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Comfortable (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- New York, March 4, 1966:

I shall be very happy to return to my Vṛndāvana, that sacred place. "But then why you are...?" Now, because it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. Because I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty. I, I... That is my personal convenience, if I go and sit down at Vṛndāvana, I shall be very comfortable there. And I'll be, I'll have no anxiety, nothing of the sort. You see? But I have taken all the risk in the old age because I am in duty-bound. I am in duty-bound. So I have to execute my duty in spite of all my inconveniences. That is the idea.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Germany, June 21, 1974:

"We are transmigrating from one body to another. Exactly like we are passing from a child body to a boy's body, a boy's body to youth body, similarly, we are passing through this body also and accepting another body." Now, the question of distress and happiness. Distress and happiness—according to the body. A very rich man is situated little comfortably. The common distress and unhappiness, er, happiness, that is common. What is that common? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). To take birth either as a dog or as a king, the distress is the same. There is no difference because the dog has to keep itself within the womb of the mother in an airtight condition for so many months, and the man, either he is king or anything, he has also undergo that tribulation. There is no excuse. Because you are taking birth in a king's family, it does not mean that to remain compact within the mother's womb the distress is less, and because he is taking birth in a dog's mother's womb, therefore his is great.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Germany, June 21, 1974:

Sarva-haraḥ. Sarva means everything. Everyone is trying to accumulated big bank balance and big house, big family, big motorcar... But with the death, everything is finished. So that is great distress. Sometimes one cries. You will find at the time of death, in coma, his eye drops are coming out. He is thinking, "I made so many things so nicely to live comfortably, and now I am losing everything." Great distress. I know one friend in Allahabad. He was very rich man. So he was only fifty-four years old. So he was requesting, crying, doctor, "Doctor, can you give me at least four years to live? I had a plan. I wanted to finish it." What the doctor can do? "That is not possible, sir. You must get out." But these foolish people, they do not know. But we have to tolerate. We have to tolerate. That is advised here, that "Because you have got this material body, you have to tolerate, to live within the womb of the mother." Then come out. Then I cannot speak.

Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

And here it is said it cannot be burned. Even it is in the fire, there is no possibility of being burned. So why not in the fire? It requires a different type of body only. That's all. Just like the fish. It has got a different type of body. It is living very comfortably in the water. You have got a different type of body. You are living in the land very comfortably. You cannot live in the water. The fish cannot live in the land. Similarly, in the fiery planet, just like sun, there must be living entities. There must be. You cannot say by any reason that there is no living entities. How you can say? If it is a fact that living entity cannot be burned. Is it not? Just try to understand. Yes.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

The warfare of the kṣatriyas and the warfare at the present moment of the whimsical politicians, it is, they are different. Formerly it was not democracy. Only the kṣatriyas would fight. Especially the king, the royal order, they should come forward. Not that the politicians are sitting very comfortably at home, and poor people, they are given to fight in front of the enemy. No. That was not the system. The king must come forward. The other side, the king also come. And the opposite side, they also, he also should come forward and fight. It was duty. And as soon as the king is killed by the other party, then the other party becomes victorious. There was no more fighting. It is not the so-called king and president is sitting very comfortably and the poor soldiers, they are fighting unlimitedly, and the war is going on for many years. Just like last war we saw at least eight years it continued. Eight years, six years, no. The Battle of Kurukṣetra, it was finished within eighteen days.

Lecture on BG 2.28 -- London, August 30, 1973:

This is māyā's, prakṣepātmika-śakti, āvaraṇātmika. Although he is being entangled, but he's thinking that he's advancing, advancing in scientific knowledge. This is their knowledge. The gentleman was talking that he's a mining engineer. So mining engineer, his business is to make the atmosphere within the mine very comfortable. Just imagine, he has gone down within the earth just like the mousehole, and he's improving that mousehole. After being educated, after getting degrees, his position is to enter into the dark, dark, I mean to say, hole of the earth, and he's trying to scientific advancement by cleansing the air within the mine. He's condemned that he has been forced to give up the outer, outer space, free air. He has been condemned to go within the earth, and he's proud of scientific advancement. This is going on. This is scientific advancement.

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

Therefore all our feelings of distress and happiness is due to this body. Is due to the body. Body under certain condition, mind under certain condition, feels happiness and feel distress. So therefore, We are actually hankering after happiness because the soul's constitution is happiness. Soul's constitution is happiness. Anyone who is brought up in a very nice family with all comfortable conditions, as he feels distress in a different condition, similarly, the soul is the part and parcel of the Supreme Being.

Supreme Being, His constitution is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). The Supreme Being is the embodiment of eternity, bliss and knowledge. Eternity, bliss and knowledge. That is the constitution of the supreme entity. He is eternal, He is blissful, and always full of pleasure. Always full of pleasure. Kṛṣṇa, this word, Kṛṣṇa... Now, we have chanted, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. This Kṛṣṇa is... Do not take it that we are presenting some sectarian conception of God or like that.

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

"Give us some contribution." He is not collecting that money for his livelihood. He's quite competent to work. But that one dollar which he contributes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it is good for him. At least, some portion of his energy goes to Kṛṣṇa. That is the philosophy. Not that "Some way or other, I may collect some money and live very comfortably." No. We cannot do that. But you can accept Kṛṣṇa's prasāda. That is a different thing. But for personal comfort you have to work.

If you are a karmī, then you have to work. If you are a devotee, if you are completely... Devotee means hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Devotee means one who has engaged his senses cent percent for the service of the Lord, he is devotee, pure devotee.

So one who cannot become cent percent, all right, become fifty percent, twenty-five percent, one percent. Give something for Kṛṣṇa. Don't be miser.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:

That is not ordinary position. Just like people try to get some government servitorship. Government service. That is also servant, to become servant. Why? Or people try to get some service in some established firm, well-reputed business firm. Why? That service is comfortable, there is great profit in such kind of service. So if people are satisfied by getting a government service or service in some good establishment, then just think over if you become servant of God then what is your position? Because God is the government of all government. So to become servant of God... We are servant of God constitutionally. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109).

But at the present moment, I am thinking that I am master, I'm not servant. This is called māyā. Actually I am servant, but I am thinking master. Everyone is trying to lord it over the material nature according to his capacity.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:

It will not stay because I will have to change body. I will have to change body. There is no guarantee. This is the law of nature.

Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). It is the place for miseries and that is also temporary. If you want to make some compromise, "Never mind it is a place of miseries. I'll stay here comfortably as much as possible." But Kṛṣṇa says, aśāśvatam. Even if you make some compromise arrangement, you cannot stay here. You'll be kicked out. As soon as you think that "Now I have got a very nice building. Very nice wife and children. Everything is properly settled. Now I am happy," next day, "Get out." Finished. This is the law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).

So foolish people, they think that "Now I am settled up." What is your settlement? First of all make it a settlement that you shall be allowed to stay here. If there is no such guarantee, then where is the settlement? Next life you may become a cat or dog according to your mentality. But these foolish people, they do not know it.

Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

We are accepting this place as permanent settlement. We are making plans, so many plans, to make a permanent settlement, but the Lord says it is not only full of misery, aśāśvatam, you cannot remain here permanently. However make your plan to live here permanently, you cannot live here. You have to give up. You can spoil your energy for making this material world very comfortable or you may live for some years very comfortably, but cruel death will come and snatch from comfortable position and put you into another position which is beyond your control. You cannot say that "I have made my position very secure. I am very comfortable with great endeavor by advancement of economic development, by advancement of material science. Let me remain here. I am very happy." The time will say, "No, that will not be allowed. You must leave immediately, immediately, without delay."

Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:

Altogether, there are twelve relationships in every activities of our life. Out of that, five relationships is very favorable. Not five exactly, but... Yes, five.

Just like I am sitting here on this dais. So I have got some relationship. What is that relationship? That this dais is giving me service silently. There is relationship. I am comfortably sitting here. So this is one relationship. The next relationship is that one wants to serve me or I want to serve him. Out of love, I want... Oh. Just like some of you: "Swamiji, I have brought some fruits for you." This is out of love. That means you want to serve me. So this relationship with the dais and that relationship, to come, and that relationship, to come and bring forth some fruit for me, that is higher. That is called dāsya, or friendship. So the silent relationship, the servitude relationship, the friendly relationship, then paternal relationship, then conjugal relationship.

Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:

So just like... You will also learn that we are performing this kīrtana. Some tenant in this house, he has taken objection. And just to avoid misunderstanding, so I am closing this door. But it is becoming very too much discomfiture. That I can feel. People are not feeling comfortable.

Anyway, apart from that, this misunderstanding of kīrtana, five hundred years before also, there was. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was performing kīrtana, the, not the Muhammadans, but the Hindus, they took objection that "This is not according to our scripture. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced something new." So he complained to the magistrate although the magistrate was Muhammadan, he was government representative. So he took action. What action was taken? Now, the first of all he warned Lord Caitanya's party that "You cannot perform saṅkīrtana."

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

I think it is very difficult for me on account of my agitated mind." Cañcalatvāt. Cañcalatvāt means agitated mind. We must always remember that we are in a circumstances, material circumstances, where every time, every moment, our mind is agitated. We are not in a very comfortable situation. We are thinking that "This situation will save me for further anxieties of my mind," but when I reach to that point I feel that the anxieties have increased. It has not decreased, because the nature of the material world is like that, you cannot be free from anxiety. That is the nature. So we are simply trying to make a solution of our anxieties by different method, but the place is that, that it is not possible to make a solution of anxieties.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

So people do not even understand these things that we are not loser by offering Kṛṣṇa. We become gainer only. Gainer only. You decorate Kṛṣṇa nicely, you see. Then your desire for seeing beautiful thing will be satisfied. You no more will be attracted by the so-called beauties of the world. You keep Kṛṣṇa in comfortable state, You offer Kṛṣṇa nice foodstuff, you'll eat it. So just like if I decorate my face, I cannot see how it is beautiful, but if I bring one mirror before me, the reflection of my face is beautiful. Similarly, you are reflection of Kṛṣṇa. Man is made after God. So if you make happy Kṛṣṇa, then you'll see that your reflection, you are happy. Kṛṣṇa does not require your service to become happy. He is complete in Himself. But if you try to supply, make happy Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be happy. This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So try to decorate nicely Kṛṣṇa, try to give all foodstuff to Kṛṣṇa, try to keep Kṛṣṇa in all comfortable position. In this way you will reciprocate all the things that you offer to Him. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

If you want to go the the higher planetary system where the material happiness is thousands and thousands time more comfortable than on this planet... Just like Svarlokas, Svargaloka, Svargaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka. There are many different planetary system up and down also. So if you want to go to that, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18), if you prepare yourself, contacting the modes of goodness, then you are promoted to higher planetary system. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ: (BG 9.25) "You can go to the Pitṛlokas or you can remain within this planet, planetary system. And if you like, you can come to Me also." "As you can go to the higher planetary system or remain here..." That is all preparation. Bhūtejyā. Yānti deva...yājinaḥ. "Similarly, if you," mad-yājinaḥ, "if you become My worshiper, then you come to Me." Kṛṣṇa said.

Lecture on BG 7.14 -- Hamburg, September 8, 1969:

He had very nice wife, children, honor, prestige, everything. And somebody was saying, telling me yesterday, that people took him as a very happy man. Within a second, all finished. He was driving, he was in procession, people were honoring him, and within a second—finished.

So everyone is trying to be very happy, comfortable, but it is being finished within a second. Is it not a fact? Huh? Is there any disagreement on this point? That is the problem. Everyone is trying to solve this problem in his own way. They are manufacturing different ways only, but the problem is not solved. The problem is there. Here in America, whenever I meet some gentleman in the street and he understands that I am coming from India, he says, "Oh, India is very poverty-stricken." You see. So... As if there is no problem in America. There is one problem, food scarcity. But I told him that "You have got also many problems. You are not problem-free." So there is... Suppose you have got some pain here.

Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966:

"My dear Arjuna, if anyone comes to Me," mām upetya, "by this process, by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the result is," punar janma duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, na āpnuvanti, "he does not get any more to come back into this material world full of miseries."

This material world is certified by the Supreme Lord, the creator, as duḥkhālayam. Duḥkhālayam means "the place of miseries." And how you can make it comfortable? Can you make it comfortable by your so-called advancement of science? No. It is not possible. But we do not know what is duḥkha, or what is suffering. Real duḥkha is, real suffering is, birth and death, old age and disease. But we have set aside. Because we cannot make solution of these things, we don't care for it. We are after sputnik and atomic bomb. That is our scientific advancement. Why don't you solve these important things, which is giving me always suffering? They have no power. So here is the solution, that Kṛṣṇa says, mām upetya punar janma: (BG 8.15) "If anyone attains into My platform, then he does not come back again," punar janma, "rebirth again." Where?

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966:

You can transform the iron ores to a big iron factory. That you can do and waste your time, valuable time. That energy you have got. But you cannot produce iron. You can manufacture glass and live in a very comfortably, all side, but where is the glass? Glass is, means, a stone is melted with some chemicals, and it becomes glass. So where is the stone? The stone is supplied by God, the chemicals supplied by God. The intelligence with which you are working, that is supplied by God. Your body is supplied by God. You are God's. So everything becomes God's. Prabhavaḥ: "I am the source of supply of everything."

Prabhavaḥ and pralayaḥ. Pralayaḥ. If God wants, in a second your New York City will be pushed into the Atlantic Ocean, in a second. So pralayaḥ sthānam. He is the shelter. Nidhānaṁ bījam. Bījam. Bījam means the seed. Avyayam. Now, what these living entities are doing? What are these living entities?

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:

Why one is put into one type of body, and why one is put in another type of body? One body is enjoying very nicely. Not enjoying, he is also suffering. He is enjoying for a limited time. He is also suffering. But he... Comparatively, one is situated in a very nice comfortable position, and the other is not. Therefore other is envious, that "Why this man is in a comfortable situation, and I am put into...? So let us become communist or revolt against this person or this group of person." In this way the struggle for existence is going on, and there is no solution.

How there can be solution because they are all uneducated, not educated? So if you want to be educated, make the solution of all the problems of the world, then you must take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is the only solution. It will educate people the real identity, real position.

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Either make your country very nice, very nice city, very decorated city, or your house, apartment, wife, children, very nice decorated, but you'll not be allowed to remain.

We don't think that, that "Why you are forced to leave?" That we do not think. But that's a fact. I am living very comfortably with my society, family. "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man." There is one poetry. That's all right, but it is so nice, it is so pleasing, but one day comes, "Please get out." Finished. You cannot protest. You cannot say that "I have worked so hard. I have made my country, my family, my house so nice. Why I shall get out?" "No. You must leave." "Oh, let me stay here for some days more." "No, not even a second. You must get out." We cannot consider all these points. We are simply attached. "Oh, this is my country. This is my family. This is my land. This is my kinsmen. This is..." So many. "This is my, my, my, my, my." But if it is yours, why you are forced to get out of these things? What is the answer?

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

"I am happy." This is called māyā.

So this knowledge required, that "Why I am forced?" Just like he is fanning me. Why? Because I am feeling unhappy due to warmth of this room. Then again, in winter season, I'll not like this fanning. This fanning will be uncomfortable. So a thing which is now comfortable, a few days after, it will be uncomfortable. So whether that thing is, particular thing, is comfortable or uncomfortable? The fan may be comfortable at the present moment, but if there is cold, severe cold, it will be uncomfortable. So whether the fan is comfortable or uncomfortable? The fan is neither comfortable or uncomfortable. It is the situation of my body that makes me comfortable and uncomfortable.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, idaṁ śarīram. This body is the cause of my comfortable, uncomfortable position, this body. In another place when Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa that "Whatever you are saying, it is all right.

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

It is due to the skin, the skin." It is sometimes comfortable or uncomfortable according to the atmosphere. Just like we feel cold during winter season. We do not like to take bath. It is very cold. And again, in the summer season, we feel very warm. We want to enjoy taking bath. Therefore the water, in some season it is comfortable; in some season it is uncomfortable. The water is what actually? A chemical. But the atmosphere makes it comfortable or uncomfortable.

But that comfortableness or uncomfortableness is not permanent, that the summer season does not continue permanently, neither the winter season continues permanently. It comes and goes. So there are so many things. They come and go. And being attached to so many things, I become comfortable or uncomfortable. Therefore Arjuna was advised that tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. This material world is like that. Pains and pleasure, they come and go. They stay for some time, and again go away. But we cannot give up our duty. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

They stay for some time, and again go away. But we cannot give up our duty. That is not possible.

Sometimes people say that we are now... Just like in India they have taken this point very seriously, that "India is now poverty-stricken. There is no question of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Europeans and Americans, they are now comfortable, so they can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." When I go to India, sometimes they speak like that, that "India does not require Kṛṣṇa consciousness because they are in a very awkward condition so far economic condition is there." But that is not the actual fact. The other day, where? I think in Sydney. Some boy, present, he was..., "We have to supply food to the hungry who are dying without food in starvation. Then when I asked him, "how many men you have seen dying out of starvation?" he could not reply. He said, "No. I have not seen." Still, these are pleas, that "People are dying of starvation, people are dying naked."

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974:

So according to Bhagavad-gītā, not Bhagavad..., on the Vedic understanding, anyone who is stressing too much on the body, they are go-khara, asses and cows and animals, what to speak of becoming paṇḍita. But at the present moment, the whole educational system is concentrated on this body, how to keep this body comfortable. Spiritual knowledge does not mean that you neglect your body. No. That is not the idea.

But the most important subject matter of understanding is the soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Brahma-jñāna. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So far the body is concerned, that has been taken care in so many lives. In animal life, in bird's life, beasts' life, aquatic life. Now athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the Vedānta instruction: "Now we should take care of the soul, of the Brahman." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is required.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

Just like if you have to keep yourself, the legs are up and the head down, somebody keeps you like this, how long you will feel comfortable? If you, somebody takes your legs and catches you and your head down, then it is not very comfortable. So this whole material world is like that, ūrdhva-mūlam. The mūlam should have been down, but it is up. Therefore it is discomfortable. And another explanation is the, it is perverted reflection. We have got experience of the ūrdhva-mūlam. I think I have explained that, that a tree... On the bank of a river or the bank of a pond, tree is standing, but the reflection, we find that the same tree has become ūrdhva-mūlam and adhah-śākham. So by this statement, Kṛṣṇa says that this is not real. That reflection in the water, of the tree, is not real. Real tree is up. Similarly, real enjoyment, real varieties—everything is in the spiritual world. It is simply reflection. It is not fact. Therefore our enjoyment here is called māyā, or illusion.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

Suppose you are suffering from some disease, some fever. So this is inevitable. You cannot avoid disease, you cannot avoid old age, you cannot avoid death, and you cannot avoid birth. So suffering... The whole material world is full of suffering. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). And even if you make it... Suppose at any place you are living it is not very comfortable, but if you are assured that you will not die, you will not be diseased, you will not become old, you will not take birth again—if there is no death, there is no question of birth—so even if you are assured of...it is called? Immunity from these sufferings, still, there are many other sufferings.

Suppose you are not thinking very well. Today my mind is very disturbed. That is called adhyātmika. I have got some pain in my body. That is also adhyātmika. Some friend or some animal has done some mischief to me. That is also suffering, adhibhautika. And adhidaivika. The earthquake. Nobody wants earthquake, but there is earthquake. This is adhidaivika. There is famine. There is pestilence.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

So, munayaḥ ṛṣayaḥ, here it is said that ta ekadā tu munayaḥ. They were... Munayaḥ, generally, they're high-caste brāhmaṇas. So regularly this principle was being observed. And the speaker, Sūta Gosvāmī, was given his due respect, the vyāsāsana. Here it is said, sat-kṛtam. Sat-kṛtam means with due respects, the welcoming, receiving, sat-kṛtaṁ sūtam āsīnam. The speaker must sit very comfortably, sūtam āsīnam. Sukha means certainly he should not feel any inconvenience. Then the speaking will go on nicely. Sat-kṛtaṁ sūtam āsīnaṁ papracchuḥ. Then the questions. Idam ādarāt. The questions should be put not by challenging, by ādarāt, with great adoration. "I beg to submit, this is my question." "Can you tell me like this?" No, that is challenge. Very submissively. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). The question should be put by surrender. If somebody challenges, he'll never be able to understand. The question has to be very submissive. Here it is also said, ādarāt. You'll find Arjuna was questioning Kṛṣṇa, and at the end, "I have heard like this; if You think that I am fit to understand it, You can please explain it." Similarly Parīkṣit Mahārāja also asking submissively, "If you think I can understand, then please explain." This is the process of question. Not that... Then, go on.

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

That is another meaning of Hiraṇyakaśipu. So he was not happy also. Hiraṇyakaśipu was not happy—at least he was not happy that his son Prahlāda was becoming a devotee of the Lord, which he did not like. So he inquired from his son that "How you are feeling? You are a small boy, child, how you are feeling so much comfortable despite all my threatening. So what is your actual asset?" So he replied, "My dear father, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Foolish persons, they do not know that their ultimate goal of happiness is Viṣṇu, God, the Supreme Lord." Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Durāśayā, dur, hope against hope, they're hoping something which is never to be fulfilled. What is that? Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Bahir-artha, bahir means external, artha means interest.

So those who do not know that the ultimate goal of happiness is Viṣṇu, they think that by adjustment of this external world... Because we have got external and internal. Externally we are this body. Internally we are soul.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Hyderabad, April 23, 1974:

Who is a person here who is not... Why we are getting this fan? Because the body is suffering on account of excessive heat. This is called adhidaivika, the heat, excessive heat, excessive cold. These are also sufferings. This is called adhidaivika. But we are thinking, "We are very comfortable." We never think that "I do not want this heat. Why it is being forced upon me?" That he never considers. "If there is any remedy? I do not want it." But this body, as soon as you accept this material body made of these five elements, earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence... This is material body.

So Ṛṣabhadeva says, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaye (SB 5.5.4). Simply we have got this... This bodily concept of life means the senses. Indriyāṇi parā... The senses are very prominent. So simply for sense gratification we are acting so much sinfully that we are becoming implicated. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti na sādhu manye: (SB 5.5.4) "This is not good." Why?

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:

Just like when you are hungry, you are given foodstuff, you eat. The more you eat, your hunger is satisfied. You feel strength, you feel satisfaction. Similarly, the more you advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you feel comfortable, released from the material discomforts. In this way, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Gradual process.

So naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Not all cleansed, but prāya, say, seventy-five cleansed. At that time, you become fixed-up in devotional service, naiṣṭhikī. There are different stages of devotional service. That I have explained several times. First of all, śraddhā, sādhu-saṅga, bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. When anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, all unwanted things are finished, at that time, niṣṭhā, firm faith. So bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:
Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1).

We are also part and parcel of sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. Vigraha means form. Sac-cid-ānanda does not mean impersonal. That is foolishness, another foolishness. Ānanda cannot be impersonal. You can make experiment. Suppose if you are put into a big room without any man coming there, so you cannot feel very comfortable for long time. You will feel lonely. You shall try to come out. Just like we have got experience. Everyone has got experience, when we rise very high in the sky, but we cannot remain in that condition more than, utmost, eight to ten hours. Then we become very restless. Although it is very high in the sky, but we cannot remain in that way. Therefore śāstra says,

...āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
(SB 10.2.32)

One who does not take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he may rise up very high by austerity and penance, but he cannot remain in that position. He may give up artificially this material world, jagan mithyā, but he has to come down again to this mithyā jagat and open schools and hospitals, because he cannot remain in that impersonal way. That is the experience.

Lecture on SB 1.3.15 -- Los Angeles, September 20, 1972:

How one can cook in the kitchen when the fire is so hot? It is possible. Just like you can see in the water. You cannot live in the water, but there are thousands and millions of living entities. They are very comfortably living. The same living entities, you bring on the land, they cannot live. But you can live.

So it is, God's creation is like that. According to karma, there are different species of forms of life, but they have got all facilities to live. That is God's creation. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). The direction is there, that this living entity wanted a body to swim in the sea very jubilantly, so now he has got the body of a fish. So let him live very peacefully. That is God's mercy. You take very much pleasure with that surf... What is called, in the sea?

Lecture on SB 1.3.15 -- Los Angeles, September 20, 1972:

So if your grandchild, grandson is going to be a cat and dog, how he is coming to drive your motorcar? (laughter) But these rascals, they do not know. They are trying to make provision, "How my grandchildren will drive car. The petrol will be finished, and what other energy we shall make in stock so that my grandchildren will come and very comfortably drive his car?"

This is called māyā-mohita.
māyā-mugdha jīvera nāhi svataḥ kṛṣṇa-jñāna
jīvere kṛpāya kailā kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa

That is stated in the Caitanya-cari... We are so much engrossed by the influence of māyā that we are trying to do so many things, but our only business is how to forget Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Our real business is how we can kill Kṛṣṇa—"There is no God"—how we can forget Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:

So Devarṣi, when he was comfortably seated, with his hand, in his hand that vīṇā, vīṇā-pāṇiḥ. Vīṇā-pāṇiḥ is called Sarasvatī. Vīṇā means that stringed instrument which is carried by Nārada and also Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning. Sarasvatī. Students, they worship Sarasvatī for getting learning, material knowledge. And we Vaiṣṇavas, we also... He is also Sarasvatī. Nārada is also Sarasvatī. My spiritual master was known as Sarasvatī, Siddhānta Sarasvatī. Sarasvatī is the knowledge.

So there are two kinds of knowledge, avidyā and vidyā. Real vidyā means brahma-vidyā. This brahma-jijñāsā, athāto brahma..., that is vidyā. That is real knowledge. And avidyā, karma-saṁjña. Another vidyā is how to learn technology, avidyā. Avidyā. That is avidyā. Avidyā-karma-saṁjñānyā tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate. So now, at the present moment, the education is being given to the people how to work hard, karma-saṁjña.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

That is not possible. We should clearly understand that people are busy only on the bodily platform and mental platform. They have no spiritual understanding. That is the defect of the modern civilization. Unless... Just like you belong to certain atmosphere. Just like we are Indians. I am speaking from bodily consideration, that I am, in here, in your country, I am very comfortably situated. The boys are taking care of me very seriously. But still, sometimes I think that I am, I was happy in Vṛndāvana. Similarly, if you are transferred to some other foreign country, however comfortably you may be situated, you'll think of your own country. This is natural. Therefore we are seeking after spiritual happiness actually. Just like the child. Child is crying. The child is crying, and the mother is trying to pacify the child in so many ways, but the child is still crying because it wants something else. The child wants mother's milk. So unless the mother is supplying that thing, it is not satisfied.

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

"This is bhakti." Bhakti is nothing new or something extraordinary. Simply to know, to be conscious that "All my senses, they belong to Kṛṣṇa." Just like I am sitting here. These boys who are conducting this New Vrindaban, they have kindly given me this seat. So this is an example. So this seat I am not... I am a sannyāsī. This seat does not belong to me, but I am sitting very comfortably because they have given to me. Similarly, these hand, legs, all these senses, five knowledge-acquiring senses and five active senses, ten kinds of senses, and the mind is in the center—all these senses belong to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:

Para-upakāra means to do well to others. This is India's mission. India's mission is to elevate outside Indians. Because outside India, people are interested only how to make money and live materially comfortably. They do not know anything more than that. This is anartha. This is anartha. People have become interested only in bodily comforts. They do not know that we are not this body, we are spirit soul, and we have got different interest of the spirit soul than the bodily interest. The bodily interest is there, even in cats and dogs. They also take care of the body, as much as possible by them. Similarly, if we simply take care of the body and do not take care of my self—what I am, what is my necessity—then it is suicidal. That is going on all over the world. People are interested only in bodily comforts. They do not know that within this body there is spirit soul, and he has got a different type of business or mission.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

Just like we are taking advantage of this microphone for Kṛṣṇa, but we are not going to manufacture this. That is not our business. Let the śūdras do it. Śūdras will be there. They will do it. This is called ajagara-vṛtti. Ajagara-vṛtti means that the mouse, they make a hole in the field for his living comfortably. You know? You have seen the holes in the field? And the ajagara, the big snake, they take advantage of this holes. They enter into it and eat the mouse, and live comfortably. So the mouse makes the comfortable place for the snake. The snake business is to enter and live comfortably. So our business is like that. You śūdras, you make all the advantages, and we take simply, go there. (laughter) That's all. That is our business. You construct house, nice house, and we enter. That's all. That George Harrison paid for that house. We enter, that's all. We do not care for this fifty-five lakhs, how to earn. No. That is Kṛṣṇa's policy. Let the less intelligent class of men work hard and the higher intelligent class of men take advantage of it. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:

So these two classes of men... Mostly people are infected with these two kinds of modes of material nature. Rajas-tamas. The whole world. At the present moment, especially, mostly ignorance, and some of them are passionate. That passionate tendency is engaging them for so many industries and very, very strong work, ugra-karma. Ugra-karma. Ugra-karma means very strong...? What is, should be the English word? Ugra... Ugra, just like chili, pungent. There are many things. They are very strong in taste. So ugra-karma, these... Just like they are building hundred-and-fifty-story building. People can live comfortably in a small cottage or one-storied house or little more. But no, they're increasing. Their passionate activities are increasing. Just like in your country, in New York, now there is hundred-and-four-storied building, or more than that. Some building?

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

That is the contribution of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, because the Gosvāmīs, they worshiped Kṛṣṇa in a different method—going to Vṛndāvana, living underneath the tree, and one night underneath one tree, next night, next tree. This vairāgya is not possible for the Western people. Therefore we require this building. That is the contribution. Unless they live comfortably, it is not possible. And we have to preach all over the world.

So nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. For Kṛṣṇa's... Therefore you'll find in India, there are many very big, big, costly temples, not personal house. You'll never find all over India. You go and see. They have spent lots of money for temple. That was the Oriental civilization. Even the Muhammadans, they would construct very costly mosque, but they would live in huts. That was the intention. One... When... Whenever one is a little bit rich, he'll find out how to spend it for Kṛṣṇa, not for his sense gratification. Just like this Madana-mohana temple was constructed by a big merchant.

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

So that people may... Big, gorgeous temple means people will be attracted to come here, and we'll distribute Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. The aim is some way or other to turn them to convert them into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you remain akiñcana. And if we think that "We have got now very big house. We shall live comfortably and sleep comfortably," then na gocaram, then Kṛṣṇa will not be realized. Then that comfort will be realized only, not Kṛṣṇa. Akiñcana-gocaram. We should always remember this.

This is... Kuntī devī is saying, tvām akiñcana-gocaram (SB 1.8.26). And Caitanya Mahāprabhu said also, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, if one is interested, he should not desire anything material possession. Material... Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajano... And Bhagavad-bhajana, why required? Now, pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya. We are rotting in this material world.

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:

So Kardama Muni became little compassionate that: "This woman has come to me. She is king's daughter, and in my protection she is not getting any comfort. So I shall give her some comfort." He asked wife: "How you'll be comfortable?" So woman's nature is a good house, good food, good dress and good children and good husband. This is woman's ambition. So he proved himself that the best husband she has got. So he first of all gave her all opulences, big, big house, maidservants, opulence. And then this airplane was manufactured by him, yogic process. Kardama Muni, he was a human being. If he could perform such wonderful thing by yogic process...

And Kṛṣṇa is the yogeśvara, the master of the all yogic mystic power. Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is addressed in the Bhagavad-gītā as Yogeśvara. A little mystic power, when we get, we become so big, important man. And now He's the master of all yogic mystic power.

Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Mayapura, October 11, 1974:

This is our position. So the bhīḥ, the fearful personified agent, can punish you anywhere. You may think that "I am very comfortably situated," but that fearful agent can go anywhere.

So that fearful agent, Durgā, is also fearful of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's position. Because she is servant. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). She is so powerful, Durgā, that she can create one universe. Just like Kṛṣṇa can create, Kṛṣṇa also creates through her agent. As it is stated, na tasya kāryam karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. He does not do anything directly, but as soon as He desires, "Let there..." Sa aikṣata sa asṛjata. These are the statements of the Vedas. In the Bible also it is said, "God desired: Let there be creation." Is it not like that? "And there was creation." Yes. The modern men, they cannot understand. "Eh! What is this? If somebody says 'Let there be creation,' and immediately that is ready?

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

The karmīs, they get opulence on account of his past karma. But a devotee gets opulence—it is gift of Kṛṣṇa; it cannot be destroyed. It cannot be destroyed. It is gift of Kṛṣṇa. We should always think of like that. And we shall try more and more to please Kṛṣṇa. Dui lage hura huri.(?) Kṛṣṇa is trying to make His devotee more and more opulent and comfortable, and the devotee is trying to please Kṛṣṇa more and more. That is the business between devotee and Kṛṣṇa. It is called, Caitanya-cari...: dui lage hura huri.(?) Just like if I want to please you or if you want to please me, so there is competition. So that competition should be there. But that competition, that realization, is impossible so long you are attached to this rascal material world. Therefore Kṛṣṇa say..., Kuntī's first request is that sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi, "Please destroy this attraction, affection for this material friendship, society, family. Please destroy it."

Lecture on SB 1.9.2 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1973:

That is not possible. By laws of nature... Tri-tāpa-yatana, three kinds of miseries, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, they must be there always. Just like I am your spiritual master. You have kept me very nicely, to your best capacity, but I am coughing. I am coughing. So even if we are situated in one kind of comfortable position, then another uncomfort will come and attack. That is called tri division. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Or there is no cough, or there is no trouble, but you receive on very unsatisfactory letter from a friend; you become very sorry. This is called adhyātmika, pertaining to the mind, pertaining to the body. Adhyātmika. Adhibhautika: troubles offered by other living entities; and adhidaivika, trouble offered by the higher authorities. Just like excessive heat. You cannot control. Excessive cold.

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

At last, when everything was finished in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, no Kaurava, none of the sons or grandsons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra was living, neither of the Pāṇḍavas, still, Gāndhārī was faithfully serving her husband. And Dhṛtarāṣṭra was living with the nephews, Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers. They were keeping the uncle very comfortably as elder uncle, all respect. But Vidura came there, and he criticized him, that "You have no shame. You all along remained enemy to your nephews. Now your nephews have killed all your descendants, and you are living here just like a dog. They are giving you some morsel of bread and you are eating and living here. You have no shame. You have become old." So he became very sorry: "My dear brother, what shall I do?" "Please come immediately along with me, and come to the forest." So Dhṛtarāṣṭra went according to the instruction of Vidura. Gāndhārī followed. Gāndhārī never said that "I am now old. I have lost my children.

Lecture on SB 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974:

Avātsīt. Sat-kṛto devavat sukham. He was living just like in the opulence of demigods. Because they were all nephews. Pāṇḍavas were so well-behaved, cultured devotees, and Vidura was devotee. So he was treated just like devavat, godly. That is required. Just like whenever I go anywhere, they treat me very nicely, I live very comfortably, similarly, Vidura was treated by the Pāṇḍavas to live very comfortably, devavat, just like godly standard. But he did not live there for getting some material comforts. His aim was that "This poor man, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, my elder brother, he has not yet been lessoned, that what is the value of these material comforts." He was living shamelessly. So he wanted to instruct him, and thus he lived there for some time.

Lecture on SB 1.14.43 -- New York, April 7, 1973 :

So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira used to come first of all in the morning, after taking bath, after worshiping, because first duty was to go and see the old men: "My dear uncle, you are all comfortable? Everything is all right?" And talk for some time just to please him. This is the duty for family member—take care of the children, take care of old men, take care of even a lizard in the house, a serpent in the house. This is the injunction we find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, gṛhasta, how much responsible he is. There it is said, even there is a serpent... Nobody wants to take care of serpent. Everyone wants to kill, and nobody is sorry to kill a serpent. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that, modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). He said that "My father was just like a serpent, vṛścika, scorpion. So killing of a serpent or scorpion nobody is unhappy. So my Lord, You don't be angry. Now everything is finished, my father is finished." So, that was.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

This is our real identities.

So without understanding our real identification, if we remain intoxicated and wander within this wonderful universe... You cannot live. It is not that because you have settled up, "Now I am in America or India. Let me live here comfortably. I have got very good arrangement." But you will not be allowed to live, sir. You must have to change. You may make very good arrangement, but who is allowing to stay here. You will not be allowed to stay here. But they do not know. Intoxicated, because intoxicated. Everyone is thinking that "I shall stay forever. Let there be very big iron skyscraper building. I will be able to stay." But because intoxicated, he cannot understand that he will not be allowed to stay. You may simply spoil your energy. That's all. The energy which was given to you to understand God, you are spoiling that energy in skyscraper building, but you will not be allowed to stay. This is nature's law.

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

The cows are given under their protection, not that "Because the cows are given under my protection, therefore I must open a slaughterhouse and kill them." Similarly... So children under the protection of father and mother... Just like this child is sitting on the lap of... He is comfortable. But if the father thinks, "He is under my protection; therefore I shall cut throat..." Now it is going on. The abortion means that. The child is taken shelter of the mother's womb for protection, but now she is being killed. The time is so bad. You see?

So the idea is that subordinate does not mean he is in difficulty. No. Similarly, we are subordinate to God. That is a fact. Nobody can deny. So remain under the protection of God. That is our natural state. That is our natural state. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. What is God? God... Just like here is God, Kṛṣṇa. What is the difference? No difference. He has got two hands, you have got two hands.

Lecture on SB 1.15.44 -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1973:

"Oh, you are going to die tomorrow," will you take that responsibility, constructing, spending millions of dollars? "Oh, I am going to die?" That is natural. That is natural. So before making nice arrangement for our living condition, first of all make this condition sure that you are going to live actually, you will live comfortably. Is that guaranteed? No, that is not guaranteed. At any moment you will be kicked out. Any moment. So that is real problem. First of all make yourself assured that you will not be kicked out. Just like even we enter an apartment, we make so many agreement with the landlord, this condition, that condition. What is the idea? That I may not be kicked out, I may not be kicked out tomorrow. The landlord may say, "Get out." This is the agreement you make. So what is the agreement for your living condition?

Lecture on SB 1.16.8 -- Los Angeles, January 5, 1974:

No, he does not know. Devotee is not dying. There is very good example. Just like a cat. He catches the rat and he catches his cub also. But these two kinds of catching is different. When the cat catches a rat, that rat means his, "Chi chi chi," means dying, actually dying. And the cab (cub), he is feeling very comfortable: "Meow, meow, meow." Because the same cat, catching, process is the same, but the feeling is different. So a devotee seemingly dying, he is not dying. He is going back to Kṛṣṇa. He is very pleased, "Now my labor is finished. I am going to Kṛṣṇa." That is his feeling. And others, they are crying, "Oh, this is my estate. This is my family. This is my, this is my, this is my... I am leaving. I do not want to leave it. What will happen to that?" He is crying. That is death. And this is not death.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja is going to conquer over the world. He was appointed by his grandfathers to become the emperor of the world. But he was not a coward. Not that because his grandfathers appointed, he will sit down in the, comfortably in his capital and let things go on as it is. He doesn't care. No. Personally he wanted to prove himself that he is not a nominated president only. He is actually president. He is not nominated. "Because his grandfather nominated, therefore he has become. He may be a rascal number one." No. The nomination was there, but also on full strength... But if the people are given for nomination, as it is the practice now, by vote, then ordinary people, they are all rascals What is the value of their vote? Therefore another rascal is selected. Because one who is voting, he is a rascal. He does not know whom to give vote. He is not trained up. Simply by number, "Yes, I vote."

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

Still there are so many fools. No. King's duty is to subdue the miscreants who will create disturbance. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was such a nice, what is called, hero, that he got out of his home. Sva-senayā digvijayāya nirgataḥ. Nirgataḥ means went out of home, not simply enjoying comfortably at home. Similarly, for a preacher also, that is digvijaya. Go from country and country, from village to village, town to town, and make digvijaya: "Here is our philosophy. There is God. We can prove there is God. Who are you, you deny God? Come on." That is digvijaya.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

Why Kṛṣṇa personally Himself became a cowherd boy and was taking the care of the cows and the calves? Oh, that is very essential.

And here also, we see that the Dharmarāja is inquiring about the comforts of the cow. Amba, kaccid bhadre, what is, anāmayam ātmanas te. Āmayam means disease. So "Whether you are quite comfortable by your health?" This is very essential to keep cows very comfortably. If they feel comfortable, then you get the most nourishing food, milk. We are practically seeing in our New Vrindaban center, because the cow are feeling secure in our custody, they're delivering milk up to the eighty pounds daily. You'll be surprised. So if you get milk products, milk, then you can prepare so many preparations full of vitamins, which will nourish your brain. Dull brain cannot understand what is spiritual knowledge. Therefore, that Mr. Bernard Shaw, he wrote a book. Perhaps you know it. You Are What You Eat. If you keep your brain dull, then how you can understand?

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

Devotee (2): So one is like that, in a comfortable situation...

Prabhupāda: Comfortable situation is also sense gratification. Any situation, we shall have to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that "If it is comfortable to me, I shall do it." That is sense gratification. That is sense gratification. That is not spiritual; that is material. "Comfortable or uncomfortable, it doesn't matter. If Kṛṣṇa wants it, I must do it." That is wanted. That is wanted. As soon as I discriminate "This is comfortable, this is uncomfortable," that is material.

Devotee (3): Prabhupāda, how can we know what type of service Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Therefore you have got spiritual master. Why he is there? Therefore you have to accept spiritual master who will give you direction. You cannot do it. If you manufacture your own..., then go to hell. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau, tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ (ŚU 6.23). Kṛṣṇa is there; guru is there. Why should you manufacture your own way? If you are sincere, Kṛṣṇa will dictate from within.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:

Actually, in this age, sannyāsa is forbidden. But if one is very strong, he can accept sannyāsa. So better to remain a gṛhastha and cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is better. Don't accept whimsically sannyāsa and then do all nonsense. No. So it is better to remain gṛhastha. But not gṛhamedhi. Gṛhamedhi means that he does not know anything else than to support the wife and children and live very comfortably, well-dressed, and... That is called gṛhamedhi. His center is only that apartment. He does not know anything more than that apartment. That is called gṛhamedhi. And gṛhastha means that he knows many things, Kṛṣṇa, beyond this apartment. He's called... (break) ...in this way and that way. They have got thousands, thousands of questions and answers. But one who is gṛhastha, his question and answer is one: Kṛṣṇa. That is the only subject matter.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Vrndavana, March 18, 1974:

Why? Now, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). He does not know "What is the necessity of me, soul, how to get me relieved from that." That he does not know. So therefore this word is used: apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). He does not see that "I am spirit soul. My necessity is different from the bodily necessity." (break) "Then I'll become comfortable." Even one knows that "I am not this body," but the body is home... Or I know that "I am not this room," but I am engaged always how to keep this room very neat and clean. That is my business. I do not know that there is another business. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). That is the defect.

Therefore it is the duty of every human being—animals cannot do—to understand about the ātma-tattvam. Ātma-tattvam, necessity of the soul. That was presented by Sanātana Gosvāmī when he went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "I was minister, quite comfortable. People called me learned scholar. That is also, some way or other, it is right.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Vrndavana, March 18, 1974:

And people say that I am a learned man, but I do not know how to get out of the suffering." This should be the question. They are trying to get out of the suffering, but they do not know the ways, how to get out of it. That is ātma-tattvam. He does not know what is the nature of ātmā, what the ātmā wants, and how the ātmā will be comfortable. That he does not know. That information is given by Kṛṣṇa, by Caitanya Mahāprabhu: jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). The, every living entity is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore unless he comes to the platform of serving Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of happiness. There is no question of happiness. And Kṛṣṇa also says the same thing: duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). "This place is simply full of miseries, and if you come to Me..." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6).

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

"Any moment I shall be kicked out. Any moment." There is no guarantee. Parīkṣit Mahārāja got seven days' time, that "You shall die within seven days." We have no even one second's guarantee. This is our position. But still, we are so much attached. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu (SB 2.1.4). Everyone is thinking, "I am very comfortable at home. I have got my wife. I have got my children. I have got my bank balance. I have got so many things. I have got my nation, community. I am secure. I am secure." Why he is thinking like that? Pramatta, mad, madman. That is described.

piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya
māyā-grasta jīvera haya se bhāva udaya

Ghostly haunted, every one of us. This māyā-grasta, one who is under the influence of this material energy, just like, exactly like a man who is ghostly haunted. Ghostly haunted. Perhaps some of you have seen a man ghostly haunted. He talks all nonsense.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

Because Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very strong king. But his strength was on the basis of his devotion to Lord Jagannātha. So even if we want to enjoy material world ... The devotee does not want to enjoy, but Kṛṣṇa keeps his devotee in all comfortable situation. There is no question about it. So we should not desire separately for material comfort. We should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa and be satisfied; in whatever condition He keeps, be satisfied. Then He will look after whether you are comfortable or uncomfortable. If you try, yourself, independently, to become comfortable, that is māyā. You cannot become so. Otherwise, you see everyone is trying to be comfortable in this material world. Do you think that everyone is comfortable?

Lecture on SB 2.4.1 -- Los Angeles, June 24, 1972:

As the jñānīs, they want. But you cannot stay there.

Because you are a living entity, you are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so actually you are trying to go to Kṛṣṇa. Just like a child is crying. The idea is that the child wants mother. Or mother's breast milk. That is his demand. But sometimes we do not know. We try to make the child comfortable in different ways. Similarly, all of us are searching after Kṛṣṇa. That is the fact. Kṛṣṇa, being the Supreme, we are all, being parts and parcels, our natural tendency is to approach Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find this. Mama vartmānu... "They are all trying to come to Me." But they are being hampered by different types of māyā. So the spiritual advancement means ultimately to approach Kṛṣṇa. This is very nicely explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The bhakti-latā, the creeper of bhakti, is growing, but it will go on growing, growing, growing, until the bhakti-latā, I mean to say, catches the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.22.22 and Initiations -- Tehran, August 12, 1976:

"Whether you like," but she selected her husband. She told that "There is Kardama Muni. I want to marry him, that Kardama Muni." She expressed her desire to her father, and the father and mother came to offer the daughter to Kardama Muni. The first consent was the daughter's. Now just see, she was emperor's daughter, how comfortably she was living, but she voluntarily accepted all the difficulties for becoming the wife of an ascetic. You cannot expect royal comforts when one becomes the wife of an ascetic. Of course, later on everything was given to her by the mystic power of Kardama Muni, but in the beginning she accepted in a very humble cottage to live with her husband and serve him.

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

So here we see, viduram prītaḥ. Vidura was hearing from Maitreya Ṛṣi, and Maitreya Ṛṣi was very much pleased. Prīti. Unless you satisfy your teacher, or guru, very nicely, you cannot get the right knowledge. That is natural. If you receive your guru, give him very nice place, he can sit comfortably, and he's pleased with your behavior, then he can speak very frankly and very freely, which will be very much beneficial for you. Therefore this word is... He was talking. He was preaching. He was giving instruction to Vidura, being pleased, prīti. Maitreya Ṛṣi was very much pleased. That is also recommended in the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā: tad viddhi praṇipātena. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Simply going and asking the spiritual master or guru, and not to accept his instructions, then don't waste your time. Don't waste your time. In a challenging spirit, if you go to a spiritual master, without any service, sevayā, and praṇipātena... Praṇipātena... Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta.

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

Kardama Muni. So Kardama Muni, the wife, a king's daughter, but she was serving the husband, and... The yogi, in a cottage he was living, and she was king's daughter, princess. So working, working, she became very skinny. So Kardama Muni took (com)passion upon her that "This girl has come to me. She is not in a comfortable position." So by his yogic power, he created big palatial house, many servants, maidservants, garden, everything. Not only that. Kardama Muni created one airship. It was just like a small city. The modern airship—they have prepared 747—can carry about five hundred passengers. Of course, very big. But Kardama Muni created an airship just like a small city. In that airship there was nice lake and palaces and garden, and not only that, the airship traveled all over the universe. They could not make any airship to go to the moon planet. But Kardama Muni, by his yogic power, he created an airship which could go to all the planets. This is yogic power.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

There are different demigods controlling different parts of the body. So that means as soon as we get a body, we become indebted to the demigods. Then, when we are educated, we take knowledge. Then we become indebted to the great sages, saintly persons, who have given us all the directions how to live comfortably, sinlessly. Then devarṣi-bhūta. Bhūta, ordinary, general living beings. Just like we are taking milk from the cows, service from the bull, from the horse, from the ass—even cats and dogs. So we are also indebted to them. Devarṣi-bhūta-āpta. Relatives. We get so many help from relatives. Bhūta-āpta. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇām. General public. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). And the forefathers. So a ṛṇī we are immediately. But if we renounce everything for the sake of Kṛṣṇa, then we are not ṛṇī, or indebted. That is the injunction of the śāstra.

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

Aśeṣa, not one, but aśeṣa, unlimited. Aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti. Vibhūti means each planet is saturated with different types of atmosphere. Just like the moon planet. The scientist says that it is below zero, two hundred degrees. It is very cold. That's a fact. Because it is very cold, therefore the shining from so much distance in the evening—we feel very comfortable. Not in the sunshine. God's arrangement is so nice. You require both. The sunshine also you require, and the moonshine also you require. If simply there is sunshine, then you die. And if there will be simply moonshine, then you will also die. Both.

But there is another planetary system. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). There is another..., paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20), another nature where, yatra, na tad bhāsayate sūryaḥ, there is no need of sunshine, there is no need of moonshine. Because the each planet is svayaṁ-jyoti. Here we have got one planet, the sun planet, jyoti.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

Spiritual being, he has nothing to do with this material world, but somehow or other, we have fallen in this material world. Anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. It is just like ocean. So just like if you fall down from the boat or the ship, then it is struggle for existence. You may be very nice swimmer, but that does not mean in the water you will be comfortable. That is not possible. Similarly, we living entities, part and parcel of God, we are as pure as God. Kṛṣṇa, God, is pure. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Pavitra. So similarly... Pavitra means without material contamination. That is pavitra.

Lecture on SB 3.26.28 -- Bombay, January 5, 1975:

He says, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham. What you have got, He will give protection, and what you have not got, He will supply you—for the devotees. The devotees do not want, but Kṛṣṇa... Just like a child, dependent on the parents. He does not want anything, but the parents are very much anxious, "What my child needs?" The bhakta, devotee, wants how to keep satisfied the Lord, how to keep Him in comfortable position. Just like here the devotees, they are always dressing and giving flower garland and sandalwood pulp and tulasī and cleansing the... Tan-mandira-mārjanādau. What is the idea? That Kṛṣṇa may sit down here very pleasingly. This is bhakta's activity. And Kṛṣṇa's anxiety is "How My devotees will remain without any want." This business is going on, without any difficulty. So the bhaktas, they will not want anything. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4).

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

So ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktāḥ. The symptom of a mahātmā, great soul, is described here. What is that? That dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. Those who are simply planning how to keep this body comfortable, that is the material world. Everyone is busy how to keep this body very comfortable, although it is not possible. There are so many disturbances, so many miserable condition, that there is no possibility of keeping this body in comfortable position. That is not. That is a fact. But still, we are trying. There they are called deha, dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. Just to make gorgeous arrangement for keeping this body very comfortable, they are called dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. They are simply busy how to keep this body comfortable. To such person, janeṣu dehambhara... And gṛheṣu. Although he is at home, then Jāyā means wife. Jāyā, ātma-jā, the children, and rāti, money. These things are required, household.

Lecture on SB 5.5.25 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1976:

They are Karmī, jñānī, yogi, they are feeling that "This material world is full of distresses. Let us take relief from this and become one." Karmī is trying to go to the Svargaloka; jñānīs want to go to the brahma-jyotir. The yogis also, they desire like that because they do not feel very comfortable within this material world. But a devotee, there is no such thing that in the material world they are uncomfortable. No. Why? Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, wherever there is Nārāyaṇa, that is all right. That is the view of the devotional service.

Lecture on SB 5.6.3 -- Vrndavana, November 25, 1976:

Why we are in this material world? On account of this change of mind. Our position is jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). We are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, but sometimes the servant thinks, "Why shall I remain a servant? Let me become master." That is natural. A master is always in comfortable situation. Sometimes the servant becomes envious: "Oh, why this man should always remain in comfortable position and we shall serve? Why not we become also in comfortable position? Let me eat as he eats," or "Let me sleep now." These are so-called comforts. So they want to imitate. When the living being imitates the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he falls down. Kṛṣṇa bhuliyā jīva bhoga vāñchā kare, pasate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare. As soon as he forgets his position—he wants to imitate—that is the beginning of māyā, falldown. You should be very careful.

Lecture on SB 5.6.8 -- Vrndavana, November 30, 1976:

Of course, He delivered them. Nityānanda Prabhu is so kind that in spite of being stroken and blood came out from His head, still, He continued to say, "My dear friends, never mind you have injured Me. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." So the preaching is so difficult thing. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya kṛttamaḥ. It is not very sitting idly, comfortably, and discuss Vedānta. No. It is not like that. Preaching practically. Practically meeting dangerous position because sympathetic. Saṁsāra dāvānala. The whole world is in blazing fire. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Vaiṣṇava is para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. And that is his qualification. For him there is no difficulty. He's quite all right. He's under the protection of Kṛṣṇa. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So he has no danger personally. What danger there is? There is Kṛṣṇa. He is confident, and Kṛṣṇa protects him in all danger. But he is unhappy. He meets Jagāi-Mādhāi class and faces all kinds of danger. Therefore he is the powerful, authorized agent of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

You see? And if you have created cars, then you must have meet your friends and necessities thirty miles off, forty miles off. You can go from New York to Boston in one hour, but go to the airport you will take three hours. (laughter) Therefore it is called māyā-sukhāya. (laughter) Māyā means false, illusory. We are trying to create some very comfortable situation, but creating another uncomfortable situation. This is called māyā-su... This is the way of... If you do not be satisfied by the natural comforts offered by God, or nature, if you want to create artificial comfort, then you have to create another discomfort for counteracting. They do not know that. They are thinking that "We are creating very comfortable situation." Fifty miles going to the office. For earning livelihood, fifty miles, from one place to another. I saw in Hawaii. When Gaurasundara was working to maintain our temple, he was working. Unfortunately, he had to go fifty miles off from the temple to work for it. So I was very sorry to see how this boy is going fifty miles.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

Those who have seen, that have got experience—immediately the whole body becomes dirty. Immediately taking... Just like we, human beings, we go to the bathroom and cleanse ourself with soap and water, and then we feel comfortable. We do not again take some dirty things and throw over it. But the elephant, animal, does it. These are our examples. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja said that "You may become cleansed by the atonement process, or you may be relieved from the disease by taking some medicine, but if again you commit, then what is the use of this treatment or use of this atonement?"

So this is the second question of Parīkṣit Mahārāja to Śukadeva Gosvāmī, very important question, that how one can ultimately become free from all contamination of these material modes of nature? Otherwise, what is the use of atonement?

Lecture on SB 6.1.26-27 -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

Just like a mad boy, he has forsaken his father. His father is rich man, everything is there, but he has become hippie. So similarly, we are also like that. Our father is Kṛṣṇa. We can live there very comfortably without any botheration, without endeavor for earning money, but we have decided that we shall live here in this material world. This is called ass. This is the... Therefore mūḍha. We do not know what is our self-interest. And we are hoping against hope, "I shall be happy in this way. I shall be happy in this way." Therefore this word is used, mūḍha. They do not know what is actually his happiness, and he is trying one chapter, another, one chapter, another, "Now I will be happy." The ass. The ass. Sometimes the washerman sits on his back and takes a bunch of grass and puts in front of the ass, and the ass wants to take the grass. But as he moving forward, the grass is also moving forward. (laughter) And he thinks, "Just one step forward, I shall get the grass."

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

Veda-praṇihito dharmo. Veda-praṇihito. What is explained in the Veda, that is dharma. You cannot manufacture dharma. If it is mentioned in the Vedas, what is dharma, what is adharma, then it is acceptable. I have several times explained that you cannot make law in your comfortable home. No. Law is made by the government. And you have to accept it. You cannot say that "I believe this will be law." Who will care for your law? You may believe. You believe at your home. That will not be accepted. The law given by the government, "Keep to the right," that you must have. You cannot say, "I believe left thing" or... No. That is not. Similarly, dharmaś ca, it will be explained further.

So what is dharma, religion? In the dictionary, English dictionary it is explained: "a kind of faith." But we do not take in that way. Faith, you have got different faith, I have got different faith, how it will be dharma? The same example: if you have different faith that you do not accept this government law, that will not do.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

And that is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in your house you should see not only to the welfare of your children. Even there is a lizard, there is a rat, even there is a snake, you should see how he is also comfortably situated. That is spiritual communism. In Vṛndāvana still, a snake found in the house is never killed, snake. Still a rat is never killed. If you kill a rat in Vṛndāvana, then so many people will come: "Oh, you are committing such sinful acts. You are killing a rat." That depends on the mentality of the person. You can take care of this animal, I mean to say, against the disturbance created by this animal, but you cannot kill them. That is not. But when it is unavoidable, we have to do like that. But as far as possible we should avoid. We have heard from our father that his elder brother in the village had a cloth shop, and there were rats. So at night he would keep a big bowl of rice in the middle of the shop, and the rats will eat whole night.

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

Just like a child is sleeping on the lap of his mother, feeling secure, completely secure, that "I am on the lap of my mother..." Naturally a child, when it is on the lap of it's mother, he is quite comfortable, silent, feeling very secure. So in that position if the mother kills the child... It is like that, that prajā and the king... The prajās... Prajā means the citizens, subjects. They should be feeling so much secure that "We are under good government. There is no disturbance." Just like during the government of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, they were so secure that even they had no very much anxieties. "Our king is there." The world is full of anxieties, miseries, and difficulties. So the good government means when the subjects, citizens, feel secure from all such things.

So here, yasyāṅke śira ādhāya. Suppose I am sleeping very comfortably, feeling secure by keeping my head on your lap, yasyāṅke śira ādhāya lokaḥ svapiti, and dreaming very happily. Svaya dharmam adharmaṁ vā na he veda yathā paśuḥ.

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

Why they are planning like...? Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. They are not selfish, "Now I have become Kṛṣṇa devotee. That's all right. Let others go to hell." No. They want to see that everyone becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are real friend. That is, he is real friend. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau.

The Gosvāmīs, ideal. They left their comfortable position as ministers, went to Vṛndāvana, and became a mendicant. Kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. Because they were ministers, their associates, their friends, their companions were all rich men, aristocratic. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati. Maṇḍala-pati means "great leaders of aristocratic family." He gave up. Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they gave up this association of big aristocratic families. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. Tucchavat means "There is no necessity. It is most insignificant. We don't want it." Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa... Why you are standing? Huh?

Lecture on SB 7.5.23-24 -- Vrndavana, March 31, 1976:

So the education at the present moment throughout the whole world is Sanda-Amarka education. For a devotee such kind of education has no value. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. Everyone is being educated how to live comfortably with reference to the comforts of the body. This is not education. Real education is to understand oneself, self-realization, and with that purpose one should make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that beginning with śravaṇam. As we are hearing, without śravaṇa there is no beginning of spiritual education. Satāṁ prasaṅgād mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. That śravaṇa, hearing also, should be accepted from devotee, from real devotee. Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī recommended that a brāhmaṇa... He wrote something about Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and there were so many discrepancies. So Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī was not at all satisfied with such writings.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

We should know what is God. We should know what we are, living entities. We should know what is this material nature. We should know what is time, and we should know what are our real activities. Why don't you come forward? The sunshine is troubling you. So come forward. Yes. Sit comfortably. So bhāgavata-dharma means it is scientific knowledge. It is not sentiment. Religion without philosophical understanding is sentiment. And philosophy without understanding of God is mental speculation. So we should not be both, neither sentimentalist nor dry mental speculator. There is a class of mental speculators, they're writing volumes of books but there is no substance. And there are some religious fanatics, but they do not know, do not understand what is religion. So these two classes of men are now very prominent at the present moment.

Lecture on SB 7.7.40-44 -- San Francisco, March 20, 1967:

That is in our experience. There is very nice song sung by a Vaiṣṇava poet. He says, sukhere lagiya e baro bhaginu anale puria ghare (?). "I constructed this house for living happily. Unfortunately, it was set in fire, so everything is finished." That is going on. In the material world we are making so many plans for living very comfortably, peacefully, eternally. But that is not possible. People do not understand it. They are seeing, experiencing from śāstra, from scripture we are getting instruction, that nothing is imperishable. Everything is perishable in the material world, and we are actually seeing also that perishable agents are always ready. Just like the fire. In New York City, at least, within twenty-four hours, there are at least ten or fifteen places where fire is going on. And your fire brigade is running on just trying to protect you from fire. The house regulation is all for fire, "How we are protected from fire." Then it will be allowed, certificate of occupation, "You can live."

Lecture on SB 7.9.55 -- Vrndavana, April 10, 1976:

This is pure service. They are avoiding to take service from Kṛṣṇa-Rādhārāṇī. And Kṛṣṇa-Rādhārāṇī was finding out the opportunity how to serve the devotee.

This is the competition between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. Kṛṣṇa wants to give everything to the devotee. He wants to see that "My devotee is very comfortable." Just like the father wants to see the children are very comfortable. So why the devotees should be hankering after something material? No. Kasmād bhajanti kavayo dhana-durmadāndhān (SB 2.2.5). Śukadeva Gosvāmī said. Why we should go to the puffed-up rich men for begging something? Kṛṣṇa will arrange for everything. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "You do not try to preach for getting some money. Money will come automatically. On your feet money will say, 'Please accept me.' " You should preach very sincerely. That is your business. Never bother that "Where is money?

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

So this artificial life is not actual life. We are perceiving. Suppose there have been no rain for one or two years. There is a time when for hundreds of years there will be no rain. You have to wait for that time. That time is coming at the end of Kali-yuga. For hundreds of years there will be no rain, and everything on the earth will be burned into ashes. Not only there will be rain, but the sunshine will be twelve times hot, twelve times hotter than the present. The temperature will increase. These are stated in the Bhāgavata. Then everything will be turned into ashes. And then there will be torrents of rain. So these descriptions are there.

So it is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This place, we are trying to live very comfortably in a place. That is not very good intelligence. Because Kṛṣṇa, the creator, He said, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Mām upetya kaunteya...

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

Yes, this is vivid example. In America there is no scarcity of food, there is no scarcity of anything. Here we cannot imagine that how there cannot be any scarcity of food because here everything is scarcity, controlled. So similarly, I have seen Russia. Russia is advertising, "So much comfortable," but the poorest country, in my opinion. They stand in line as here, controlled everything. If you have to purchase your necessities, you have to waste two hours at least. Where is Śyāmasundara? Śyāmasundara has gone, huh? So Śyāmasundara was going to purchase our things. So rice practically not available, nice quality. Dahl also not. The butter is available, milk is available, and meat, as much as you like. And no fruits, no vegetables. It was very difficult for the vegetarians. And still, that is everything. He had to spend two hours for bringing milk and butter and little rice. So everything is controlled. What I was speaking?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

Without taste, we cannot continue our relationship with anyone. There must be some taste. So these rasas, or tastes, are twelve kinds. Primary rasa is the relationship between inert things and our... Just like I am sitting on this chair. So the comfort I am feeling, that is the rasa, taste. We want very nice cushion, sitting position. So that tasting, that "I am now comfortably seated," this is called śānta-rasa. Then above the śānta-rasa, there is dāsya-rasa. Dāsya-rasa... Just like my students, my disciples, they want to serve me, and I want to take service from them. This is also an exchange of rasa, a taste. Śānta, dāsya. Similarly, next advanced stage is sakhya-rasa. Sakhya means friendship. Just like one is serving somebody, but if that service is very intimate, then there is the rasa of friendship, dāsa, sakhya-rasa. And when that is advanced... (feedback) (aside:) What is this sound? When that is advanced, it becomes vātsalya-rasa. Vātsalya-rasa means the taste of relationship between parents and the children. These are advanced.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.8 -- Mayapur, April 1, 1975:

So this whole material creation is like that. The creator of this universe, Kṛṣṇa, He says, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam: (BG 8.15) "This is the place for suffering." And you are seeking after happiness. Just like in the prison house: it is the place for suffering, and if you want to be comfortable, this is called māyā. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). The whole world is running after happiness what is not possible. Therefore they have been described as vimūḍhān, rascal. We sometimes use this word very frequently, "rascals," and they become angry. But actually that is the description, "rascals." All these so-called civilized men, so-called civilized men, they are not men even. They're all animals. But in the śāstra, they have been described as dvi-pada-paśu. They are animals, but they have got two legs. That's all. That is the difference. Animals, generally, they have four legs, catus-pada, but these animals are two-legged. That is the difference.

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

Or he is given some... Or there are many political prisoners, they are given first-class bungalow, first-class residence, and all facilities. But the superintendent of police has no power to release him. That is not possible. That is not possible. Similarly, by bribing or by satisfying Durgā, you can get a comfortable position within this material world, but your real business is how to get out of it. That Durgā cannot give. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. So long you do not come to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa... Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, there is no possibility of getting out of the clutches of māyā. That is not possible.

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

So I am reading from the Bhāgavata this introduction, how Bhāgavata was compiled by Vyāsadeva. I am reading that chapter. This is the First Canto, Fifth Chapter. So when his spiritual master, Nārada, came... It is the custom of disciple to receive him, and to give him nice seat, and offer obeisances, and then talk on different subject matters. So when Nārada came, Vyāsadeva offered him good seat, and..., comfortable seat, and offered his obeisances. Then Nārada is preaching to him. He saw his disciple Vyāsadeva very much morose.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Ādhibhautika means miseries inflicted by other living entities. Just like there are mosquitos, there are flies, there are birds, there are other animals, or other enemies in the human society: my friend has become enemy, so he's trying to give me some displeasure. So this kind of This is called ādhibhautika. Ādhyātmika. Even nobody gives me any distress, my body will give me distress. If I cannot sit comfortably, if there is some pinching, I am feeling pain. So these things are going on, ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. And other miseries inflicted by providence. Just like there is no rain, excessive heat, excessive cold, famine, pestilence, earthquake. We have no control over. These are ādhidaivika. So we are suffering. Although we may foolishly say If somebody asks his friend, "How are you?" he says, "Oh, yes, everything is all right." Where is "Everything is all right"? You are suffering and This is called māyā. He's suffering, but he will say, "Everything is all right." A man is dying on the deathbed, and his friend comes, "How you are feeling?" "Yes, I am all right."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.107 -- New York, July 13, 1976:

All rascals, mūḍha. It is a fact. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Duṣkṛtina means simply unnecessary wasting time adjusting things materially. This is miscreants. They do not know that "For one type of advantage, I have to create hundred times disadvantage." This is the fact. We are coming from New Vrindaban. They are living very comfortably in open space. There is no such disturbance, twenty-four hours, "dung-dung-dung-dung-kah-kah-kah-kah-kah." No. (laughter) No disturbance. But you have created some advantages to live in the skyscraper building. There are so many disadvantages also. So therefore sometimes the Indians are accused that "Believe in destiny." But that is actual fact. You cannot improve a single inch than you are destined. That is not possible. That is not possible. If you want to increase your so-called happiness, then you simply waste your time. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction. Na tat prayāsaṁ kartavyam. "I am not in a good position economically.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.121-124 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

There are six kinds of philosophical theses. Out of those, atheism is one of them. So that atheism... Cārvāka Muni. He was, Cārvāka, the leader of the atheists. His theory was that ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet: "Just beg, borrow or steal. You must eat butter. Never mind." Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet, yāvan jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet: "So long you shall live, you must live very comfortably." Then one may say, "Oh, beg, borrow, steal, and who'll suffer the sins? If I borrow, if I cannot pay? If I commit sins? If I commit burglary? Oh." The Cāṇakya, the Cārvāka Muni replied, bhasmī-bhūtasya dehasya kutaḥ punar-āgamano bhavet: "Well, when your body will be burnt into ashes, who is coming here and who is going to be responsible? Don't think all these." So this is atheistic theory. They don't believe that there is transmigration of the soul. He has to take another body and he has to take body according to his work, and there are 8,400,000's of different kinds of bodies, and human body is the most benefactory. So they do not know all these things. So this is called āvaraṇātmikā, covering influence.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.281-293 -- New York, December 18, 1966:

They have no sense that they are always in three kinds of miseries: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. This is constantly going on. Just like in the prison house, when the prisoners are there, it is not meant that they should be comfortably situated there. The prison house (is) meant for giving them always some trouble so that they can come to their consciousness that "We have broken. We are lawbreakers. Therefore we are punished here." But if the prisoner becomes so fool that "All right. Don't care for this prison. Let me finish this term and again commit nuisance and again come to the..." That is going on.

So gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante. So the conditioned souls, they are not coming to the sense that what is their position. This position, by the grace of some special representative of the Supreme Lord or by the Supreme Lord, is offered to these conditioned souls, that "This is not your place. You are part and parcel of God.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.395 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

Therefore here it is said, āgama-purāṇa. Vedic literatures. Śrīla Madhvācārya has accepted the Vedic literatures—four Vedas, Vedānta-sūtra, Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata. They're all Vedic literature. So here it is said, kono brahmāṇḍe. (aside:) Come here. This room is very nice. Yes. Although it is not very big, but very comfortable. Dakṣina, dakṣina-rāja.

So,

kona brahmāṇḍe kona līlāra haya avasthāna
tāte līlā 'nitya' kahe āgama-purāṇa

Nitya-līlā. Nitya-līlā means everlasting pastimes. Our līlā, material, that is not nitya-līlā. Whatever I'm acting by this body, it is not nitya; it is temporary. I am the son of such and such family, I am such and such important person, my name is such and such, my position is such and such—these are not nitya. This is temporary. As soon as the body is finished, everything is finished.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Why not sit comfortably? Please. There is ample space in the front. You can move. So Govinda, aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti. Aṅgāni, aṅgāni means the limbs of the body. Just like hands, legs, ear, nose, they're different parts of our body. The distinction between this material body and spiritual body is that just like this hand is made for particular purpose—you can pick up something, you can touch something, but you cannot taste something. If you want to taste something, then the hand will bring that food to your mouth and will touch your tongue. Then you can know that it is bitter or sweet. But simply by touching the hand it is not possible to understand what is the nature of that particular... Therefore God's body is described here that aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti. Each and every part of the body has got the capacity for other parts of the body.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Los Angeles, November 9, 1968:

They complain that "India is poor. There are so many diseases," but here there are so many cancer. So you cannot stop this, the nature's way. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). Your only business is to find out Brahman. That is your business. Nature has given you sufficient means to live very comfortably everywhere. If you get a piece of land and one cow, your whole economic question is solved. You haven't got to go fifty miles for working. There is no necessity. Wherever you are living, take little land and keep one cow. Your economic question is solved. So nature has given you all facilities.

Festival Lectures

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day, Cornerstone Laying -- Bombay, April 1, 1974:

So on this auspicious day of appearance day of Lord Rāmacandra, we are taking this opportunity of foundation of the cornerstone of our temple in this Bombay center. And it is very kind of Mrs. Nair, A.B. Nair, that she has given us this chance along with her husband. So, so far we are concerned, we are preachers. We are preaching all over the world. We don't require any palatial building or very comfortable apartment. But because it is a preaching center, in order to invite respectable persons, we require nice building, nice temple. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, our predecessor ācārya, he left his ministership, government post and became a mendicant. He was living underneath a tree every night. Not permanently underneath a tree: tonight one tree, next night another tree. But when he was approached by King Mānsiṅgh, the commander-in-chief of Emperor Akbar... In those days rich men, big men, they were God conscious, and they wanted to do something for God's service. So King Mānsiṅgh approached Rūpa Gosvāmī if he could do any service.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- New Vrindaban, September 2, 1972:

You can please that child with a two-cent-worth lozenges. But to please you it may require thousands of dollars. So you can finish the business by offering a lozenges.

So this is the position of a spiritual master. Don't misunderstand that "This person is sitting very comfortably and taking all honors and contribution." It is needed just to teach them how to respect the representative of God. This is the sum and substance of Vyāsa-pūjā.

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

No, no. Hand. Now you can sit comfortably. (devotees chant japa) Now take, you know, little, little, everyone. When I say "svāhā" three times, very little, little take. We'll have to continue. (responsively with devotees:) Namaḥ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthām... No, why you are not chanting? (devotees were responding softly, now more loudly) ...gato 'pi vā yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahyābhyantara-śuciḥ. Śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu. (continues prayers for fire sacrifice). Why not take a group photo of these newly married couples? It will be nice.

Address at Wedding of Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

Just like Kṛṣṇa, He took part in everything. Not that Kṛṣṇa simply was interested in Vedic ritualistic ceremony. Of course, everything is based on Vedic ritualistic ceremony. But Kṛṣṇa also took part in everything. He was a politician, He was a philosopher, He was a socialist, He was a communist—everything. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa. So we recommend that in whatever position you feel comfortable, you can accept that, but, I mean to say, spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Parama ānanda-khanda. People will be happy. Our mission is to see sarve sukhino bhavantu: everyone become happy. We don't want to see that we exploit somebody else and I become happy. No. We want to see everyone happy. But they do not know how to become happy. Therefore we are trying to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement that everyone will be happy. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). In Bhagavad-gītā it is... Su-sukham; to execute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very easy. Kartum avyayam: and whatever you perform, it is permanent.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Prabhupāda: This will go on. They are not comfortably seated.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "In the Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended that we should meditate upon the form of the Lord. For practicing concentration of the mind one has to sit down in a secluded place, sanctified by a sacred atmosphere. And the yogi should observe the rules and regulations of brahmacarya, to live a life of strict self-restraint and celibacy. Nobody can practice yoga in a congested city, living a life of extravagance, including unrestricted sex indulgence and adultery of the tongue. We have already stated that yoga practice means controlling the senses. And the beginning of controlling the senses is to control the tongue. You cannot allow the tongue to take all kinds of forbidden food and drink and at the same time improve in the practice of yoga. It is a very regrettable fact that many unauthorized and stray so-called yogis now come to the West and exploit the learning of the people towards yoga.

Lecture -- Detroit, July 16, 1971:

It may be very nice or not very nice—that is not very important thing. For two days I can live anywhere, even underneath a tree. That does not hamper my business. But I must be very serious about my business. That is intelligence. If I forget my business and simply engage myself how to decorate the apartment, or simply thinking how I shall live here comfortably... Just like I saw one advertisement while coming: "Comfortably living in (indistinct) begins here." I saw.

So we are contemplating to live in this material world very comfortably. That has become our business. That is very much manifest in your Western countries. They are always busy how to live comfortably in this world. But they forget that one day will come, however secure and comfortable we may make our country or home, we will be kicked out: "Please get out immediately." You cannot say that "I have not finished my decoration of the apartment. Let me stay here for some days." No.

Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 21, 1977:

In the material world everyone is suffering. There is no exception, either rich man or poor man, learned or fool—everyone. This is the place for suffering. And if we take this place of suffering as comfortable, that is our ignorance. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, biṣāya biṣānale dibā-niśi hiyā jwale taribare nā koinu upāy golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma saṅkīrtana rati nā jaṅmilo kene tāy. (aside:) Explain. (break) So Narottama says that we should take advantage of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's and Nityānanda Prabhu's presence. Pāpī tāpī jata chilo harināme uddhārilo tāra śākṣī jagāi and mādhāi, brajendra nandana jei śacī-suta hoilo sei balarāma hoilo nitāi, that "Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa. Formerly He was Brajendranandana." Brajendranandana. Brajendra is Mahārāja, Nanda Mahārāja.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: They are not suffering. Then people may say that that is suffering. But for them, there is a... Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur. Then he merged into the ocean, in the thought that how gopīs, gopī-bhāva, they are transacting their business with Kṛṣṇa. Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛta. That is a ocean of transcendental bliss. So because they're merged into that ocean, what is this suffering? They have no sense of suffering. One man is suffering because he has identified with this body, he is suffering. But they were identified with the cause of the gopīs. They are simply writing Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with gopīs, Vidagdha-mādhava, Lalitā-mādhava, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. They are simply engaged in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs and writing, writing, writing. So what is the suffering? Other fools may think, "Oh this man was minister. He was so comfortably situated. Now they have taken this cloth and they've no home, no food, nothing of this..." They are thinking that is suffering, but they are not suffering. They are not suffering. They are enjoying.

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Prabhupāda: Just like one can analyze in this way: I am sitting on this comfortable, I mean, seat, cushion. Why I am sitting here? Because it is giving comfort to my body. Then I come to the study of body: Why I am maintaining this body? Because I am the soul, I am living in this body. Then ultimately I love my self, my soul. I love this seat because it gives shelter to my body. I love this body because it gives shelter to my soul. I love this soul because it is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore ultimately I love Kṛṣṇa. Is it not? That is pure consciousness.

Śyāmasundara: They say that the phenomena, or the things, are the ways or the manifestations in which objects present themselves through their appearances.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Hayagrīva: Freud's..., this is Freud's final conclusion on this point: "True, without religion man will then find himself in a difficult situation. He will have to confess his utter helplessness and his insignificant part in the working of the universe. He will have to confess that he is no longer the center of creation, no longer the object of the tender care of a benevolent providence. He will be in the same position as the child who has left the home where he was so warm and comfortable. But, after all, is it not the destiny of childishness to be overcome? Man cannot remain a child forever. He must venture at last into the hostile world. This may be called education to reality. Need I tell you that it is the sole aim of my book to draw attention to the necessity for this advance?"

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: The advance to reality.

Prabhupāda: That reality is good advice. But unfortunately, who is taking advantage of his advice? Because here we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā, the real point of religion, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But these philosophers have misled the world so much that now it is very difficult to convince them that here is God speaking and here is religion.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: That is that English proverb, "Necessity is the cause of invention." I require something to sit down, leaning back side, so I create a chair which is called armchair. So I sense first of all a necessity that "I must sit down very comfortably leaning towards the back." So under such spirit I make this chair, and this is called armchair. So necessity is the mother of invention.

Śyāmasundara: So all new things are created out of necessity?

Prabhupāda: New things means I create a necessity, and then, according to the plan of the necessity, the thing is there. Just like dictaphone. I feel inconvenience to dictate or the secretary has no time to take my dictation. So I may feel that "If I keep record of my dictation, the secretary will take it later on according to his convenience." So therefore the invention of a dictaphone.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: Nature provides a sitting place. Just like when there is a slab of stone anywhere, I wish to sit down on it. Psychology. Then the next proposal is, "Why not invent something at my home? It is here in a... I cannot take it." You can say the idea was there already, to sit down on a high place comfortably. So I come home and make a chair according to that idea.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the mind is an emergent, that is, it creates a new organization out of existing things. It emerges new things out of old things. This comes from the idea of evolution.

Prabhupāda: Just like there is gold and there is mountain. So I make a golden mountain. Gold is there, mountain is there. I combine together and make an imagination, golden mountain. Is that like that?

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: That is struggle for existence you can say. They are simply trying to live. They have no other ambition. That's all. But if a man..., if the living soul, after having come to the stage of human being, if he also simply tries for these four things, eating, sleeping, mating and defending, then he is no better than animal. So nowadays in the modern civilization, simply these things are taught: how you can live comfortably with a car, with a bungalow...

Śyāmasundara: So the urge, the urge to improve or to advance...

Prabhupāda: (aside, Hindi:) Aiye aiye. Give them something, sitting place. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: The urge to advance is there in the human more developed. How does that...?

Prabhupāda: You can give this side. This side. Yes. Why not this fan is running? What is that? All right. Let them sit.

Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is one sense correct. Because we are fallen condition and we are sons of God, so we are suffering. God is very much compassionate; therefore He comes personally to teach us: "You rascal, why you are rotting in this material world? You surrender to Me and go back to home, back to Godhead, you will be happy." Therefore He is consulting. Otherwise why He comes from Vaikuṇṭha? Everyone, just like a son is rotting in his own way, but the father comes: "My dear son, why you are rotting in this way? You come home. You have got state. You will live there comfortably." But he does not come. That is his misfortune.

Hayagrīva: Now, Alex...

Purports to Songs

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

Otherwise, there is no question of pouring water on that blazing fire. So the example is very appropriate. As man-made engine or fire brigade is unable to extinguish the forest blazing fire, similarly, the material existentional blazing fire cannot be extinguished by any man-made method.

They are planning to be very comfortable in this material existence, but they are still more being confused and failure. That peace movement, that United Nation movement, everything is failure. Why? These miseries of this material existence cannot be stopped by any material means. One has to take shelter of spiritual means. Just like the blazing fire in the forest has to wait for the cloud in the sky, similarly, one has to wait for the merciful cloud as the spiritual master. That is described. Trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam, prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya **. So the spiritual master is not self-made. It is not that if anyone comes before you and bluffs you that "I have attained spiritual perfection, and I have realized something by some method." No.

Page Title:Comfortable (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:17 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=113, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:113