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Candidate (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

Similarly, when there is talk between the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, so this whole talk is bhakti. It is nothing else. They derive some meaning, jñāna, jñānātmaka-vyākhyā. They describe on the understanding of the jñānīs, philosophical speculators. They are also candidate. Those who are jñānis actually, they are also interested to know what is Kṛṣṇa. Jñānī ca bharatarṣabha, jijñāsur. Ārto arthārthī jijñāsur jñānī ca bharatarṣabha (BG 7.16). These four classes of men, provided their background is pious life.... Impious life cannot inquire about God or can understand about God.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

Therefore Vyāsadeva says that: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). In the introduction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vyāsadeva says who are the candidates to understand this science of God, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? It is not for the persons who are entangled in cheating religious system. Cheating, dharmaḥ kaitavaḥ. Kaitava means cheating. So cheating type of religious system are kicked out from this book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but it is meant for persons who are not envious, paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām. Vastavya-vastu. One who wants to learn reality, not false reality. This, here, in this material world, everything is false reality. Just like we are trying to find out water in the desert. That is the example, mirage, false... There is no water. But the animal, he sees that there is water, vast water, and he runs after it and dies.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

Everyone is saying that "America needs Nixon." And another person, he also says, "America needs me." So, but why two? If America you, and you are both... No. There is individuality. Mr. Nixon's opinion is something else. Mr. another candidate's opinion is something else. In the assembly, in the Senate, in the Congress, in the United Nations, everyone is fighting with his individual view. Otherwise why there are so many flags in the world? You cannot say anywhere impersonalism. Personality is predominating everywhere. Everywhere, the personality, individuality, is predominant. So we have to accept. We have to apply our reason, arguments, and accept the authority. Then the question is solved. Otherwise it is most difficult.

Devotee: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Individual Person, and Arjuna, the Lord's eternal associate, and all the kings assembled there are individual eternal persons.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973:

If you want real satisfaction, then you must love Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is the whole philosophy of..., Vedic philosophy. Or any philosophy you take. Because after all, you want satisfaction of yourself, full satisfaction of your mind. That can be only achieved when you love God. Therefore that religion is first-class which teaches, which trains the candidate how to love God. That is first-class religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktiḥ... (SB 1.2.6). And that love not with a motive. Just like here in this material world, "I love you; you love me." Background is some motive. Ahaituky apratihatā. Ahaitukī, no motive. Anyābhīlāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). All other desires making zero. Zero. That will be taught in the Bhagavad-gītā. Anyābhīlaṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). People are working... Somebody is working for knowledge and somebody is working for sense gratification. This is the material world. This is the material world.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

Anyone who has got some experience of itching... Itching is very pleasing at the time of itching, but next time it is not very pleasing. It has created so many disturbing condition. Therefore śāstra says that we should try to control the itching of our senses. Then he is dhīra. And as soon as you become dhīra, you are the first-class candidate for going back to home, back to Godhead. So there is method; there is practice; there is process. If you like, you can adopt them—actually there is no difficulty—and solve all the problems of your life. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand and adopt it. Now any question?

Hṛdayānanda: (translating) He says that if we are originally in the spiritual world and full of knowledge, how can we try to lord it over, or, in other words, how can we try to do something which actually cannot be done? And if we are originally full of pleasure, then why would we accept an inferior position?

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- Mexico City, February 16, 1975:

They have got little advancement. Just like Mohammedans, they accept the kingdom of God, and the Buddhists, they say that this material world has to be finished. Buddhists do not give any information of the spiritual world, but they do not like this material world; they want to finish it. So every religious principle is preached according to the candidate, place and time. So if one surpasses these stages, then he can come to the higher stages of spiritual understanding.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

This is not brāhmaṇa's philosophy. The brāhmaṇa's philosophy is that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

So it is very nice movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to understand yourself, first of all. Then you understand what is God, and as soon as you know God, then you become a fit candidate to go back to home, back to God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Anyone who knows Me, God says, anyone who knows God, in Truth, then what is the result? The brāhmaṇa, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti, after giving up this body, he does not enter another material body. Then what happens to him? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9), he comes back to Me. So try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Your life will be successful. Your life will be successful. We are giving a great contribution to the human society, to understand God or Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So you can understand God by becoming a devotee. That is not very difficult task.

Lecture on BG 4.28 -- Bombay, April 17, 1974:

There are others who, for higher elevation in life or for promotion to higher planets within the universe, voluntarily accept many kinds of austerities such as cāndrāyaṇa and cāturmāsya. These processes entail severe vows for conducting life under certain rigid rules. For example, under the cāturmāsya vow the candidate does not shave for fours months during they year, July to October, and does not eat certain foods, does not eat twice in a day and does not leave home. Such sacrifices of the comforts of life is called tapomaya-yajña. There are still others who engage themselves in different kinds of mystic yogas like the Patañjali system for merging into the existence of the Absolute, or haṭha-yoga or aṣṭāṅga-yoga, for particular perfections. And some travel to all the sanctified places of pilgrimage. All these practices are called yoga-yajña, sacrifice for a certain type of perfection in the material world. there are others who engage themselves in the studies of different Vedic literatures, specifically the Upaniṣads and Vedānta-sūtras, or the Sāṅkhya philosophy.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Devotee: "When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness and becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and one at once comes to the stage of asaṁśayaṁ samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead."

Prabhupāda: Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. By bhakti-yoga you can understand the Absolute Truth as He is and samagram, in full. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. These words are used in... Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu: (BG 7.1) "You will understand Me in full and without any doubt." So one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he knows God in full and without any doubt. Then the... "Therefore only by hearing from Kṛṣṇa or from His devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can one understand the science of Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on BG 9.29-32 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

If you simply go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa sincerely. And what is that process? Chanting and hearing. When you chant, you hear, and you will enjoy. And you will enjoy so nicely that you will give up all that is not wanted in the advancement of his spiritual life. Kṣipram. This is recommendation by Kṛṣṇa Himself, not that I am advertising. Because I am preaching here Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore I am advertising, "The candidate may take it." But Kṛṣṇa Himself says. Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati. Śānti means very soon he attains that perfect eternal happiness. Perfect peaceful life, eternal life, blissful life, he very soon attains.

And why? Kaunteya pratijānīhi. Pratijānīhi: "My dear Arjuna, you can declare this to the world. You declare." Why Kṛṣṇa is not declaring? Kṛṣṇa is declaring through His devotee because Kṛṣṇa has a promise that "I shall protect My devotee." If a promise is there by the devotee, that cannot be violated. Kṛṣṇa can... Because He is God, He can violate His own promise because He is supreme.

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa directly says how you can become devotee or dear to Kṛṣṇa. Or, in other words, how you will be seen by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is seeing your activities, but especially, to take care of you... Kṛṣṇa takes care. As soon as you become a devotee, immediately He takes care of you. Otherwise you are under the care of māyā, this material energy. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). So long you are not devotee, you are simply...

Just like if you are a candidate or criminal within the jail walls, the caretaking person is the jail superintendent. And he is taking care. There is taking care, but it, the care, is taken by the jail superintendent. But if you are a free citizen, the government personally or the king personally takes care of you. That is the way.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

"This division, the social division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—is made by Me according to quality and work." Not that simply work or simply quality. You must have the quality and work, both. Means you must be bona fide candidate to work for something. If you want to work as a brāhmaṇa, then you must have all, you must possess all the bona fide qualities of a brāhmaṇa. If you want to act as a kṣatriya, then you must have all the kṣatriya qualities and act. The kṣatriya means they are especially the... Yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. A kṣatriya is never afraid of fighting; neither, if somebody challenges, "I would fight with you, I want to fight with you," the kṣatriya will never deny. If somebody comes forward to a kṣatriya, that "I want to play chess or gamble..." Gambling was allowed to the kṣatriyas. It is by gambling all the Pāṇḍavas, they lost everything.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he did not undergo any of these principles because he was paramahaṁsa, above all these things. Therefore anupetam. (reading purport:) "The institution of varṇāśrama prescribed many regulative duties." Daśa-vidhā-saṁskāra, ten kinds of reformatory methods. But he did not undergo. (reading purport:) "Such duties enjoin that a candidate willing to study the Vedas must approach a bona fide spiritual master." If anyone wants to become a brāhmaṇa, it is not that the brāhmaṇa's son would automatically become brāhmaṇa. No. Anyone could become brāhmaṇa. Just like Jābāla Upaniṣad. Satyakāma Jābāla. This Satyakāma was the son of a prostitute. He was not a brāhmaṇa's son. So he wanted to become brāhmaṇa. So he went to Gautama Muni, "Sir, please initiate me. I want to become a brāhmaṇa." Śūdras were not initiated. In the formerly... Śūdras are common. Therefore Gautama Muni inquired that "What you are? Because I do not initiate who is not born of a brāhmaṇa father." So he said, "I do not know." "So go to your mother.

Lecture on SB 1.5.36 -- Vrndavana, August 17, 1974:

Simple. Without any adulteration. As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is without any adulteration.

So when one understands what is dharma without any adulteration, then he becomes fit candidate for studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. (break) Kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma ataeva śānta (CC Madhya 19.149). Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, he doesn't require for bhukti, mukti, siddhi. They simply want... Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, kīṭa-janma hao yathā tuwā dāsa, bahirmukha brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa. He is desiring, "My Lord, let me..." Janmāobi yadi... "If I have to get birth again, my Lord, this is my prayer, that let me have my next birth in the house of a devotee, even as a small worm." To take birth in the house of a devotee is not so easy thing. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). It is not so easy thing.

Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976:

So these regulative principles are there. So what is, what is the big plan behind these regulative principles? The big plan is: here is the attraction, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam—to cut down this attraction between male and female. This is the big plan. Otherwise there is no need of the varṇāśrama. Varnāśrama means to train the candidates gradually to become free from this entanglement of man and woman. This is the basic principle. Yoga system is also the same thing. Jñānī, that is also same. Karma also. The karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra, that is also, one has to take sannyāsa at the ultimately, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), gradually, if one cannot take it immediately.

So this is the training of Bhagavad-gītā. This is the training of Bhāgavata. Everywhere the Vedic principle, the first principle is that we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. In the previous verse we have already studied, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān, because we have forgotten what is our position.

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

That is going on since the creation. How can you stop it? The history repeats itself. This butchering, this attack by one country by another or by one king to another, that is going on. This is the nature; therefore it is called duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This is a place simply for suffering. Therefore everyone's business is how to get out of it. You cannot stop what is going on in Bangaladesh. It may be in Bangaladesh or it may be in Vietnam or it may be in some other places—this is nature's law; it will go on. You cannot stop it. The best thing is to get out of the scene. That is your business. You cannot stop it. Even if you show sympathy, that is useless. Because this is the way of nature. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Paritrāṇāya sa... vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. The vināśa is there. The two things are going on: maintenance and dissolution and creation. So you cannot stop the process. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha. All these ephemeral things which come and go, if one is not disturbed by all these things, then he is the right candidate for liberation.

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- San Francisco, July 18, 1975:

Prabhupāda:

kasya vā kuta āyātāḥ
kasmād asya niṣedhatha
kiṁ devā upadevā yā
yūyaṁ kiṁ siddha-sattamāḥ
(SB 6.1.33)

This Yamarāja, he has been given his jurisdiction on the lower portion of the universe, Pātāla. Yamarāja is not one of the candidates, but he has been designated to go down and administer the government there. (child making noise)

Jayatīrtha: The children should go out.

Prabhupāda: So nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). Just like government servant, they have to go anywhere the government orders, "You go and see there." So Yamarāja is, although one of the mahājanas, great personality, most confidential devotee and officer of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- San Francisco, July 20, 1975:

Nitāi: What is the process of punishing others? Who are the actual candidates for punishment? Are all karmīs engaged in fruitive activities punishable, or only some of them?

Prabhupāda:

kathaṁ svid dhriyate daṇḍaḥ
kiṁ vāsya sthānam īpsitam
daṇḍyāḥ kiṁ kāriṇaḥ sarve
āho svit katicin nṛṇām
(SB 6.1.39)

So first question was, brūta dharmasya nas tattvaṁ yac ca adharmasya lakṣaṇam. When there is some vicāra, judgment, it must be done very nicely. A criminal is judged before the magistrate. He is taken just to make proper judgment, "Whether this man is punishable? He committed some criminal activities." The circumstances, the condition of the mind—everything should be judged. This is called judgment.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- Los Angeles, June 5, 1976:

Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "What is the process of punishing others? Who are the actual candidates for punishment? Are all karmīs engaged in fruitive activities punishable, or only some of them?"

Prabhupāda:

kathaṁ svid dhriyate daṇḍaḥ
kiṁ vāsya sthānam īpsitam
daṇḍyaḥ kiṁ kāriṇaḥ sarve
aho svit katicin nṛṇām
(SB 6.1.39)

So challenge was replied that "You are representing Dharmarāja. So you have come here to take away this person, and we are prohibiting. So you have challenged us. So first of all explain your position, whether you know what is dharma and what is adharma, who is punishable, under what circumstance one is punished, and one who is punished, where does he go?" Actually, all these descriptions are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, different types of hellish life, what kind of sinful activities are punished by what kind of hellish condition. Everything is there.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

Nitai: "The candidates for punishment are those who are confirmed by these many witnesses to have deviated from the prescribed regulative duties. Everyone engaged in fruitive activities is suitable to be subjected to punishment according to his different sinful activities."

Prabhupāda:

etair adharmo vijñātaḥ
sthānaṁ daṇḍasya yujyate
sarve karmānurodhena
daṇḍam arhanti kāriṇaḥ
(SB 6.1.43)

So we have discussed about the witnesses last, yesterday. You cannot conceal anything from the eyes of God. That is not possible. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sarvato pāṇi-pādas tam. God has His eyes, heads, legs, hands everywhere. Therefore He is all-pervasive. So just like government has got vigilance: you are running on the road; there is vigilance. Similarly, everyone within this material world, either in this planet or lower planetary system or higher planetary system, they are daṇḍam arhanti.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, June 9, 1976:

Pradyumna: Translation: "The candidates for punishment are those who are confirmed by these many witnesses to have deviated from their prescribed regulative duties. Everyone engaged in fruitive activities is suitable to be subjected to punishment according to his sinful acts."

Prabhupāda:

etair adharmo vijñātaḥ
sthānaṁ daṇḍasya yujyate
sarve karmānurodhena
daṇḍam arhanti kāriṇaḥ
(SB 6.1.43)

So you can say that "God is dead" or "There is no God," but that is not the fact. The atheist class of men, they want that there may not be any God; they can do whatever they like. That is not possible. Just like in a small state there are so many CID, police and so many other depart..., detectives, just to find out who is transgressing the law. So in this big government of the universe, how do you think that there is no system of finding out who is culprit?

Lecture on SB 6.2.1 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1975:

So our request is, you all foreigners, so you have learned something about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's order. Although He expected that every Indian should go out for parupakāra, but anyway, some of the Indians, at least one... But you take this mission and go everywhere, in every corner. I am thankful to you. You are already doing that, in Europe and America, (people are) deep asleep. Because people are sleeping under misguidance, and they are becoming candidate for being carried away by the Yamadūta. This is the position of the whole world, Yamadūta. Palaye barā kathā naya yo māche piche.(?) Yamāduta will not excuse you, however you may be very proud of becoming independent. This is not possible. To save the human civilization, the rascal civilization, that "There is no life after death, and you go on enjoying as much as you like," this wrong civilization is killing civilization. So you save them. You save them.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:

"It is very difficult to understand." Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā: "But fortunately, if anyone understands, jñātvā..." Jñātvā means "If one understands," amṛtam aśnute, "he can drink the nectarine." If actually one understands the religious principle, he becomes, I mean to say, free from all material contamination. Amṛtam aśnute: "He is a fit candidate to drink the nectar of devotion." Amṛtam aśnute. Etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ. Now, what is the best principle of executing dharma, religion? So he says, etāvān eva loke 'smin: "Especially in this material world," puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ, "this is the first-class religious principle." What is that? Bhakti-yogo bhagavati: "Of rendering devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That is first-class religion. Bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ. Tan-nāma. And how it begins? "Simply by chanting His holy name." These are the authoritative statements of Yamarāja. Tam eva dharmam etāvān iti. This is dharma.

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

Your qualities, your everything becomes all transcendental, immediately. It is so nice. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66). "I'll give you." That is... These are things are stated. Tān nopasīdata harer gadayābhiguptān naiṣāṁ vayaṁ na ca vayaḥ prabhavāma daṇḍe. "They are not our candidates and neither we have got any power to punish them. Even he's in wrong, that is not our jurisdiction. That is Kṛṣṇa's jurisdiction. Kṛṣṇa will see to it what to do, even if he's wrong." That is called departmental punishment. That is Kṛṣṇa's departmental punishment. Not outside. "Kṛṣṇa may punish him or excuse him; that is Kṛṣṇa's business, not ours." Therefore a devotee knows, when he's fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, if there is some punishment from the side of Kṛṣṇa, they accept it as mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ (SB 10.14.8). They have the eyes to see that "This is mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has put me into some dangerous position. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy."

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

Those who are averse to taste the honey in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are rogues. They are rogues. And the Yamarāja is advising, "Go there. Bring them here, and I shall chastise them nicely." That is Yamarāja. Duṣṭān tān eva āha mukunda-pādāravindayo yo makaranda-rūpa tasmād vimukhān. Kathām bhūtat? Niṣkiñcinair ajasram juṣṭād tesam jñāpakam aha niraya-vartmani sva-dharma-sunye gṛhe baddha trsnad ye tan.(?) So what is their symptoms? Their symptoms we shall describe tomorrow. (break)

The advantages of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yes. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Yamarāja personally explains. He is mahājana. Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's a candidate for Yamarāja. (break) ...incarnations are as unlimited as there are waves in the sea. As there is no limit how may waves are there, similarly there is no limit of Kṛṣṇa's incarnation. But some of the prominent incarnations connected with this world, they have been mentioned. Now this boy is advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by this method. So Kauśalyā has transferred Kṛṣṇa consciousness to him?

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

"A human being should be inquisitive to know these things: 'Who I am? Wherefrom I have come? Where I have to go? Why I am put into this uncomfortable position?' "

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is for them who have become detestful of this material world. They are good candidates for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then the inquiry may be that "What for these men are working so hard? What is their goal of life?" That is answered in the next verse by na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). These people are working so hard because they do not know actually what is the goal of life. Na te viduḥ. Viduḥ means knowing; na means not. These people, they do not know what is actually the goal of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Everyone says that "I am looking after my interests," but he does not know what is his interest. That he does not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). He should know that his real interest is to make his progress toward Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They do not know it. Why they do not know it? Durāśayā. By their hope against hope, durāśayā. Duḥ means which is very difficult to fulfill. I may hope something which is possible—that is good—but if I hope something which is never possible, that is called durāśayā. Āśa means hope, and durāśa means which will never be fulfilled.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41). There are, people are generally after four principles of happiness: being religious, being economically developed, being very good candidate for satisfying senses, and when one is frustrated to derive any happiness from these three principles, he wants liberation, nirbheda-brahmānu-sandhana. That is also not actual happiness, because, as I was explaining this morning, that even one merges into the Brahman effulgence after severe penances and austerity, there is chance of falling down. There is chance. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanti (SB 10.2.32). Paraṁ pada is to merge into the Brahman effulgence existence. But from there also, one falls down, as I was giving the example of many big sannyāsīs in the modern age. They are very learned scholar. They took to sannyāsa, giving up this world as false, but again, after some time, they come to politics, sociology. That means that is their falldown. Because they could not actually taste the Brahman, brahmānanda, for which they sacrificed everything.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

"It can be concluded that a person who is freed from the bodily concept of life is an eligible candidate for pure devotional service." People generally think that by, through devotional service, one rises to the platform of Brahman-jñāna, nirbheda brahmānu-sandhana. Even the so-called devotees—they are called sahajiyās—their ultimate goal is to merge into the existence of Brahman. That Rajani Sena, Bombay, he's also preaching in that way. And their process is very abominable. The, the sahajiyās, they also think like that, that by sex one can rise to that platform of merging into the effulgence of Brahman. Even Vivekananda was talking that "This Vaiṣṇava religion is a religion of sex." They have been so much misrepresented. By sexual indulgence, one can become one with the Supreme. This is their theory, very dangerous theory. Therefore these sahajiyās are amongst the thirteen rejected apa-sampradāyas. In the name of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there are so many apa-sampradāyas. Apa-sampradāya means they present themselves as belonging to the Caitanya cult.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

Then it is better to become ācārya. Because we are interested in preparing ācārya, but the etiquette is, at least for the period the guru is present, one should not become ācārya. Even if he is complete he should not, because the etiquette is, if somebody comes for becoming initiated, it is the duty of such person to bring that prospective candidate to his ācārya. Not that "Now people are coming to me, so I can become ācārya." That is avamanya. Nāvamanyeta karhicit. Don't transgress this etiquette. Nāvamanyeta. That will be falldown. Just like during the lifetime of our Guru Mahārāja, all our Godbrothers now who are acting as ācārya, they did not do so. That is not etiquette. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt na avaman... That is insult. So if you insult your ācārya, then you are finished. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasya aprasādāt na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **—finished. If you displease your ācārya, then you are finished. Therefore it is said, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says to all the ācāryas... Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu and Śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda, they are all carriers of orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So try to follow the path of ācārya process. Then life will be successful.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975:

"I am not this body, as I understand from the śāstras. I am within the body. So how I can become free of this material body?" That is our real problem. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

So if we take it very seriously, then we become gradually advanced and eligible or fit candidate to go into the spiritual world—dīvyad-vṛndāraṇya-kalpa-drumādhaḥ. We can go there. That is wanted. Be serious. Don't be misled by the allurement of māyā. Remain strong. And then, in this life, you'll be able to become fit candidate to go back to home, back to Godhead. Dīvyad-vṛndāranya-kalpa-drumādhaḥ. You'll also be one of the associates of Kṛṣṇa, as you desire. Kṛṣṇa will give you the opportunity to serve Him as you desire. If you want to serve Him as a gopī, you'll get that position. If you want to serve Him as cowherds boyfriend, you'll get that opportunity. If you want to serve Kṛṣṇa following the footsteps of Mother Yaśodā, accepting Kṛṣṇa as your son, you'll get it.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

And when they are disgusted, they want mokṣa. Mokṣa means to become one with the Lord. So these things are going on. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to save all these fallen souls. Hīnārtha. Hīnārthādhika-sādhakam. The more one is fallen, he is the better candidate for accepting the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, patita-pāvana-hetu, tava avatāra: "My Lord, You have incarnated to reclaim the fallen." Patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra, mo sama patita prabhu, nā pāibe āra: "If that is Your mission, then I am the most fallen. So my claim is first to receive Your favor because Your mission is to show favor to the fallen. So I am the most fallen. So kindly accept me." In this way he has sung. And that is stated here, hīnārthādhika-sādhakaṁ śrī-caitanyam.

So (reading:) "A person in the conditional stage of material existence is in an atmosphere of helplessness.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

In higher state, somebody has become the servant of humanity, somebody has become the servant of the society, somebody has become the servant of the country, but actual purpose is that "I shall become the master." That disease is there. The candidates for presidency, they are presenting their different manifestations..., no, manifesto, that "I shall serve the country very nicely. Please give me your vote." But the real idea is that "Some way or other, I shall become the master of the country." So this is māyā. So if we understand this small philosophy, that constitutionally I am servant... There is no doubt. Nobody can say that "I am free, I am master." Nobody can say. If he thinks like that, that is māyā. It is false. Can anybody say in this meeting that he's not servant of anybody or anything? He must be, because that is his constitutional position. But the difficulty is that by serving our senses, there is no solution of the problem, of the miseries.

Lecture -- Paris, June 26, 1971:

The spiritual master is said "the external manifestation of God." God is situated in everyone's heart as Paramātmā, as Supersoul. But those who are very serious about understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately He helps him by, I mean to say, showing a bona fide spiritual master so that a candidate will be helped from inside and outside how to approach God. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for that purpose. The spiritual master, or the representative, living representative of Kṛṣṇa, he helps from outside, and Kṛṣṇa as Paramātmā helps from inside. In both ways the living entity can take advantage and make his life successful. We have got many books in this connection, about twelve books of four hundred pages. So this is based on the authority of Vedas, and that is summarized in the Bhagavad-gītā and many other books. So we have published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Kṛṣṇa, Easy Journey to Other Planets, Nectar of Devotion.

Lecture What is a Guru? -- London, August 22, 1973:

Or the bank fails—that better position gone. So there is no better position in this material world. It is a false. Therefore those who are trying to get better position in this material world, they are simply becoming defeated, because there is no better position. He's a rascal. He's thinking this is better position. What is better position? Then Bhagavad-gītā says the better position is amṛtatva. Saḥ amṛtatvāya kalpate: "Don't die. Keep your position firm." That is better position. So is there any science to give knowledge how one becomes immortal? Yes, there is. You can become immortal. Not in this material science; not in the so-called universities. But there is knowledge in the Vedic scripture by which you can become immortal. That is better position. No more death, no more birth, no more old age, no more disease. So guru's task is very great responsibility. He has to guide the disciple how to make him quite eligible candidate to get the perfect position, immortality, back to home, back to Godhead.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Hayagrīva: The government, the American government, arrested, yes. The Tennessee legislature arrested him. He was arrested and defended by Clarence Darrow, famous trial lawyer, and the prosecutor was William Jennings Bryan, who was a thrice defeated Presidential candidate. So they discussed evolution and religion and how they could co-exist, and Scopes, who was teaching Darwinian evolution, claimed, "All men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship almighty God according to the dictates of his own conscience. No human authority can in any case whatever control or interfere with the rights of conscience, and that no preference should ever be given by law to any religious establishment or mode of worship."

Prabhupāda: This is, this worship and the concept of worship, if actually one believes or knows, so the real worship is that which pleases God. If you manufacture... Just like I want a glass of water, and if my servant gives me a glass of hot milk, is that worship? Worship means what I want, if you give me, then I am satisfied. But if I want a cold glass of water, you give me..., if you think, "No. Milk is better than water," so that, will that satisfy me?

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:
Prabhupāda: This faith is not so easy. After many, many births, when one actually becomes a wise man, this faith comes in. Therefore it is said, sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. Such kind of mahātmā is very rare to be seen, for this faith is not so easy. Na janma-koṭibhir labhyate, Rūpa Gosvāmī has said. This faith, sukṛtibhiḥ na janma-koṭibhir labhyate. Those who are pious, they are candidate, that also requires many, many births to come to this faith. Tatra laulyam eka mūlyaṁ na janma-koṭibhir sukṛtibhiḥ labhyate. So the faith is not so easy thing. Kṛṣṇa is, from the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, five thousand years ago, the Bhagavad-gītā is being studied by so many scholars like Gandhi, Dr. Radhakrishnan, Vivekananda, Aurobindo. Where is that faith, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66)? They are taking advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and pleading their own philosophy. And where is that faith? They never taught that "You surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." Perhaps this is the first time.
Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: Then tyāgena, renouncement or giving in charity, whatever you have got, for the service of the Lord, tyāgena; satya-śaucābhyām, by following the path of truthfulness and remaining cleansed; yamena niyamena vā, by practice of mystic yoga. In this way one makes advancement towards spiritual kingdom or spiritual world. But all these can be totally performed simply by engaging oneself in devotional service. That is also stated: kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ (SB 6.1.15). If one becomes devotee of Lord Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, then simply by executing devotional service he attains the result of austerity, celibacy, and mystic yoga practice, and the result of charity, truthfulness, cleanliness—everything attains simultaneously, without separate effort. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading devotional service. By one stroke, the candidate can attain the results of all other processes.

Page Title:Candidate (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:28 of Nov, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=37, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:37