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Creeper (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

We have to understand the falsity of this so-called society, friendship and love. It is just like... because we are being carried away by the waves of māyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese, Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. Just like we see sometimes in rainy season, so many plants and creepers and vegetables and so many other things are floating in the river, going. Similarly, we also, all floating in the waves of māyā. Māyār bośe, jāccho bhese, khāccho hābuḍubu. Sometimes drowned, sometimes on the surface, sometimes on the other shore, sometimes on this shore. This is going on. So long we are in this material world, we are being tossed by different currents, and sometimes I am here as the master of some kingdom, and sometimes I am dog of somebody else. This is my position. The same thing. Very good example, that we are being carried away by the waves of māyā. Sometimes we are gathering together. So many straws and vegetables, they gather together. And sometimes the same vegetables and straws are thrown asunder. One is there, one is here. So here also, we assemble here as society, friendship and love exactly like that. In the waves of māyā. Then nobody is your father, nobody is your mother, nobody is your sister, nobody. It is simply māyic, illusory combination. Illusory combination, temporary combination. And we are so much attached to this combination that we are refusing to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our position.

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

We can give many instances that life produces matter. Life... I can give you one small example. Just take, for example, one lemon tree. Lemon tree, it is also a living entity. Because there are eight million four hundred thousand species of living entities. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Sthāvarāḥ means these trees, plants, creepers. They are two millions of varieties. So this ordinary lemon tree is producing so many lemons. And the lemon means citric acid. So if you take all these lemons, and take their juice, so one ordinary lemon tree produces tons of citric acid. It is a small living entity.

So similarly we are also producing, with our perspiration, water. And the water is salty also. We have got, everyone, experience. Now it is the question of limited and unlimited. We are limited. We are producing a little quantity of water by perspiration which contains salt, salty water. If I am able to produce unlimited quantity of water, salty, that is sea and ocean. That is sea and ocean. What is the (this) sea and ocean? That is perspiration of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

Why there are different varieties of living entities? Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. There are nine hundred thousand species forms of life within the water. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. There are two million forms of plants, trees, like that. Creepers. And kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. And insects, eleven lakhs species. In this way there are eight million four hundred thousand forms of life. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ (BG 14.4). In all the forms of life, as many living entities are there, tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. "I am the seed-giving father of all of them." So every living entity is the son of God. But according to karma they have accepted different forms of life. Some of them are in the water, some of them are the plants and trees, some of them are insects, some of them are birds, beasts.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Hawaii, January 31, 1975:

Similarly, insects, sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyayaḥ. Eleven lakhs species, 1,100,000 species of insects, serpents, snakes, like that, gradually developing from water, fish, to... As the water dries up, then they come out as grass, as vegetables. Then grow, different types of trees, plants, creepers. Then gradually develops to become insects, flies. Then develops to serpents.

In this way, this is evolution. The Darwin's theory, he does not know. He has caught up some words from this Padma Purāṇa and tried to give his own invention. The evolution is already there. But this is the evolution. From aquatics to plants, trees, then insect, then bird, then beast, then human being, civilized and not civilized. Then demigods, then others. That is the evolutionary process. So Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ: (BG 14.4) "All kinds of forms that are coming out of the 8,400,000 species of life," tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, "I am the seed-giving father, and the material body is given by the material nature." Just like father gives the seed, impregnates the mother, and the mother supplies the body. The body belongs to the mother, and the spirit soul belongs to... Not be... To the supreme father. But it comes through the material father.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

It is tightly interknotted, our karma-granthi. We had some types of activities in our past lives, and we have got this body. Everyone. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). The different types of body, 8,400,000 species of life, different types of body. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi, 900,000 species in the water. In this way, planets, creepers, serpents, insects, birds, beasts, then human form. This is the process of evolution. So each body is a concession by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart. You want to do something. Just like for doing something you must have particular type of instrument, similarly, the body means particular type of instrument. So you desire to do something, Kṛṣṇa gives you a particular type with the senses, and you act. This is the change of body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa. Daiva-netreṇa, by superior examination it is settled up that "This man or this beast is dying..." Of course, for lower than animals, they have got natural process of evolution. But when you come to the human form of body, you have got responsibility. Now you can make your next life better than this or lower than this.

Lecture on SB 1.2.33 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:

His energy is so subtle that svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Svābhāvikī.

Now, from that seed, first of all, the trunk will come, the branches will come. Then the twigs will come, the leaves will come, and the fabrication of the leaf. Everything see, wonderful. Everything we see, wonderful. But svābhāvikī, as if coming automatically, automatically. A creeper is coming, is trying to find out a shelter. As soon as it finds out shelter, immediately captures. We have seen in our Los Angeles. Behind my house, the electric post and the wire, the creeper is taking shelter and giving flower and fruits and everything. Svābhāvikī. Now, you can say it has no eyes. How it is seeing, how it is coming here and is, what is called, squirreling? No. The energy's so perfect that svābhāvikī, it is working like nature. Automatically. Svābhāvikī. There is knowledge. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā. Everything is done by knowledge, by power, and by action.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

The Mahā-Viṣṇu lies down in some part of the spiritual sky by His own free will and thus He does lie on the ocean of kāraṇa from where He glances over His material nature and the mahat-tattva is at once created. Thus electrified by the power of the Lord the material nature creates at once innumerable universes just like in due course a tree is decorated with innumerable grown up fruits all at a time. The seed of the tree is sown by the cultivator and the tree or creeper in due course becomes manifested with so many fruits. Nothing can take place without a cause. The kāraṇa ocean is therefore called the Causal Ocean. Kāraṇa means causal. We should not foolishly accept the theory of creation by the atheist without any cause. The description of such atheists is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. The atheist does not believe in the creator neither he can give any good explanation of the theory of creation. Material nature has no power to create..."

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Mayapura, October 20, 1974:

So here is very nice description how we can materially become happy. These are all description of material happiness, svṛddhāḥ, very flourished cities and towns. So how it is flourished? Now, supakvauṣadhi-vīrudhaḥ. The herbs and plants and trees and creepers, they are all luxuriously grown and sufficiently supply the needs of the human being. Every plant and creeper is useful for human being. We do not know how to use them. Experienced men, they collect so many auṣadhi. Vanauṣadhi, latā loke jāyate paramaṁ hitam. We are neglecting these herbs and vegetables, but because we do not know how to use them, we have to meet so much bill of the doctors. But there are everything complete.

Kṛṣṇa's arrangement is very complete. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). Kṛṣṇa has given us everything in complete. There is no question... Although we have come to this material world for undergoing some tribulation on account of our rebellious attitude towards Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Mayapura, October 20, 1974:

We can understand that sun is complete heat and light. Although we cannot go to sun, but by the sunshine, we can understand. Similarly, we can understand Kṛṣṇa by His different energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He has got multi-energies. So these plants and creepers, they are also produced out of Kṛṣṇa's energy, and we take advantage of them.

So if we want to be happy, these things are required. What is that? Ime jana-padāḥ svṛddhāḥ. Jana-padāḥ, cities and towns, we require. Because we are human beings, we cannot live in the forest. There are certain uncivilized human beings, they are meant for living in the forest because they are not civilized. But civilized men, they require nice towns, cities, full of gardens, parks, and nice roads and paths, nice building. They're all described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the Dvārakā City, Mathurā City, in the, those days. Still there are some samples. In Mathurā you'll find that outside the city there are many gardens.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

So everything in nature has to give something. That is the order. Everything that we see, nadyaḥ, the river... Why God has created the river? It has got a function. Similarly samudrāḥ, the oceans, similarly the hills, mountains, girayaḥ, savanaspati, vegetables. All these vegetables which are growing, each and every vegetable, creeper, has some service, we do not know. Because we do not know the use of these vegetables, creepers, we go to the doctor, physician. Otherwise, if somebody is ill, the medicine is there. We do not know how to utilize it. Still in remote villages, in forest, they do not come to the physician, doctors. The bils, the aborigines, they know so many drugs. For toothache, we go to the dentist and they extract the teeth, but I have read in Ayurvedic medicine, there is a drug, a root. Only if you touch this side of the mouth, all the germs collected within the teeth will come out. I have seen it. Sometimes in the year 1931 or '32 I had a very severe tooth pain. So I was taken by my servant in the jungle to some, this vaidya. They cured me, and the dentist could not.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

All they are germs. The germ theory is all right, but they want to cure these germs in different way. But by nature's way there are so many drugs and roots and creepers that can cure all the diseases.

Similarly the river, the river has its function to supply water all the year. During rainy season the water is collected on the top of the hill. It is stocked there by God's arrangement, and they come down. Just like we, by power pump, we get water down to the top of the roof and stock there. Similarly, on high level of hills and mountains water is stocked. Sometimes they are stocked in ice form, not in liquid form. So according to the seasonal changes the ice becomes melted and the water is supplied. It comes through the river. The same thing is there, but because we have now turned to become demons, the river sometimes overfloods, killing so many men and animals, at the loss. Actually everything is meant for kāmam, for supplying our necessities.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Not for utilizing the holy name for some material purpose. But this happened, we have got experience, I have heard, I have seen.

So, everything—the rivers, the seas, oceans, the mountains, the hills, the forest, the creepers, the vegetables—sarvāḥ kāmam anvṛtu, according to seasonal changes everything has got meaning. So if we are honest, if we are, because the, just like in prison house, jail, although the prisoners are criminals, condemned, still there is arrangement for your comfort also, by the government. There is arrangement of supplying food and all other necessities of life. Recently in Ahmedabad when I was visiting, the prison authorities also invited us for kīrtana. So I saw the criminals, prisoners. Savarmati. Savarmati jail, yes, where Gandhi was also imprisoned during the political movement. So Gandhi's room, where Gandhi was staying they showed me, and I sat down there. So, there is very good arrangement for the comforts of the prisoners, if they abide by the laws.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

So we have to eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Although animals are meant for eating by the man. That is stated in the (indistinct). Ahastāni sahastānām apadāni catuṣ-padām. Ahastāni, they haven't got hands(?). Ahastāni. (indistinct) sahastānām, they are food of the human being. So ahastāni sahastānām apadāni catuṣ-padām. Just like the creepers, grass, and vegetables. Catuṣ-padām. They're food for the four-legged. Phalgūni jīvo jīvasya jīvanam.

So, in this way, there is order that one life is meant eaten by another. That is nature's law. But we should use discrimination what kind of foodstuff, what kind of living entities we shall eat. That Kṛṣṇa... (?). We have taken vow to eat only Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. There is something. Whatever Kṛṣṇa orders. So that is a fact that each and every living entity is meant for another living entity for eating. When we get human form of life, the animals, they, just like, another eat vegetables. Similarly, the cows. Nature's law is there. Although one animal is meant for by another these animals, they use their discrimination by nature's law.

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

Pradyumna: (leads synonyms, etc.) Translation: "The rivers, oceans, hills, mountains, forest, creepers and active drugs in every season paid their tax quota to the king in profusion." (SB 1.10.5)

Prabhupāda: Yesterday we discussed, sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. Sarva-dughā mahī. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. This land, mahī, can give you everything. Actually it is giving. We cannot manufacture anything. The land is there. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). These are the gifts of Kṛṣṇa. These are the ingredients. In this material world, whatever you see, they are preparation of these five gross ingredients. Nothing more. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ kham. Land, water, bhūmir āpaḥ anala, fire, vāyuḥ, air, and kham means the sky, ether. This is the ingredients of all material civilization, grossly. And subtle: mano buddhir ahaṅkāra, mind, intelligence, and egotism.

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

That they'll not paint. That side is completely blind. But in our Kṛṣṇa book you'll find both the pictures.

So here you have to understand that the rivers, the ocean, the mountains, and the trees, and the creepers, they will all serve you very, I mean to say, regularly, provided you are obedient to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. Phalanty oṣadhayaḥ. Nowadays we do not know. As soon as we become sick we go to the doctor or to the drug shop. But in the forest all the medicines are there. All the medicines are there. Simply you have to know which plant is the medicine for what kind of disease. Phalanty oṣadhayaḥ sarvāḥ, and kāmam anvṛtu tasya vai. And according to seasonal changes you'll get fruits, flowers and drugs and everything. During Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time all these things were being supplied by nature because Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was Kṛṣṇa conscious, and he maintained his kingdom, all the citizens, Kṛṣṇa conscious. Even at the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, grandson of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, so he condemned Kali.

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

There is no such thing as blind. There is, arrangement. Just like we see the aeroplane is flying in the sky. It is not that the aeroplane is automatically flying. No. There is a pilot. This is intelligence. Similarly, the whole material nature is working, and these are the venues of nature's work, rivers, ocean, and the mountains, and the vegetables or the plants and creepers, and trees, drugs. Everything will give you sufficient supply if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you act according to Kṛṣṇa's direction.

Where you get the direction? Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. You get Kṛṣṇa's direction from saintly persons, from authorized scriptures, Vedic literature... Sādhu, śāstra, and guru. Guru means who knows how to follow previous saintly persons, who knows what is written there in the book of knowledge, he is guru. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. And śāstra means that the direction of Kṛṣṇa; that is called śāstra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na sa siddhim avāpnoti (BG 16.23).

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

So in the previous verse it has been described that nature was favorable. The river, the hills, the mountains, forests, vegetables, creepers, these are our natural surroundings. Animals... Everyone was complete. It is a cooperation. So many living entities, according to karma, we have got different bodies. Some has got the human form of body, some has got the body of an animal, some has got the body of a tree, creeper. Sometimes hills, mountains, also. Everyone. Their business is cooperation. We can study from our own body. There are different parts of the body, but it is a business of cooperation. Hand, legs, eyes, ears, nose, they are all cooperating for the upkeep of the body. Similarly, all living entities—may be in different types of bodies—they are meant for cooperating in the matter of serving the Supreme Lord, central point. (aside:) Just see the...

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975:

To understand Vedic literature means one must have firm faith in Kṛṣṇa and firm faith in guru, not that "My guru is not so learned, so let me capture Kṛṣṇa directly." That is useless. That is useless. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). One can get the seed of the plant or creeper of bhakti, how? Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. By the mercy of guru and by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, not that kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. First guru-kṛpā, then kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. So this brāhmaṇa attracted the attention of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was illiterate, and he could not read even one word. What is the truth in it? The same thing. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya **. He took guru's order very seriously, that "My Guru Mahārāja has ordered me, and I must carry out. Never mind I cannot read. Let me open the pages and see. That's all." So he was doing that. So others criticized him that "This man is illiterate. What he is reading?" But Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not criticize. Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Oh, what you are reading, My dear brāhmaṇa?"

Lecture on SB 1.16.35 -- Hawaii, January 28, 1974:

If we are sincere, if we actually want Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. He will help you in meeting the spiritual master, His representative. And by the instruction of the spiritual master, you will develop more and more your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your original position. This is called devotional service, or bhakti-latā. Bhakti-latā-bīja. Just like one small creeper, first of all to sow the seed and water it, then gradually it spouts and gradually, I mean to say, grows. Similarly, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and His representative, guru, spiritual master, you get the seed of bhakti-latā, devotional service, and if you sow it in the heart, mālī haya sei bīja kare āropaṇa. Just like if you take a seed, nice seed, and if you sow it, and pour water little, little, then it will grow and it will become a big tree or big creeper and give you the fruits. You'll enjoy it. Similarly, the bhakti-latā-bīja is given by the spiritual master in cooperation with Kṛṣṇa. That is initiation. This initiation arrangement means sowing the seed of devotional service. Now, if you get, if you think that after getting initiation, "I have become perfect.

Lecture on SB 2.1.6 -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

The so-called scientists, physicists, they do not know why there are so many varieties of life. Why not only human being? Why there is cat, there is dog, there is rat, there is fly, and there is serpent, there is tree, there is creeper, there is fish, there is so many, 8,400,000 species of life? So they are also taking their birth by father and mother. The insect or the cats and dog or human being, the process of birth is the same, father and mother, anywhere you go. Therefore one Vaiṣṇava poet has sung, janame janame sabe pitā mātā pāya, kṛṣṇa guru nahi mile bhaja hari ei. Everywhere, either you take birth as man or cat or dog or insect, there is father, mother. Father, mother you will get in any type of birth, but not guru and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore this birth is meant for achieving guru and Kṛṣṇa. Father, mother you will get, anyone. Even you become a serpent there is father and mother. That is the way of birth. Therefore janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Even in human society, every man is born a śūdra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ.

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

We try to make the child comfortable in different ways. Similarly, all of us are searching after Kṛṣṇa. That is the fact. Kṛṣṇa, being the Supreme, we are all, being parts and parcels, our natural tendency is to approach Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find this. Mama vartmānu... "They are all trying to come to Me." But they are being hampered by different types of māyā. So the spiritual advancement means ultimately to approach Kṛṣṇa. This is very nicely explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The bhakti-latā, the creeper of bhakti, is growing, but it will go on growing, growing, growing, until the bhakti-latā, I mean to say, catches the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

You'll see, the creepers they grow, they try to catch something, small. As soon as they get a feeler or root, immediately, by nature... Similarly, you go on increasing your bhakti creeper. The bhakti creeper...

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

Bīja. Bīja means seed. Guru-kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and guru. When both of them are merciful, then you can get the seed of bhakti-latā creeper. Mālī hañā kare sei bīja āropaṇa (CC Madhya 19.152). When you get a nice seed... Just like you are growing, nursing the tulasī seed very carefully... Tulasī seed, that is the example of bhakti seed. Similarly, you have to nurse the bhakti seed by giving all protection, watering daily. So what is your watering process? This watering process. (devotees chant Hare Kṛṣṇa...) śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana.

Lecture on SB 5.6.4 -- Vrndavana, November 26, 1976:

This life, human form of life, we have got bahu saṁbhavānte, after many, many years in the evolutionary process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-sāṅkhyakāḥ. We are coming, one after another, from the lowest low-grade life in the water. Then plants, creepers, trees, then insect, then flies. In this way—then birds, then beasts—in this way, millions and millions years after, we have got this human form of life, especially those who are civilized. There are 400,000's forms of human life also—not all the same: the uncivilized and civilized, the black and white, and so many different grades of men. They have different intelligence. In this way, one who has taken birth in India, he is the most fortunate.

Lecture on SB 5.6.6 -- Vrndavana, November 28, 1976:

That's all. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). This is the Vedic process. If we have got firm faith in guru and firm faith in Kṛṣṇa—guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpayā pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151)—then you get the seedling of bhakti-latā. Some way or other, we have to come to this bhakti-latā, increasing or nourishing the bhakti creeper. That will be effective.

So those who are jñānīs, very learned scholar, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedeṣu durlabhaṁ. It is not by academic education one can understand Kṛṣṇa. Yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). So many mistakes they commit. They say it is kalpana(?), so many things. But here Kṛṣṇa as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Kṛṣṇa as Ṛṣabhadeva, Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa Himself, They are teaching us how to become pure devotee, because sva kalevaraṁ jihāsur ātmanaḥ. Before leaving your, this body, you must be self-realized. That is the aim of life. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19).

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

So by other processes temporarily it can be ceased, but actually from the root of the cause it is not possible to get it out.

In the previous verse Śukadeva Gosvāmī gave the example that "The dried leaves of creepers beneath a bamboo tree may be completely burned to ashes by a fire, although the creepers may sprout again because the root is still in the ground." You have seen practically. On the field the grass is dried up, and sometimes fire is set and it becomes all burned into ashes. But as soon as there is rainy season, again they sprout and become green. The idea is that you may perform the religious, ritualistic ceremonies, but if your heart is not cleansed, simply by performing these ritualistic ceremonies you'll not be purified. So we have got two desires: pious desire or impious desires. So either you become desirous of doing pious thing or you desirous of doing impious things, the sufferings of this material world will continue.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

Just like there is a jungle—so many unwanted creepers—so you set fire. Everything will be burned into ashes and the field will be cleared, cleansed. So it is said: deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ. Those who are dhīra... Dhīra and adhīra. Dhīra means sober and adhīra means extravagant. There are two classes of men, dhīra and adhīra. Here Śukadeva Gosvāmī's speaking of the dhīra. Who is dhīra? Dhīra means in spite of provocation, in spite of something present which agitates the mind, one remains, I mean to say, in his position, steady. He's called dhīra.

The dhīra example is given by Kālidāsa Paṇḍita, a great poet in India, Sanskrit poet, long, long ago. He has written one book: Kumāra-sambhava. Kumāra-sambhava. In our college we read that book in Sanskrit class. Kumāra-sambhava. So he has given one example of dhīra about Lord Śiva, Mahādeva. He was meditating and the demigods, they had a plan, that "The demons are fighting with us. We are being defeated. We want a commander in chief, who must be born out of the semina of Lord Śiva." But he was in meditation. So how to do it? So Pārvatī, she was sent.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

One who knows actually the principle of religion. Dharmajña. Deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ, kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api. So because our life is continuously committing sinful activities, from time immemorial... You do not know when it began. Evolution, many births. Therefore this life is meant for rectifying all mistakes that we had committed in our previous life or in this life. How? By this process. Kṣipanty agham. Agham means the resultant action of sinful life. Mahad api. Although it is very great, mahad api, how? Veṇu-gulmam, veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ. Just like if you set fire to unwanted grass and creepers in the field. You set fire, and they will be all burned. Similarly, by this process, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13), you can liquidate all of your sinful activities of life and you become purified.

So the next process, another alternative process is being suggested by Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

Santoṣa: "To concentrate the mind, one must observe a life of celibacy and never fall down. Such a life of celibacy or brahmacarya is perfect. One should voluntarily give up sense enjoyment. One should control the mind and senses, give charity, speak truthfully, be clean and nonviolent. He should follow regulative principles and chant the holy name of the Lord. These practices certainly bring temporary purification. Thus they are like fire, for although fire clears away the dry creepers beneath the bamboo plant, the creepers grow back again at the first opportunity."

Prabhupāda:

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā
dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ
kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api
veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
(SB 6.1.13-14)

So this is first-class human life. This should be the ideal of first-class human life. The first thing is tapasya, austerity, not extravagance. That is not human life. Tapasya. Tapasā means, generally, voluntarily accepting some inconvenience. And then brahmacarya. Brahmacarya means no sex life. According to Vedic civilization, the students, they are called brahmacārī. In student life there is no sex life. Then his brain will be finished. That is happening nowadays. From the student life they indulge in sex life. Therefore not very big men are coming now—because their brain substance is finished. So a brahmacārī is supposed to raise the semina to the brain, ūrdhvam anti,(?) not discharge, but keep it on the brain. Then their memory becomes very sharp. Once heard from anyone, he will exactly produce, without any forget. Where is that science now? There is no such thing.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

Otherwise it is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). It is simply laboring for nothing. So this is the recommended, that treatment. That is also not sufficient. In the last, Śukadeva gives an hint that "This kind of purification, by tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13), is like veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ." Veṇu-gulma, veṇu-gulma means the dried creepers and grass. You can set fire. In India or here also—I have seen in London—they set fire, and all the dried creepers and grass become... But what is the purpose of saying veṇu-gulman ivānalaḥ? Veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ means that superficially we see that now it is burnt into ashes, but the root remains there. As soon as there will be rain, waterfall, they will come out again. So the whole process is how to become detached from this material world. So this, even if you practice this tapasya, it is not completely able to finish these attachments. Therefore it is said, veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.3.25-26 -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

Do you follow this Bengali? Sthāvara. Sthāvara means living entities which does not move, just like trees, plants, creepers. And jaṅgama means those who are moving. Animals, man, they move. So a devotee who is actually in bhāva stage, he may see a tree or an animal or a man, but he does not see the man or tree or the animal; he sees a part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, a jīvātmā. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). That is the stage of full knowledge. He does not see the skin or the dress. Just like when we talk with a gentleman, we do not see to the dress; we see the person as he is. So that's a stage. That is called bhāva-sam..., budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. (end)

Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:

There are analytical study in the Vedic knowledge. They are experimented, and if you like, can experiment yourself also. Just like the information is that there are 900,000's of aquatics. Now, if you have got power to study how many aquatics are there, you can corroborate. Or two millions of plants and trees and creepers—that also, you can corroborate. But we get from Vedic literature these informations. So these are the different manufactures, different presentation of this interaction of these twenty-four elements. Dehas tu sarva-saṅghāto jagat tasthur iti dvidhā. And this deha, this body, is divided into two classes of body: one class, moving, and one class, not moving, standing stationary.

Atraiva mṛgyaḥ puruṣaḥ neti netīty atat tyajan. Now, if you are intelligent enough, then you can find out the puruṣa. Purusa means the enjoyer. We... I have got this body because I wanted a certain type of enjoyment.

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

"Now, these activities of three material qualities, or material activities," bīja-nirharaṇam, "the seed of these material activities, you should crush it." Seed. There is a seed. Just like there is a seed, and so along the seed will remain... Just like you have seen in the fall season, so many creepers, they appear to be dried. There is no leaf. It almost dead. But as soon as the spring comes, oh, there is green leaf again. Why? The seed is there. Sometimes in India they set fire because it is very hot climate, so when there is no rainy season and by..., the sun is always bright there, so all these small plants, except big trees, they become dried up, and the cultivators, they set fire, and it becomes manure. But what is the fire? In the fire the outer portion is burned, but the seed is there. The next rainy season, again they awaken. Again there is, again green, again dry, again set fire, again green. Why? Now, seed is there. Seed is there. What is that seed? Bīja-nirharaṇaṁ yogaḥ. You are trying to practice yoga, but you do not know how to crush the seed of material life. That is... This is bīja-nirharaṇaṁ yogaḥ, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

You have seen it. So even in the calf, even in the animal, even in the bird, even in the beast. We have described all these things in our Teachings of Lord Caitanya, that when Kṛṣṇa was present in Vṛndāvana, how the cranes, how the cuckoos, how the peacocks, how the walks(?), how the flowers, how the creepers were loving Him. How they were loving Kṛṣṇa. So it is not a thing that we have to teach. Simply by good association, by reference, it comes out. It is called suptotthita-nyāya. Just like a man sleeping at night, he forgets everything, where he is lying on and what he is doing and which family does he belong to, which country does he belong to, what is his occupation. Everything he forgets. Sleeping means forgetfulness. But as soon as he is awakened, he remembers everything. Everything. "Oh, I have to go to office. I have to do this thing. I have to meet such and such person." Everything. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sleeping in everyone's heart. He is hankering. He is hankering after how to love Kṛṣṇa, but he is being checked up. The māyā is checking him: "Don't try to love Kṛṣṇa.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 27, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Just like if you get a nice flower seed, if you sow it and pour water, gradually it will grow. Similarly, this bhakti-latā-bīja, if one gets fortunately, through the association of devotees, and if he sows it within the heart and pour water gradually, by this way, śravaṇa kīrtana, this process which you are following, hearing and chanting... This is called the process of pouring water. Then that bhakti-latā-bīja, that creeper, bhakti-latā, will grow. And, in due course of time, it will give you the fruit. The fruit is to be under the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is fruit. Go on.

Pradyumna: "In any field of activity—political, social, national or international—the results of our actions will be finished with the end of life. That is sure. Bhakti-rasa, however, the mellow relished in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, does not finish with the end of life."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

So bīja means seed. Bhakti-latā seed. Bhakti's compared just like a creeper. The creeper does not stand alone. It embraces another tree and then it grows. Similarly, bhakti-latā, bhakti always embraces the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and then grows. Therefore it is called bhakti-latā. So bhakti-latā-bīja. If one is fortunate, by accumulating this imperceptible good activities, by association with devotees, then he gets this bhakti-latā-bīja, the seed of bhakti-latā. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, mālī hañā bīja kare āropana. Just like you get some nice seed of rose flower. So if you sow it on the ground, just becoming a nice gardener, and pour water, then it gradually grows. So we have to take the bhakti-latā-bīja from the bona fide spiritual master, and sow it within the heart. Taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani śraddhā bhaktir anukramiṣyati. And pour water. Just like simply sowing the seed is not your business is finished. You have to sow, you have to pour water. So what is that pouring water?

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.103 -- Washington, D.C., July 8, 1976:

So if that opportunity is refused to the human society by the guardians, by the government, it is a great misservice, a great disadvantage. To keep them in darkness of animal propensities... Because we are changing our body, here is a chance, after many evolutionary process, many thousand and millions of years. We are going to the park. How many plants and creepers are there, how many animals, how many aquatics? We have to come through all these processes, evolutionary process. So here is a chance. Therefore for the human being it is advised that try to understand the goal of your life. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyam (MU 1.2.12). That is Vedic instruction. Must try. So from the very beginning, if children are not trained up to inquire about the goal of life, they are kept in darkness, simply eat, drink, be merry and enjoy, that is not civilization. They must be trained up. The opportunity must be given so that he can inquire more and more about the goal of life.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971:

That is Vedic truth. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). The example is given that as we change our dresses; similarly, we are changing our dresses from one body to another. We have changed dresses as aquatic animals, as many fishes and aquatic animals as there are in the sea, then we are change bodies as creepers, plants and trees for many, many years. Then we change our bodies in the insect life, reptiles life, then we are change our bodies in three..., thirty hundreds of thousands of beasts, then we have got this human form of life. That is also an evolution through many uncivilized form of human life. Now this civilized form of human life, with higher intelligence and consciousness, it is meant for God realization. It is not meant for utilizing as the animals waste their time simply for eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is not our business.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: We see there are varieties of living beings, beginning from water up to the higher planetary system. There are different forms of living being, we have several times repeated. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, like that, nine millions, ah, nine hundred thousands forms of body within the water; then plants, trees, creepers, insects. So all of them are living beings. God is concerned with all of them. Why man is created? Every one of us in different form we are created. Or exactly not created; we are part and parcel of God. In one word God is the father of all living entities. So the simple relationship is that God is maintainer, we are maintained. This is our relationship. In the material world, as a man may have more than one wife, so similarly God has two prakṛtis, or subordinate energies—material and spiritual. So in the material world the material nature is the mother, God is the father, and varieties of living entities, they are all maintained by the father, supreme father. This is the conception of universal brotherhood. And if we understand our relationship with God as father and son... There are so many sons.

Page Title:Creeper (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari, Mayapur
Created:14 of Sep, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=38, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:38