Consult (Lectures)

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Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973:

Their kingdom was taken away, their money was usurped, they were sent into the forest, so many tribulations. But the foolish Duryodhana did not know that above all, there was Kṛṣṇa on their side. That he could not calculate. Therefore when he saw the Pāṇḍavas are well-equipped with good number of soldiers, pāṇḍavānīkam, he was little surprised, that "How they could gather are so many soldiers?" So immediately, to consult the commander-in-chief Dronācārya....

Dronācārya was everyone's teacher, ācārya. Ācārya means teacher. Ācāryam upasaṅgamya (BG 1.2). The military teacher. So Duryodhana, he was military teacher of the Pāṇḍavas also. When all of them were children, they were given under the instruction of Dronācārya.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

For every little action, you are responsible. It is being noted by the material nature. And you will be forced to accept a kind of body for suffering. In so many types of bodies. Therefore Arjuna, being devatā, he is considering that "Although they are ātatāyinaḥ, at the same time, they are family men. Whether it is good to kill family?" He is asking Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is there. He is considering, he is consulting with Kṛṣṇa that "Do you think that killing this kind of aggressor, I will be benefitted or not?" Therefore in the last line he said, sva-janaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava: (BG 1.36) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, do you think by killing my family men, my relatives, shall I be happy? You are Mādhava. You are always happy because You are husband of goddess of fortune. But do you think I shall be happy in this way?" This is consultation.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

So... But these mitigation of sufferings, they are temporary. Real suffering, real suffering is due to our, this material existence, these three kinds of suffering. So when one is conscious about his suffering and he wants to make a solution of this suffering, then there is necessary of a spiritual master. Now, if you want to make a solution of your sufferings, and you want to consult a person, now what sort of person you must meet who can end your all sufferings? That selection must be there. If you want to purchase a jewel, diamond, and very valuable thing, and if you go to a grocer's shop... Such kind of ignorance—you must be cheated. You must be cheated. At least you must approach to a jewelry shop. Jewelry shop, you see? So much knowledge you must have. So is that question solved?

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:

Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Being. In the English dictionary when you consult the word God, it is stated there, "the Supreme Being." What is that Supreme Being? We are all living being, but amongst ourself there is comparative, superlative positions. I am here; you are here; he is there. So you may be better than me, he may be better than you, and somebody else may be better than him. In this way you go on searching after one better than the other. When you ultimately come to a point that nobody is better then him, that is Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

"If we consult different scriptures, then we'll find that one scripture is speaking something, another scripture is speaking something else." Just like cow-killing. Take, take it for example. The Hindus, they say that cow-killing is irreligious. The Muhammadans say, "No, cow-killing is religious." There is some adjustment, but... Now, in the scripture I see that the cow-killing, in some scriptures it is said that cow-killing is irreligious, and another scripture says that cow-killing is religious. So which of them I shall accept? This is ni... This is all right, or that is all right? So therefore it is said that smṛtayo vibhinnāḥ. If you consult different scriptures, you'll find different contradictory statements. Your scripture may be different from my scripture. And nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. If you consult philosophers, you'll find one philosopher is differing from another philosopher. A big philosopher means who has cut down other philosophers and put up his own theory, "This is true." This is going on. So tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ smṛtayo vibhinnā nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. Then how to conclude what is the right path? I cannot establish it by my imperfect arguments. I cannot consult even the scriptures.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

. The captain was also consulting that chart because it was made by experienced sailors. That is nothing. So similarly in calculating in which way we have to find out our salvation is to follow such liberated souls.

So last day we had been discussing that difference between the conditioned soul and liberated soul is that a conditioned soul is imperfect in four ways. A conditioned soul is sure to commit mistake, a conditioned soul is in illusion, a conditioned soul has the tendency for cheating others, and a conditioned soul has got his senses imperfect, imperfect senses. Therefore knowledge should be taken from a liberated soul. Why this Bhagavad-gītā is so honored? Now, this Bhagavad-gītā was spoken in India, and it is understood that it is a scripture of the Hindus. But why...? Now, you are Americans. You are also keeping this Bhagavad-gītā, and not only in America, in other countries also, in Germany. In Germany there are great, great scholars, in England, in Japan, in all countries. So why? Because it is spoken by a great personality. Apart from... We may... We Hindus, we accept Him the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but others, even not accepting Him the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they accept it as, at least, that He was a great personality. Therefore, besides the Hindu community, others, they are also consulting the knowledge.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. Dehinām means "of those who have accepted this material body, for them." And what is their condition? Now, dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Dehinām, one who has accepted this material body, his conditional life is always full of anxiety. Not that, that we are always in want. Even in your duty. Just like our Captain sāheb is here. I have seen in the ship he has got very serious duty in the ocean. He's always consulting the chart and the latitude, longitude, which side the ship is going. That is anxiety because so many lives, so many property, is under his control.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

Yes, but that is not by your discretion. You have to consult your spiritual master. Just like what Kṛṣṇa says Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, "Yudhiṣṭhira, My dear brother Yudhiṣṭhira, you go and tell," I mean to say, "Droṇācārya, that 'Your son is dead.' " Because this gentleman would not die unless he hears the message of the death of his son. So he was not dying. So Yudhiṣṭhira was commissioned to speak this lie, that "You go and say that 'Your son is dead.' " And he says that "I never spoke lie. I cannot do that." Now here the order is coming from Kṛṣṇa, therefore he should have executed the order immediately. Although speaking lie for common man is sin, but because it is in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, it is not sin. So that telling lie should not be taken risk of at one's own discretion. It must be ordered by Kṛṣṇa or by His representative. Telling lie is always sinful. That's all right. But if Kṛṣṇa says "Tell lie," it is not sinful. That is the secret. You can violate the laws only on the direct order of Kṛṣṇa or His representative. That's all. That is common sense. Just like a political person is engaged to kill somebody under superior order. And if he can kill, he is rewarded, he is given high post. But the same man, if he kills by his own discretion, he'll be hanged. So serving greater purpose, supreme purpose, absolute purpose, there is no question of such piety or sinful. But in the ordinary field, there must be "This is pious, this is sinful." So that discretion should not be taken by oneself, but it should be consulted.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973:

Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The Supreme Lord is the supreme cetana, conscious. Just like we were consulting dictionary yesterday, "supreme being." Therefore, His consciousness is also supreme. As we are living being—not supreme, subordinate—similarly, God is also being, but the supreme being. That is the difference. Very simple thing. You cannot say that "I am supreme." As these rascals say that "I am God." How you can be God? Are you supreme? As soon as we ask this question, "Are you supreme?" "No." Then how you have become God? The supreme means... That is also... We consulted dictionary.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973:

So I am conscious to a certain extent only, not fully. I am not abhijñaḥ. I am not very expert. These are simple truths. But these rascals are claiming that "I am God." The God is, means he is conscious, not only conscious, He's abhijñaḥ, very expert, knows everything, and svarāṭ. Now, to get abhijñaḥ, abhijñatā or experience, we have to consult somebody. But God is svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means He's personally so independent that He doesn't require to take knowledge from anyone else. That is God. Svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means fully independent.

Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

That will be our position. Just like an apprentice. He is working, he is working in the apprenticeship. He should not present his own plan. But he has to take plans of work from his superior. Then he will learn. And when he's accustomed, when he's elevated, then he'll be able to make independent plans. Although not independent always, but even it is higher officer, everyone has to consult the higher authorities. Similarly, this means that I shall not independently make any plan, but I must accept the standard plan which is coming directly from the supreme consciousness through a channel. Through a channel. You have to seek that channel.

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

So we are indebted. Deva, ṛṣi and bhūta. Bhūta means ordinary, general living beings in our dealings. Suppose if I go to consult some lawyer, I have to pay. If I want to consult some medical practitioner, I have to pay. So this is obligation. This is no mercy; this is obligation. Similarly, we are obliged in so many respects—to the supernatural power, to the sages, to the ordinary living beings, and to the animals also.

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

Bhāgavata says that these men who have accepted this material body as self and the byproducts of this body as his own kinsmen and the water in the holy land as the end of pilgrimage but do not take, consult, with men of experience. So they are described, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Go-kharaḥ. Such persons are designated as go-kharaḥ. Go means cow, and kharaḥ means ass. So such people have been described as go-kharaḥ. That means without any intelligence, without any intelligence. So such position, I mean to say, Arjuna, did, I mean to say, manifested. He manifested himself as one of us. Otherwise, there was no possibility of speaking Bhagavad-gītā. Although Arjuna... (aside:) You can take your seat. Come here. Come here. Yes.

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

So if we actually want to derive some benefit out of the Bhagavad-gītā, then we have to follow these principles. Without following some principles, without following some, I mean to, some regulative rules and regulation, how can you understand Bhagavad-gītā? It is not a, not an ordinary book of knowledge, that you can purchase from the market, and read it and consult dictionary, and you can understand. No. It is not possible. Not possible. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa would not have told to Arjuna, "Now it is lost. The Bhagavad-gītā is now lost. I am therefore speaking to you." Why? "Because you are My devotee." So one has to become a devotee like Arjuna and take instruction from Arjuna. And he must be ready to understand the Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna understood. Then the spirit of Bhagavad-gītā can be understood.

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

The rāja, the kings, the government, or the government, they must study Bhagavad-gītā. Then it will be nice. Imaṁ rāja... And ṛṣayaḥ. Ṛṣayaḥ will give you... Ṛṣayaḥ means great saintly persons, the brāhmaṇas. They should give to the government men... But who is consulting the saintly persons? Just like we are trying to preach this Bhagavad-gītā. We are trying to give the essence of knowledge. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Mahātmā. The symptoms of mahātmā is that he is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Lord. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). The Bhagavad-gītā says that catur-vidhā bhajante mām: "Four classes of men comes to worship Me." Bhajana means sevā. Sevā. So sevā means bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanam... (SB 7.5.23). These are the sevā formula. So the devotees are engaged in sevā, in service of the Lord.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974:

Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31). Durāśayā, with the hope against hope which will be never fulfilled. Therefore it is called durāśayā. Why? Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They are interested with this external energy. So this is our problem. But the rascals, they do not know. Śāstra... Therefore we have to consult śāstra. What is our problem, we have to consult śāstra. And śāstra, how we can consult śāstra. Śāstra, we have to go somebody who knows śāstra. Therefore the Vedic injunction is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, śrotriyam (MU 1.2.12). If you want to know what is your actual interest, then you have to approach a guru. And who is guru? Śrotriyam, who knows śāstra. Śrotriyam. And not only knows, but the result must be there, brahma-niṣṭham, means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Brahma-niṣṭham means fully dependent on Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- New York, April 8, 1973:

So why this problem? Because the human society is in chaos. A chaotic condition. There must be division of four classes. One class must be brāhmaṇa, intelligent class of men. And one should be kṣatriya, one class, the administrators. Because human society, they require good consulting brain, good administrators, good producers and good worker. That is the division of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: catur varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). In order to keep smooth facilities for human life, there must be four divisions. If you say that don't, "We don't require brāhmaṇa,"... If you don't require brāhmaṇa, then you'll suffer.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

Not only that. Just like you qualify yourself as a lawyer, but you do not practice. So who will call you lawyer? Nobody will call. But if you are qualified and if you are practicing, everyone says, (Hindi) He will go. People will go to consult with you. But if you do not practice, simply you have passed legal examination, nobody will come to you. So two things are required: the brahminical qualities and work like a brāhmaṇa. These two things.... If you are born in a brāhmaṇa family and you are, "Oh, all blessing to you," oh, what power you have got to bless me? You are not in quality, not in work. But people accept it, paṇḍitajī.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

He is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa came, He left behind Him this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). We can consult Bhagavad-gītā at any time and we can associate with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's instruction—nondifferent. When you read Bhagavad-gītā, you'll, if you read very seriously, you will feel Kṛṣṇa is present before you and He is instructing.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

We are not prepared. Just like here I am, Johannesburg. So I know, from here I'll have to go to Nairobi. That I know. And we are making arrangement. But if as human being one does not know what is going to happen next life, then what kind of human being is? Where is the difference between cats and dogs? The dog does not know, neither he can be instructed, neither he is able to take the instruction. But why the human being should remain like dog? This is the problem. So we must consult Bhagavad-gītā very regularly, try to understand the problems of life, and the first problem is that you have to change your body.

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

If there is any difficulty to understand, we may consult persons who are in the understanding. We may consult books. We may consult authorities. That we can do because inquiry is always allowed. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). The, I mean to say, the transcendental inquiry is never forbidden. A sincere person, one can make inquiry. But fact is this. If I cannot understand in my present condition, that is my misunderstanding. But the fact is this that Kṛṣṇa, when He comes, He is not any, like any one of us. He's transcendental. Neither any act which He does, it has got reaction. And He says, na me karma-phale spṛhā, "I have no desire for any fruitive activities."

Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:

So in this bewildered condition, baffled condition of the society, we should consult Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is ready to give you advice, as He was ready five thousand years ago to give advice to Arjuna. That instruction is still current. It is not that it is finished with the Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, no. You can take also the same advice from Kṛṣṇa and mold your life. That is wanted.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:

Yes. Now, this consciousness, "How can I do it?", this is also Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that one is ready. (laughs) Now, just like anything which we do or act, we take some consultation. Just like you are a lawyer, and anything has to be done lawfully, we have to take your consultation because you are expert. Similarly, you have to take consultation from the person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is simple thing.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:

Suppose if I want to do some engineering work. That is not possible for me. I must take help of an engineer. But if one wants to understand something about Bhagavad-gītā, about the spiritual movement, he may consult me. Therefore, the society must be divided into four divisions. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There must be a class of men very intelligent, brahminical class. They should also work just like brāhmaṇa. The kṣatriya, they should work just like kṣatriya. Because there will be some violence. Kṣat. So one who defends or protects from injury, that person also should be there in the society, kṣatriya. So on this basis the society must be divided.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

So when he's bent upon doing so, Kṛṣṇa gives him sanction, "Yes, you do it. You do it." He gives him facility. But one who has dovetailed himself into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa gives him better consult, that "You do like this. Then you come to Me."

So sanction is always there. Sanction is always there. Without sanction, nothing can be done.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Being. That is also dictionary word. In the... I consulted the Oxford Dictionary, "God." God means "the Supreme Being." And the Supreme means... That is also stated in the dictionary, "The greatest authority." So God means the greatest authority, supreme, Supreme Being. We have got little idea of supreme. Suppose when you go to work in our office, the proprietor of the establishment or the managing director of the establishment, he's called the supreme. We have got experience of the Supreme Court. In India, we have got Supreme Court. If there is any judgment which is not accepted by the litigant, he can go to the Supreme Court. And in the judgment given in the Supreme is final. No more any appeal. That is final. Supreme means that, final.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing. And we have to make it confirmed in three ways. What we hear from the sādhus, we shall have to consult whether these things are spoken in the śāstras. And whether the statements or śāstras are confirmed by guru, by the direct spiritual master. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya tinete kariyā aikya. A sādhu will speak nothing which is not stated in the śāstras.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa has given birth to the aquatics, to the trees, to the plants, to the birds, to the beast, to the human beings, to the demigods, everyone. Sarva-yoniṣu, including everyone. So how Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be sectarian? Just like our men went to consult about taxation. They're considering that "This is sectarian, Kṛṣṇa." This is not sectarian. Where is sectarian? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu. Not only international, universal.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Bombay, February 19, 1974:

This is the definition of perfection. So Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Matter is produced by Kṛṣṇa's energy. It is not automatically produced. Just like I have given the example that this body, this material gross body, is produced out of the soul which is put into the womb of the mother by the semina of the father. These are... These descriptions are there in the Third Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, very nicely, you consult.

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

Just like you consult some book, doing something. Just like we do every day. What is the postal rate? I do not know. This is a parcel I have to send. So at once I consult book. The direction is there, postal guide is there, and I do the right thing. Similarly, when we forget our acti..., what is the destination of life, then we have to consult. This is the direction. The Lord says, gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī: "I am the destination. I am your maintainer. I am your Lord. I am witnessing what you are doing." Nivāsa: "And you are living in Me. You are not independent." You are living. Where you are living? I am living on the earth, underneath the sky. And what is the sky, and what is this earth? This is energy, energy of the Supreme Lord. So nivāsaḥ śaraṇam. "You are trying to live. Every moment you are flattering somebody who is greater than you, but why don't you come to Me? You cannot live without flattering your boss. That is your position."

Lecture on BG 9.26-27 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

So śrutayo vibhinnāḥ, and nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. And if you consult different kinds of philosophers, you will be bewildered. Because one philosopher is giving one opinion, another philosopher is... Because nāsāv ṛṣir yasya...: "A philosopher is not philosopher if he does not cut another philosopher." That is going on. Nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: "Therefore the purport of spiritual life is very confidential." How I can learn? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "Therefore we will accept the footprint of those recognized ācāryas." Ācāryopāsanam.

Lecture on BG 10.4-5 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

I'll give you one very nice example. This is practical. In my youthhood I was manager in a big chemical firm. So there was a sulphuric acid chamber. There was some defect. It was not working well. In that chamber sulphur is given, and it is fused, and then acid comes out. So it was not working. So there were many scientists. They were sitting, consulting books: "Oh, why it is not working?" Then the managing director, Dr. Bose... He was very intelligent man. He at once went to another firm. They were also chemical. He knew there was an ordinary worker; he was very experienced. So... He was Muhammadan.

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

There are so many varieties of life. We have no information. There are so many universities, so many educational institutions, but they cannot say exactly how many varieties of life are there. They cannot say. Their education is not perfect. They cannot say. But we can see there are so many varieties of life, and each of them is a living entity. But if you consult Vedic literature, you'll find exactly the number. Just like in the Vedic literature you'll find jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi: "In the water the aquatic living beings are 900,000 different bodies." So I don't think there is any biologist or botanist who can say exactly how many forms of life are there within the water.

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

So human life, if we simply... Of course, so long we have got this body, we have to be seeking after eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. But not that we shall waste our time simply for these four things. There is a fifth platform which is brahma-jijñāsā, inquiry about the Supreme. And there are information, perfect knowledge. If you want to consult, you want to take it, then your life will be perfect.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Hyderabad, April 19, 1974:

So we are completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa. We are conducted by the manipulation of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore right knowledge should be taken from Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca jñānam (BG 15.15). "From Me." Therefore Arjuna is rightly intelligent. Therefore asking Kṛṣṇa, "What is this prakṛti? What is this puruṣa? What is jñāna? What is kṣetra-jña? What is kṣetra?" And Kṛṣṇa is answering. So if we want to receive real knowledge, then we should consult this Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hawaii, February 3, 1975:

So everything should be learned from the standard Vedic literature, and society and other things, economic development, everything... So that is here in the Bhagavad-gītā. All problems, whatever you want, you consult Bhagavad-gītā—you'll have perfect answer. That is called Vedic literature. Perfect without any flaw you'll get. But to understand Vedic literature one has to become a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

Therefore it is explained here that the original person is Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa, and He gave intelligence to Brahmā to create this universe. But if we put this argument that "Brahmā was alone. How he took instruction from the superior person?" therefore it is said, tene brahma hṛdā: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead Vāsudeva instructed him from within the heart." That is not only for Brahmā. That is not the only prerogative of Brahmā. Kṛṣṇa, we have already stated, is seated in everyone's heart. If you want to consult Him, He can give you instruction. The only thing is that you have to become qualified like Brahmā so that you can received instruction from Him within the heart.

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

No, no, why don't you consult the index in which Kṛṣṇa says "Sex life which is not against the principles of dharma or the varṇāśrama principle, that is I am." Sex life also is Kṛṣṇa. Have you got it?

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

You cannot speculate. That is not pos ... Because it beyond your reach. The father was existing before your birth. So how you can understand father by experimental knowledge? That is not possible. You have to accept the statement of your mother. That's all. Finished. Similarly, Vedas—our mother of knowledge. Purāṇas-our sisters of knowledge. So we have to consult from the Vedas and from the right person. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12), from the guru. Not that you purchase one book, Vedas, from the market, and you become a Vedantist. No. That is not possible. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet. Must go to understand. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34).

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

But these foolish people, they do not know. Here is the remedy. They won't consult the perfect knowledge, Vedic knowledge. They won't consult. They will manufacture their own ways. That, this is the... Lokasya ajānataḥ. Because these fools, they do not know, how to get out of the clutches of unwanted things. Therefore vidvān, one who knows, vidvān... Vit means knowledge, and vān means one who possesses. Vidvān. So Vyāsadeva, vidvān, the perfect vidvān, lokasya ajānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām (SB 1.7.6). Vidvān, Vyāsadeva, has made this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Take shelter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and you know perfectly how you can diminish your unwanted things.

Lecture on SB 1.3.10 -- Los Angeles, September 16, 1972:

There is nothing to be researched. Everything is there. Every knowledge is there. How to make your life perfect, that is also there, but they will not consult this knowledge. They will try to make a research and waste time and waste money, public money, and pass on as great scientist, philosopher, leaders, politician, and mislead people, without any factual knowledge. Now they are thinking, at the present moment, the scientists, that things are diminishing. Actually, they'll diminish. It is already stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It will so diminish that there will be no more wheat, no more rice, no more food grains, no more fruits, and no more milk, no more sugar. It will be finished. Simply you have to eat stones and seeds and flesh. You'll have to. And the politicians will go on exploiting.

Everything is written there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You consult Twelfth Canto.

Lecture on SB 1.3.10 -- Los Angeles, September 16, 1972:

As soon as the husband will be unable to satisfy his wife by sex, he will find out another husband and file divorce. These are stated already in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And these are happening. And a man, when he lives for twenty to thirty years, he will be considered grand old man. These are all stated. So why research? You consult Vedic literature, you have got all information, everything. How the world is created, how it will be annihilated, how it is being maintained, who is the Supreme in this management—everything is there. That is called Sāṅkhya philosophy. Everything is there.

Lecture on SB 1.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, September 17, 1972:

So our point is that you do not become so foolish and rascal, that any rascal comes and poses himself as God, incarnation of God... You kick on their face. Please consult the śāstras whether his name, his father's name, his mother's name, his features of the body, his activities, are corroborating with the śāstra. Then accept. Otherwise don't.

Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

So there are so many difficulties. But these difficulties will increase. It will not decrease. They are making so many plans to minimize the difficulties. But actually, because they are fools and rogues, they cannot make anything improvement. They have become involved in more difficulties. That Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, sat-saṅga chāḍi' kainu asate vilāsa te-kāraṇe lāgila ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa. We do not consult the śāstra or the unmistakable way of improvement. We manufacture our own concoction. And therefore we are becoming more and more entangled. We do not take right direction. That is our folly in this age. We do not accept authority. We want to become authority ourself: "I am authority." Everyone wants to become authority. And that is being supported by so-called swamis, "Yes, you can manufacture your own religion."

Lecture on SB 1.5.33 -- Vrndavana, August 14, 1974:

There are some incidences that a man, father took some loan from some gentleman and his father died, and his son came to pay the money to the creditor: "Sir, my father took so much money from you. Now my father died without payment. So I have got money, you kindly take it." He says, "Let me see my book whether your father took it." So he said, "All right, consult." So after consulting the books, he said, "I don't find any item that I gave loan to your father." "No, sir, I know, my father said at the time of death that 'I owe so much money to that gentleman, I could not pay; you pay it.'"

Lecture on SB 1.7.5 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1976:

So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for persons who want to finish this life of anartha, meaningless life. For them is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vyāsadeva has given us. We should study very carefully, and we have tried to give each and every word's meaning and the translation and the purport consulting all the big, big ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is following the footsteps of the ācārya, he knows. He knows everything.

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

Just see. He will not accept. He will come to consult you, but if you say something which is already formulated by him, then they will accept. That means you have to say his formula, yes, then he will accept. He has already some formula, and if you say, "Yes, it is good," then you are a very good man. And if you say something else, then I reluctant. You see? This is going on. Actually, it is said in the śāstra.

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

He is thinking that "I am something of this material nature." Tri-guṇātmakam. Paro 'pi, although he is transcendental, spirit soul, paro 'pi manute anartham, he is thinking so many problems. Anartham. He is thinking of so many problems. Just like the gentleman came to consult, as soon as we proposed that "This is the medicine," he will not take. He... Then it can be mitigated otherwise. "They are simply trying to introduce their philosophy." He thought like that.

Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:

So we have to become associate of Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna became. Always with Kṛṣṇa-eating with Kṛṣṇa, sitting with Kṛṣṇa, talking with Kṛṣṇa, joking with Kṛṣṇa, fighting with Kṛṣṇa—everything Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Not a single moment. Therefore Kṛṣṇa certifies, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: (BG 4.3) "My dear Arjuna, you are very dear to Me." Naturally if Arjuna is always with Kṛṣṇa, sitting with Kṛṣṇa, talking with Kṛṣṇa, consulting with Kṛṣṇa, joking with Kṛṣṇa, eating with Kṛṣṇa, so why he should not be very dear? Kṛṣṇa, does He remain with anyone unless he is very dear? So bhakto 'si priyo 'si me sakhā ceti.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

So they very much appreciated, and actually it is so. Vaiṣṇava who is preaching, it may be in a different way, according to time and place and the party—they have to change something, deśa-kāla-pātra—but we have to see the essence. Wherever there is God consciousness, wherever is there understanding... Just like we sometime consult dictionary, a small dictionary, pocket dictionary, and a big international dictionary. Both of them are dictionaries. But according to time, deśa-kāla-pātra, for small child, that small dictionary is sufficient. Higher mathematics: higher mathematics and lower class ma... But the two plus two is always the same, in higher mathematics or lower mathematics. It is not that in the higher mathematics two plus two equal to five, no.

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

So this kṣatriya, this Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, they also kṣatriyas. So when they were going to see Bhīṣmadeva, they were going there in royal style, with chariots, with horse, and decorated with golden ornaments and the brāhmaṇas, Vyāsadeva and other. All the kṣatriyas, kings, would be always accompanied by hoards of brāhmaṇas. As soon as they required any instruction, immediately consult the brāhmaṇas, and they gave good advice: "Do like this." This is the business of the brāhmaṇa. And the kings, they would not do anything without consulting. Don't think that because there was monarchy, they were all autocrat. No. If the brāhmaṇas would not agree, then they won't do. The brāhmaṇa's community, all saintly persons and learned scholars, brāhmaṇas... There was a committee, and the king would take their advice how to manipulate the political affairs or administration, and they would consult standard books. Just like nowadays the rascals, every day they are changing some law.

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

So we are always in this painful condition. That is material life. But those who have got eyes, sense, they can see. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, he could see. He was prime minister, well situated materially. Learned scholar, very intelligent. Otherwise how they could become Caitanya Mahāprabhu's personal associates? Very qualified. Caitanya Mahāprabhu... When Sanātana Gosvāmī consulted Jagadānanda, that "I want to do this. What is your advice?"... Sanātana Gosvāmī became infected with itches all over the body. And it was, what is called, bleeding itches. Itches are two kinds: dry and sometimes oozing water.

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

The technical name is weeping. Dry and weeping. So it was weeping itches. And whenever he would go to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, immediately Caitanya Mahāprabhu embrace him, and the weeping secretion will touch the body of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So he thought that "I am suffering from this disease. Caitanya Mahāprabhu (is) embracing me. I shall kill myself. I shall commit suicide." So he consulted, not for suicide, but leaving the place. So when he was advised, "Yes, you can leave the place," so Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He heard this news that Jagadānanda has advised Sanātana Gosvāmī to leave the place, He became very angry, that "You have the audacity to advise Sanātana Gosvāmī? Nonsense." He was so respectful to Sanātana Gosvāmī. The same Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, asking Him the question: "What I am? Why I am put into these threefold miserable condition of life?"

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

. Just try to understand the ideal government during Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time. Not only Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all the kings. Rājarṣayaḥ. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. They were all great ṛṣis, although they were kṣatriyas. Brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya, they used to guide the general people. The high caste means who would guide the people nicely. The brāhmaṇa by their Vedic knowledge, perfect knowledge, paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. By high learning, they would... They were not interested for capturing the government. No. They had no time. But there was consulting body. Even Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja's time, there was consulting body, all the kings. The brāhmaṇas and the ṛṣis, they would form a consulting body and give advice to the king: "My dear king, do like this.' And they will abide. Just like head. Head. Head gives the instruction to the arms. Not the arm gives instruction to the head. Head. Brain. Mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.10.14 -- Mayapura, June 27, 1973:

So this is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's worship. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was falling down on the water, "Oh, I could not see Kṛṣṇa." When He was gṛhastha, He was simply consulting with mother, "Mother, I could not realize Kṛṣṇa. What shall I do? Where shall I go?" Mother said, "My dear son, why You are impatient? Everything will be all right in due course." Caitanya Mahāprabhu was giving indication that "I must leave home." Mother was also understanding that "This boy wants to leave us." That was another perplexed position.

Lecture on SB 1.15.1 -- New York, November 29, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa, He's situated in everyone's heart, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Because without His sanction, the living entity cannot do anything. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15), Kṛṣṇa says that "I am seated in everyone's heart." So, the living entity wants to do something out of his own whims, Kṛṣṇa says, or Kṛṣṇa gives good consultation that "This will not make you happy, don't do this." But he is persistent, he will do it. Then Kṛṣṇa sanctions, Paramātmā, "All right, you do it, at your risk." This is going on. Everyone of us (is) very intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, that He is simply waiting, "When this rascal will turn his face towards Me." He simply is, he is so kind. But we living entities, we are so rascal, we shall turn our face to everything except Kṛṣṇa. This is our position.

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- Los Angeles, December 5, 1973:

The problem which arose in the heart of Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra was solved by the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā. Again, after the departure of the Lord from the vision of earthly people, when Arjuna was face-to-face with being vanquished in his great acquired power and prominence, he wanted again to remember the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā just to teach all concerned that the Bhagavad-gītā could be consulted in all critical times, not only for solace from all kinds of mental agonies, but also for the way out of the great entanglements which may embarrass one in some critical hour. The merciful Lord left behind Him the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā so that one can take the instructions of the Lord even when He is not visible to material eyesight. Material senses cannot have any estimation of the Supreme Lord, but by His inconceivable power, the Lord can incarnate Himself to the sense perception of the conditioned souls in a suitable manner through the agency of matter, which is also another form of the Lord's manifested energy."

Lecture on SB 1.15.28 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1973:

This Deity worship means to train the neophytes devotees how to concentrate upon the form of Kṛṣṇa, especially His lotus feet. That will make our life pacified always, śānta, śānta, pacified, peaceful. Another point is, sauhārdenātigāḍhena, very deep intimacy. We have got already our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati (BG 5.29). We are seeking after friends who can give me some benefit, who can give me some peace of mind. You are reading so many books, so many..., consulting so many philosophers, scientists, searching out peace of mind. But we are forgetting that our real suhṛt, friend, is Kṛṣṇa. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām.

Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:

Every instruction is like that. We should follow the instruction, and if you cannot understand, then consult the spiritual master. Not to give up this association of the spiritual master and interpret in your own way. That is rascaldom. Don't do that.

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

So formerly, instructions were given to the administrators so that their brain may be adjusted how to rule over the people. Rājendra Mahārāja Parīkṣit-rājendra means the emperor of the world—he was taking instruction at the point of his death. This subject matter we discussed in the last meeting last night that Mahārāja Parīkṣit, King Parīkṣit, was just awaiting his death within seven days. Therefore, he was consulting learned sages what to do.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

This outward dress is different. Somebody has become ant and somebody has become elephant or bigger than that, whole fish. Another fish there is timiṅgila. That perhaps we have not seen. Whale fish, some of them have seen. It is just like as big as a big house. And still, whale fish, just like you swallow up some small nut, they are called timiṅgila. So there are so many varieties of life. We do not know. But we know from the śāstras. In the śāstra we can know. Therefore we should consult Vedic literature to have full knowledge. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi: "In the water there are 900,000 species of life." Now, who can deny it? If you deny, then I shall tell you that "Go and count." (laughs) But we can get the full knowledge from the śāstra. This is called Vedic knowledge. Everything is complete.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

All kinds of knowledge, you can achieve from the Vedic language. There is Dhanur-veda, Āyur-veda, Jyotir-veda and all kinds. Veda means knowledge. So for military art, if you want to consult Vedic literature, you will get complete information, perfect. Similarly, Jyotir-veda. Jyoti means the luminaries in the sky, the stars. You can get. We are trying to go to the moon planet and wasting our time and energy, but if you consult Vedas, you get full information of the moon planet, sun planet or any other planet. There are millions and millions of trillions of planets. You can get all, Brahmaloka, up to the topmost planet. Jyotir-veda. That is called Jyotir-veda. And the Dhanur-veda. Āyur-veda. Āyuḥ means duration of life. And nobody wants to be diseased. So that means medical science. That is also fully there.

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

Pradyumna: "Therefore, out of thousands and thousands of men, one may inquire about his spirit self and thus consult the revealed scriptures like Vedānta-sūtras, Bhagavad-gītā, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The information is there. Simply, the inquiry should be there. The Vedānta-sūtra therefore, the first aphorism, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Jijñāsā means inquiry. "Now it is the opportunity for inquiring about the self." "Now" means this human form of body. A dog cannot.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

There must be division. There may be only a few number of brāhmaṇas, but there must be ideal brāhmaṇas so that people may learn that "Here is the first-class brāhmaṇa. Here is the first-class man. Let us take instruction from him, not from so-called politicians." This is Indian civilization. Don't think... Formerly even Lord Rāmacandra, who was the king... He is God Himself. Still, He used to consult learned brāhmaṇas, sages, saintly persons, for governmental duties. The division must be there.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

Intoxication also. Just like Balarāma, He was drinking madhu. Yes. You have not seen it? He was also enjoying in the company of women. Because He is kṣatriya. The kṣatriyas are allowed polygamy, drinking, intoxication, because they are king. They must have facility. At the same time they are ruling over the country. They take consulting great sages, saintly persons. And if he is not in order, these saintly persons would dethrone him. Pṛthu Mahārāja's father was killed, Veṇa. He was not according to the system. He was killed.

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

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

yadopahūto bhavanaṁ praviṣṭo

mantrāya pṛṣṭaḥ kila pūrvajena

athāha tan mantra-dṛśāṁ varīyān

yan mantriṇo vaidurikaṁ vadanti

(SB 3.1.10)

Translation: "When Vidura was invited by his elder brother Dhṛtarāṣṭra for consultation, he entered the house and gave instructions which were exactly to the point. His advice is well known, and instructions by Vidura are approved by expert ministers of state."

Prabhupāda: So Vidura was a great devotee and great politician also. Not that a devotee should not take parts in politics. They knew everything, but they did not take part. Just like Vidura and his elder brother Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He was politician, Dhṛtarāṣṭra. His whole life was diplomacy and politics. But still, in difficult position he used to consult Vidura. So why a politician should consult a devotee? No. If I want to do something, I must take advice, the best advice, from the best man. That is the principle.

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

So Vidura was born of a maidservant. The father was the king. The father was the same, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, er, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and the father, Vidura, the same, and the mother different. So Vidura, because he was not born of the queen, he had no share in the throne. But Dhṛtarāṣṭra loved him very much. Although stepmother's son, he would like him very much because he was very intelligent. So on every occasion he would consult him, and his consultation was so valuable that later on it became vaidurikam, "consultation as expert as given by Vidura." So he was invited. Diplomacy, politics were going on, how to cheat the Pāṇḍavas. That was his politics, Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:

"Don't hesitate. Why you are hesitating because you are a gṛhastha or you are in politics or you are a, born a śūdra family? Why you are...? I am learning from you." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. He did not think anyone negligible. Anyone who is qualified with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can become guru. It doesn't matter where he is born, what is his family and identification. It doesn't matter. He must know the science. It is very practical. Just like when you go to consult an engineer or a medical man or some lawyer, you do not ask him whether he's a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra. If he's qualified, if he can help you in the particular subject matter, you consult with him, you take his help. That is practical. So similarly, in the spiritual matter it doesn't matter what he is. If he knows Kṛṣṇa, then he can become guru. It doesn't matter.

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

You cannot say that "Kṛṣṇa is blind. Kṛṣṇa is lame. Kṛṣṇa has no hands. Kṛṣṇa has no nothing, nothing." Indirectly saying, "Kṛṣṇa has..., does not exist." This kind of addressing Kṛṣṇa, nirākāra, is not favorable talking with Kṛṣṇa.

Favorable talking—if you want to talk with Kṛṣṇa, then you must consult the Vedic literature, how Kṛṣṇa is worshiped.

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

Nature is working under the direction. This is theism. One who knows. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that these natural, I mean to say, ingredients, prakṛti, jaḍa-prakṛti, or material nature, five elements, kṣitiḥ, āpam, tejas, marut, vyoma, this marut, vāyu, and tejas, this sunshine, kṣitiḥ, āpam, tejas, and water, the seas and oceans, the land, vast land, kṣitiḥ, āpam, tejas, marut, vyoma, then sky—they are different manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's external energy. They are not independent. There are many śāstras. Therefore one has to consult the śāstras. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is also said, "The material nature is very powerful." Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā: (Bs. 5.44) "The material nature is so powerful that it can create, sṛṣṭi, sthiti, it can maintain, and it can destroy also." Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana: "It is so powerful, it can do that."

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

imply by the false hope, hope against hope, they are trying to adjust things materially or so-called spiritually, by this or that. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. These rascals, they are tied with the laws of material nature, hand and legs, and they are thinking they are free to do anything and everything without any consultation of śāstra.

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya

vartate kāma-kārataḥ

na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti

(na sukham na) parāṁ gatim

(BG 16.23)

The same thing. No siddhi. If you do not get success, what is the use of your working so hard? Na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti. Na sukhaṁ na parām.

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

Lecture on SB 5.5.19 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1976:

Therefore we have to hear from the authorities, from Kṛṣṇa, that there is soul; there is ātmā; there is transmigration. And everything, what is spoken in the śāstra, they are fact, but we do not consult śāstra. We become scientists. We become philosophers. With gross understanding, dull understanding, poor understanding, how you can understand yourself and God? So there is no question of self-realization by your gross understanding.

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

The modern civilization does not know that every living entity is eternal; he is changing simply different phases of life. So if one is ignorant how he is changing his different phases of life, what is his next life, what he was in the past life... How one can know? One can know, śāstra-cakṣuṣāt. One can know from the scriptures, from the authorized books, as you know so many things. How you know that the moon planet or sun planet or this planet or that planet have got so many things, this or that? It is from the books. You have never gone to the moon planet, but you learn it from the books, authorized books. Simply you have to consult authorized books, you get learned yourself.

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

However sympathetic you may be to your friend, but you cannot release him. That is against law. Similarly, people are suffering, undoubtedly, but they have to undergo the prāyaścitta process. In the śāstras there are prāyaścitta process. Formerly, even our childhood days, we have seen in Calcutta, there is a special quarter of the bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇas. The bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇas' business is that if you have committed some sinful act, you should immediately go and consult the bhattācārya: "What is the process of prāyaścitta?" Just like you go in case of disease, consult a physician, and take his prescription and diagnosis, similarly, that was the Vedic system.

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

And just see. Then she advised, "At least make him Mohammedan. Convert him to be a Mohammedan." In those days it was not very difficult. If somebody, a Mohammedan, takes water from his water pot and simply sprinkle in somebody's body, he becomes Mohammedan. The Hindu society was so rascal. Still they are. Simply by sprinkling water from the pot of a Mohammedan he becomes Mohammedan. So this Nawab said, "All right, I shall sprinkle water. Let him do what he likes," to satisfy his wife. So he did it. When he did it—then the society was so strong—he went to the bhaṭṭācārya to consult: "Oh, sir, I have been sprinkled water by a Mohammedan. So what prāyaścitta?" What is called? What is the English of prāyaścitta, compensation?

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Nellore, January 5, 1976:

So Buddhimanta Khan took it that he has now become a Mohammeddan, so he went to the brāhmaṇa for consultation. So when Buddhimanta Khan went to a bhaṭṭācārya, he said that "The," what is called, "prāyaścitta is that you melt one kilogram of," what is called, "lead, and drink it." So he, being helpless, he went to consult another brāhmaṇa bhaṭṭācārya. He said, "All right, if you cannot drink molten lead, then you can drink one kilo of melted ghee." So in this way, when he was helpless, he went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew the situation of the then society. He therefore advised him that "You better give (up) your family life. You go to Vṛndāvana." So He advised him that "Go to Vṛndāvana, live there and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." So the difficulty is, in the śāstras there are atonement for prāyaścitta of so..., not like that—you drink hot ghee or hot lead—but there are prāyaścittas. So one has to execute that.

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

You have manufactured cars. I have practical experience. When Dayānanda wanted to take me to a doctor from Los Angeles, it is thirty miles off. Thirty miles off. So I had to take trouble to go thirty miles and come thirty miles before I could consult the doctor. 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.

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

So they were busy, nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika. They were consulting many authoritative scriptures, how to put people in the right religious way of life. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika, sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Why? Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau, actually for doing welfare activities to the people in general, not for themselves. A Vaiṣṇava is liberated, and he can keep himself liberated always, anywhere, any place, without any hindrance, simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... So... But still they are very much anxious for the conditioned souls.

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

What is my atonement?" He gives you a prescription that "You do like this." So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that "According to the gravity of sinful life, one has to execute the prescribed atonement." Exactly... He gives the example, doṣasya dṛṣṭvā guru-lāghavaṁ yathā bhiṣak cikitseta rujāṁ nidānavit (SB 6.1.8). Exactly like when you go to consult a physician, he prescribes a nice medicine or costly medicine, according to the gravity of the disease. If you have simply some headache, he may prescribe you something like aspirin. But if you have got something else, very severe, he immediately prescribes that "It has to be surgically operated, and the expenditure will be one thousand dollars."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:

Tyāgena means by renunciation. These things are to be practiced. It is not that you can go on doing all nonsense and you become (chuckling) spiritually advanced. If somebody says like that, he is simply cheating. He's cheating. Just like a nonsense doctor may say that "You simply pay my fees, and you can do all kinds of nonsense and you'll be cured." You see. This sort of doctor nobody consults. You see. He says that "You come and pay me my fees, and I shall give you a mantra. You'll be cured, and you can do all kinds of nonsense." Will anybody go to that doctor? Any sane man? Similarly, if somebody says that "You can do whatever you like. You take this mantra and pay me my fees, and you'll be highly advanced in spiritual consciousness," these things we do not find in the authorized books, or Vedic literature. They're all manufactured just to flatter and just to earn some money.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

So this is śāstra. Śāstra means direction—both past, present, and future. Everything is there. Therefore we have to consult the Vedic literature. It is perfect. It is without any mistake, without any cheating. This is śāstra. Just like in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you'll find the indication of Lord Buddha's birth. It is stated in the list of incarnation of God that buddha-nāmnāñjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. Bhaviṣyati means future tense. In the beginning, just after the beginning of this age, kīkaṭeṣu, in the province of Gayā... If you have gone to India, you will see still there is a place known as Gayā in the province of Bihar. And Lord Buddha, I mean to say, flourished himself in that part of the country. And it is indicated there that kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati, in future. And his mother's name is also mentioned: añjana-sutaḥ. Lord Buddha's mother's name was Añjana. He was Hindu, kṣatriya, a prince. So everything is stated there. Similarly, the next incarnation at the end of this Kali-yuga is also mentioned in the Bhāgavata. That will take place 400,000's of years after from this time. But His father's name and the incarnation's name and the place where He will come, that is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So this is called śāstra. Śāstra means you can consult. Just like you consult dictionary, you consult encyclopedia, you consult so many authoritative books for understanding knowledge, similarly, if you consult, you get all information.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

They remain either in this planet or some of them may be elevated to the heavenly planet. Heavenly planet is also in the middle of the universe. And adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ. Jaghanya—very abominable characters. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ. Those who are situated not only ignorance... Out of ignorance, one remains in abominable condition. So jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). They go downwards, even to the animal life. So we have to consult and we have to mold our life in that way.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

Therefore simply by argument and logical conclusion, you cannot approach to the Absolute Truth or real truth. Tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. And if you consult yourself scriptures... Just like Bhagavad-gītā, if you read yourself, you get one kind of impression, and if you hear explanation from an authorized person, you get another impression. The book is the same, but by hearing from the authorities, you get a better impression, better understanding. There are so many examples like this. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Now there are many scriptures in the world.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:

They are especial... Just like there are physicians for treatment of the disease, there are highly learned brāhmaṇas who are called bhaṭṭācāryas. People go there: "Sir, I have committed this sin. What I have to do?" So they prescribe that "You do like this." So similarly, as we go to the physician, we have to go to consult an expert learned brāhmaṇa, that "I have committed..." But people used to understand that what is sinful and what is pious. Now people are so downtrodden, so dull, mandāḥ, that they do not understand what is sinful, what is pious. They are going on, doing all nonsense without any care. And there is no question of consulting physician or learned brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

This is called kevalayā bhaktyā. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. At the last stage of his life he was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days. So within seven days he had to prepare himself for the next birth. So he was little perplexed, and all the great saintly persons, sages—because he was emperor of the world—so they came. They consulted. It was decided that "You hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the seven days." That is The Śukadeva Gosvāmī spoke, and he, listened from Śukadeva, and he became perfect within seven days. Therefore in India they observe this Bhagavat-saptāha. That is simply official. Actually, nobody hears very seriously.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

Therefore he should consult spiritual master. The guide is there. Then it is all right. He should take sanction from Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative. If he wants to do something, that's good, but whether that doing is right or wrong you have to know it from Kṛṣṇa or His representative. Is it clear or not? Yes.

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:

So if one is expert in understanding, in analyzing this body, neti neti—"This is blood. This is skin. This is this. This is this. This is urine. This is stool"—then whole body we analyze. Then where is that "I"? We cannot see. But why you cannot see? As soon as the "I" is off, then whose stool, whose skin, whose bone? So in this way, if we analyze, then we can understand that asmin dehe, within this body, the "I" is there. And what is this "I"? Again, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is further advancement. But these rascal—"Ahaṁ brahmāsmi means 'I am God.' " No. Take, consult Bhagavad-gītā what is this aham. Aham means the part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, Para-brahman. Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So Kṛṣṇa says, "These Brahmans, these living entities, they are My part and parcel." That is aham understanding, "I." What I am? I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

. Guru principle is the same, not that your guru and my guru will be different. If he is actually guru, then there is no difference between my guru and your guru. Just like a medical man. You consult one medical man; I consult another. That does not mean the medical man is different. They are depending on the same medical science. So guru means the following the same principles. Evam paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). The first guru is Kṛṣṇa, the supreme guru. He is the guru of Brahmā even.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

Today we shall discuss about the prominent symptoms of this age. This book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, was written... Not written, pratically it was recorded. All Vedic literatures, they are recorded from hearing or tradition of... (break)... five thousand years before, the statements of authorities, people could keep in mind without any book record. At that time the memory was so sharp that one could keep in his memory simply by once hearing from the spiritual master. There was no need of written books to consult. So five thousand years ago this book was recorded by Vyāsadeva because he could understand that in future people will be born of so lower grade that it would be not possible to keep in memory without book record. So formerly, these books were written in hand on palm leaves, and... Because there was no press or type. So if you wanted a book, you had to copy from other's book. That was the system.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 8, 1973:

If you want to preach the gospel of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then the personalities who established, by writing these books, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, Vidagdha-mādhava, so many books they have written. So we must go through them, must try to understand. Then we can understand what is the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Caitanya-bhāgavata, Caitanya-maṅgala, there are so many. Caitanya-candradoya by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. So many devotees, they have given us so many high literatures, we should consult. Therefore the prayer is, śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

Now, if He's the supreme husband and if He marries sixteen thousand wives, it is very difficult for Him? It is not at all difficult. So people do not understand, do not consult this Vedic literature, how it is stated the Supreme. How one can become Supreme? The Supreme... We judge the Supreme in the same philosophy, frog philosophy. "Atlantic Ocean? Oh, it may be a little bigger than this well. That's all." So our calculation of God is always like that. "Kṛṣṇa, He looks like us, just like a man. So what is there? He may be a little powerful than me. All right, He has spoken Bhagavad-gītā. All right. He's little more wiser than us." So we always compare with us. But it is not. He's supreme. We have no idea of the Supreme. Therefore we forget personality. Patiṁ patī... It is clearly stated, pati. Can pati, the husband or proprietor, can become imperson? No. When the conception of pati, husband and proprietor, is there, then He is personal. Patiṁ patīnāṁ paramaṁ parastāt mahān prabhavaiḥ puruṣaḥ.

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

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

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-99 -- Washington, D.C., July 4, 1976:

If you want to understand what is Bhagavān, that is Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavān... Religion means to understand Bhagavān. The other day we were consulting dictionary? Religion means the process by which we can understand the supreme controller. There is a supreme controller, as in every department, in every state, every affair, every business, every institution there is a controller. That you have got experience, practical. Without controller, nothing can be properly discharged. Controller is required.

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

Ask any learned scholar in these days that "What is the ultimate goal of life?" They will say, "Oh, there is no particular end (?). Let us live very happily, and after death everything is finished." I have consulted many men, big, big professors, Indian and foreign. They have no idea of the first education in the Bhagavad-gītā: tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). There is change of body. There is already change of body. I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man. Now the body is changed—I have got this wretched body, old man's body.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

So that is not happiness. Happiness is different thing. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya grāhyam (BG 6.21). If you want happiness, that is spiritual happiness, not material happiness. So when he submitted that "Why I am suffering from these threefold miseries, adhyātmika, adhibhautika?" so that is real approaching of the spiritual master, that "Why I am suffering?" not that "Give me some mantra and medicine. I become happy. " No. The question should be... Just like if a person is serious to consult a physician, not that "Immediately give me some tablet. I become happy." No. The root disease must be treated. That is the relationship between the patient and... So Sanātana Gosvāmī is intelligent person, most intelligent person.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.113 -- London, July 23, 1976:

Just like here in this planet we are congested: so many living entities, different varieties. Similarly, the same congestion is there in all other planets. So do not try to poke your nose which is inconceivable. And that also not assertion. You say, "Perhaps," "Maybe," "Millions of years," "It might have been." All suggestion. So if you want knowledge, then you have to consult this Vedic knowledge. Veda means knowledge, the source of knowledge. That is called Veda. And the ultimate knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). That is the version.

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

They cannot read śāstra. They cannot understand scripture. They cannot take the advantage of a bona fide spiritual master. They cannot consult within with God. They have no this capacity. Their consciousness is so undeveloped that it is not possible to have, utilize all these facilities. But in human form of life we can utilize all these facilities. The śāstras are there, the Vedas are there, scriptures are there. And still, although it is the age of Kali, still, those who are following the disciplic succession, there is bona fide spiritual master also. Śāstra, guru and ātmā. And over all, the Paramātmā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.125 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

Even a thief could be conducted, guided by astrologer, and what to speak of others. So that was their system in India. So that example is being placed here by Lord Caitanya that the Veda, that is astrology for your guidance. For your guidance, the scripture is your astrologer. He knows your future, he knows your past. So therefore you should consult, you should consult, for our guidance.

Now, the astrologer is supposed to give some instruction to the poor man.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966:

Cow. Yes. This we have explained. And because He gives pleasure to all these things especially, cows and land and the senses, He is known as Govinda. Sarvaiśvarya-pūrṇa. He is full of all opulences. There is definition of God in the Parāśara-sūtra. Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadeva, he was a great sage. So he has given the definition of God. After consulting all Vedic literatures, he has given his, delivered the definition of God. What is that? Sad-aiśvarya-pūrṇa: full of six opulences. And what are those six opulences? Aiśvaryasya samagrasya: "He is the proprietor of all wealth, everything." So aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya: "He is the reservoir of all strength." Vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ: "And He is the supreme famous." Nobody can be more famous than Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:

Even our so-called liberated stage, we are still imperfect. Therefore one has to take shelter of authority because, constitutionally, we are imperfect. Lord Caitanya says, āmā-sabā jīvera haya śāstra-dvārā 'jñāna'. So therefore, for real knowledge, we have to consult the scriptures, śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. Sādhu means pious, religious, honest person. Sādhu, whose character is spotless, he's called sādhu. Śāstra means scripture, and guru, guru means spiritual master. They are on the equal level. Why? Because the medium is scripture. Guru is considered to be liberated because he follows the scripture. Sādhu is considered to be honest and saintly because he follows scripture. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. Nobody can become a sādhu if he does not accept the principles of scripture. Nobody can be accepted as guru, or spiritual master, if he does not follow the principles of scripture. This is the test.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.5 -- New York, January 7, 1967:

Now, here the great sage says that "I have consulted all the Vedic process, all the Vedic literature, and I see that bhagavad-ārādhana-vidhi: the only injunction is that, to worship the Supreme Lord." And similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed by the Lord, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: (BG 15.15) "By Vedic study means I. One has to understand Me. That's all." If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa as far as possible, through the reliable sources, through the bona fide sources, then your Vedic study is going on in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Festival Lectures

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

Just like if you are simply trained or educated as a lawyer, and if you are not practicing in the court, nobody comes to you to consult as a lawyer. Nobody cares for you. You must be practicing also. Similarly, to become a brāhmaṇa means first of all, he must know what is Brahman and he must be actually situated in the activities of Brahman. So devotional service are activities of Brahman. Activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means activities in Brahman. Brāhme carati iti brahmā brahmacārī. Carati means acts. Actually, he acts in life, applies the principles of brāhmaṇa in his life, he is called brahmacārī. So these were the trainings.

So just see how the training was, that a kṣatriya cannot refuse his promise. So Mahārāja Daśaratha, he fulfilled the promise of his youngest wife and asked his son, eldest son Rāmacandra, "My dear boy, You'll have to go to forest for fourteen years. That is the desire of Your youngest mother.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:

So I consulted some of my Godbrothers, senior Godbrothers, "Guru Mahārāja has told me like this. What can I do?" So you have heard the name of Professor Sanyal, and there were other Godbrothers. They asked me to write on the Vaiṣṇava-siddhānta in English. So perhaps in 1935 I wrote one poetry. The part of it, somebody, you have got. He was very pleased. Since then he was insisting me that "You write on, preach on in English." At that time I was thinking, "What can I do?" So anyway, after his passing away, this Back to Godhead paper was started, as late in 1944, I think, because the expenditure was three hundred, four hundred rupees per month.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

Then there were other Godbrothers. I consulted him that "Guru Mahārāja said like this. What can I do?" So they also encouraged me. I was writing. There was a paper, Harmonist. Then, by their desires, I started this Back to Godhead in 1944. That was also started on his advent day, this advent day. Back to Godhead was started. Yes. There was a meeting, and many friends came, and we first started this Back to Godhead on his advent day, this advent day, 1944. So our paper, Back to Godhead, the advent day is also today. Yes.

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding of Syama dasi and Hayagriva -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1968:

So this quarrel of husband and wife is not very serious thing. So I'll request you, even there is some misunderstanding, forget it. Don't take it seriously. Simply you concentrate on Kṛṣṇa consciousness business. You have got nice business now, both of you, conjointly working for editing my Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You consult in that business and live peacefully. You are educated, she is also educated. If there is any misunderstanding, don't take it seriously. That is my request. Besides that, I am always at your service, I am always (here) to help you. So this marriage ceremony is very happy occasion. I shall request all friends, relatives, parents, to give their blessings to this nice couple and let us perform.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968:

Then, simply if you study different books of knowledge, that will also not give you perfect knowledge. If you consult so-called mental speculators, their different views, then dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. The ultimate goal of life is very confidential and mysterious. And how to know it? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahājana means the perfect realized souls who have realized, you have to follow them. That's all. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Therefore this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is accepting the mahājana, the authority. The first authority is Kṛṣṇa. From Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is hearing. There is no question about it.

Lecture -- Boston, April 25, 1969:

That process may be different according to time, circumstances, people. That is natural. Therefore, for a neophyte, simply by consulting scriptures, he will not be able to reach to the absolute goal. Because he will find, "Oh..." Sometimes they become skeptic. Just like in the modern age, the youngsters, you all boys and girls, they are becoming skeptic. They don't believe in any scripture now because they find some differences. Therefore Bhāgavata said that tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā: "Simply by argument you cannot establish what is Absolute Truth, and if you consult different scriptures, you will find difference of opinion, or difference of procedures, rituals." So śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. And if we consult great thinkers or philosophers, they have got their different opinions. Some philosopher says, "I think this is right. I think this is right."

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

But if you take the tablets according to your own whim or somebody who does not know how to use that medicine, without consulting the physician, then you may be in dangerous position. You will not get the result. That is sure and certain. But you may meet some dangerous position. Similarly, so far Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, the prime standard book of yoga system, if you want to learn something from Bhagavad-gītā about the peace and prosperity and anxietylessness of your life, then you have to take this medicine of Bhagavad-gītā according to the dose prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā, not outside.

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

No, not that. But my eating should be adjusted. These things are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, what class of foodstuff is first class, in goodness, and what class of foodstuff in the passion, third class, in ignorance. So we have to raise ourself in the goodness platform of human civilization, then revive our transcendental consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These things are, everything is there in the śāstras. Unfortunately, we do not consult.

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

The animals, they cannot know what is God, how God is great, how God is all-powerful. But a human being, if he tries, if he consults books of knowledge just like Bible or Bhagavad-gītā or similar other scriptures, he can know what is God, how great He is, how omnipotent He is, and what is our relationship with God.

We should know also our relationship with God. And that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Our relationship with God is that we are all part and parcel of God. Just like your father has got many children—you are part of the father's body—similarly, God, the supreme father, He has also many children, and you are one of them; therefore you are part and parcel of God.

Lecture -- San Francisco, June 28, 1971:

Therefore we are consult various śāstras. Nana-śāstra-vicaraṇaika-nipunau, vicāra. Vicāra means to study them with careful attention. Vicāra. Nana-śās... So these Gosvāmīs were studying many kinds of Vedic literatures. There are hundreds and thousands of Vedic literature—primarily four Vedas, Sama, Yajur, Atharva, Ṛg, Atharva. Then from the Vedas, there are supplementary Vedas, which are called Purāṇas, eighteen Purāṇas. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is one of the Purāṇas, Mahā-Purāṇa. Then there is, there are Mahābhārata, "The Great History of India." Bhārata means India, and Mahā means greater, greater India.

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

You know also very well. In England there are many, many churches, they are vacant now, redundant. And they are..., in the Parliament they have passed law that these redundant churches can be sold for any other purpose. So it doesn't matter whether one is Christian, one is Hindu, or one is Muslim. Our simple request is that whatever you may be, you make cultivation of God consciousness. That is our program. Scientifically try to understand what is God. And if you consult Vedic literature you'll get very accurate, scientific, authentic information.

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

So I asked him, "Are you supreme? If you cannot understand, then find out the meaning of supreme." Then when he consulted dictionary, the supreme, it is said "the greatest authority." So I asked him, "Are you the greatest authority?" The rascal could not answer. He does not know even the dictionary meaning, and he's claiming that he's God. This rascaldom is going on, whole world. Big, big rascal swamis, they say, "Why you are finding out God anywhere? You do not see so many rascal gods are loitering in the street?" This is going on. If you simply consult dictionary, you can understand what is the meaning of God. God is so cheap thing, huh? Supreme being. Are you supreme being? Supreme means the highest authority. Highest authority means nobody is equal to him, nobody is greater than him.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

Suppose you are in need of some legal protection, but you do not know "Under which legal protection I will be safe." You have to approach a good lawyer. You cannot say that "I'll defend myself. I will do." No, that is not possible. When you are diseased, you have to consult the physician. Therefore if you want to know what is dharma, then you have to approach these twelve great personalities. Otherwise it will remain durbodham, very difficult to understand. Although it is very pure, because I am impure, I will not be able to understand. Guhyaṁ visuddhaṁ dur..., yaṁ jñātvā amṛtam aśnute.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

But we have got this body, material body, which is full of ignorance, full of miseries and neither... It is only temporary. This is our position. Therefore tapasya should be executed, how we can also revive our original constitutional position, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. This is called śuddhyet sattva. Just like when a man becomes diseased, it is his duty to go to the physician, consult him, take some medicine to get out of the disease, similarly, human life is meant for to get out of this disease. What is that disease? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

So people do not know. They manufacture religion. So how you can manufacture religion? Law can be given by the king, by the state, by the government. If you manufacture some law at your home, consulting your wife or father and mother, who will accept it? Nobody will accept. You may be puffed up that you have manufactured a law, but nobody will care for it. The law given by the state will have to be accepted, either you like it or don't like it. The law will not depend on your liking and disliking.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like if a man who is diseased, suffering from so many symptoms, he should approach a physician. But if he wants to suffer without consultation of a physician, he will suffer until death. What can be done?

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Śyāmasundara: So in order to understand anything, I have to consult Vedic scriptures.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the process: tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). So to understand anything, that is the Vedic process: either material science or spiritual science, you must approach the guru. And that is being followed everywhere. You cannot become botanist by speculating at home. You have to go...

Śyāmasundara: No. He doesn't say you have to become a botanist.

Prabhupāda: So any, anything, whatever you may be, you cannot become perfect without hearing from another perfect. This is nonsense, that you go on speculating and the proof will come. This is nonsense.

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Śyāmasundara: That we don't have to consult any authority about or have any knowledge about previously. We can see those things.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Prabhupāda: How he can go deep into the matter? Because he doesn't want to consult anybody, and he cannot see beyond that superficial greenness. There are so many things which are not visible to our view. They are outside.

Śyāmasundara: Just like you have said that the sound was a symptom of the sky, that...

Prabhupāda: That..., that..., that symptom the sky we understand from the scientist, not that personally I have understood that sound is a symptom of the sky. It is the scientists, those who are dealing with physics, they say that the sky, the symptom of sky is sound.

Śyāmasundara: Well, it seems like I could...

Prabhupāda: That is (Sanskrit). That is not sense perception. That is a perception received from other authorities.

Śyāmasundara: So it seems like I could come to that same conclusion without consulting a scientist, that I could...

Prabhupāda: You cannot. That is our version. You cannot. Because simply you are puzzled with the sound, that's all. So wherefrom the sound comes, you have to approach the authorities.

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Prabhupāda: Then it is better to consult that better than you. Why you shall go down to the animal status?

Śyāmasundara: No. He says that we are above the animal status because we can understand what we are.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now how you become more than the animal status?

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Prabhupāda: Anyway, there is a transcendental ego, it is better to consult it.

Śyāmasundara: That's what he's trying to do, but through inward consultation, not that he has an outside source or he does not access to that transcendental ego from...

Prabhupāda: Therefore our Vedic śāstra says the transcendental ego appears externally as spiritual master.

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Prabhupāda: If he has got acquaintance with the transcendental ego, he'll confirm, "Here is the spiritual master."

Śyāmasundara: I imagine Germany at that time, around the turn of the century, it had just no authority that he could consult.

Prabhupāda: No. For others, here he accepts one transcendental ego. We say that transcendental ego appears externally as spiritual master. Then where is the difficulty of finding out spiritual master?

Śyāmasundara: How to find such a person?

Prabhupāda: Because transcendental ego will help. If you accept transcendental ego, he will help: "Here is your spiritual master." There is no difficulty. There is no question of how I shall find it. If you have faith in transcendental ego, he will be able to tell you that "Here is." Where is the difficulty?

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: Conflict with intelligence. That means conflict is in the lower stage. So to mitigate this conflict you have to take consultation from the higher stage. That is intelligence. That Mao's theory is simply by conflict of the mental concoctioners. That will not come to a conclusion. That will never be right conclusion.

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: This is described in Bhāgavata: punah punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), "chewing the chewed." Once it is chewed, it is thrown away, and then again, "Let me see if there is any juice." (laughter) Chewing the chewed. Or in plain words, mental concoction. The mind's business is acceptance and rejection. First of all, reject American capitalists; then again accept for consulting. That means they are hovering on the mental plane. They have no intelligence. In big scale, accepting and rejecting. That's all. It is the business of the mind. As in your personal mind you see, you accept something immediately and again reject, "No, no, it is not good." The same thing is going on in a bigger scale. That's all. They are not... Just like a pickpocket and a big scientific thief. Huh? They are trying to... Modern, scientifically, they want to rob the bank. They set the bomb. And pickpocket is satisfied by taking one paisa from your pocket. But the principle is stealing. Because you are very organized thief, it does not mean from the eyes of the law you are honest. You cannot say in the court that "I am organized thief. I am scientific thief, and he is a pickpocket." In the eyes of the law you are also punishable, he is also punishable. That's all. So they are, I mean to say, large-scale speculators. That's all. But it is, after all, speculation. It has no fact.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: Practical, this means, suppose I want to do something, I do not know, then I go and ask a superior person who knows it. Just like when you drive your car, you are going somewhere, so you take the direction from the signpost, this way go, this point here, this village. Similarly, for practical purpose you have to approach a person who knows. That is practical. And if you think that I shall do it myself, without consulting anyone, that is not practical, that is theoretical. You will be misled. At least we are prone to be misled.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is a fact. Meditation means to analyze oneself—that is real meditation—and find out the Absolute Truth. That is the description in the Vedic literature. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yogino. Yogi means by his meditation he is seeing the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa, or God, within himself. Kṛṣṇa is there, and so a yogi consults Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa advises him. That is the relationship with yogi. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. One who is purified, he is seeing Kṛṣṇa always within himself. That is confirmed in the Brahmā-samhita, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). A saintly person, advanced, he is seeing Kṛṣṇa, yaṁ śyāmasundaram. The very word used, Kṛṣṇa is śyāmasundaram, very beautiful blackish, the Personality of Godhead, Śyāmasundaram. Śyāma means blackish, but extraordinarily beautiful. That is called śyāma. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpam (Bs. 5.38). Acintaya, unlimited qualities. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... He is govindam. So it can be realized that He is situated everywhere, at the same time in His person He is always engaged in Vṛndāvana dancing with the gopīs and playing with His friends and talking with His mother, and sometimes as naughty boy He is teasing mother's household affairs. So this is Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's a fact. The so-called philosophers, they are imperfect, so there is no need of consulting them. Our path is that you directly contact the Supreme Person in knowledge, who has got complete knowledge—Kṛṣṇa—and we take His instructions and try to follow Him.

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.