Desire to enjoy (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"desire to enjoy" |"desired to enjoy" |"desires to enjoy" |"desiring to enjoy"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.): Translation: "Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness."

Prabhupāda:

aho bata mahat-pāpaṁ

kartuṁ vyavasitā vayam

yad rājya-sukha-lobhena

hantuṁ svajanam udyatāḥ

(BG 1.44)

So sometimes Arjuna is accused, Bhagavad-gītā is also accused, that "There is violence. There is violence. Bhagavad-gītā is full of violence." Yes, it is full of violence. The warfield. But here the Vaiṣṇava thinking, Arjuna is thinking that it was arranged for his rājya-sukha. Yad rājya-sukha-lobhena. Lobhena. It was arranged for the satisfaction of Arjuna so that he could enjoy the kingdom and the happiness thereof. Actually, it was not so. It was arranged by Kṛṣṇa for His satisfaction, not for Arjuna's satisfaction. So that is the difference between ordinary work and devotional service. Devotional service and ordinary work, they look almost equal.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

Sun is one. That is also a Vedic system, that we are all reflection like that. So anyway, these many, many forms of God, is from the desire of God. Now, out of these... Because God has got some desire, transcendental desire, to enjoy with many. He enjoys with His own energy because He is all-perfect. Just like if I want to enjoy life, I want family, I want a wife, I want children, I want friends, I want servants. So I have to think before having a wife. You see? Because I am limited, so I think twice, whether I am able to keep a wife, then whether I am able to maintain my children. These things are consideration. And actually, in the present society every young man is thinking like that. You see? Whenever the question of marrying is there, they think like that. But that thinking is due to our imperfectness.

Lecture on BG 2.21-22 -- London, August 26, 1973:

And if you want to enjoy spiritual life, then you have to enjoy in spiritual body. But as we have no information of the spiritual life, spiritual enjoyment, we are simply desiring to enjoy this world. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), chewing the chewed. The same sex, the same man and woman, they are enjoying at home. The same again go to the naked dance. The object is the same, sex, here or there. But they are thinking, "If I go to the theater or naked dancing, it will be very enjoyable." So it is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), chewing the chewed. The same sex life at home, chewing, and go to the naked club, chewing. Chewing the chewed. There is no rasa. There is no humor, mellow; therefore they are disappointed.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

We have to work. So therefore the Lord says, "The technique of acting on the spiritual platform is that you have your right to act. You have your right to act according to your position." But, karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana: "But you should not desire to enjoy the fruit of your activity." That is the technique. You should not desire to enjoy the fruit of activity. Then, if I want to enjoy the fruit of my activity, then what it will be? Suppose I am a businessman. I have made a profit of ten million dollars in this year. So do you mean to say that I shall not enjoy this huge amount of money? I shall throw it away? Oh. Yes. The Bhagavad-gītā says that mā phaleṣu kadācana: "You cannot take the fruitive result of your work." Then if I do it, then what it will be? Now, he said, mā karma-phala-hetur bhūḥ: "Don't be cause of your activities. Then you will be bound by the interaction of your activity.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

In the previous verse it has been stated, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56). If you are attached to these material varieties, then you cannot enter into the spiritual varieties, or in the spiritual world. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. If you have got a pinch of desire to enjoy this material world, then you'll have to remain here as, either as Lord Brahmā or as a small ant, according to your karma. But when you completely become free from material attachment, then the spiritual world is... So when the Buddha philosophy says śūnyavāda, nirvāṇa, nirvāṇa, it means the same thing, vīta-rāga, you have to become detached. You have to make this material enjoyment zero.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

And if you spoil it or simply sense gratification, the Bhāgavata, Ṛṣabhadeva says, na sādhu manye: "Oh, this is not good. This is not good." "Why it is not good? I am enjoying life. Why it is not good?" No, he says, na sādhu manye yata ātmanaḥ ayam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ: (SB 5.5.4) "If you be engaged in these fruitive activities to enjoy this material world, then you'll have to accept another material body." Karmaṇāṁ siddhim. Another material body. And if you accept another material body, then you'll have to accept again death, again old age, again disease. So what is the benefit? That is not benefit.

Therefore Bhāgavatam says that even if you have got desire to enjoy this material world, still, you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

That is not wanted. If you want perfection of life.... This is called tapasya.

One has got the desire, but he should not desire unnecessarily. Everyone has got the right to eat, even the animals. Everyone has got the right. But because we are desiring to enjoy more, therefore we do not give the chance to the animals to live properly; rather, we are trying to eat the animals. This is not required. This is called nirāśīḥ. Why you should eat animals? That is uncivilized life. When there is no food, when they are aborigines, they may eat animals, because they do not know how to grow food. But when the human society becomes civilized, he can grow so many nice foods, he can keep the cows, instead of eating the cows. He can get milk, sufficient milk. We can make so many preparation from milk and grains. So we should not desire unnecessarily to enjoy more.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

These are simple Bengali poetries by Vaiṣṇavas that as soon as you desire to enjoy your senses... That enjoyment of senses will not give you happiness. That is our practical experience. Anybody, call anybody who is engaged in sense gratification, ask him, "Are you happy?" He'll never say. They are... We have practically seen. These Europeans and Americans, they have enough sense gratification. Sense gratification means money and women. So they have got enough of it. Why they are after me, rejecting this? Because sense gratification will never give you satisfaction. That is false satisfaction. Real satisfaction is when you satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 24, 1973:

Purusa means enjoyer and prakṛti means enjoyed. Just like in ordinary life we see a man is supposed to be enjoyer and the woman is supposed to be enjoyed, similarly, prakṛti is feminine gender and puruṣa is masculine gender. Anyone who is trying to enjoy, he is puruṣa. It doesn't matter, outwardly he's dressed as man or women; if he has got the desire to enjoy, that is called puruṣa. And his object that is enjoyed, that is called prakṛti.

So Arjuna is asking this question, prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva: "Kindly give me instruction about this prakṛti and puruṣa." Kṣetram. Kṣetram means the field of activity, and kṣetrajñam. Kṣetrajñam means one who knows, "This is my field." Just like the cultivator, he cultivates the land. From government there is demarcation of the land. The cultivator knows, "This is my portion of land." Similarly, every one of us, we are cultivating and we are given a field. This is the body.

Lecture on BG 13.1-3 -- Durban, October 13, 1975:

You might have seen. So there is no difference between the bodily construction. Everyone has got heart and everything, complete. But according to the desire and karma we are getting different types of body.

This is called material existence. So long we shall desire to enjoy this material world, God will give us facility to possess a similar body so that we can satisfy our desires. Therefore He is situated, witness. Anumantā upadraṣṭā. He is overseer. And without His sanction you cannot act, we cannot act. Therefore His name is anumantā; He gives sanction: "All right, you want to do it? Do it as you like."

But ultimately Kṛṣṇa advises that in this way we'll never be happy. This constant change, repeated change of body and different types of desire, if you continue, you will never be happy. Therefore He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66)

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Bombay, September 27, 1973:

So dry grass means although he has fallen, he has no material desire. That is sattva-guṇa. There are men, who... Just like devotees. The devotees are also wandering, moving in Bombay, but they have no such desire to enjoy Bombay. That desire is dried up. They're not walking in the Bombay street for going to the cinema or to the restaurant or to the meathouse or that or that, no. Don't consider they are on the same position like others. There are many persons loitering in the street, but they are different person. They are not in touch with anything of Bombay, material facilities.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.3.1 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

In the Bengali proverb there is a ḍheṅki. Svarga gela dan bange.(?) Means a ḍheṅki, that machine, that wooden machine, which... Husking machine? So if you send it to the heaven, then what he'll do? The same business. It does not mean the ḍheṅki, while it is promoted in the heaven, he can become soul or anything else. No. Similarly, we living entities, we have desire to enjoy this material world, but our position is servant. We have not changed our position. We revolted to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is all right. But what is your position here in the material world? That is also servant. Just like I told Professor Kotovsky that "Your Communism, what is the difference between your Communism and our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement? You have selected Lenin as your leader, or master, and we have selected Kṛṣṇa as our leader, master. So on the principle, where is difference?" The professor could not answer.

Lecture on SB 1.3.26 -- Los Angeles, October 1, 1972:

That is brahminical qualification. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). And passion means strong desire to enjoy this material world. Generally, the kings, the politicians, they are very much passionate to encroach upon other's property, other nations, like that. And ignorance means they are neither passionate nor good. "All right, let me eat something and sleep." That's all. That is ignorance. They are satisfied if they get good opportunity for sleeping. That's all. That is ignorance.

Lecture on SB 1.5.25 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor, sarva-loka. Not a single plot of land belongs to you. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Actually Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything, He is the enjoyer of everything. Then why I shall desire to enjoy and own the property? This is criminal. This is criminal. That may be in small portion. That is going on. The ant is also struggling for existence to possess a grain of sugar, and somebody is trying to possess some state, and somebody is trying to possess the whole universe. But the status of mentality is the same. So this mentality means criminality. This mentality: "How I shall become enjoyer? How I shall possess this?" Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. He forgets.

Lecture on SB 1.5.25 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

Therefore we living entities, we are described, taṭastha. Taṭastha means marginal. Actually, we are spirit soul, our position in the spiritual world, but we are sometimes fallen down in this material world on account of our desire to enjoy. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, not His manufactured philosophy... This is the actual position. He, when He instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī put before Him the question that "I was a minister and I am a brāhmaṇa, I'm very learned. They say, of course, that I am paṇḍitajī. But actually I do not know what is my position. Actually I am fool number one. I do not know what is my position. These innocent people, they call me I am paṇḍitajī, I am minister, I am this, I am that, and I accept that I am that.

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

So we are also puruṣa, living entities. Puruṣa means enjoyer. So we are trying to enjoy, but we are incomplete, not complete. We have got so much desire to enjoy, but we cannot because we are incomplete. There are... That song sung by Vidyāpati, that tātala saikate vāri-bindu-sama. Tātala saikate. In hot sand beach you require so much water. But if somebody says, "Yes, I will supply water." "Give me some water." "No, one drop." So that will not satisfy me. So we have got so many desires. That cannot be fulfilled by so-called material advancement of life. It is not possible. So Vyāsadeva saw the pūrṇaṁ puruṣam. Pūrṇaṁ puruṣaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. And he saw māyā also, but māyā is not conquering over him.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

It is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā: sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ (BG 6.1). One who is working, anāśritaḥ karma-phalam, without any desire to enjoy the fruits of his activity. These sannyāsīs, they are working for Kṛṣṇa. They have no desire to make any profit out of it. Other sannyāsīs, they are making any profit. They want mukti, mokṣa. But these sannyāsīs, they do not want even mokṣa. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the ideal sannyāsī. He says, mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). He never claimed that "I may not have any more birth."

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

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has preached, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). We living entities, we are eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is our position. But if we deny this position, "Now why shall I become servant of Kṛṣṇa? I am independent," then suffering begins, immediate. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha kare, as soon as you desire to enjoy independently, immediately—that means immediately he is captured by māyā.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

This is the two kinds of body, a condition. And when he's actually Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's transcendental to this gross and subtle body. He attains a spiritual body which is never to be finished, eternal, blissful life. So sometimes, when Kṛṣṇa, He's especially kind to a person who thinks that "By... I shall execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness; at the same time, I shall enjoy this material life," this is foolishness. This is foolishness. If you want Kṛṣṇa, go to home, back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to finish your material desires. Because Kṛṣṇa is so kind that even if you have a pinch of material desire to enjoy in this material world, He will give you a chance, "All right, you do it." That means we become entangled. Therefore, those who are executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should try to become free from all material desires.

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

Ātmā means Bhagavān; ātmā means this individual ātmā. So both of them are anādi. But we have got experience ādi, birth and death. So that is not ātma-darśanam. You have to understand that there is no ādi, there is no beginning. Anādir ātmā puruṣaḥ. Puruṣa, that, either the soul or the Supersoul, both of them are puruṣa. Puruṣa means having form and having the desire to enjoy, enjoy blissful life. That is called puruṣa. Puruṣa is always desiring to enjoy. And prakṛti is enjoyable. That is the distinction between puruṣa and prakṛti. But ātmā-Paramātmā is puruṣa, and the jīvātmā is prakṛti. Then nirguṇaḥ, nirguṇaḥ. Therefore Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa, traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "My dear Arjuna, you try to be nirguṇa."

Lecture on SB 3.26.29 -- Bombay, January 6, 1975:

A machine is manufactured immediately. Just like your medical men. They also manufacture some skeleton according to the requirement of the patient. So this body is manufactured by the supervision of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the ingredients given by material nature, and I am put into the machine. This is my position. As I desire to enjoy... Actually, I haven't got to enjoy or reject anything. I am put into a certain type of machine, and I have to go or work. Actually, I do not also work. The work is also going on by different agents. I am simply put into it just to satisfy my desires as I wanted. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has given us the chance of enjoying.

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

No more taking material body. That is only possible if you are transferred to the spiritual world. Then it is possible. And how it can be done? Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: (BG 4.9) if you simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Simply by this understanding. Otherwise, you'll have to accept this material body if you have got any desire to enjoy in this material world. Therefore, bhakti means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). If you take the path of jñāna-kāṇḍa karma-kāṇḍa, or without knowledge of... People do not know what is jñāna-kāṇḍa, karma-kāṇḍa. They are just like animals. So they are desiring like animals.

Lecture on SB 5.5.10-13 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1976:

No, that is not possible. First of all guru, then Kṛṣṇa. Haṁse gurau mayi, bhaktyānuvṛtyā.

So these are description, this is the beginning. If we actually practice the description of the prescription given in the śāstra, then it will be possible that, as it is said, karmānubaddho dṛḍha āślatheta. Then our strong desire to enjoy this material world in different way, that will be slackened. That is wanted.

Thank you very much.

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

"You are realized by such person who has no other thing to possess." Akiñcana-gocara. This very word is very And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said, niṣkiñcanānām. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajana means niṣkiñcana. If we want to enjoy something material, oh, there is no question of bhagavad-bhajana, because even if you have little pinch of desire to enjoy material comforts, you'll not be admitted. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Fully. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Then Śūnya means zero. Unless you make material, ara nare bapa(?): "No more. Enough of this mateial enjoyment," then bhakti-yoga begins. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Even brahma-bhūtaḥ, Brahman realization, that is also not akiñcana. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am in brahma-jyotir. I have become something important." No. Even brahma-jyotir also neglected. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. This is the position of the devotee, akiñcanānām. Akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām.

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-8 -- Calcutta, January 10, 1971:

Aciram, very soon, they will be able to eradicate the deep-rooted lusty desires in the heart of material existence. Material existence means lusty life. Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. Material life means simply to desire to enjoy. Of course, there is no enjoyment. That is... So if one hears rāsa-līlā from authoritative source, the result will be that he will be promoted to the transcendental platform of loving service to Kṛṣṇa. And the material disease, lusty desires, will be vanquished. But they do not hear from the authoritative source. Some professional reciters they hear; therefore they remain in the material existence of lusty affairs and sometimes they turn to be sahajiyā. When Kṛṣṇa had connection with so many women... You know that in Vṛndāvana, the "yugala-bhajana"—one becomes Kṛṣṇa and one becomes Rādhā.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

As soon as we desire to enjoy... Because constitutionally we are not enjoyer; we are enjoyed. We are not predominator, but we are predominated. That is our position. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Our real position is to remain eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is our real position. But because we have got little independence... Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is supremely independent. abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ. Description of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ (SB 1.1.1).

Lecture on SB 7.6.16 -- New Vrindaban, June 30, 1976:

"Who am I? What is the goal of my life?" but instead follows the same animal propensities as cats and dogs, what is the use of his education? As discussed in the previous verse, a living being is entrapped by his fruitive activities, exactly like a silkworm trapped in its own cocoon. Foolish persons are generally encaged by their fruitive actions (karma) because of a strong desire to enjoy this material world. Such attracted persons become involved in society, community and nation and waste their time, not having profited from having obtained human forms. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, great leaders, politicians, philosophers and scientists are all engaged in foolish activities, thinking, "This is mine, and this is yours." The scientists invent nuclear weapons and collaborate with the big leaders to protect the interests of their own nation or society. In this verse, however, it is clearly stated that despite their so-called advanced knowledge, they actually have the same mentality as cats and dogs.

Lecture on SB 7.6.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, July 1, 1976:

Even if you have got desire to enjoy within this material world, still you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa will satisfy you. He'll give you. There is no need of doing something else for your material enjoyment. If you want... Because we can not give up material enjoyment. We have been habituated since time immemorial, many life after many life, simply for sense gratification. It is not very easy to give up the idea. Therefore śāstra says even if you have got idea of sense gratification, still you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't try it otherwise. Just like the devatās. They have got facilities for all sense gratification.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

So our, this bhakti process is also the same. Sometimes we are criticized: "Slave mentality." Yes, we want voluntarily to become slave—of Kṛṣṇa. We are, at the present moment, we are slave of the senses. Kāma krodha moho mātsarya. Kāmādi. Kāmādi means kāma, desire to enjoy. And if our enjoyment, if our desire is not fulfilled, then we become krodhi, angry; lobhi, moha mātsarya. The material existence means we are servant of so many sense gratificatory processes. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). We are now engaged to act sinfully. Any kind of sinful activity we can accept. Why? Yad indriya prītaya āpṛnoti. Simply for sense gratification. That's all. We are prepared to take any risk only for sense gratification. But we do not know that we are taking great risk, great risk.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is our natural... There is. But, at the present moment, on account of our association with māyā, the material energy, we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa bhūliya jīva bhoga-vāñchā kare. That forgetfulness is manifested by our desire to enjoy this material world. Bhoga-vāñchā. Everyone is trying to enjoy this material world to his best capacity. That is called material world. Only the Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, they are not trying to enjoy this material world, but they are trying to dovetail everything in the service of the Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ. Just like we eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Everyone is eating. We are also eating. But we don't eat directly. Whatever we prepare, whatever we collect, first of all we offer to Kṛṣṇa. Because we think, we think—and it is a fact—the thing is of Kṛṣṇa's.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

That is explained in this..., that by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, that it is a fortunate person. Fortunate person means he must be sincere, serious to know about Kṛṣṇa. That is fortunate. Because our misfortune has begun by forgetting Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. When we desire to enjoy this material world, forgetting service of Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of our misfortune. That is the beginning. Because as soon as I forget Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of my misfortune. So in order to be, in order to become again fortunate, I have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the way. The same... By some way or other... Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela ataeva kṛṣṇa māyā..., ataeva māyā tāre galila baddhiya (?). Some way or other, we forgot Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

Without vairāgyam... Jñānaṁ ca. Jñāna and vairāgya. Jñāna means knowledge, and vairāgya means detachment. This is required in this human form of life. As soon as you get right knowledge, that "I am spirit soul. I am not anything of this material world. Somehow or other I have been in contact with this material world, and because I have desired to enjoy this material world in different capacities, therefore I am transmigrating from one type of body to another type, and I do now know since when this system began. But is still going on," this is called knowledge. To understand one's constitutional position and how he's suffering in this material world, that is called knowledge. Now that perfection of knowledge comes when one becomes vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968:

All this attraction is the attraction of Kṛṣṇa's inferior energy. Kṛṣṇa's māyā holds a great attraction for all the conditioned souls. And by following this attraction of Kṛṣṇa's māyā, they are continuing in the circle of birth and death. We are born into this world because we desire to enjoy something, so Kṛṣṇa provides us with a body that is suitable for that enjoyment, and He provides us also the objects of the enjoyment that we desire. However, also to remind us of our highest possible potential, that of the spiritual, unconditioned existence, we have along with these material enjoyments various kinds of suffering. These material enjoyments, although they are temporarily real, come to an end, and then there is feeling of bereavement and regret.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971:

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvataḥ: "Anyone who knows Me in fact, in truth, the result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). That person, after giving up this body, he never comes again to this material world." This material world, so long we have got desire to enjoy this material world, Kṛṣṇa will give you different bodies, as you like. You can have your body in America, you can have your body in China, you can have your body in Russia, or in the moon planet—wherever you like. You simply desire, and it will be fulfilled in your next life. Desire means if you strongly desire till the point of your death, then next life your are going to get. That is nature's arrangement. So why should we desire for any other life? We should desire to go back to Kṛṣṇa, tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9), then you'll not get any material body.

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, April 13, 1973:

After giving up this material body, no more acceptance of material body; we remain in our spiritual body. We have got our spiritual body. That is now covered by the material dress, subtle dress and gross dress. So if we give up the propensity for material sense gratification, that is mukti. So long we have a pinch, a drop of desire to enjoy material happiness, we'll have to accept a body, different types of body, out of the 8,400,000. But if we become satisfied with service of Kṛṣṇa, then we have no more interest with this material happiness. That is mukti. When we shall be detestful with this material happiness... (indistinct) Just like Jagāi-Mādhāi. (indistinct) No more (indistinct). That is mukti. Kṛṣṇa will give you all facility.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Sri Ranga, Romaharsana, Sridhara Dasas -- Los Angeles, July 3, 1970:

Yes. The whole thing is purification. Material contamination means desire to enjoy this material world. That is contamination. We have nothing to do with this material world. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. You are spirit. Unfortunately, we are put into this association. So that is another chapter. But now we are trying to come out of it. So at the same time I am trying to go back to home, back to Godhead, at the same time, desiring some material sense gratification, this is another offense. This should not be... We should try to forget. We shall try to forget, "No more I'll... No. There is no necessity of my materialness enjoyment." That sort of vow, determination, must be there. Then what is next?

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: That means imperfect knowledge. We say that material world is creation, and within the material world the living entities are allowed to act. So the living entities coming from God; therefore He says bījo aham. So God... Just like our life begins from the womb of the mother, but the father gives the bīja. The mother's womb cannot produce itself; then there was no need of father. The father gives the bīja and the mother gives the body. Similarly, the living entity, part and parcel of God, is put into the material nature, and according to his desire the material nature gives him a body. That is the beginning. Very simple thing. But these people, on account of insufficient knowledge they cannot understand what is the beginning, either Darwin or the opposite. This is the beginning. The material nature is created by God, and the living entities, who are part and parcel of God, desire to enjoy this material nature, so God impregnated material nature with the living entities. This is the beginning.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: We don't say like that—"Don't look at a woman." Here is a woman sitting, I am looking. Does this mean immediately you become polluted?

Śyāmasundara: What they say is that there is a conflict between a man's natural desire to enjoy women...

Prabhupāda: Therefore I use that strong word mūḍha, that they are actually fools. They do not know how to do things. Therefore I say they are actually big fools.

Devotee: The Freudian method would be to think back to those seeds and rectify them-think back and back and back and try to remember those seeds.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) he is already grown up. Where is the seed? That is nonsense. Seed means those already grown up, fructified. Where do you find the seed? That is nonsense. Just like as example you have got arrow and bow.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Revatīnandana: But we say that originally there were desires to enjoy coming from the soul. If it is channelled to the body it becomes sex lust, but if it is channelled higher it becomes higher (indistinct) for advancement. It's not coming from sex, it's coming from the soul, is that correct—the desire to enjoy?

Prabhupāda: No. Try to understand. Sex desire is there in everyone. So once sex desire is (indistinct) up, male sex desire and female sex desire. The sex desire is there in both male and female, but some from impartial view, it appears that the male is the enjoyer and the female is the enjoyed. So both of them are (indistinct). So the female, if she agrees to be predominated, enjoyed, then naturally she also becomes enjoyer. So living entities are described as prakṛti, female. So when the living entities agree to help Kṛṣṇa's sex desire, then they become happy.