Dasa means

Expressions researched:
"Das*, means" |"das means" |"dasa means"

SB Canto 8

Sanātana means nitya, or "eternal," and kṛṣṇa-dāsa means "servant of Kṛṣṇa." The eternal occupational duty of the human being is to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is the sum and substance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

SB 8.14.4, Purport:

Now, if the inaugurators of this movement strictly follow the regulative principles and spread this movement for the benefit of all human society, they will certainly usher in a new way of life by reestablishing sanātana-dharma, the eternal occupational duties of humanity. The eternal occupational duty of the human being is to serve Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera 'svarūpa' haya-kṛṣṇera 'nitya-dāsa.' (CC Madhya 20.108). This is the purport of sanātana-dharma. Sanātana means nitya, or "eternal," and kṛṣṇa-dāsa means "servant of Kṛṣṇa." The eternal occupational duty of the human being is to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is the sum and substance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Tri means three, and daśa means ten. So thirty-three or thirty. Anyway, tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Ākāśa-puṣpa means something imaginary something imaginary.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

So heaven is described in the Vedic literature as tri-daśa-pūr. Tri-daśa-pūr. Tri-daśa-pūr means there are 33,000,000's of demigods, and they have got their separate planets. This is called tri-daśa-pūr. Tri means three, and daśa means ten. So thirty-three or thirty. Anyway, tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Ākāśa-puṣpa means something imaginary something imaginary. A flower in the sky. A flower should be in the garden, but if somebody imagines the flower in the sky, it is something imaginary.

So one who is under the control of the senses, he is go-dāsa. Go means senses and dāsa means servant. And one who is master of the senses, he's gosvāmī.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

So one who is under the control of the senses, he is go-dāsa. Go means senses and dāsa means servant. And one who is master of the senses, he's gosvāmī. Svāmī means master and go means senses. You have seen the gosvāmī title. Gosvāmī title means one who is the master of the sense. One who is not the servant of the sense, so long one is servant of the senses, he cannot be called a gosvāmī or svāmī. Svāmī or gosvāmī, the same thing, means one who is the master of the senses. So unless one is not master of the senses, his accepting this title of svāmī and gosvāmī is cheating. One must be master of the senses. That is defined by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. They were ministers. When they were ministers they were not gosvāmī. But when they became disciples of Lord Caitanya, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, and was trained by Him, they became gosvāmī.

That is false, hypocrisy. If you are servant of the senses, then you are go-dāsa. Dāsa means servant, and go means senses. And if you are master of the senses, then you are gosvāmī. Every word has meaning. So without being fit, we should not use this word as personal designation. That is not good.

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

The demands of the body, eating, sleeping, sex life and defense, this is the demands of the body. But if I am situated in self-realization, then these demands will not bother me. There are many persons who are not agitated by hunger, who are not agitated, not having opportunity of sleeping. They don't sleep. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. About the Gosvāmīs it is said that these things, material demands of the body, sleeping, eating, sex and defense... They are the demands of the body. But how they became gosvāmī or svāmī? Because they were not affected by these demands. That is gosvāmī; that is svāmī. Svāmī means master. Gosvāmī means master of the senses. So if I am servant of the senses, how I can become gosvāmī, how I can become svāmī? That is false, hypocrisy. If you are servant of the senses, then you are go-dāsa. Dāsa means servant, and go means senses. And if you are master of the senses, then you are gosvāmī. Every word has meaning. So without being fit, we should not use this word as personal designation. That is not good.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Go means indriya or senses. Materialistic persons, they cannot control their senses. They are servant of the senses, godāsa. Go means indriya, and dāsa means servant.

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

Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram (SB 7.5.30). Everything is discussed in Bhāgavatam. For the materialist person, adānta-gobhi. Adānta means unbridled, uncontrolled. Go means indriya or senses. Materialistic persons, they cannot control their senses. They are servant of the senses, godāsa. Go means indriya, and dāsa means servant. So when you come to the position of controlling the senses, then you'll be gosvāmī. That is gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means controlling the senses, who has completely controlled the senses. Svāmī or gosvāmī. Svāmī also means that and gosvāmī also means the same thing. Generally adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamiśram. Uncontrolled senses, they are going. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is sending them. He is making his own path clear, either back to home, back to Godhead, or glide down to the darkest region of hell. Two things are there, and that opportunity is in the human form of life. You can select.

Gosvāmīs does not mean go-dāsa. Go means senses and dāsa means servant. If we keep the title gosvāmī and become servant of the senses, it is cheating.

Lecture on SB 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974:

Similarly, sleeping also. Sleep, you require some rest, but don't sleep twenty-six hours. Not like that. Utmost six hours to eight hours, sufficient for any healthy man. Even the doctor says, if anyone sleeps more than eight hours, he is diseased. He must be weak. Healthy man sleeps at a stretch six hours. That is sufficient. That's all. And those who are tapasvīs, they should reduce sleeping also. Just like the Gosvāmīs did. Only one and a half hour or utmost two hours. That also sometimes not. Actually, we should reduce this. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. This is gosvāmī. Gosvāmīs does not mean go-dāsa. Go means senses and dāsa means servant. If we keep the title gosvāmī and become servant of the senses, it is cheating. You must be gosvāmī, means you must be master of the senses. Self-control. So what the Gosvāmīs did? Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau. Very humble and... Nidrā means sleeping, āhāra means eating, and vihāra means sense enjoyment, vijitau, they conquered over.

Then gopy ādade kṛtāgasi tvam: "Because You were offender, therefore he (she) wanted to bind You." Dāma. Dāma means rope. Tāvat. "And what was Your condition at that time? The condition was yā te daśā." Daśā means condition.

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

Then gopy ādade kṛtāgasi tvam: "Because You were offender, therefore he (she) wanted to bind You." Dāma. Dāma means rope. Tāvat. "And what was Your condition at that time? The condition was yā te daśā." Daśā means condition. So He was crying. Lord Kṛṣṇa, out of fear of His mother—"Now Mother will bind Me"—so He was crying. And while crying, the tears washed the, what is called? Kajala? Mascara? So they were dropping, and He was fearful, crying, and He was, His head was down, flapping. This condition. Ninīya. Vaktraṁ ninīya, face. He felt culprit, that "I have done wrong." Bhaya-bhāvanayā. He was so much afraid that "Mother will bind Me. My freedom will be lost."

Tri-daśa means thirty, three daśa, ten times...aḥ, three times ten. So there are thirty millions of demigods. And they have got different planets also.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

That is stated by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. He says that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Kaivalyam, the monism, to merge into the effulgence, the Absolute Truth, to become one, that is called kaivalyam, only spirit, that's all. So for a devotee this kaivalya perfection, monism, is as good as hellish condition of life. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And tridaśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūr means the higher heavenly planets where big, big demigods live. Just like people are trying to go to this planet, that planet. So tri-daśa-pūr. Tri-daśa means thirty, three daśa, ten times...aḥ, three times ten. So there are thirty millions of demigods. And they have got different planets also. So they are promised, "If you come to this demigod's planet, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25), you will get so much happiness, you will live for so many years, you will have better standard of life, thousand times more than in the... These are... They are described in the Vedas. But a devotee says that this tri-daśa-pūr, this heavenly planet, is as good as phantasmagoria. They have no value for these things.

And at the same time, passing on as gosvāmī. What is this go...? Go-dāsa. They are go-dāsa. Go means senses, and dāsa means servant.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974:

They conquered over these things. What is that? Nidrāhāra, nidrā, āhāra, vihāra. Vihāra means sense enjoyment, and āhāra means eating or collecting. Generally, eating. And nidrā. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. Conquered. That is Vaiṣṇava. Not that out of twenty-four hours, thirty-six hours sleeping. (laughter) And at the same time, passing on as gosvāmī. What is this go...? Go-dāsa. They are go-dāsa. Go means senses, and dāsa means servant.

Go-dāsa means the mind is dictating, "Please eat more, please sleep more, please have sexual more, please have defense fund more..." So this is materialism. Defense fund means to keep money. That is defense fund. So... So this is materialism.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974:

So our policy should be, instead of becoming servant of the senses, we have to become servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is gosvāmī. Because unless you conquer over, senses will always ask you, "Please eat, please sleep, please have sexual intercourse. Please have this, please have this." This is material life. This is material life, subjected to the dictation of the senses. That is material life. And one has to become... (sic:) Go-dāsa means the mind is dictating, "Please eat more, please sleep more, please have sexual more, please have defense fund more..." So this is materialism. Defense fund means to keep money. That is defense fund. So... So this is materialism.

So every devotee is subordinate. Nobody is equal to Kṛṣṇa. If we do that, then it is mistake. Devotee... A devotee never says. Dāsa. Dāsa means servant.

Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

So every devotee is subordinate. Nobody is equal to Kṛṣṇa. If we do that, then it is mistake. Devotee... A devotee never says. Dāsa. Dāsa means servant. Servant is always the subordinate. Therefore Vaiṣṇava says "dāsa." He never says "master." Vaiṣṇava, dāsa, subordinate, tad-adhīna, under the..., under Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can be superior to Kṛṣṇa or equal to Kṛṣṇa. That is mistake. These Māyāvādī philosophers, they think, "Now I have become equal to Kṛṣṇa. I am also Kṛṣṇa." That is rascaldom. Kṛṣṇa, God, is never equal to anyone. Asamaurdhva. Asama means "not equal," and urdha, "always the top." Asamaurdhva. That is described in the Bhagavad... So we should remain tad-adhīna, always under Kṛṣṇa. That is our perfection.

Otherwise, godāsa. Dāsa means servant. Everyone in this material world, he's godāsa. Godāsa means servant of the mind, servant of the senses.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, June 16, 1976:

Svāmī does not mean you simply stamp over your name "Svāmī." No, svāmī means the controller of the mind. He is not controlled by the mind; he controls the mind. Then he is svāmī. Gosvāmī. Go means senses and svāmī means master. When you are able to control your senses, then you are a gosvāmī or svāmī, the same thing. Otherwise, godāsa. Dāsa means servant. Everyone in this material world, he's godāsa. Godāsa means servant of the mind, servant of the senses. Everyone, servant of the senses. He may be very big man, but he's servant of the senses.

Dāsa means servant. Not only servant, but menial servant. Menial servant means just like the sweeper, the cobbler, like that. They are called menial servants.

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

Therefore brahmacārī means living under direction of guru, guror hitam. And guror hitam... How he can be simply thinking of benefiting the spiritual master? Unless that position comes, nobody can serve guru. It is not an artificial thing. The brahmacārī, the disciple, must have genuine love for guru. Then he can be under his control. Otherwise why one should be under the control of another person? Therefore it is said, ācaran dāsavat. Dāsa. Dāsa means servant. Not only servant, but menial servant. Menial servant means just like the sweeper, the cobbler, like that. They are called menial servants. So in India there is system. The sweeper class is different, the cobbler class is different, and domestic servant is different, and the barber, he is also servant, different.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

And the karmīs, they're aspiring after heavenly planets, tri-daśa-pūr. Tri-daśa means thirty. So there are more than thirty millions of demigods in different planetary systems. They are called heavenly planets. So they are ākāśa-puṣpa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

They do not give very much value to such conception, to become one with the Supreme. Or liberation, mukti. And the, this is mokṣa-kāmi, those who are aspiring after... Nirbheda-brahmānu-sandhana, without any difference with the Supreme Brahman. That is called mukti, liberation. And tridaśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. And the karmīs, they're aspiring after heavenly planets, tri-daśa-pūr. Tri-daśa means thirty. So there are more than thirty millions of demigods in different planetary systems. They are called heavenly planets. So they are ākāśa-puṣpa. Ākāśa-puṣpa means a flower does not grow in the sky; it is something imaginary, phantasmagoria. Tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. So karmīs are interested in the ākāśa-puṣpa, heavenly planet. And the jñānīs are interested in mukti. Karmī, jñānī... And yogis are interested how to control the senses.

Initiation Lectures

And Bali-mardana dāsa means Kṛṣṇa dāsa, one who is servant of Kṛṣṇa. Is that clear? Yes. (break) (japa) So that list you have not made, offenses, ten kinds of...?

Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968:

So Bali is... Bali-mardana does not mean that he was... Because he was punished by Kṛṣṇa, he is not ordinary person; he is authority. So even a person punished by Kṛṣṇa becomes authority. Kṛṣṇa is so nice. What to speak of a person who is directly loved by Kṛṣṇa, even one is punished by Kṛṣṇa, he becomes authority. So therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Bali-mardana. And Bali-mardana dāsa means Kṛṣṇa dāsa, one who is servant of Kṛṣṇa. Is that clear? Yes. (break) (japa) So that list you have not made, offenses, ten kinds of...?

So Kamalāsana dāsa means you are Viṣṇu dāsa. That is the meaning. Kamalāsana means Viṣṇu. This Viṣṇu picture, you see? This is Viṣṇu. So now we shall perform... Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (someone breaks stick for fire) Yes. Chant.

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

K-a-m-a-l-a, Kamala, s-a-n-a, āsana. Kamalāsana dāsa. Kamalāsana. Kamalāsana means Viṣṇu or Brahmā. Brahmā is also seated on the lotus sitting place. Āsana means sitting place, and kamala means lotus. You have seen Brahmā is sitting on kamala? Similarly, Viṣṇu is also sitting on kamala. So Kamalāsana dāsa means you are Viṣṇu dāsa. That is the meaning. Kamalāsana means Viṣṇu. This Viṣṇu picture, you see? This is Viṣṇu. So now we shall perform... Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (someone breaks stick for fire) Yes. Chant.

Go-dāsa means servant of the senses. And one is gosvāmī, master of the senses. That is the difference between gosvāmī and go-dāsa. Go means senses. When we are servant of the senses, then we are in the material world. And when we are master of the senses, then we are in the spiritual world. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Initiations -- New York, July 23, 1971:

Puru dāsa. There was a very powerful king. His name was Puru. He was a devotee. The same thing, to become ruler of the senses. Come on. We are all ruled by the senses. Senses dictate and we follow. This is the general condition, and we have to become ruler of the senses. Then it is successful. Generally people are ruled by the senses. My sense says, "Please take me to the cinema," the eyes. I immediately go and stand there three hours for the ticket. You see? So I am ruled by the senses. And when you will be strong enough, the eyes will say, "Please take me to the cinema," and you will say, "No, you cannot go to the cinema." Then you are ruler. So one is go-dāsa. Go-dāsa means servant of the senses. And one is gosvāmī, master of the senses. That is the difference between gosvāmī and go-dāsa. Go means senses. When we are servant of the senses, then we are in the material world. And when we are master of the senses, then we are in the spiritual world. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

General Lectures

So they are giving me chance to utter the name of the Lord. And, besides that, there is another affix: "dāsa." "Gaurasundara dāsa," "Vāmana dāsa." Dāsa means servant.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

So they are giving me chance to utter the name of the Lord. And, besides that, there is another affix: "dāsa." "Gaurasundara dāsa," "Vāmana dāsa." Dāsa means servant. He also remembers that "I am servant of Gaura, Lord Gaurāṅga," "I am servant of Lord Vāmana," "I am maidservant of Govinda." So... And friend, Sudāmā was a friend of Kṛṣṇa. So "I am the servant of Kṛṣṇa's friend, Sudāmā dāsa." So in this way our relationship with Kṛṣṇa we always remember. That remembrance is also self-realization process. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). Smaraṇam, memorizing, by context. As soon as I utter, "Sudāmā," I immediately remember, "Sudāmā was a friend of Kṛṣṇa." So I remember Kṛṣṇa. Reference to the context. So therefore this is offered, spiritual name.

So Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, kīṭa janma hao yathā tuyā dāsa, bahir nā brahma janme nāhi mora āsa. Kītā janma hao yathā tuyā dāsa. Tuyā dāsa means your servant.

Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

So Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, kīṭa janma hao yathā tuyā dāsa, bahir nā brahma janme nāhi mora āsa. Kītā janma hao yathā tuyā dāsa. Tuyā dāsa means your servant. Actually we are all servants of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera svarūpa hoy nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa. But forgetting our position, we are now acting as dāsa of māyā, māyāra-dāsa. Hoiya māyāra dāsa kori nānā abhilāṣ. The advantage of Kṛṣṇa dāsa is that he has got only one desire. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167)—to serve Kṛṣṇa purely. That's all. Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. Kṛṣṇa is person, and whatever He orders, whatever He says, if you carry out faithfully, then our original constitutional position is regained. It can be done very quickly. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

Purports to Songs

Therefore Govinda dāsa, a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa... His very name suggests, Govinda dāsa. Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, and dāsa means servant.

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- San Francisco, March 16, 1967:

Bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caraṇāravinda re. Bhaja, bhaja means worship; hu, hello; mana, mind. The poet Govinda dāsa, a great philosopher and devotee of the Lord, he is praying. He is requesting his mind, because mind is the friend and mind is the enemy of everyone. If one can train his mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he is successful. If he cannot train his mind, then life is failure. Therefore Govinda dāsa, a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa... His very name suggests, Govinda dāsa. Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, and dāsa means servant. This is the attitude of all devotees. They always put, affix this dāsa, means servant. So Govinda dāsa ms praying, "My dear mind, please you try to worship the son of Nanda, who is abhaya-caraṇa, whose lotus feet is secure. There is no fear." Abhaya. Abhaya means there is no fear, and caraṇa, caraṇa means lotus feet.

1969 Correspondence

Das means the servant of Lord Narayana, or Krishn.

Letter to Sripati -- Moundsville 28 May, 1969:

Your spiritual name, Sripati Das*, means the servant of Lord Narayana, or Krishna. If you will simply continue to develop your Krishna Consciousness as you have been doing, then surely you will be an expert servant of Lord Krishna. Our process is to faithfully follow the rules of no illicit sex life, no nonvegetarian diet, no intoxication, and no gambling activities. Also, we must chant at least 16 rounds each day, trying to avoid the ten kinds of offenses. You have very nice association with your nice godbrothers in Montreal temple, and you should help them to propagate Krishna Consciousness in that area. So please consult with Hamsaduta, and there will be ample engagement for you in this connection. If any questions or difficulties arise, you may consult with the older devotees there, or if you like, I am always at your service to help you in any way that I can. So now you have great opportunity to make perfection of your life, and please always be serious about this. Then Krishna will surely give you all facilities for nice advancement.

I hope this will meet you in very good health.

Your ever well-wisher,

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

*Sripati = the husband of the Goddess of Fortune

Das means the servant of.

Letter to Visala -- West Virginia 16 June, 1969:

Your next question is if Visala Das will be your name eternally. As I have told you in San Francisco, Visala means Krishna, the Greatest, and Das means the servant of. So eternally you are the servant of visal, or Krishna, and thus you are always Visala Das. Krishna has so many different names because He is unlimited in all respects, and you are Krishna's eternal servant. What your name will be eternally is not a very important subject at the present moment, but it is sufficient for you to know that you are always the servant of Visala, Krishna.

1970 Correspondence

Das means servant.

Letter to Tribhuvanatha -- Los Angeles 18 July, 1970:

So on the recommendation of Gurudasa I am very glad to accept you as my initiated disciple and your spiritual name is Tribhuvanatha Das Brahmacari. Tribhuvanatha means the Lord of the Three Worlds. And Das means servant. I have duly chanted the beads sent by you and they are returned to you herewith. Please always follow very strictly the regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds of Mahamantra daily on the beads. Study our literatures attentively and try to understand the philosophy nicely with the help of your God-brothers. Always work cooperatively to spread Krsna consciousness movement and chant Hare Krsna and your life will be sublime.