ātmā. So both of them are anādi. But we have got experience ādi, birth and death. So that is not ātma-darśanam.

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

So this is the point. Therefore Bhāgavata's instruction is that you must be careful of being successful by discharging your duties. That should be your point of view. You do not remain blind. You see that you are successful. So how it is successful? That is also given indication in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām (SB 1.2.8). This is also there. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. There was a big meeting of very, very learned brāhmaṇas at Naimiṣāraṇya. Perhaps you know Naimiṣāraṇya, there is a place. In Uttar Pradesh near Lucknow, there is a place, Naimiṣāraṇya. So long, long ago, say, four thousand, five thousand years ago, there was a big meeting of learned brāhmaṇas. In that conference this resolution was passed.

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

Throw away." The leaders say openly that "Throw away your śāstras in the water. No more śāstra. Now you take to industry, technology, if you want to become happy just like the Americans, like the Europeans." So the leaders, such leaders, have been described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, andha. Andha means blind. They do not know how to lead people, what is the aim of life. The aim of life is not to understand or learn some technical knowledge by which we can make some bodily comforts. That is not aim of life. The aim of life is different. We are part and parcel of God. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Now we are separated. Not separated; just like a criminal is not separated from the state. He is in the state, but in a different condition. Similarly, we cannot be separated from God.

Lecture on SB 3.26.31 -- Bombay, January 8, 1975:

Andha, the leaders of this class of man, they are also blind. We are blind, and the leaders, so-called leaders, he also does not know what is the aim of life. And they are misleading us in so many ways by so-called political emancipation, this party, that party, but they do not know actually what is the aim of life. Therefore they are andhas. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. And we are also andhas. So andha leading andha. So how there can be any peace and prosperity? Therefore the whole world is unhappy, chaotic condition, and everyone is manufacturing his own way of life to become happy. But they are not becoming happy because they do not know what is the aim of life. This is the position.

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

So we have to understand in that way, that so many varieties, natural varieties, are coming out not automatically. The blind scientists, they say they are coming automatically. That is not very good sense. Nothing can come automatically. Matter cannot come together automatically. There is some machine or handling. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva. He is doing that, and still, He is doing nothing. That is... Just like if I have to make soap, I have to do it or I can ask my servant to do it. I can give instruction to my assistant, servant, that "Do like this." So anyway, the background is myself. The background is neither the servant nor the ingredients. There is another example: the potter's wheel. Potter's wheel is producing earthen pots. So what is the cause?

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Kurukṣetre dharmam ācaret, this is the Vedic instruction, that everyone should go to Kurukṣetra and perform ritualistic duties. That is being done, and it is written dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre, why interpretation? (exchange with a guest in Hindi) You are more than Kṛṣṇa? You are so... You have got capacity to speak more than Kṛṣṇa? (exchange in Hindi) Interpretation... (exchange in Hindi) We are discussing the same thing. We go or not go. (everyone laughs) You are a young man. Therefore I'm requesting you, "Don't be misled by these blind leaders. Take Bhagavad-gītā as it is and you'll be happy." (exchange in Hindi) The meaning is clear, very clear. No question of interpretation. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Go to a jñānī, and who has known the truth, not to a jugglers, magician. Science is not magic. Science is knowledge. That is the Vedic injunction. Tad vijñānārtham: in order to understand that science, not to see jugglery and magic. The jugglery and magic is here present: all these meat-eaters, drunkards, woman-hunters, now Vaiṣṇava. This is real magic. If you have got eyes to see, see the magic. If you are blind, then that is different question. This is magic.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3-4 -- Bombay, March 29, 1977:

So if you do not take Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously in this human form of life, then you must know that you are drinking poison knowingly. Don't neglect it. Try to understand. It is based on science, philosophy, śāstra, knowledge. It is not a blind faith. And we are prepared to answer you in any way. The method is very simple; even a child can take advantage of it. Not that we are manufacturing. It is sanctioned in the śāstra. Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. This is the statement by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He describes the faults of this Kali-yuga. It is just like the ocean. Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann hy asti eka mahān... But there is one very great advantage. He said What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then you become free from all contamination and go back to home, back to Godhead.

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

Everyone is ambitious, but does it mean by becoming ambitious, one can become very rich man or very respectable man? That is not possible. One must qualify himself. So these are futile attempts. You have to act according to the... But they do not believe that there is higher authority, there is judgment and everything. They think that it is blind: "Whatever we like, we can do." That is not good. Parābhavaḥ. This is called defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata.

So long one is not inquisitive to understand what he is, without understanding his identification, whatever he does, it is defeat. This is the condition. Nobody is interested to know his identity. This is the instruction we get from Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he first approached Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his question was that ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1976:

So without consulting śāstra, without consulting guru, without consulting Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He has given. He has come to help you because you are being misled by the so-called leaders. Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). These rascals, these leaders, they will simply mislead you. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31). They are blind. They do not know how to live. They do not know. Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally comes: "All right. I shall lead you. Take My advice, take My instruction, and ultimately surrender unto Me. Then I'll lead you back to home, back to Godhead."

Lecture on SB 5.5.15 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1976:

Pradyumna: "If one is serious about going back to home, back to Godhead, he must consider the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the summum bonum and chief aim of life. If he is a father instructing his sons, a spiritual master instructing his disciples, or a king instructing his citizens, he must instruct them as I have advised. Without being angry, he should continue giving instructions, even if his disciple, son or citizen is sometimes unable to follow his order. Ignorant people who engage in pious and impious activities should be engaged in devotional service by all means. They should always avoid fruitive activity. If one puts into the bondage of karmic activity his disciple, son or citizen who is bereft of transcendental vision, how will one profit? It is like leading a blind man to a dark well and causing him to fall in."

Prabhupāda:

putrāṁś ca śiṣyāṁś ca nṛpo gurur vā
mal-loka-kāmo mad-anugrahārthaḥ
itthaṁ vimanyur anuśiṣyād ataj-jñān
na yojayet karmasu karma-mūḍhān
kaṁ yogayan manujo 'rthaṁ labheta
nipātayan naṣṭa-dṛśaṁ hi garte
(SB 5.5.15)

So there are two kinds of ruler or controller. One is the government, and the other is the teacher. Or guru means spiritual master. Spiritual master can control. The disciples obey the order of the spiritual master out of love. Guror-hitam. This is brahmacārī. Brahmacārī guru-gṛhe vasan dānto guror hitam.

Lecture on SB 5.5.16 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1976:

So our business is like that. We are making big, big plans to be happy like the monkeys. Therefore here it is said that arthān samīheta nikāma-kāmaḥ. So it is the duty of everyone to do something for his welfare. But here the beginning is lokaḥ svayaṁ śreyasi naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ: "These rascals, they are blind to their real interest." Śreyas means real interest, and preyas means immediate profit. So nikāma-kāmaḥ, sense gratification, is very nice immediately. "I enjoy sex life. This is very nice. Why shall I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? Let me enjoy sex." Śreyasi. And preyasi: "This is pleasure." And it is not pleasure; therefore naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ. He does not know that this sense pleasure is not his actual pleasure. It is creating different types of miserable conditions. Naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ. He has no eyes.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

Pradyumna: "If someone is ignorant and addicted to the path of saṁsāra, how can one who is actually learned, merciful and advanced in spiritual knowledge engage him in fruitive activity and thus further entangle him in material existence? If a blind man is walking down the wrong path, how can a gentleman allow him to continue on his way to danger? How can he approve this method? No wise or kind man can allow this."

Prabhupāda:

kas taṁ svayaṁ tad-abhijño vipaścid
avidyāyām antare vartamānam
dṛṣṭvā punas taṁ saghṛṇaḥ kubuddhiṁ
prayojayed utpathagaṁ yathāndham
(SB 5.5.17)

So one person is utpathagam yathāndham, another person is vipaścid tad-abhijñaḥ. Two classes of men generally: one who knows the things as they are and one who does not know what is the value of life, how to make progress. So one does not know and one knows. So naturally there must be two classes of men to make real social progress or any, anything.

Lecture on SB 5.5.26 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1976:

This is the process. Not that, I have several times explained, that this Kṛṣṇa is marble statue. No. This is nārakī-buddhiḥ. Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti buddhir, nārakī buddhiḥ. Nārakī buddhiḥ. This is warned. Kṛṣṇa is here. Kṛṣṇa is here in the temple, but He has come mercifully to be seen by you. Otherwise you are blind; you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. But He has appeared as arcā-vigraha so that You are accustomed to see wood and stone, so He appears in your visible form, but He is Kṛṣṇa. You will understand He is Kṛṣṇa present when you have got enough love for Him.

Lecture on SB 5.5.28 -- Vrndavana, November 15, 1976:

So this is the position. Hari-jana means persons like Nārada, Vyāsa, Asita, like that, the personal servant of Kṛṣṇa. By rubber-stamp—"hari-jana..." In Bengali it is said, kana chela nama padma locana (?): "One son is blind, and the father has given the name 'lotus-eyed.' " So that you can do out of affection. A blind child you can call "lotus-eyed," that is your business. But lotus-eyed means something else. Very beautiful eyes, then you can say "lotus-eyed." So this is going on. I want some political aims, so I stamp the chamars and bhangis as hari-jana. That's all. That you can call for your political purpose. But hari-jana does not mean that. Here it is, a example of hari-jana, parama bhāgavatan.

Lecture on SB 5.5.29 -- Vrndavana, November 16, 1976:

Pradyumna: "After accepting the feature of avadhūta, a great saintly person without material cares, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva passed through human society like a blind, deaf and dumb man, an idle stone, a ghost or a madman. Although people called Him such names, He remained silent and did not speak to anyone."

Prabhupāda:

Jaḍāndha-mūka-badhira-piśāca unmādaka...

What is that other word?

Avadhūta-veṣo abhibhāśyamāṇo 'pi janānāṁ gṛhīta-mauna-vratas tūṣṇīṁ babhūva.

(SB 5.5.29)

So Ṛṣabhadeva, after giving charge of the government to Bharata Mahārāja, He Paraṁ bhāgavata. That we have explained yesterday, that the king should be paraṁ bhāgavata, not a debauch. That was the system in Vedic age, the ideal king, ideal person. If one person is educated sufficiently he can Being the executive head of the state, he can take care of the whole population because his order is supreme. That was the duty of the king, to see that things are going on nicely in order.

Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976:

He hasn't got to go anywhere. So sometimes saintly persons, they sit down in one place. If Kṛṣṇa sends him food he will eat; otherwise he will starve. In our ācārya-sampradāya, Mādhavendra Purī, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, they were doing that. In Vṛndāvana Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, he was blind. He was sitting in one place, and Kṛṣṇa used to come and supply him milk.

So there is no anxiety for maintenance of the body. There is no anxiety. Śāstra therefore says that "Don't spoil your energy for the matter of maintenance of the body. That is already settled up." Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That is the Vedic injunction. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The Supreme Lord is nitya as we are nitya. Nitya means there is no birth and death.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1970:

This is godly person's business. He has no other business. He has no business to find out where to eat, where to sleep. Oh, that God provides for him. If God can provide food and shelter for cats and dogs, do you think God will not provide food and shelter for His confidential devotee? Is God so blind or ingratitude or unable? If He is able to feed innumerable living entities within this universe, does it mean that one who has sacrificed his life for God's service, he will starve? No. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ pranaśyati: (BG 9.31) "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna, you declare it to the world that My devotee will never be vanquished." Never be vanquished. Another place it is said, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham: (BG 9.22) "Those who are constantly engaged in My service, for them, I personally carry all the necessities to his home."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Revatīnandana: There's one example I just remembered from the Christian Gospel. Jesus was accustomed to heal diseased people. And one time they brought a leper or somebody with a very bad disease before him. Or he was blind or something. And they asked him, "Can you heal this man?" And instead of saying, "Be free from leprosy," he said, "Your sins are forgiven." And they said, "Oh, what is this? We don't want you to forgive his sins. We want you to cure his disease." Jesus said, "What is the difference? Your sins are forgiven you." And when he said that the man's disease was healed and then he said, "Now go away and sin no more."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Yes. You are not seeing? Why you are so blind? Everyone seeing, Kṛṣṇa is here.

Woman: Is it a very good omen to see in your sleep state person showing to do the Hare Kṛṣṇa chant?

Prabhupāda: Well, sleep, when you sleep and dream, you take it all false. It is not very good omen.

Śyāmasundara: She said...

Woman: Like(?) you do anything about the movement in sleep, and I was... (?)

Prabhupāda: Sleep... Sleep is sleep. But in advanced stages in sleep also... Dream means whatever you act in awakened state, that comes as something, phantasmagoria. But actually, you have to do according to the rules and regulations, not under some dream or phantasmagoria. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness has to be executed according to the rules and regulations. Then it will be successful. Yes?

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

These rascals are simply bluffing that "From chemicals life can be manufactured." No. We challenge.

So these things are going on. We want to be cheated, and there are so many cheaters. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. The Bhāgavata has discussed everything. These rascals are andhā, blind, and one blind man is promising to lead other blind men. So what will be the result? If one man is not blind, he can lead hundreds of blind men. That is fact. But if the leader is also blind, then what is the use of leading such blind men? So that is discussed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

So Mahābhārata, the Battle of Kurukṣetra was executed by two section of brothers of the same family. It was the one empire, one king, but Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his younger brother... They were two brothers. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra being blind, he was not qualified to occupy the throne, so his younger brother, Pāṇḍu, he was given the throne. And Pāṇḍu died untimely, keeping his children, these five brothers, Pāṇḍavas. Because they were son of Pāṇḍu, they were known as Pāṇḍavas. So Pāṇḍu also belonged to the Kuru family, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son also belonged to the Kuru family. Actually they are Kauravas. But when there was fight between the two brothers' son, one party was known as Kaurava, and the other party was known as Pāṇḍava. Therefore Dhṛtarāṣṭra says in the Bhagavad-gītā beginning, māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva (BG 1.1).

Lecture on SB 6.1.30 -- Philadelphia, July 14, 1975:

He wants that "My dear child, you are now grown up. You have got this human form of body. You don't play like this and waste your time. You take education and know things as they are." That is called athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta-sūtra: "Now you have got human form of life. You try to understand what is God." That is the main business. Unfortunately, we are misled by blind leaders. We have been engaged in studying the body, that's all.

So here it is said, niśamya mriyamāṇasya mukhato hari-kīrtanam. So God very much appreciates when we use our tongue and mouth in glorifying or chanting the holy name. He very much appreciates. Because the name of God and God is not different, so immediately he becomes in touch with God. As soon you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately we are in touch. So He very much appreciated. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Śravaṇa means hearing, and kīrtana means chanting.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1976:

That is the difficulty. With their defective senses they are thinking, "We are perfect. Because we have got a photograph, telescope, therefore it is sufficient." It is made by you. You are defective, and whatever you make, that is defective. This is the conclusion. This is right conclusion. If blind man, if he creates some telescope or..., can he see? You are blind. What you can see? But they are taking evidence: "We have seen with photograph, with telescope."

So these questions were never raised. We are now raising these questions. And they were passing on. No. This is not the process. The process is śāstra-cakṣuṣāt, śabda-pramāṇam. That is the Vedic injunction, śabda-pramāṇam. Just like you are sleeping, and somebody is coming to kill you with knife. So how you can take precaution? You are sleeping.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

There is no third, no third path. One path is pious; one path is nonpious. So here both are mentioned. Yena yāvān yathādharmaḥ, dharmaḥ. Dharma means constitutional. Dharma does not mean, as it is stated in some of the English dictionary, "a kind of faith." Faith may be blind. That is not dharma. Dharma means original, constitutional position. That is dharma. I have several times said... Just like water. Water is liquid. That is its dharma. Water, if by circumstantially it becomes solid, ice, but still, it tries to become again liquid because that is its dharma. You put ice, and gradually it will become liquid. That means this solid condition of the water is artificial. By some chemical composition the water has become solid, but by natural course it becomes liquid.

Lecture on SB 6.1.51 -- Detroit, August 4, 1975:

Cakṣu, karṇa, nāsikā, jihvā, tongue, touch, hand... In this way we get knowledge experience. Sometimes we stress on the knowledge experienced by the eyes: "I want to see." But that is not the only source of knowledge. There are many blind men who cannot see, but he has got full knowledge. There are other sources of knowledge. Just like a mango. You see the mango, but you cannot experience the full knowledge unless you use the tongue. Then you can say whether it is good mango or bad mango, not by seeing.

Lecture on SB 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975:

The purpose is to control the senses, not that to reduce fat or something else. No. Real purpose is yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ because unless we control the senses, we remain in ignorance, blind, and go on. Ajita-ṣaḍ-vargo necchan. Necchan. Na icchan. If we do not try, then even though I do not want to do something, even I... On the cigarette package there is, that "It is not good for health." So I do not like that my health should be ruined, but necchan, I am compelled to smoke. This is our position. It is written, warning there. Government has written. What is the written there?

Lecture on SB 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975:

We see so many places in airplane, "No smoking. No smoking." But the rascal will not stop that... Nobody can smoke, but allowed, "Now you can smoke." They say also. First of all write, "No smoking," then, as soon as the plane is running, they say, "Now you can smoke." So this is going on. This is education. This is education. And blind, simply blind rascals. I always say that, the strong word, rascal, because blind, ajñaḥ, anicchan. They hear that smoking is not good, "determined," but as soon as the cigarette packet is there, "Give me a cigarette." Necchan. This is called tapasya, that you have to beat your mind with shoes at least twice. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "When you get up, your first business is to beat the mind with shoes. And when you go to bed, you have to beat the mind with broomstick." (laughter) Then you will be able to control the mind.

Lecture on SB 6.1.55 -- London, August 13, 1975:

This false conception of life, that "I am puruṣa," it can be vanquished completely. How? Īśa-saṅga, by association with God, Īśa. Īśa means the supreme controller. Īśa-saṅga. "So where is Īśa? I cannot see Īśa. I cannot see... Even Kṛṣṇa is Īśa, the Supreme, but I cannot see Him." Now, Kṛṣṇa is there. You are blind. Why don't you see Him? Therefore you cannot see. So you have to open your eyes, not close. That is the business of guru. The guru opens the eyes.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

Bhagavad-dūtas, those who are gosvāmīs, they place everything with nyāya, or logic. Their instructions are not blind, dogmatic. Naya-kovidāḥ. Everything, what is said by Kṛṣṇa or His representative, they are not dogmas. Those who are not representative of Kṛṣṇa, they will say simply dogmas. Just like in every religion there is a dogma. But in bhāgavata religion, bhāgavata-dharma, there is no dogma. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's bhāgavata-dharma, the Caitanya-caritāmṛta's author, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, says, therefore, that caitanyera dayāra kathā karaha vicāra. Vicāra means you just try to understand the gift of Lord Caitanya by logic, vicāra. Don't follow blindly. Following blindly something, that is not good. That will not stay. But one should take everything with logic.

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975:

So we have to engage our senses. It is not our senses; it is Kṛṣṇa's. We have forgotten it. I am seeing with my eyes. I am very much proud I can see. But why you cannot see when you are blind? The eyes are there. Because the master has withdrawn the sight power. You can be happy with your decoration of the eyes, but you cannot see. So actually I do not see. Just like I have got this spectacle. The spectacle does not see; I am seeing. Similarly, with my eyes I am not seeing; Kṛṣṇa is seeing. Because Kṛṣṇa is seeing, therefore I am seeing. This is the Vedic version. You will find in Upaniṣad. Because the Supreme Brahman is seeing, therefore we are seeing. Because the Brahman is walking... There are many evidences. Just like this ear. Now I am hearing with this ear.

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

"What is God?" Just see. God is canvassing, "Here I am," and he is inquiring, "What is God?" So this is our misfortune. Why they cannot realize? Duṣkṛtina. Duṣkṛtina means acting sinfully. Specifically denying the existence of God. That is the greatest offense. Suppose you are a gentleman, and if I say, "You are blind. You are lame. You are handless. You are armless. You have no head. You are...," will you be sat..., happy? Will anybody be happy? Similarly, those persons who are describing the Absolute Personality of Godhead, "He has no eyes..." In other words, he is blind. "He has no hand" mean armless. "He has no leg," then he is lame man. "He has no tongue." In this way it is the definition by negation, and after all, make it zero. If you cut my hand, leg, my head, my eyes, ears, then what I remain?

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

And if you say, "Oh, Swamijī Mahārāja, you are Kṛṣṇa," and if I accept that "Oh, yes, I am Kṛṣṇa," then I am greater fool. You are a fool, I am also fool. Is it not? How one can accept that he is Kṛṣṇa, he is greater than Kṛṣṇa? Then he's a greater fool. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ: (SB 7.5.31) "One blind man is leading many other blind men." And that is the position. We have got manufactured so many incarnation. Still, there are so many, this mother, that father, this, that, so many. You know prac... Yes. All incarnation. All incarnation, they have congested together and spoiling the brain of the poor people. Every day incarnation. And there are many rascals. He says that "I am Kṛṣṇa's incarnation, and rasa-līlā." You know? Yes. This rascaldom is going on, rasa-līlā. And people are so fool that they send their wife and their daughter for performing rasa-līlā. Things are going on like that.

Lecture on SB 6.3.27-28 -- Gorakhpur, February 20, 1971:

Gṛhe means staying at home, not going out for canvassing for Kṛṣṇa. Gṛhe niraya-vartmani. What is this gṛhe? Niraya means hell, and vartmani means path. Gṛhe means "the path of going to hell." That was also advised by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Gṛham andha-kūpam. Tyaktvā gṛham andha-kūpam. Andha-kūpam means blind well. I saw one blind well in Ascot when I was at... What is his name?

Lecture on SB 6.3.27-28 -- Gorakhpur, February 20, 1971:

John Lennon's house. There was a blind pit, and it was covered with grass, and somebody fell. So this gṛham andha-kūpam, this family life is sometimes... Unless there is Kṛṣṇa, the family life... Without Kṛṣṇa, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, family life is just like a blind well covered with grass. As soon as you go, and fall down. Prahlāda Mahārāja recommended that one should give up this blind well and go to the open forest. So here also it is said, gṛhe niraya-vartmani baddha-tṛṣṇān. And why they are staying in that blind well? Baddha-tṛṣṇān, conditioned by material desires. That's all. Thinking that "I am in family. My..., they are friends, they are countrymen, they are my children, and they'll give me protection. What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will give us protection? They have no money. They are begging.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

So people are trying to be happy with this gross and subtle material existence. That cannot be. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Why they have accepted this sort of civilization? Because they are led by blind leaders. Now, suppose we are conducting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Nobody is interested. Very few interested. But if we give some false hope that "If you follow this path, then within six months you will become God and you will be all-powerful, and then...," oh, so many people will come. You see?

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. One blind leader giving, leading to other blind men. Suppose one blind man says that "All right. Come. Follow me. I shall help you crossing this street, Mulberry Street. All right." So he is blind, and the followers are also blind. The result will be that he is dashed by some motorcar or truck and they all die. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that we are tied up very hard by the laws, stringent laws of material nature. How we can become free from this material bondage? That is not possible. You have to take instruction who is not andhā, who is not blind. That means whose eyes are open, who is liberated from this material bondage. You have to take instruction from him.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

Then you will understand what is your self-interest. Otherwise, if you take instruction from another blind man. You are already blind. If you take instruction from another blind man, then it will be not possible to become liberated from this material bondage.

Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Actually his interest is Viṣṇu. Just like a small child is crying. Then what is the child's interest? It is searching after the mother's breast. So anyone who knows, immediately he takes the child and brings to the mother, "Take care of your child. She is crying." And the mother takes on the breast. The child is immediately happy. The child cannot express what does he want, but he is simply crying.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord, Supreme Personality of Godhead, we are actually crying for Kṛṣṇa. But these false leaders, these blind leaders, they do not know. They are giving... Instead of bread, they are giving stone. How one can be happy? That is the position. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Bahiḥ I have already explained—external energy, gross external energy and subtle external energy. So those who are interested with the gross external energy and subtle external energy, their ambition of life will never be fulfilled. Durāśayā. Those who are interested with Viṣṇu, and one who is showing the path of Viṣṇu, he is his real friend.

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People should be free to move in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything, actually it belongs to Kṛṣṇa. But we have got restriction because we see "This is America, this is India, this is..." So they have been described here as andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ: "These leaders are themselves blind, and they are leading other blind men." General public, they are blind, and the leaders are also blind. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Why they are blind? Now, because they do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Everyone is self-interested. That's very good. You are self-interested; I am self-interested. So that is... But you do not know what is your self-interest. Therefore you are blind. That is described here, that "These blind leaders, they do not know." They are especially mentioned, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ.

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

Common men follow the leaders. If the leaders are themselves imperfect, then what will be the position of the common men?

So here it is said that because the leaders, they do not know what is the aim of life, what is the goal of life, therefore common men, people in general, they are being misguided. They are being misguided. Suppose a blind man leads some other blind men. What will be the result? Both of them will meet danger. That is the result because... "Why? They are doing very nicely, with great cautiousness." No. But they do not know that they are bound up by the laws of nature. Te 'pīśa-tantryā uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. They cannot divert their attention or deviate from the laws of nature. That is not possible. So they are under the laws of nature. They do not now why the laws of nature acting in a different way, against their will. Suppose I do not wish to die.

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

We are Both of us, we are living entities. Why he has got this body, I have got this body, and one may have better body than me? Why there are so many, 8,400,000 species of life and different position? Why this is? There is no such inquiry. There is no such knowledge. Therefore they have been described here as andhā, blind. They do not know the goal of life that we are part and parcel of God. Mamaivāṁśo jīva bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Some way or other, we have come in material contact. Now it is our duty to get out of these laws of material Īśa-tantryā. Īśa-tantryā, under certain condition Just like under certain condition a criminal is put into the prisonhouse. So it is his duty to know that "I have committed this criminal activity; therefore I have been put into this jail or prison life. Some way or other, complete it, and let me decide not to commit again any criminal acts so that I may be put again into prison life."

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

This is the defect. Therefore we should try to understand what is the goal of life. But that we do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu. By their own blind intelligence they are trying to adjust things within this material word, and they are being failure repeatedly. Still, they have no sense. So those who are actually leaders of the society, they should be sensible. They should take advice, instruction from the most perfect personality, Kṛṣṇa, and adjust things. Then they will be happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

"It cannot be burned." And from reason also, there is... In the water there are living entities; in the air there are living entities; in the earth there are living entities. So the material elements are five: earth, water, fire, air and sky. So if everywhere there is living entities, fire is also one of the material elements. Why not in the fire? What is the reason? And Bhagavad-gītā says, adāhyo 'yam: "It is never burned." So why do you think like that, that in the fire there is no living entity? Therefore they have been described as blind. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are blind, and they are leading other blind men. But they do not know what is the laws of nature, how things are going.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1968:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

Just like one man cannot see. What do you mean by "cannot see"? When the power of vision is no longer working or the spectacle is broken, therefore he cannot see. Similarly, when the all the senses will be broken or cannot work... Just like eye cannot, the eyes cannot work, therefore it is blind, similarly, the hand cannot work, the leg cannot work, the tongue cannot work because at the last stage when this mechanical arrangement of this body will stop to function, that is called death. That you try to understand, that as because I cannot see, it does not mean I am dead. Similarly, because the senses of the body cannot function, that also does not mean that I am dead. It is to be understood with little intelligence and with cool head.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Don't think nature is blind. Nature is matter, material energy. It cannot work independently, just like machine. Machine, it is made of matter. But if there is no driver, however efficient machine may be, it is useless, a lump of matter (only). There must be driver. Similarly, whatever wonderful activities you find within this material nature, that is not being done independently. That is being done under the driver. Just like the big car or this airship is running very nicely so long the pilot is there, so long the driver is there. Without pilot, even the arrangement is very nice, good machinery assembly, but it cannot work. Similarly, this nature, although we find very wonderfully working, but behind this nature, there is the living entity, supreme living entity, God.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- New Vrindaban, June 26, 1976:

We have to become purified. Nirmalam means completely purified. That is the mission of human life. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1), purify. Why purification required? Because we are after happiness. That is our nature. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Everyone, we want happiness. But we are so blind that happiness in the material world is faced with so many other troubles. Just like I want to be happy, I am sitting peacefully, the mosquito will come and disturb me. The bugs will come, disturb me. The dogs will come, disturb me. And so many other... There will be some earthquake will disturb me, there will be some storm will disturb me. There will be some fever, disturb me. Some calamity will disturb me. So because all these disturbances are, this is nature's daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). That māyā is always ready to disturb us.

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

So Prahlāda Mahārāja suggests the remedy, how to become free from anxieties. He says hitvātma-ghātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ. Ātma ghāṭam. Ātma means the soul, and ghāṭam means killing. Hitvātmā-ghāṭam gṛham andha-kūpaṁ. Andha-kūpa means blind well. Blind well... I do not know whether you have got experience. In India there are several old wells on the paddy fields and they are covered with grass. Nobody can understand that there is a well underneath this, underneath this grass. And if by mistake one comes there, he falls down, say hundred feet down. And it is covered with grass. Even if he cries, "Please save me, save me," who is going to save him? Sometimes cow and animals and men fall down in that way. If he's fortunate enough, somebody comes and rescues.

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

Otherwise, generally, there is no rescue. Who is going to know that there is a man or there is an animal? So hitvātmā-ghāṭam andha-kūpaṁ. This material world is just like that blind well. If somebody falls down in it, it is very difficult to get out of it. Therefore it is ātmā-ghāṭam. Ātma-ghāṭam means killing the soul. How we are killing the soul? We forget that "I am spirit soul." Therefore almost every one of us is forgetful that "I am spirit soul. I am identifying with this body." And Prahlāda Mahārāja says, because we have identified with this body, therefore we are always anxious, full of anxieties. And that is the fact.

Therefore the whole process of knowledge is... I think some of my student, she is present here. She asked me, "What is knowledge?" The knowledge is that "I am not this body." This is knowledge.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968:

This is all right, his Ten Commandments. But we do not follow. We simply fight. "Oh, I am Christian, you are Hindu," "I am Muhammadan," "I am this." Nobody tries to follow. You see? That is not the way. You have to follow. If you believe in certain personality... Of course, not believe, not blind believing. He must be authority. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam they have indicated twelve authorities. According to Vedic version, there are twelve authorities, and one of them is Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

"Being captivated by the external energy." Na te viduḥ svārtha gatiṁ hi viṣṇum durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). But why they are so much captivated? Andhā yathāndaiḥ upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Because they follow rascal leaders. Their leadership is andha. Andha means blind. And they are following the blind leadership. They are themselves blind. Why blind? They cannot see future. They do not know what is going to... Because they have no understanding that "I am eternal." This temporary body is only a flash in my life. I've changed so many bodies. Just like in this present existence I have changed my body so many times from my childhood to this old age. Similarly, I am changing my body. So this life, this body is temporary.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

I've changed so many bodies. Just like in this present existence I have changed my body so many times from my childhood to this old age. Similarly, I am changing my body. So this life, this body is temporary. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Andhā, and I do not see my future; therefore I am blind. And the leader which is leading me, he is also blind. So a blind man leading other blind men, what is the result? The result is catastrophic. Therefore in spite of so many great leaders, politicians, scientists, educationist, the result is that problematic. The whole world is full of problems. They do not know what is their interest. The interest is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That they do not know. So it is the task of the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness to preach this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore has ordered, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128).

Lecture on SB 7.9.22 -- Mayapur, February 29, 1976:

So therefore He's vibhu. He is great. But we do not know how great He is. Therefore we foolishly accept some pretender, some fraud, as God. We do not know what is the meaning of God. But it is going on. We are fools. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānās. We are blind, and another blind man lead us: "I am God. You are God. Everyone is God." But God is not like that.

Here it is said that God is He who... Kālo vaśī-kṛta-visṛjya-visarga-śaktiḥ: "He keeps control over the time factor and the creative energy." That is God. God is not so cheap that you'll find here and there. God is everywhere. That's a fact. But that is partial manifestation of His material energy. This is... Ekāṁśena sthito jagat.

Lecture on SB 7.9.28 -- Mayapur, March 6, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, on account of my association with material desires one after another, gradually I have now fallen in the blind well full of snakes. But Your servant Nārada Muni kindly accepted me as his disciple and instructed me how to achieve this transcendental position. Therefore my first duty is to serve him. And how can I leave it?"

Prabhupāda:

evaṁ janaṁ nipatitaṁ prabhavāhi-kūpe
kāmābhikāmam anu yaḥ prapatan prasaṅgāt
krtvātmasāt surarṣiṇā bhagavān gṛhītaḥ
so 'haṁ kathaṁ nu visṛje tava bhṛtya-sevām
(SB 7.9.28)

So this is Vaiṣṇava paddhati. Tava bhṛtya-sevām. Vaiṣṇava does not approach Kṛṣṇa directly. That is not Vaiṣṇava. This is impudency. You cannot approach Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). This is the process. You have to... As you have to receive the perfect knowledge by the paramparā system—imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1)—similarly, you have to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the paramparā system.

Lecture on SB 7.12.4 -- Bombay, April 15, 1976:

Absolutely we require āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. It has to be curtailed. That is civilization, not that increasing. This is a misguiding civilization. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). This is a civilization where a blind man is guiding a few others or many other blind men. So what is this civilization? The leader, he is a rascal. He does not know what is the aim of life, and he has become leader. So many talking. When I was talking with Professor Kotovsky, so I asked him this question, that "After all, you are required, you are in need of a leader. So you are being led by your Lenin philosophy and we are being led by Kṛṣṇa philosophy. So where is the difference in the procedure? You require a leader; we require a leader. That is wanted. Without leader we cannot go. But if you select a bad leader, blind leader, then you remain blind."

Page Title:Blind (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:12 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=159, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:159