Convince (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"convince" |"convinced" |"convinces" |"convincing" |"convincingly"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

Pradyumna: "But if such material gains are obtainable in other ways, then so-called religion is neglected. This is the situation in modern civilization."

Prabhupāda: Yes. For the leaders. They are seeing this poor man is going to church or to temple for asking God, "God give us our daily bread." They are taking the opportunity to spread atheism. They say, "Well, you have prayed for your bread in the temple or in the church. Have you got the bread?" They say, "No. Not yet." "All right. Come to me. You ask me bread." "Yes." They are innocent, "Yes, Mr. such and such, give me bread," and he gives bread. "Take this bread." Then they are convinced, "Oh, God cannot give us bread. Our political leader can give bread." This is, propaganda is going on. You see. "God cannot give us bread, but our political leader can give us bread." But they are innocent. They do not know that this rascal politician, wherefrom he has brought the bread? Has he manufactured in the factory wheat, rice, grains?

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

So it is stated here yaḥ svānubhāvam. Svānubhāvam. Svānubhāvam means personally convinced. Anubhāvam. God can be realized at the present stage by anubhāva. We cannot see God now, but anubhāva, appreciating or understanding the nature of God and seeing God, there is no difference. Absolute. So our business is at the present moment to feel the presence of the Lord in every action. To... Presence... The presence of the Lord, that is wanted. So someday, if you continue in that Kṛṣṇa consciousness, presence of Lord in everything, then it will be possible some day to see Kṛṣṇa eye to eye. Just like we are seeing. We are seeing Kṛṣṇa: here is Kṛṣṇa. But still, because we are conditioned souls, sometimes we think that "This is not actual Kṛṣṇa; this is a statue of Kṛṣṇa." But that is not the fact. Fact is Kṛṣṇa is one. Kṛṣṇa is absolute, advaya-jñāna. He is identified to everything. What is everything? Everything means manifestation of His energy.

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

So religious persecution is always there. Even the father, what to speak of others? The father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, he chastised his son. So don't be afraid. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128), Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. This is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Anyone you meet, any dumb rascal or gentleman, it doesn't matter, try to convince him about Kṛṣṇa and let him inquire about Kṛṣṇa. Then his life will be successful. Simply he begins to inquire, "What is Kṛṣṇa?" Then his, means, he'll, path of liberation becomes open immediately.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

Just like in your country there are so many big men, by their richness—because they are very rich; they have got money—so they are attractive. So money is one of the feature of attraction. Therefore God must be the supreme wealthy person. Otherwise He is not God. Another attraction is beauty. So God must be the most beautiful. You have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa so many times. Perhaps you are convinced that you have never seen such a beautiful picture, although He's little blackish. So in this way, "God," "Kṛṣṇa" means all-attractive. He's attractive by His opulences, six kinds opulences, which I have described many times in this class. Another name is adhokṣaja, this name here. He has got many millions and trillions of names, according to perception of the devotee or the knower. He is also known as Brahman, Paraṁ Brahman, Paramātmā, and Kṛṣṇa, Madhusūdana, Govinda. There are many millions and trillions of names of God, but in the Vedic literature it is said that out of all kinds of names designated... Not designated. Designated will be wrong word. Actually. Because God name, God's name is given according to His transcendental quality. Just like this word, "Kṛṣṇa." "Kṛṣṇa" means, real means the all-attractive.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975, University Lecture:

So in this way, try to understand what is dharma, what is God. And we can help you, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We have got now about fifty books, big, big books like that, to understand Kṛṣṇa, simply to understand Kṛṣṇa. So if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa through your education, through your scientific knowledge, philosophy, and whatever you like-yes, we can convince you. We have got so many books. But if you say that you have no money to purchase books, you are not so learned to... Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then you will understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975, University Lecture:

Prabhupāda: No, first of all your question is what is the relationship between Christ and Kṛṣṇa. You inquired this. So Christ says that he is son of God. So he is son of Kṛṣṇa.

Indian man: That was what I thought, but I could not convince them all.

Prabhupāda: You should learn how to convince. (laughter) Without learning, how can you do it? First of all you become a disciple of Kṛṣṇa. Then you can teach. Tad-vijñānārtha... What is that?

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

You should learn what is Kṛṣṇa from jñāninaḥ, tattva-darśinaḥ, who has seen Kṛṣṇa. So you can take. You can follow Arjuna. Arjuna has seen Kṛṣṇa. Arjuna has talked with Kṛṣṇa. Arjuna has taken instruction from Kṛṣṇa. What Arjuna says? Arjuna says, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). You learn it. Why don't you learn from Arjuna? Then you will be able to convince others. You learn. That is your duty as Indian.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975, University Lecture:

Prabhupāda: So you become more enlightened. Read Bhagavad-gītā carefully. Then you will be able. These foreigners, they are doing that. And you, Indian, you cannot do it?

Indian man: No, I didn't say that I couldn't do it.

Prabhupāda: Then you... Then do it. If one is not convinced, you... As Indian, it is your duty.

Indian man: Oh, I accept that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, so do it now. Join with us and do it. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. He advises,

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

"Anyone who has taken birth in India as a human being, he must first of all know the success of life and preach the cult to others, para-upakāra." This is the duty of every Indian, that you should learn Bhagavad-gītā perfectly well and preach it. That is your duty, all Indians. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra janma sārthaka kari' kara (CC Adi 9.41). They do not know it. They know that Christ is son of God. They have heard it. Now convince them that "Yes, there is no fighting between Christian or Kṛṣṇa-ite. One is worshiping the father; one is worshiping the son. So there is no difference."

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

That Kṛṣṇa did, er, Arjuna did. He wanted to satisfy his senses by not fighting, but he agreed after hearing Bhagavad-gītā that "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person."

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

(BG 10.8)

These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the preliminary study of spiritual life. And if we are actually convinced of the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, then we surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants that. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That He wants. When we actually take to this process, this is called śraddhā. Śraddhā.

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

If we come to this point, ādau śraddhā... This is called śraddhā. Then the next stage is ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). If one has..., one is convinced that "Surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, my all business will be perfect," this is called śraddhā. Then we have to seek out who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Sādhu means Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Sādhu does not mean having a big beard and nice dress or saffron-colored dress. That is not sādhu. Sādhu is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). That is sādhu, who has no other business than to serve Kṛṣṇa. He is sādhu.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

This is the beginning. If I am firmly convinced that simply by surrendering unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa I'll be saved by Him... Because He assures, "I..." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. People suffer on account of sinful activities. The resultant actions are reserved there. What we are suffering now, it is the resultant action of our past sinful activities. And we are preparing another body in this life by committing sinful activities. The more we... Everyone within this material world who has got this material body, it is to be understood it is due to our past sinful activities. It doesn't matter what kind of body you have got. Therefore Bhāgavata says that we should not, I mean to say, commit any more sinful activities. Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4).

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

We have got many students also, they are Doctor of Science. So we talked. So we flatly say that "This advancement of education making you narādhama, lowest of the mankind." So they are convinced. And some of them are very serious student. So actually this education, as Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said, jaḍa-bidyā jato māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. You, you'll see, the more a person is materially educated, he has no interested. Just like our whole state has become secular state. No more interested. Here is our Bhagavad-gītā. Gandhi started his movement with Bhagavad-gītā. The big, big politician, Aravinda, he studied Bhagavad-gītā. And Tilaka, he studied Bhagavad-gītā. Now, in our schools and colleges, if there is question of studying Bhagavad-gītā, the state will not allow. Is it not? They... So māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. Such a cultural book, such a book of knowledge, great book of knowledge, Bhagavad-gītā, they're banned. It is banned. And if you present Bhagavad-gītā with some nonsense commentary, that will be sold. And when you speak Bhagavad-gītā as it is... Of course, factually, now we are getting ground. Our Bhagavad-gītā is selling more than other editions, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So those who are sinful, they cannot understand what is God. Therefore the whole world is godless. They are so sinful, their life, their civilization, has been made so much sinful, the four principles of sinful: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. The whole world is full of these four business. Therefore they are all sinful. He may dress like a very nice gentleman, but he's a sinful man. So he cannot understand. Therefore it is very difficult to convince these rascals about God. They say, "I am, everyone is God, I am God, you are God, God is dead." They are so dull. You see? Therefore our business is to cleanse their heart.

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

One who's accepted Kṛṣṇa as everything, such mahātmā is very rarely to be seen. Otherwise, so-called mahātmās, they are loitering in the street: "You are God, I am God, everyone is God." Not that kind of mahātmā. Mahātmā means bhajanti, "He worships Me, Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is bhajanīya, and we are servant. One who is convinced on this platform, he is mahātmā, he is sādhu. So we have to associate with such sādhus. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. They have no other desire. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). They have no other desire. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam, uncovered by the mental speculation or fruitive activities, karma-kāṇḍa. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Not covered. If you mix up karma with bhakti, if you mix up jñāna with bhakti, or if you mix up yoga, it is contaminated. It is not pure. Pure devotional service is given by Rūpa Gosvāmī: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (CC Madhya 19.167). No desire for fruitive activities or philosophical speculation or yogic, mystic yogic magic. No. Simply how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Therefore all transcendentalists have been rendering loving service with great delight to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, from time immemorial because such devotional service is enlivening to the self."

Prabhupāda: So "therefore." The word is "therefore." "Therefore" means after concluding something, then we say "therefore." When we talk, when we argue, when we come to the conclusion, then we say "therefore." Or when our argument is strong, then we say "therefore." So this "therefore" means that one is firmly convinced. As it is described in the previous verse, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Saṁśaya means doubtfulness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972:

So here it is said that when you are actually advanced in spiritual knowledge, in devotional service, then chidyante sarva-saṁśayaḥ. Saṁśaya means doubtfulness. Sometimes... Yes. Generally, "Oh, these are stories. Kṛṣṇa lifted a mountain." Because atheists say and we say, "Yes, maybe." But no. You must be firmly convinced, yourself, if you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, that "Yes, Kṛṣṇa did it." It is possible because He knew the physical science very perfectly. He knows and He, He can know, He can do it. One thing into another. Just like electrician, he can turn cooler into heater, heater into cooler. Because he knows the science. You cannot do that. So don't study Kṛṣṇa thinking yourself as Kṛṣṇa, that "I am also Kṛṣṇa." No. That is the defect.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972:

Just like in the light, in the sunlight, there is division: the sunshine, the sun globe, and the sun-god. There are three divisions. It is not that because you are in the sunshine you know what is the sun globe or what is sun god. That is another stage. Similarly, just to become a devotee on the devotional service, there are stages. Stages. That is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī. So uttama-adhikārī, uttama-adhikārī means first class. He's firmly convinced, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Nobody can deviate. He can convert others to understand Kṛṣṇa, that He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But nobody can convert him that Kṛṣṇa is not God. That is not possible. That is first class.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

As the kṣatriyas were interested, entrusted for protecting the citizens, similarly the vaiśyas were entrusted for protecting the cows. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So now vaiśyas, they have got big, big factories, they can maintain big, big factories, but they cannot maintain a cow. That is the position. Similarly, Kṣatriyas, they have taken different occupational duties. Brāhmaṇas also, they have left their occupation. Only everyone has come to the platform of śūdras. Therefore it is very difficult to convince them about spiritual life. Mostly people are śūdras. Śūdras, less intelligent. They cannot understand. Mūḍha. Less intelligent means mūḍha. The symbol of less intelligence is ass, mūḍha. The ass... Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has described the karmīs as mūḍha because they work very hard. Although the necessity of life is very little, still they work very hard, day and night. The ass is the symbol because the ass eats only a morsel of grass, but for the washerman, he works so hard. So mūḍha.

Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972:

So the whole Vedic system is to convince one that "You are not this body, and anything you possess in relationship with your body, they are all illusion. You are spirit soul, part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore your duty is some way or other, come out of this entanglement of the bodily concept of life and bodily possession. Come out. Be free. Brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Now your position is jīva-bhūta." Jīva-bhūta means you are thinking that 'I am a product of this material world.' All scientists, all philosophers, they are the same concept, that "I am this body. Beyond this body there is nothing." All big, big professors, scientists, that "After this body is finished, everything is finished." But actually, that is not a fact.

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

Just like the light's natural function is to give illumination. Prakāśa. Similarly, your natural function is to serve Kṛṣṇa. That's all. You have no other business. That is dharma. No other business. When we understand this convincingly, then we are situated in our religion. Just like Kṛṣṇa said. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā He says, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. Just to reestablish religion. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. People forget. Nature's, material nature's function is that, to put you into illusion always. So our forgetfulness is also another illusion. We forget our relationship with God, or Kṛṣṇa. Then adharma. That is... Instead of becoming servant of Kṛṣṇa, I become servant of so many things. I become servant of my family, servant of my country, society, humanity, cats, dogs, so many things. Servant I remain, but I become servant of so many things.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Duality means "Whether I shall become Kṛṣṇa conscious or this conscious, material conscious or this...?" This is duality, "Whether this or that?" But one who is firmly convinced... Vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana (BG 2.41). One who is firmly convinced that kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya: "If I become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then every perfection is there," this conviction, then there is no duality, "Whether I shall do it or not do it?" "I must do it." Dvandva. And moha, and illusion. And except Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everything is moha, illusion, except Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all illusion.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

So under instruction of Nārada he... So Nārada says that "If you do not, I mean to say, cent percent simply be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it will be faulty. I admit that you have mentioned something about Kṛṣṇa's activities in other literatures like Mahābhārata and other Purāṇas, but that will not do." Yate kadācit kvāpi viṣaya kono sthānam:(?) "That will not be very steady understanding of Kṛṣṇa." Vātāhata-agunvitaḥ naur iva:(?) "Just like you cannot be steady on the ocean when there is tossing wind," I mean to say, "there is hurricane, you must be always tilting, similarly, unless we are firmly convinced about Supreme Lord, we must be tilting. So that, you must prepare some literature by which one shall be firmly steady, steadily convinced about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness." Vātāhata-agunvita, yad uktam gitasuḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Bhagavad-gītā also, Kṛṣṇa says, vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ... Those who are convinced for making a sure progress of life, he's called niścayātmikā buddhiḥ. That is determination. Dṛḍha-vrata, dṛḍha-vrata. These are Sanskrit words: "firmly convinced, steady." They have got only one business, one business. Vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha...bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddha... Those who are not steady, they have got many business, many business. Why many? If that one is the source of everything, take that one.

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

Now, the question may be that one may take to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without understanding the truth, by sentiment. Just like sometimes... It is mostly in this country. Some of the disciples, some of the students, they are coming, not that one has understood this philosophy very nicely and he is convinced. Some of them are coming by sentiment: "All right, let me join this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement." So in that case what happens? Suppose one does not understand the philosophy, but he comes to join this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then what is the effect? That is also clearly explained by Nāradadeva, that,

tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer

bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi

yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ

ko vārtha āpto 'bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ

(SB 1.5.17)

So Nārada says that "Giving up all other engagements..." Just like it is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā that "Give up all other engagements. Simply surrender unto Me." So if somebody, out of sentiment, without understanding, out of sentiment, surrenders, comes to Kṛṣṇa... Here he had many duties to perform, his family life, his duty to the country, so many duties.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says like that, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Whomever you meet, you simply try to make him convinced or to preach him the importance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Some way or other, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then his life become successful. Yad uktaṁ yatra kva vā abhadra abhūd amuṣya kiṁ yad upavadayiti mukunda-sevī jana kadācit kathañcana kujanim kato'pi saṁsṛtiṁ na vrajet na viset.(?) Śrīdhara Svāmī says, mukunda-sevī. Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa's another name is Mukunda. Muk, muk. Muk means liberation, mukti. So... And ānanda. So Kṛṣṇa can give you liberation from this distressful, miserable condition of material existence and give you transcendental pleasure.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

"One who has become nārāyaṇa-paraḥ, Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's never afraid of any condition of life." Bhagavad-gītā also, Kṛṣṇa says, yasmin sthito na duḥkhena vicālyate: "If one is situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he's never disturbed." Guruṇāpi duḥkhena: (Bg. 6.20-23) "If he's put in the severest type of difficulty, he's never..." Just see the Pāṇḍavas. That is the effect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Nārada is trying to convince Vyāsadeva that "You preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Whatever you have so..., so far written books, they have been useless. Now you write something, by reading which, one will become immediately Kṛṣṇa conscious." Sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate. In the beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that "Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is so nice that simply by reading, immediately one can capture the Supreme Lord within his heart." Sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt. Tat-kṣaṇāt means immediately, provided if he's little willing. That's all. Śuśrūṣu. That is the word.

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

If one has got unflinching faith in Kṛṣṇa and his representative, guru, then all the knowledge will be revealed to him automatically. Just like yourself. You are a big scientist. You have talked with me, you have studied with me, and you have examined me in so many ways. And I have also spoken whatever I had knowledge. Unless you are convinced, how you can say that "You are my spiritual master"? So what is the secret? I am not a scientist. I am not M.A., C.A How do you agree to accept me as spiritual master? Because I stick to this principle, Kṛṣṇa and guru, that's all. This is the secret of guru.

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

Therefore Kṛṣṇa's coming. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). "These rascals have forgotten. All right, let Me go and convince them, try to bring them back." Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes: tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). Those who are sādhu, devotees, they became immediately relieved by getting Kṛṣṇa. And those who are rascals, they had to be killed. But that killing is also good for them. Just like father—to some son he gives directly rasagullā, and to other son, slaps. But father is father, either slapping or giving rasagullā, he's father. Similarly, we should not be sorry when the father gives slaps, and we should not be overjubilant when father gives his rasagullā. Any condition. That is devotion. A devotee is never disturbed when the father gives slap or the master gives slap.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

'sādhu-saṅga', 'sādhu-saṅga'—sarva-śāstre kaya

lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya

(CC Madhya 22.54)

It is required, sādhu-saṅga. Then if he meets sādhu... By one or two words from him, he can convince you about supremacy of the Supreme Lord. Otherwise, he'll take birth after birth, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Therefore we have to make sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Sādhu-saṅga is very essential. Sat-saṅga. Otherwise... There is another verse in the Brahma-saṁhitā, that vedeṣu durlabhaḥ. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by studying Vedas, although Vedas means knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa comes to convince us. There is no question of imagination. "See Me. Here I am." That is Kṛṣṇa. Why you are imagining? Kṛṣṇa therefore comes. Here it is said, tathāyaṁ ca avatāras te bhuvo bhāra-jihīrṣayā. Avatāra does not mean a big beard or big hair. We do not like to see such ugly avatāra. We kick on their face, this avatāra. This is not avatāra. Avatāra must be mentioned in the śāstra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was talking with Sanātana Gosvāmī, so Caitanya Mahāprabhu described about avatāra. So just to make a little joke, because they are personal devotees... So he knew that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the avatāra. Still, he inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "How we shall know one avatāra?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Why? It is all mentioned in the śāstra." So avatāra should be understood from the śāstra, not by jugglery or magic.

Lecture on SB 1.7.45-46 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1976:

Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, They are one, but for pastimes they have become two. Ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau. Again Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa united, caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptam. So these things are there. So wife is considered better half. Ardhāṅginī. So the ardhāṅginī is there, and the son is there. In so many ways they are convincing that "Do not think that Droṇācārya is dead and gone." He's (She's) convincing this point. "Droṇācārya is still existing. So killing the son of Droṇācārya means killing Droṇācārya. So do not do this." He's (She's) putting so many arguments.

Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

Even a small child in our association, Śyāmasundara's daughter, she would go to somebody, she was only five years old. She would ask, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" So somebody said, "No, I do not know." "Oh, Supreme Personality of Godhead." She would preach like that. So they are convinced, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. This conviction is the foremost quality. Then other things will follow. Sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ. So if one is simply convinced on this point, that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, and he does like that, follows the principle, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇam. Varṇāśrama-dharma. Kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇam. That is wanted. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. So do that. Stick to this principle, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is para-tattva, the Absolute Truth, and Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4).

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- New York, April 12, 1973:

So bhakti-yoga is for the paramahaṁsa, one who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the central fact. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So one who knows that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes, not only theoretically, but practically, convinced, he is paramahaṁsa. So Kuntīdevī says that "You are meant for the paramahaṁsas, not for the rascals and fools. You are meant for the paramahaṁsa." Tathā paramahaṁsānāṁ munīnām (SB 1.8.20). Munīnām means those who are thoughtful. Also mental speculators, they are called also muni. Munīnām amalātmanām. Amala. There is no dirty things in their heart. Materialistic person means full of dirty things within the heart. What is that dirty things? That lust and greediness. That's all. This is the dirty things. All materialistic persons, they are lusty and greedy. Therefore their heart is full of dirty things.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

So this govinda word can be explained in so many ways. Kṛṣṇa can be... You can try to explain this verse year after year. Still, it cannot be ended. It is so nice verse. But you... We should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. There are so many ways to understand Kṛṣṇa. Some way or other, simply if you understand that Kṛṣṇa is īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1), that much, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead—if you are convinced on this subject matter—then your life is successful.

Lecture on SB 1.8.23 -- Mayapura, October 3, 1974:

Just like that child, Sarasvatī's, preaching, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" He says, "No." "He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Simply say like that, "He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," and "Chant His holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa." If you do this, then you are preacher; you are spiritual master. It is so nice. You don't require to become very... Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). He does not say that you become a learned Vedic scholar. That is the goal of Vedic scholarship. If you simply know that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then your Vedic study finished. You are M.A., doctor of Kṛṣṇa philosophy, simply if you know this. You may not know in details, but if you simply believe, firmly convinced, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is my master. He is my savior," in this way, if you accept, then you become perfect, and you become liberated.

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

Akiñcana. Akiñcana means na kiñcana. Kiñcana means "something." So na kiñcana means "one who has nothing to possess." He is called na kiñcana. Or one who is fully convinced that "Nothing belongs to me," he is akiñcana. Here, in the material world, it is just the opposite. Everyone is thinking that "I have got something." I have seen long, long ago, maybe fifty years ago in Howrah station. I was going somewhere. So one man, his luggage was the half-burned some fuel wood and some rejected things. He was carrying as luggage half-burned fuel wood. He thought that "This is my possession. I have saved this." So he was taking to his home. That means everyone, even though it is very insignificant, still, everyone thinks that "I have got something." This is the material disease.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974:

So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is very much pious, he did not like the idea of so many persons being killed simply for the sake of enthroning him on the throne of the kingdom. He was very much aggrieved that "For me so many men have died. How much sinful I have become, although I am going to be the king." But he had no cause to become aggrieved. Even great learned sages like Vyāsa... Therefore it is said, vyāsādyaiḥ. Not only Vyāsa, vyāsādyair īśvara. And Kṛṣṇa was there. He's īśvara, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ, not only ordinary īśvara but the supreme īśvara. Īśvara means controller. So there are many different types of controller, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So he also tried to convince Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira that it was duty. For a kṣatriya, in dutiful war, dharma-yuddha... Dharma-yuddha... Therefore the battlefield of Kurukṣetra is called dharma-kṣetra.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, not that "Here I am getting the opportunity of becoming a prime minister or president. Let me jump over," like monkey. Not like that. Not like that. He... He was convinced by the instruction of Bhīṣmadeva, by the instruction of Acyuta, when he saw that "If I sit down on the throne to rule over the world, I will be right in my position." And that is Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Not only Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all the kings who was emperor of the world, they were of the same nature, same nature. Therefore they were called rājarṣi. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam, rājarṣayaḥ (BG 4.2). The Bhagavad-gītā, it meant for the rājarṣis. King, but they are saintly person. Therefore they are called rājarṣi. Rāja and ṛṣi, both, combined together, rājarṣi. So all the kings in those days, they were all rājarṣis. Not this rascal president.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

The first instruction. The so-called spiritual institution, spiritual system, but they do not know that what he is, what they are. The bodily identification. Anyone who is bodily identified, there is no question of spiritual instruction. He is an ass. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). The first spiritual instruction is, one must be convinced thoroughly, vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ, that he is not this body. "I am not this body. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi." This realization, "I am spirit soul. I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman." Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Brahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, when he was firmly convinced of his position, then he took charge, took charge of ruling over the whole world. Not... Just like at the present moment, India is a small tract of land, and that is also being divided now. Bangladesh has gone out. Pakistan has gone out. Some day some other province will... Not that. The whole world. He took charge of ruling over the whole world. śaśāsa gām indra iva. Indra. Indra is the king of heaven, heavenly planets. So as Indra is powerful... Nobody can even... Indra is never defeated. Sometimes there is fight between the devāsura, asura and deva. But when there is fight between the deva and asura... Deva means the demigod, and asura means the atheist class. They are always existing, the atheist class, two classes of men, atheist class and theist class. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva āsuras tad viparyayaḥ. Those who are devotees of Lord Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava, they are demigods, and anyone else—all demons. Except Vaiṣṇava, everyone is a demon. You can say, "Now I am devotee of Lord Śiva. How can I be demon?" Yes, you are demon. Because Rāvaṇa was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, but he is described as a demon, rākṣasa. Rākṣasa. Hiraṇyakaśipu was a great devotee of Lord Brahmā. Still, he is described as rākṣasa, demon.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3-4 -- Tehran, March 13, 1975:

So introduce this. What is their loss? If everyone, home to home or work to work, factory to factory... Let them... Let there be factory, but chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Let all the factory members be engaged in chanting and the... supply them prasādam. Just see. There will be no more strike. There will be no more Communistic movement. Everything is there, provided they take it. Everything will be all right. So this is not a sentimental fanaticism, religious movement. This is scientific movement for the good of the whole world. That we have to convince by our character, by our behavior. Then people will accept it. They think it is another type of religious... So religious means fanaticism. It is not that.

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

We living entities, we are trying to become happy within this material world, "Why you are in the material world, why not in the spiritual world?" The spiritual world, nobody can become the enjoyer, bhokta. That is only Supreme, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva... (BG 5.29). There is no mistake. There are also living entities, but they know perfectly well that real enjoyer, proprietor, is Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual kingdom. Similarly, even in this material world, if we understand perfectly well that we are not enjoyer, Kṛṣṇa is enjoyer, then that is spiritual world. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to convince everyone that we, we are not enjoyer, enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. Just like, this whole body, the enjoyer is the stomach, and the hands and legs and eyes and ears and brains and everything, these should be engaged to find out the enjoyable things and put it in the stomach. This is natural. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, or Kṛṣṇa, we are not enjoyer.

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

The demons, as they want to forget Kṛṣṇa, or they do not like to understand Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa plays something like that so that they will be more convinced that Kṛṣṇa is not God, Kṛṣṇa is ordinary human being. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān. They will remain in darkness forever. Kṛṣṇa gives chance to everyone. If you want to forget Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will give you such intelligence, you will talk so intelligently that "Kṛṣṇa is not God." Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). And if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then He will give you such intelligence, you will know that "Here is Supreme Personality of Godhead." This is Kṛṣṇa's busin... If you want to forget Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will give you chance to forget Him forever. And you suffer. Because forgetting Kṛṣṇa, one is not benefited. By knowing Kṛṣṇa is one benefited. But the demons, rākṣasas, they suffer, and still they want to forget Kṛṣṇa. This is their business.

Lecture on SB 1.15.41 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1973:

So yoga practice means the controlling the senses. This is the real purpose of yoga. There is certain mechanical process, that is called yoga practice. Therefore yoga practice is meant for a person who is too much in bodily concept of life. Otherwise, one who is convinced that "I am not this body," then where is the necessity of exercising the body? But it is meant for a person who is too much absorbed in bodily concept of life. For him, this yogic practice is recommended, that by mechanical practice of the different parts of the body, the air within the body, one can control the senses. And unless the senses are controlled... The whole thing is sense. Therefore consciousness, it depends on the senses, purifying the senses. Spirit soul is eternal, so his senses are eternal.

Lecture on SB 1.15.42 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1973:

And brāhmaṇa means he has got knowledge and he distributes for others' benefit. That is brāhmaṇa. Therefore we are making every one of our disciples brāhmaṇa, not that he should simply know himself what is God. No. He must distribute the knowledge also. Go from town to town, village to village, and try to convince these rascals what is God. They simply write, "In God We Trust," but they do not know what is God or how to trust, nothing. Now let them know it scientifically. Here is the movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. What is this movement? To know God. Of course, we cannot know God perfectly. God is so unlimited. Still, as far as possible, we can know, as God speaks Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 1.15.50 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1973:

No dependence. Simply dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, ekānta-matir āpa. Ekānta. Actually, Kṛṣṇa saves us. Why we should depend on others? Kṛṣṇa saves. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who is completely dependent upon Me," yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22), "I personally bring whatever his necessity is." That is the promise of Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. So renounced order means no more dependence on father, mother, husband, daughter. No. Completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Ekānta. That is perfection. One who is fully convinced that "Kṛṣṇa is with me..." Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61)—"I will not have to search out Kṛṣṇa anywhere. He is within me, within my heart." There are so many instances.

Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. You can realize. God realization is possible by a person who is faithful. Tac chraddadhānāḥ. And what is that faith? That faith is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta: śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya (Cc. Madhya 22.62). One who has been firmly convinced... What is that conviction? Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

(BG 18.66)

One who has got firm faith in declaration, that "If I become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, if I fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then all perfection is there," this is called faith. This is called faith. Not flickering faith: "Let me adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and when there is opportunity, let me go to some rascal who has appeared as Bhagavān." That kind of faith will not help. That will not help. Śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya. That is śraddhā (Cc. Madhya 22.62), firm faith. It cannot be changed at any cost, at any circumstance. That is called firm faith.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that living entity, this spiritual spark, is not affected by material influence. In the Vedas also it is..., asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. It has nothing to do with this material condition. Adāhya. This special word is used that it cannot burned by the fire. Aśoṣya, it cannot be dried up by air. Acchedya, it cannot be cut into pieces. These things are there. So we are firmly convinced that in the sun planet there is also living entity, and the king or the president there is called Vivasvān, his name is Vivasvān. And our gāyatrī-mantra is worshiping the sun planet. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. So this is the Vedic conception. Every planet there is king, and the king's duty is to see that everyone is executing his professional occupational duty.

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said, adhruvam. Dhruva. Dhruva means certain. So he advised,

kaumāra ācaret prājño

dharmān bhāgavatān iha

durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma

tad apy adhruvam arthadam

(SB 7.6.1)

That is his advice, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was talking with his classfriend, five years old. So he was teaching them that "Just become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Nārada taught him. He listened from Nārada. So he was convinced that this is the only business, how to make advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:

If God is everywhere, then in the temple there is God. You may call Deity worship as idol worship, but this situation created by Deity worship, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, practical... This was a church. This was a church. How many years ago? Since when we have occupied? Four years ago. And because nobody was coming, so this church was sold, and we purchased. Now why people are coming? The church or temple, if there is no God, so why people are coming? The same church. Because you could not convince them about the science of God. Therefore it was vacant. You cannot bluff all people for all the time. That is not possible. You must give them substantial. Then they will agree, "Yes, there is God."

Lecture on SB 1.16.25 -- Hawaii, January 21, 1974:

Unless you are fully confident that "I am surrendering to this person. He is... Actually he is superior to me. He can give proper knowledge..." So therefore the process is before accepting a guru, one must hear him at least for one year. And when he's convinced that "Here is actually a guru who can teach me," then you accept him, guru. Don't accept whimsically. This system now should stop that somebody's coming for three days—"Prabhupāda, initiate him." Why? First of all see whether he's fit for becoming a disciple; then recommend. Otherwise, don't recommend. Because the chief recommendation is creating havoc. One is not fit for becoming a student, disciple, and he's accepting discipleship, and after three days he's going away. This should not be allowed.

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

By surrendering, by giving service, and questioning. Question must be preceded and followed by..., preceded by surrender, and followed by service. In the middle, there may be question. Therefore, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **, we have to please the spiritual master by service and surrender, and then it will be very nice position. If the spiritual master sees that the disciple is a surrendered soul, and he's rendering service to his best capacity, then the answer will be very liberal and convincing, and he will be very glad to answer the question, if it is supported by these two things: surrender, and paripraśnena, and sevayā. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). The first beginning is praṇipāta. And what is this, that I give up the company of my spiritual master and I invent my own ways of life and own interpretation? That will not help.

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

Try to understand. Ātma-tattvam, one who does not know what is ātmā, what is soul, the nature of soul... Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa first of all begins the constitution of the ātmā, or spirit soul. He begins. When He began to teach Arjuna Bhagavad-gītā, the A-B-C-D lesson was to make him convinced about the soul within the body. That is called ātma-tattvam. And nobody knows. Therefore, bahir-artha-māninaḥ: they are accepting this external feature. Just like we have got external feature. We can understand very easily that this body, this body is external feature. Real "I" am within. As soon as I go away from this body, this external feature, as good as the garbage in the street. That they do not understand. They are busy piling garbage.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

Just like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, and modern age Śrī Rāmānuja, Śrī Madhvācārya, Śrī Caitanya. They are great scholars. They're great, expert in the spiritual science. They have accepted. And we accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His activities, by the definition of possessing all the six opulences. We don't accept anybody, an ordinary man... Just like now it is a fashion. Everybody comes and says, "I am God." No. We don't accept in that way. Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa. He knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but, in order to convince us that in future there may not be any misunderstanding about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he requested Kṛṣṇa to show His universal form. So He showed him. So there is no doubt about, about Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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

Just like in Kurukṣetra the fighting is going on. Kṛṣṇa is jolly. Arjuna is morose because he is living entity, but He is not morose. He is jolly. That is the nature of God. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt. This is the sūtra, in the Brahma-sūtra, that "God is ānandamaya, always jolly, always cheerful." So you can become also cheerful when you go back to home, back to Godhead. That is our problem. Therefore how we can go there? The first thing is we must hear. Śrotavyaḥ. Just try to hear what is God, what is His kingdom, how He acts, how He is cheerful. These things are to be heard. Śravaṇam. Then as soon as you are convinced, "Oh, God is so nice," then you will be eager to demonstrate or to broadcast this news to the whole world. This is kīrtanam.

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

Therefore the whole problems of the world can be solved only by this movement, how to love God. This is a very sane proposal. Let anybody come before us and we shall be able to convince him that this is the only solution for all the problems of the world. You try to love God and everything will be solved. Otherwise, there is no possibility. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). These are stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. They do not know what is the solution of world problems. What is that solution? They do not know the solution is svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum, your interest is to love God. Unfortunately, you have been misled, durāśayā, by a false hope. Bahir-artha-māninaḥ, by external energy. The leaders... Now we are preaching love of God, nobody is interested. But if we had given some political bluff that "Here will be such and such party's meeting, and it will give you heaven hand to hand," oh, people will throng. You see. Because they are cheating.

Lecture on SB 2.3.23 -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1972:

So he wanted to invite me in talk on Tilak's great task. So I told him that "Tilak does not understand Bhagavad-gītā." So immediately he was surprised. Then we had a talk, and I convinced him that "Tilak was a politician, maybe a big scholar, but that does not mean he can understand Bhagavad-gītā." Bhagavad-gītā is understood by devotee. He may be illiterate. It doesn't matter. Still... As Caitanya Mahāprabhu certified the illiterate brāhmaṇa who was reading Bhagavad-gītā in Raṅganātha temple... You know the story. The brāhmaṇa was illiterate. His guru ordered him that "You read Bhagavad-gītā daily, eighteen chapters." So he could not refuse the order of guru mahārāja; so he was taking the book and simply seeing. So those who knew that he was illiterate, they were criticizing, "Well, brāhmaṇa, how you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" He could not answer because he knew that "I am illiterate. I do not know." Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw this fun and approached him, "Well, brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?"

Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

You should read all this. You don't read. In the first volume of Bhāgavata these things are explained. But I don't think you read all these things. Do you read? So if you don't read, then you will feel restless: "Oh, let me go from Japan to India, from India to Japan." You are restless because you don't read. I am laboring so hard for you, but you don't take advantage. Don't take advantage of eating and sleeping. Take advantage of these books. Then your life will be successful. My duty—I have given you so valuable things, day and night trying to convince you, each word to word. And if you don't take advantage of this, then what can I do for you? All right.

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

My Guru Mahārāja has said that 'You are very fortunate. You are very fortunate.' " Then Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī very mildly said, "It is all right, You're chanting. What is the wrong if You study Vedānta-sūtra?" Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "Vedānta-sūtra We know, but not like you. We know. If you don't mind, then I can explain Vedānta-sūtra." So He explained Vedānta-sūtra that Brahman, Brahman means "the biggest." So Brahman is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, biggest, means He's full of all opulences. That is biggest. He's the richest. He's the wisest. He's the most beautiful. He's most famous. And... In this way He explained that Brahman, the biggest, He cannot be impersonal. He's personal. He gave many instances from Vedic literature. In this way, He convinced that "The way you study Vedānta-sūtra, that is not the proper way. Vedānta-sūtra means to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa."

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

Just like if I change my shirt and coat or somehow or other the shirt and coat is destroyed, I, the person who put on this dress, I am not destroyed. This simple knowledge is instructed in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā. There are so many big, big scholars, big, big leaders, and still, they cannot understand that "I am not this body." This is the result because they do not study Bhagavad-gītā in the proper way. We have got so many leaders, big, big leaders. They are teaching Bhagavad-gītā. But nobody is fully aware or convinced that "I am not this body." This is called darkness. This is called darkness. And when one becomes disgusted with this darkness, or this position in the darkness, that is human life. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Such person, who has become disgusted with this material existence, he requires the instruction of a guru.

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

Rāmānanda Rāya, he was not only śūdra, he was gṛhastha. And he was a politician, governor of Madras. Governor of Madras. But he was very exalted in spiritual knowledge. So after converting Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu decided to go to the southern part of India, South India, at that time... Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he was a very learned scholar, logician, nyāyī. So he wanted to teach Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because He was a young man. But later on he accepted Caitanya Mahāprabhu as his guru. He was impersonalist, Māyāvādī. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained to him the Vedānta-sūtra, that Vedānta-sūtra is personal philosophy. So he was convinced, and he became his disciple.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

First spiritual realization is to understand oneself that "I am not matter; I am spirit." This is the first stage of spiritual realization—when one firmly convinced. How? By knowledge. By knowledge. Just we are conscious, "I am Indian." You are conscious that you are American. One is conscious, "I am Hindu." One is conscious, "I am Christian." So similarly, when one is fully conscious that "I am spirit. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am Brahman," that is the first spiritual realization, that knowledge. Knowledge means consciousness. So this consciousness has also a development of consciousness. There are different stages. And when one comes to the ultimate stages, niḥśreyasāya, that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness.

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

So that is our mission. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that we are simply trying to convince people what Kṛṣṇa has said, that's all. We are not manufacturing anything. So that is our business. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We are training our disciples "Just always think of Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and become Kṛṣṇa's devotee, offer Him prasādam, dress Him nicely." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "Worship Me." Worship Kṛṣṇa, the same thing. Kṛṣṇa says, "Worship Me"; we are saying, "Worship Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender unto Me"; we are saying, "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." So we have no difficulty. To become a guru there is no difficulty, provided we repeat the same thing as Kṛṣṇa says. And if you say something more or less, then you are not a guru. Very simple thing. Very simple thing.

Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:

So bhakti-yoga begins with hearing, śravaṇam, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. And if you have heard from the right source and if you are convinced, then automatically you will try to perform kīrtana. Kīrtana means glorifying. If you have attained like... Or to preach. Anyone who has listened from right person, authority, about Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, about Kṛṣṇa or about Rāma, he would like to preach that. That is automatic, glorifying. That preaching is equal. That is called kīrtana.

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

In Western countries also, because there is no end of greediness: "More, more, more, more, more." Ask him that "What will be satisfaction for you?" Oh, there is no such limit. This is rajas and tamas. And some people, they are śūdras. So some political party, by agitation, by propaganda, makes them convinced to accept some way, and they do it. Another party will do another... They have no their own discretion. They elect some president, and again they want to dethrone the president. Because they are śūdras, they have no intelligence. They do not know how to elect the president, who should be the governor, who should be the executive head. They commit mistake. They again cry. So rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ, it is going on, very strong. Therefore human life is not meant for this purpose. It is very difficult to convince the present society. Still, we are trying our bit, that "This is not the right type of civilization, godless civilization, no sattva-guṇa, only rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, mostly tamo-guṇa. This thing will not improve your situation, neither solve your problem.

Lecture on SB 3.26.23-4 -- Bombay, January 1, 1975:

Friend, mitra, it is little different from suhṛt. Mitra means I make friendship with you with some motive. But a father, he is suhṛt, mother is suhṛt, always well-wishing. Or there may be some friend also, always well-wishing. But the best example, that the father is always well-wishing: "How my son will be well situated? How he will be happy?" Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is... Kṛṣṇa says that "When one can understand Me as suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām," then śāntim ṛcchati, "then he will get śānti, śāntatvam." When we accept it, firmly convinced that "Kṛṣṇa is my father, Kṛṣṇa is my friend, Kṛṣṇa is my well-wisher..." And Kṛṣṇa says. Where is the difficulty? Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). He takes charge. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). He is giving assurance.

Lecture on SB 3.26.23-4 -- Bombay, January 1, 1975:

So a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is not agitated by the material action and reaction. He remains fixed-up, naiṣṭhikī-bhakti. This is called naiṣṭhikī-bhakti, niṣṭhā, firmly convinced. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). Naiṣṭhikī-bhakti. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. This is abhadra, this material contamination, kriyā-śaktir ahaṅkāras tri-vidhaḥ, three kinds of kriyā-śakti: working in the modes of ignorance, working in the modes of passion... These are the moha, that when these two things, kriyā-śakti, this kriyā-śakti under the spell of passion and spell of ignorance, is almost gone... Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said that you cannot be free from desire. That is not possible. This is useless attempt. They say that "You become desireless." No, that is not possible. How can I...? If I become desireless, I become dead. So long I am living entity, I must desire. I cannot check it. Therefore kāma means desire. So at the present moment, we are desiring how to become happy in this material world, how to acquire so much money, how to acquire this, how to acquire this, how to get this, how to get that. This is kāma. So this brain taxation, if you engage in Kṛṣṇa's service—how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to convince people about Kṛṣṇa, how to take them to the Kṛṣṇa's desire, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)—and in this way, if you go on making plan for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your mind is controlled.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa is within you, God is within you, but still if you are doubtful, then God says, Kṛṣṇa says, "You try to understand Me in this way, tāpa apanodaḥ, the water." Everyone drinks water, very easy. So raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Then the beginning, if you do not do anything... Just I am trying to convince you about the easy process of bhakti-yoga. Anyone, everyone, at any place, any condition of life, he can become a bhakta. Ahaituky apratihatā. This is first-class religion, to become devotee of God. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Bhakti... When you... Bhakti means loving service. When you develop your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa and you begin to serve Him, that is called bhakti.

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

One may be imperfect, just like a child, he is imperfect. But he has learned, he has asked his father, "My dear father, what is this?" The father has explained, "My dear child, this is microphone." So if he, if the child says, "This is microphone," then that is perfect, because he has learned it from his father, "This is microphone." So even though he is child, he is repeating the words of the father. He is fixed up, that "My father has told me this thing. It is perfect." He is convinced. So he says, "This is microphone." So, who will protest? Or how you can say, "How this child can say like..." Yes. He can say, provided he has taken the lesson from the father. This is the way. So our teaching, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is perfect because we have taken the lesson from Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.28.17 -- Nairobi, October 26, 1975:

So let Me directly say, 'You rascal, give up all this engagement. Surrender unto Me.' " That is Kṛṣṇa. But they will not do it. "Why shall I surrender? I have got so many things. I have got my nation, I have got my family, I have got my this, I have got Why shall I surrender to You? Give up everything?" Such a rascal, cannot be convinced any way. Whole world is servant of somebody, but he declines to become servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is the disease, material disease. He will remain servant of thousands and millions of establishment and person, but he will disagree. As soon as Kṛṣṇa says that "You give up. You become My servant," "No, no. Why can I? Why shall I do?" This is materialist.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Bombay, December 25, 1976:

Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the enjoyer; we are enjoyed. We are not enjoyer. So that is mistake. That is our māyā. We are not enjoyer. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives us the direction, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa: (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109) don't try to become puruṣaḥ, enjoyer, artificially. Better instead of serving your senses you become servant of the Supreme Lord. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to convince people that "Don't try to become master artificially. You'll never be successful. Just agree to become servant of Kṛṣṇa." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66). That is your perfection.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. Any question? No question? Then I understand that you accept my proposition without any difference of opinion. (laughs) That's nice. Unanimously accepted. That's nice. But if you have got any difficulty to understand, you can make questions. I shall try to convince you. Yes.

Student: What is the role of (indistinct) austerity. Is it (indistinct) or is it (indistinct) to religion?

Prabhupāda: Of course, according to circumstances, there is variation. That concession is always there. But the main principle is there. Just like we are getting our boys and girls married. So according to Vedic rites, marriage is a very big program. But we are finishing, according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, simply by acceptance. Svīkāra eva ca udvāhe. In this age it is recommended that if a girl accepts somebody as husband or if a man accepts somebody as wife, that is final. That's all. They may not change it.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (2): Now, what is the situation of an individual who is double-minded and split, who is perhaps convinced, okay, intellectually, but nonetheless is torn by very deep emotions and distractions, very deeply sunk in māyā. Are there ways of dealing with his kind of problem? Do we have to force him, or is there some...

Prabhupāda: First of all you have to understand that this material life... Material life means birth, death, old age and disease. Just try to understand. Do you like repeated birth, repeated death? Do you like?

Guest (2): I have to work for those now.(?)

Prabhupāda: Do you like? First of all answer. Do you like it?

Guest (2): No.

Prabhupāda: Do you like old age?

Guest (2): No.

Prabhupāda: Do you like disease?

Guest (1): Oh, no.

Prabhupāda: That is materialistic life. As soon as we get this body, there is birth, there is death, there is old age and there is disease. Therefore if you want real happiness then you have to get free from all these four—miserable life. That is spiritual life.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

If you have got enough milk production, you can take, break the milk, and you get cheese. And from cheese, if you... We are daily doing that. You can make nice preparation, chānā. That is very nutritious, full of protein. And you can make rasagullā, sandeśa, so many other preparations from the casein of the cheese. But they do not know. Crude civilization, and take a lump of flesh and boil it and give little salt and black pepper and eat like animal. This is civilization. This is civilization. Just try to understand. You have to convince your countrymen that what is this civilization, nonsense civilization? Stop this kind of civilization. Learn how to become civilized. Don't claim yourself as civilized man and eating like tigers and dogs and cats. Is that civilization? But they are doing. That is stated here. It is not new.

Lecture on SB 5.5.6 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1976:

Even a child is playing karatāla, imitation. Not imitation. He's given the chance. He was previously Vaiṣṇava. Somehow or other, he could not make his life perfect. Therefore he is given again chance. So naturally he has got tendency to play the karatāla, to offer flower here, to offer obeisances. They take pleasure. It is due to previous life, yogas. But it was not perfectly done, so somehow or other they are getting chance from the very beginning of life. It does not mean that if somebody did not get the chance from the very beginning of life he cannot. He can be also. So..., but the ultimate aim is vāsudeve. Prītir na yāvan mayi vāsudeve. This is the ultimate goal. You have to come to this stage, vāsudeva sarvam iti, fully, firmly convinced that "Vāsudeva is my life. Vāsudeva is everything. Kṛṣṇa is my life." And the highest perfection is visible in the Vṛndāvana atmosphere, especially by the gopīs. Everyone in Vṛndāvana, even the trees and plants, even the grains of sand, everyone is attached to Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana.

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

People are becoming inclined to karma-sukha(?). So it is a very difficult position to convince them that this is not needed. The real life is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and for that purpose one should undergo austerities, pen... Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). You have to purify your existence. You are suffering. You are not meant for birth and death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. You are not meant for that. Then you are undergoing birth and death and do not know what kind of life you are going to get next life. You have no information. Today you may be very big man and tomorrow you may be a dog. These things going on. They do not know. They simply working hard, making plan to be happy. That is not possible. Therefore it is forbidden. Na yojayet karmasu karma-mūḍhān. Engage them how to acquire Kṛṣṇa's favor.

Lecture on SB 5.5.31 -- Vrndavana, November 18, 1976:

The māyā hasn't got to do anything. Just like if you infect some disease, the next stage—then you must suffer from that disease. It is automatic, not that māyā has to come, and he has to convince you, "Sir, you have infected smallpox. Now you suffer from this smallpox." No, automatically it takes. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Everything is going on systematically. You cannot change. That is called destiny. Destiny means that so long we are under the laws of nature, that is to happen. You cannot change it. That is not possible. Only... Such law can be changed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). You cannot. That is not possible. Nobody can do it.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that aśocyān anvaśocan. In the beginning Arjuna was arguing with Kṛṣṇa to support his decision that he would not fight, but he could not convince Kṛṣṇa very nicely. That he understood, that "Although I am speaking so many things, Kṛṣṇa is not changing. He is fixed up." Then he surrendered himself: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, we are now talking as friends. No, we shall talk now as master and disciple. You I accept You as my master." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). He accepted Him as the master and he became disciple to understand Bhagavad-gītā. This is the way.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Devotee (4): How can you convince somebody who...

Prabhupāda: First of all. You are devotee. He is not.

Guest (1): There are different or many spiritual movements in the world. How can I know which one is right for me?

Prabhupāda: It is very easy. Spiritual movement means to understand God. Any spiritual movement you adopt, if you understand God, then it is all right. Otherwise it is a bogus. If you understand God... You take any movement. If you think everyone is spiritual movement, all right, you take it. Then, if you come to understand, "Now I have understood God," then that is all right. Otherwise bogus.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Prabhupāda: I say different, may be hundreds, but it is up to you to test whether you have understood God. That is the test, real test. Yes?

Guest (2): How do you convince a person who says..., that they are suffering, when they're actually, when they're saying they are happy and not afraid to die?

Madhudvīṣa: Someone who is not afraid to die and says that he's not suffering, how do...

Prabhupāda: He is a madman. (laughter) That's all. Who is caring for madman's word?

Devotee (5): It's very easy to convince some people that they're not their bodies, but it's not very easy to convince them that they're not their minds. Is there some way we can...

Prabhupāda: That will take time. How can you expect that in one minute everyone will understand everything? It requires education, time. If he is prepared to give the time, then he will understand, not that within five minutes, ten minutes, he will understand the whole thing. That is not possible. He is a diseased man. He requires treatment, medicine, and diet. In this way he will understand. A diseased man, if he doesn't care for medicine, diet, then he will suffer. That's all.

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

Everyone knows that "I am stealing; it is not good for me," but even though he is put into the jail as prāyaścitta, again he comes back and does the same thing. Then what is the meaning of this legal punishment or prāyaścitta? Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja says that

kvacin nivartate 'bhadrāt

kvacic carati tat punaḥ

prāyaścittam atho 'pārtham

manye kuñjara-śaucavat

(SB 6.1.10)

He gave very good example, that "This prāyaścitta or legal punishment is like kuñjara-śaucavat." Kuñjara means elephant, and śauca, taking bath. So kuñjara, the elephant, dips itself into the water and takes bath very thoroughly, and as soon as it comes on the land, it takes some dust and throws over his body. The purpose is that unless one is fully convinced that "Sinful activities are very, very abominable for me," he cannot give it up. Therefore one has to cleanse his heart. That is real prāyaścitta. Otherwise, even being imprisoned or giving fine or suffering one cannot cease from sinful activity. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is thoroughly wholesale process of cleansing the mind.

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

Śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. And there are speculators, so-called philosophers, putting theories and doctrines. So one doctrine is different from another doctrine. And people are convinced that no doctrine is absolute; therefore they are going on searching doctrine after doctrine throughout the whole life, and they do not know... Just like the theosophists. They go on, simply searching. They have never come to the conclusion, "Here is the end." They cannot do that. But in Bhagavad-gītā you will find, "Here is the end." Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "My dear Arjuna, here is the ultimate goal. I am—Kṛṣṇa. There is no more anything higher than Me." Nānyad asti kiñcid dhanañjaya. Mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-ganā iva: "Just like in a thread, the pearls are woven, similarly, everything is standing in Me."

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Nellore, January 7, 1976:

Unless one is animal hunter, he cannot be away from chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So Nārada Muni said that "If you kill the animal totally it is less sinful than you kill them half." Nārada Muni said, "No, if you kill the animal half, it is more sinful than you kill them whole." The hunter said that "From my childhood I have been taught like this by my father. I do not know which is sinful, which is pious." Nārada Muni, as Vaiṣṇava, advised him that "You stop this hunting business and I will give you your livelihood." So hunter, having seen a Vaiṣṇava, was little convinced about spiritual life. Then he said that "Sir, if you give me my livelihood, then I can give up my, this business." Then Nārada Muni suggested that "You and your wife may come with me. I shall arrange for your livelihood. You give up this business."

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Honolulu, May 10, 1976:

Surrender means you first of all be convinced that "Here is a person who can give me actual knowledge." Therefore before selecting guru one has to convince himself that "The person whom I am going to accept as guru, whether he actually can give me the knowledge?" That is wanted. Therefore before making guru, the system is, for one year the prospective disciple should hear from the person and then decide. And similarly, the guru also see a person who is actually submissive or not. That is Vaiṣṇava injunction, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, not that to make a guru as a fashion. No. Not do. Don't keep a guru, order-supplying guru. No.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

Just like our path, devotional service, we are fully convinced that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no doubt. So others, they are finding who is God, what is God, they have got doubt. And they do not know also completely what is God. But we know what is God: Supreme Personality, Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Because we have taken the path of devotional service that with firm conviction, and we are making progress in that way. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Mayā mano buddhiḥ. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

They are simply accepting something opposite to these imperfect varieties of this material world. They want to make the spiritual world without varieties because they have got a very bad experience of this material varieties. So their conception is just the opposite. Just the opposite. There must not be any varieties. Just like there are... They say Kṛṣṇa... Because they are convinced the Supreme Brahman is impersonal, brahmajyoti, so when brahmajyoti appears, He must take a form of this material world. Just like we are spiritual sparks, but we have taken this material form in this material world, so they take it also that God, when He comes, appears, He also accepts a material body. That is called Māyāvādī. But Kṛṣṇa says that janma karma me divyam: (BG 4.9) "When I come I do not accept a material body." Divyam, janma divyam. It is completely spiritual.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

So praṇipāta, if you find out somebody where you can fully surrender, then accept guru. Don't make guru a fashion, just like you keep a dog, fashion, pet dog. People, they generally do that, that "Everyone has a guru. Let me collect. Let me pick up some guru who will be dancing dog." That kind of guru will not help you. You must be convinced that "Here is a guru where I can surrender." So then you can make praśna, or question. Then the question will be answered. Otherwise it is waste of time. That is not the Vedic system, simply waste of time.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

There may be talks on philosophy, but if one party is defeated, the defeated person, he must be disciple of the winning, victorious party. But at the present moment we'll go on talking for years together, and nobody is defeated; nobody is going to be disciple. Then what is the use of talking like that? So this kind of things will not do. We have to follow the Vedic principle that either remain without guru... And if you want to make a guru, first of all be convinced that "He is fit to become my guru." But generally people, they don't want transcendental knowledge. They want some material profit. So if the guru can give him some gold, not all, then he accepts him guru or the God or something like that. So this way will not help us.

Lecture on SB 6.1.30 -- Honolulu, May 29, 1976:

Simply fighting how to avoid God, this is their business. It is very difficult to convince them about the existence of... They're seeing every moment there is existence of God, but they're so stubborn, so much bewildered by māyā, they'll not. So, under the circumstances, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He's therefore called namo mahā-vadānyāya, most munificent incarnation. Why? Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). Even without understanding Kṛṣṇa, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra they become ecstatic for love of Kṛṣṇa. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's benediction: no qualification, but if he simply chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra he'll be ecstatic. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te.

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

In the Christian religion they do not believe karma, that I did something in my past life. "Where is the evidence that I did something; therefore I am suffering?" They take the analogy: just like a criminal in the court is convinced when there is sufficient witness, not that I have complained against you, and you go to the court, you are punished. No. My charges against you should be corroborated by sufficient witness. So the Christian religionists, they do not believe in the next birth, transmigration of the soul, something like that. So they do not believe also in the fruitive activities' resultant action of our past life. This very word "witness"... It is my personal experience.

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

Just like you go to some superior person to learn something. That is the process. Similarly, the same process... You have to go to a person who has also heard. Śuśruma. You go to that, not that person who says that "I suppose," "I believe," "Maybe." No. You go to the person who says, iti śuśruma: "We have heard it from authorities." You have to go to that person. Śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Who is guru? Śrotriyam: "Who has properly heard." Śrotriyam. And what is the result? Brahma-niṣṭham: by hearing, he is firmly convinced there is God. You have to go to such guru. lf you go to a fakir, what he will teach you? No. Fakir means one who talks much without any knowledge. He is called fakir.

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

So in order to convince Parīkṣit Mahārāja how chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is powerful, he is giving a lesson from the history, how Ajāmila was delivered simply by chanting "Nārāyaṇa." This is the incidence from the history. And it is history. The story begins, kānyakubje. Kānyakubja is still there in India. Perhaps you have heard the name of Kanpur. So that is within the Kānyakubja area. Kānyakubje dvijaḥ: "There was a brāhmaṇa in Kānyakubja." Historical name is all... So it is history. It is not story, mythology. No story. It is historical fact. Anything which is described in the śāstra... The Bhāgavata is Maha-Purāṇa. Don't be misled, "These are mythology." No, these are historical facts. And we have to learn the Vedic knowledge by the description selected from the history so that we can easily understand. This is the purpose.

Lecture on SB 6.1.46 -- San Diego, July 27, 1975:

Just like one man cannot maintain one wife: He married sixteen thousand wife. And He maintained them how? Sixteen thousand palaces. And will the women will be satisfied simply having very good palaces? No, she must have husband. So Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into sixteen thousand husband. This is Kṛṣṇa. But because I cannot do it, we say, "Oh, this is all allegory, fiction. It is not fact." That is our defect. If God comes, explains, then we do not believe Him. Then how we will be convinced about God? God is omnipotent, and when He shows His omnipotency and it is recorded in the śāstra, we don't believe. So therefore, why we do not believe? Now, yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpam. Yeṣām... Kṛṣṇa says everything.

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇāṁ

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

One who is completely free from the reaction of sinful life, anta-gataṁ pāpam, and only engaged in pious activities, that such person can be engaged in His devotional service.

Lecture on SB 6.2.3 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1975:

So we have taken a very difficult task, to convince people to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But that is the only benefit, or the supreme goal of life. Kṛṣṇa personally comes to teach this science. Why Kṛṣṇa left Bhagavad-gītā? Out of His compassion, that "After My disappearance people would take advantage of this Bhagavad-gītā. As I instructed My dear friend Arjuna, they will also take advantage and become free from the clutches of death." This is the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhāgavata-dharma.

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

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore giving them knowledge. The first knowledge is that we are trying to convince everyone, following the footprints of Lord Kṛṣṇa, as He wanted to convince in the very beginning, that dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). This is the first knowledge. One should know that he is not this body. He is spirit soul, different from this body. He is living within this body. This is called knowledge. And at the same time, he should be supplied the necessities of the body. Yāvād artha-prayojanaṁ. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ Viṣayā. Viṣayā means we need something for our sense gratification. That is allowed.

Lecture on SB 6.2.15 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1975:

So instead of reading Sāṅkhya philosophy and Vedānta-sūtra, You are simply chanting and dancing with some fanatics. What is this?" This was the question. Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied that "Sir, if I reply your question candidly, please do not be sorry." "No, I am not sorry. We are prepared." "Because My guru mahārāja saw Me: I am the greatest fool." Guru more mūrkha dekhi, karila vedanta nāhi tava adhikāra (CC Adi 7.71). He became a fool. The purpose was that at the the present moment they are simply fools and rascals. What they will understand about Vedānta? Therefore the sastric injunction is harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). So there was very long discussion, and all the sannyāsīs, sixty thousand sannyāsīs, they were convinced about Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, His explanation of the Upaniṣad. So it is not that the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya is simply chanting and dancing. If required, they are prepared to answer all Vedic discussion. They are prepared.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Unless one is convinced that "Kṛṣṇa will give me protection," so how he can surrender? There is no question of surrender. Avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa vivaśa-pālana. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said to be firmly convinced: "Then Kṛṣṇa will give me all protection." Therefore surrender is perfect. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyaṁ vivarjanam. Surrender means one should simply accept favorable service to Kṛṣṇa and reject anything which is unfavorable, and then next is avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa viśvasa-pālana: "And to be firmly convinced that 'Kṛṣṇa will give me all protection.' " Therefore, instead of "trying to protect myself," a devotee should always remain dependent on Kṛṣṇa. That is śaraṇāgati. And to consider oneself that "Now I am in the association of Kṛṣṇa," these are different items of śaraṇāgati. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the best contribution to the human society. There is no comparison with this movement, any other welfare activity of the whole world.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- Mauritius, October 2, 1975:

The talking was going on between the father and the son. The son is Prahlāda. He is a devotee. And the father, Hiranyakasipu, he is materialistic person. He is interested in money and women. So this is the difference between devotee and nondevotee. So father was challenging his son, "Where you got this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" So the son replied flatly that matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā: "My dear father, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be achieved by speculation or by hearing from others." Matir na... Parata means hearing from others, and svataḥ, svata means personally by mental speculation or philosophical speculation. Mitho. Mitho means by congregational meeting, by conferences. Why? Now, gṛha-vratānām. If one is addicted to this material way of life, he cannot understand, or cannot be convinced, about Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- Mauritius, October 2, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to convince, educate people the value of life, how the process of living conditions are going on. Not we have manufactured all this. It is received from the Vedas. Vedas means the book of knowledge. Veda means knowledge. Vetti veda vido jñāne. Jñāna means knowledge. So human life is meant for taking knowledge, jñāna. Jñāna-vairāgya. So vāsudeve bhagavatir bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ, janayaty āzu vairāgyam. When we understand... We are now implicated in so many sinful life, and we have to reap the result. We have to suffer for it in dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We are not going to die. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). It is not that everything... The atheists thinks like that—"When this body is finished, everything is finished." That is not the fact.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

We have to become first of all free from all designations. If I think I'm American, if I think I am Christian, if I think I am Indian, if I think I am Hindu, if I think I am Muslim, if I think I am this, I am that, these are all designations. When you are free from the designation, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam And what is that freedom? "I am Kṛṣṇa's." That's all. I am not American, not Indian, not Hindu, not Muslim, not Christian. I am Kṛṣṇa's or God's. That is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. And as you are convinced that you are God's or Kṛṣṇa's, then engage yourself not in the designated service, but Kṛṣṇa's service. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. Then everything will be purified. Your eyes will be purified, your ears will be purified, your legs, everything, all senses will be purified.

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

So the human form of life is meant for that purpose, but there is no facility in the educational institution. Many universities there may be, but not very perfectly well-situated. But we are trying our bid, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to give education about this bhāgavata-dharma and we are trying to present in so many languages. So we wish that you should cooperate, try to understand this philosophy. We have got books, we have got talks. Any way we can convince you about this philosophy of God consciousness, I hope you'll take advantage of it. Not only that, it is very easy. It is not very difficult.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1976:

So it is very difficult to convince the people of the modern days how they are wasting their time, how they are risking their life by this way of irresponsible life of material existence. They are thinking that "The more I enjoy sex, the more I enjoy sleeping, that is perfect. That is my profit." And to convince them, "No, it is simply loss, you are simply risking your life," it is very difficult. But this is the fact. This is the fact, in this way, because in this duration of life, human, if I do not make my life perfect, stop the materialistic miserable condition, namely janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)—birth, death, old age and disease—then I am missing the opportunity. Next life will be given by the laws of nature.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is teaching. Brahmacārī, a boy from five years old is taught, and up to twenty-five years. And if he is not... Of course, he is properly taught, but if he is not properly convinced that "Worldly life is botheration. Better remain brahmacārī for throughout the whole life..." There are many brahmacārīs in India still, naistika-brahmacārī. They are called naistika-brahmacārī. That means they had never any experience of sex. They are called naistika-brahmacārī. Just like my Guru Mahārāja was naistika-brahmacārī. He never married. So boys are taught like that, the inefficiency of this family life, encumbrances, because the aim is to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

Your real purpose is that you must increase your Kṛṣṇa consciousness in any circumstances. And that is your business, human life. Don't waste your life. Don't be misguided. He is advising to the sons of the demons because the demons, they cannot understand. But it is the duty of the Vaiṣṇava to preach, although Kṛṣṇa advises that "You don't preach the truth of Bhagavad-gītā to the demons." He said, "Those who have not undergone austerities, those who are not very serious, don't speak about these lessons of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)." Means they'll not understand. But still, the devotees, they take the risk that "All right, let me try to convince this person that 'Take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.' " Even Kṛṣṇa says that "Don't try, because they will not be able to understand," still, they try. That is a devotee. Therefore devotee is more merciful than Kṛṣṇa. Devotee is more merciful. Even there is no hope to understand, still, he goes door to door: "Please take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Please take to Kṛṣṇa, and you'll be happy."

Lecture on SB 7.7.25-28 -- San Francisco, March 13, 1967:

Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "One is engaged in My service, yoga-kṣema, for his necessities." Yoga-kṣema means "Whatever he has got, for protecting those things, and whatever he has not got, to supply those things, I am responsible." So it is the question of belief and practical engagement. The more you become faithful, the more you become convinced, "Yes, God is my master. Yes, Kṛṣṇa is my master. He's supplying everything." But he cannot be your servant. Mind that. If you make God your order-supplier—"My dear God, I am in need of something for my sense enjoyment. Please supply"—that He will not agree.

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa is never morose or full of anxiety. Why? Why God should be full of anxiety? Kṛṣṇa, you will never find that He is in meditation. Whom He will meditate? He is the Supreme Personality of God Himself. You will find Lord Siva is in the pose of meditation, but you will never find Kṛṣṇa in meditation. Therefore, He is the Supreme Lord. And He says personally that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). "Dhanañjaya, Arjuna, just take it from Me. There is no other superior authority than Me." And that's a fact. So when Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, He showed that nobody in the history of the world is superior than Kṛṣṇa. He showed as much as possible you can understand. Otherwise, still He has got immense power, unlimited power. So the point is Prahlāda Mahārāja is trying to convince his demon... The demons cannot understand that the God can be a person.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

This is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And to develop that Kṛṣṇa consciousness, just like when you have passed preliminary examination in the school, then you have to further enlightenment, further progress of advancement of education, you enter into the college, degree college, similarly, after finishing or understanding Bhagavad-gītā very nicely, if you are convinced about Kṛṣṇa, then study Bhagavad-gītā (Bhāgavatam), where the beginning is: namo bhagavate vaṣudeva. Vyāsadeva begins by surrendering himself to Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). He is the origin of everything. Then Bhāgavata begins. And one who has understood Bhāgavata, or he has made his relationship well established with Kṛṣṇa and is functioning in that relationship, then he is passed on the subject matter of Bhāgavata, and then you begin Caitanya-caritāmṛta. That is postgraduate study.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

If the plane is sufficiently strong, then we can fly; otherwise there is danger. Similarly persons who are very much materialistic, they are thinking that this opulence, prestige, and material strength will save him. No. That is bewilderment. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, tayā apahṛta-cetasām. Apahṛta-cetasām means whose consciousness has become bewildered by these material opulences. Such persons, tayā apahṛta-cetasām, for them, vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyate. Samādhi. Samādhi means concentration in the vyavasāyātmikā, niścayātmikā-buddhiḥ. Niścayātmikā means to be firmly convinced that "Kṛṣṇa consciousness will only save me." This conviction such persons cannot have. Which persons? Those who are too much sensuous and after material opulence.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

Just like there is some gentlemanly behavior: even if you are angry on some person, but you do not show your anger; you talk with him. Similarly, actually these persons are demons, but because we are preacher, we are preaching, if we simply become angry and cannot convince him, that means imperfect preacher. You see? You are... Basically you are angry. That's all. "I don't agree with them; neither we have business." But because we are preacher, so if I simply become angry, then my preaching work will be stopped. Do you follow? The anger is there, but because we are preacher, we have to... Just like politicians. They are angry upon the enemy, but sometimes, by diplomatic means, they take their work from the enemies. You see? Not that they show the anger always. Similarly, when you go to preaching, first of all try to convince him that "How you become God? What is your definition of God?" You simply ask, "What do you mean by 'God,' that you are claiming to be God? If you come under that definition, then you are God."

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

Girl devotee: I didn't bring something with me. I forgot to bring it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. She must have some engagement. Yes.

Girl devotee: She likes Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Hm. Just try. Of course, you are going to preach. You must understand. Discuss everything very nicely. Be convinced on your own argument and philosophy. Then you can preach. You don't be in doubts and hazardous way. Whatever question you are putting, just try to understand them very nicely, without any doubt. So is that, your question is answered or not?

Girl devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Clear? Your question is clear? And your question? Yes. So you learn how to answer. We have got answers for everyone. The major question is that the demons, they want to become God. So let them explain what the demon means by the word God. If he comes under that definition, then we shall accept him God. But if there is no idea of God, then his claim is false.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

Āstikya means belief, faith, faith in scripture, faith in God. That is called faith. This is faith. And when that faith is very much concentrated, then one can understand Kṛṣṇa. Viśvāsa śabde sudṛdha-niścaya, kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. This is called strong faith or firm faith. What is that firm faith? When one is convinced that "If I am Kṛṣṇa conscious, then all my duties will be perfect." And that is the fact. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). As I have several times spoken in this meeting, that "Let everyone be engaged to his specific duty. It doesn't matter what it is. But if you want to see that whether your function is perfected, then you have to test it, whether by your activities Kṛṣṇa is satisfied." Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). So this santoṣa.

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

The whole world is full of problems. They do not know what is their interest. The interest is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That they do not know. So it is the task of the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness to preach this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore has ordered, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Whomever you meet, your business is just try to make him convinced of the instructions as given by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the best service to the humanity.

Lecture on SB 7.9.17 -- Mayapur, February 24, 1976:

In this way we are wandering throughout the universe, because unless we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, unless we have taken fully shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, there is no stoppage of this repetition of birth and death, neither there is any peace or happiness. We must know this from all angles of vision and stick to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very rigidly. Then we shall be happy. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja requests Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva that "I have tried life after life to get peace and become happy and friendly, but I have failed. Now, Kṛṣṇa..." Prahlāda Mahārāja says, vada me tava dāsya-yogam: "Because I am now convinced that without Your becoming servant, there is no more chance for peace and prosperity of this troublesome world."

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

This body, which is made of kapha, pitta, vāyu, everyone is thinking, "I am this body." Whole world is going on. Simply we, a few members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are going door to door and trying to convince them, "Sir, you are not this body." They don't care for it. "I am. I am this body. I am Mr. John," "I am Englishman," "I am American," "I'm Indian." You say "I'm not this body." So very difficult task. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to push on, requires great patience, perseverance, tolerance.

Lecture on SB 7.9.23 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1976:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us to develop that mentality. "Don't want anything, material possession. It is... However it may be long duration, but it will be finished. But you are eternal. Nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ. You are the owner of this body. You are eternal." So we should be searching after eternal happiness, eternal life, eternal engagement. That is success of life. And if we hanker after temporary things, that is not very good intelligence. Therefore bhakti means when one is convinced that "Anything of this material world cannot make me happy." That is... That conviction is the beginning of pure devotion. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). You have to make zero everything material. That can be possible as we advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.36 -- Mayapur, March 14, 1976:

If the Vṛndāvana-vāsī saw Kṛṣṇa that He is the Supreme Lord, then they could not love Him so nicely, because too much opulent conception diminishes natural love. Therefore in the Vṛndāvana there is no such exhibition of Kṛṣṇa's form. But in the material world, just to convince Brahmā that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He appeared, sahasra vadanāṅghri-śiraḥ-karoru-nāsādya-karṇa-nayanābharaṇaya-a yudhāḍhyam. Not only many faces, many ears, many legs, but each of them very nicely decorated. You have seen the picture of Lord Viṣṇu, very decorated, very much decorated. But you'll see Kṛṣṇa, He is decorated with the Vṛndāvana flowers. That is Kṛṣṇa's real form. He does not appear with many hands, many ornaments, many... No. Simple boy.

Lecture on SB 7.9.40 -- Mayapur, March 18, 1976:

Just like your son is on the bed suffering from some disease. The father and mother feels more pain than the son, if the father and mother is affectionate. So Kṛṣṇa is so affectionate; therefore He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). When we forget Kṛṣṇa, then He comes to convince us that "This is not good. You are trying to satisfy your senses. It will never end. Simply you'll be complicated from one body to another for satisfying senses, sometimes eating stool also. That is satisfaction of the senses. So this business will never make you happy. Better just surrender unto Me, and what I say, you do. Just begin your service. Surrender. Give Me something eatable." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). This is the beginning. The Deity worship is the beginning of devotional service.

Lecture on SB 7.9.44 -- Delhi, March 26, 1976:

This is the conviction of a (person) perfectly convinced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The preacher who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they must be convinced that without accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness, nobody has any means of escaping these stringent laws of material nature. It is everywhere stated. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Unfortunately, the conditioned souls, although they are very, very much afflicted with the pressure of material nature, they have become callous. Every moment, every second, they are being controlled, and still they are thinking they can do anything and everything independently. So in this way they are suffering.

Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:

Simply you understand that Kṛṣṇa is not like us: Kṛṣṇa has no material body, Kṛṣṇa is not unhappy, Kṛṣṇa is always happy—simply a few things, if you become convinced that Kṛṣṇa's nature..., immediately you become eligible to be transferred back to home, back to Godhead. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so nice. Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself, and if you become convinced, "Yes, what Kṛṣṇa says, it is all right..." Just like Arjuna said, sarvam etam ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava: (BG 10.14) "Whatever you have said I accept in total. No reduction, no..." Sarvam etam ṛtaṁ manye: "Whatever You have said, I believe. I have taken. I have..." That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says something, and I understand something. That you go on with your millions of years; it will never be possible. You have to understand Kṛṣṇa as He says. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. That is real understanding.

Lecture on SB 7.12.1 -- Bombay, April 12, 1976:

So a disciple is expected to live in gurukula or... Gurukula means at the shelter of guru; nicavat, menial servant. Menial servant. Nīcavat. Ācaran dāsavan nīco gurau sudṛdha sauhṛdaḥ. This can be possible when one is very thickly related with the guru. Otherwise ordinary relationship will not do. One who has got actually the conviction, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo... **. One who is convinced that "If I can please my guru, then Kṛṣṇa will be pleased..." This is called sudṛdha, full faith. Yasya prasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. "And if I displease my guru, then I have no place." In this way... Of course, guru cannot be a false guru. False guru has no such thing. If one guru is genuine and the disciple is genuine, then both of them are benefited and they go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 11.3.21 -- New York, April 13, 1969:

Unless one is disgusted with this materialistic way of life, that actually in this materialistic way of life there is no happiness... This proposition must be convinced by one, that he should know certainly that "In the material way of life I cannot become happy." This is the first condition. Tasmād. Tasmād means "therefore." Similarly, in Vedānta-sūtra also, atha ataḥ brahma-jijñāsā. When we become fed up, disgusted with the materialistic way of life, natural inquiry is then "What is next?" That "next," in order to understand that "next," the Vedānta-sūtra says, the Vedic knowledge says that tasmād gurum evābhigacchet. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. Therefore one should seek after a bona fide spiritual master and learn there. That is the Vedic injunction. So one who is actually convinced that "The materialistic way of life cannot make me happy," his duty is to seek after a bona fide spiritual master to be enlightened in the transcendental science of understanding oneself and what is God. There are five elementary truths.

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

Without money you cannot get justice. And pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ. Paṇḍita means a learned scholar. If he can speak something, without any reference of the scripture, if he can simply, what is called Exact English language I don't find. False propaganda. False propaganda. Simply if he can satisfy the mass people by false propaganda, then he will be accepted that "You are very learned." Nobody will inquire whether he is learned according to the standard books, because nobody has got knowledge of the standard book. I may speak something without any reference to the standard book, but if I can convince you, if I can flatter you, then you will accept me. Just like so many propaganda is going on that "You can become a great yogi, at the same time you can indulge your senses. There is no restriction." People like, they like it. So people are following that. But actually, if we refer to the standard books of yoga, it is very difficult. But that will not be spoken because they will not like it. So everyone can manufacture in his own way some cheap thing, and people will like it. So pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ.