Devotees of Krsna (Lectures, Other)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

In this connection, we may inform that our disciples in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, those who are gṛhasthas, they contribute at least fifty percent of their income. Yes. Most of them, they are full-time engaged. But if one cannot be whole time engaged... Just like we, we have got our disciple, Professor Howard Wheeler. He gives more than fifty percent of his income for developing our New Vrindaban scheme. So we try to follow these principles laid down by Rūpa Gosvāmī, that fifty percent for Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees, twenty-five percent for personal emergencies and twenty-five percent for the dependent relatives.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

It doesn't matter the whole world is going to hell, but if Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, a devotee's prepared to do that. That is, that is called uttama bhakti. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). You'll find, this Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). To, not to make business with Kṛṣṇa: "I shall be devotee of Kṛṣṇa provided my everything is all right adjusted. I shall not be sinful. I shall not do this. I shall not do... My family will be kept nicely. This..." All these conditions. Just as people go to Vṛndāvana—all the money distributed. And there are many persons, and the sons and grandsons are all right, that "You send me two hundred rupees per month. And all the two crores of rupees, that is for you. That is for you. That is not for Kṛṣṇa. And simply for my eating, you send me two hundred." There are many in Vṛndāvana. So Kṛṣṇa is also very, that, that "Two crores of rupees you earned, so with hard labor, that is kept for your children. And you have come here with empty hand. And for your food, two hundred rupees."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

Actually one who is wise—actually, not falsely—then after many, many births of struggling in karma, jñāna, yoga, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. When he actually becomes wise. Jñānavān.

There is a Bengali verse, kṛṣṇa ye bhaje se baḍa catura? Yes. Unless one is very wise and intelligent, he cannot become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The first-class intelligent class of men surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna, after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, he replied to Kṛṣṇa, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73), "Yes, I'll do." In the beginning, he was posing himself as very nice man, renounced. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, the other side is my brothers, my grandfather, my teacher, Dronācārya, my nephews, my son-in-laws, all my relatives. So I do not wish to fight. Let them enjoy." That was Arjuna's decision, in the beginning. And thus Bhagavad-gītā was taught to him. But after teaching Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa inquired from him, "Now what is your position? Your illusion is over or not? What you have decided to do now?" He said, "Yes, my illusion is over."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

All together means Kṛṣṇa. So the kaniṣṭha adhikārī, in the lower stage, he thinks that he's worshiping the Deity very nicely, he has realized Kṛṣṇa. No. Na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. We have to make further advancement. Kṛṣṇa does not mean alone. Especially Kṛṣṇa's devotees. They are always with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore when we can recognize a devotee of Kṛṣṇa and offer him the respect as devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that is further advancement.

In the madhyama adhikārī, or in further advancement of devotional service, one can see four categories.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

When we are further advanced, we do not see only Kṛṣṇa, but we see His devotees also. We can recognize, "Here is a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa." But in the lower stage, a, the devotee's concerned with the Deity worship, but he does not take much care of the devotees. But when one is advanced further, he can see Kṛṣṇa and His devotees also. Īśvara tad-adhīna. Tad-adhīna means devotees. Devotees are always under the service of Kṛṣṇa. So anyone who is giving service to Kṛṣṇa, we should take care of them also. We should offer our respect in... You'll find in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, it is stated somewhere, that if, if a devotee is coming, then another devotee who is engaged in worship of the Deity may stop Deity worship for the time being and should go immediately to receive the devotee. So Kṛṣṇa also says, mad-bhakta-pūjā abhyadhika.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

We should be always ready to offer respect to all, not only devotees, but everyone. Everyone. Because every living entity is originally a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. But circumstantially, being covered by the coat of māyā, he's playing like demon. But his original nature is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Everyone is eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. But being influenced by māyā, when he gets this body, given by māyā... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27), when he's conducted by the three guṇas of māyā, he thinks himself otherwise. He thinks himself independent of Kṛṣṇa. But actually, nobody is independent of Kṛṣṇa. I've given this example that the prisoners, the criminals in the jail, they go to jail thinking themselves to be independent of the state laws, outlaws.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

What is the meaning of this preaching. People are engaged in material activities, and the preacher should approach them that "You are spoiling your time, my dear sir. You become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." This is preaching. "You are simply spoiling. You have got this human form of life, but you are utilizing like animals—eating, sleeping, mating and defending. You may be very great political leader, but your engagement is like animal." That is the fact. What these politicians do? They make arrangement for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That's all. They promise that "I shall give you nice eating. You give me vote. I'll... Make me minister of food. I shall give you enough food." Or so many things, they falsely promise, or rightly promise. They know. So actually, minister or minister's father cannot give you food. The food is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.

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

"You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). The guru will say, "Yes, you become always Kṛṣṇa conscious." Man-manā. Kṛṣṇa says man-manā. A guru says, "You become Kṛṣṇa conscious." The same thing. There is no difference. You become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You always think of Kṛṣṇa. You always chant of Kṛṣṇa. You always speak of Kṛṣṇa. You do not know anything but Kṛṣṇa. Simply this life is required.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching people to become Kṛṣṇa..., Kṛṣṇa conscious. Means Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). The four things. You just become always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. You just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You just offer your obeisances unto Kṛṣṇa. And you just worship Kṛṣṇa. And accept Kṛṣṇa, giving up any other engagement. Because real dharma is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)? Why He says, "Give up all other so-called dharmas"? They are not dharmas.

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

He no more sees that cars are running on the street or people are running. No. He sees everything vacant. Why? Due to love. Similarly, when we'll come to that position, we shall see everything vacant without Kṛṣṇa. Then that is the proper position to see Kṛṣṇa. Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. Lord Caitanya says that "I am not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." "Now, Sir, You are crying always for Kṛṣṇa." "That is simply to show, make a show that I am a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa." Then? "No, how we can understand that You are not...? We know You're..." "No. Because I am still living without Kṛṣṇa, that means I have no love for Kṛṣṇa. I should have died long, long ago." Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. So this much ecstasy, this much eagerness, when we come, then can see always. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilo..., santaḥ sadaiva. Twenty-four hours, he can see Kṛṣṇa. He cannot see anything but Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sunrise.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

Everyone has got love for Kṛṣṇa. It is not artificial thing. Everyone has got. Otherwise how these Europeans and American boys and girls (are) taking to this principle? Why they are mad after Kṛṣṇa? Because it was there. It is not... Artificially, you cannot make such thing. It is not possible. Artificially you cannot make a staunch devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Artificially, one day, two days, three days—then goes away. Just like it has become in our country. Our love is now for material happiness. Poverty for the last two thousand years or one, little above, one thousand years, India was foreign-subjugated. So they are now thinking that some way or other, if we can become like Americans, skyscraper buildings, our life will be successful. So they have... Artificially, now... They're killing their own culture and trying to imitate. This is artificial. But this artificial way, one cannot be happy. They'll be frustrated. Just (like) the Americans have become frustrated. They have got enough.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

So this kind, this kind of so-called happiness will never satisfy us. The real happiness which is within, our love, loving propensity for Kṛṣṇa, that has to be revived. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. It is not by artificial means one becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nobody can become a lover or devotee of anyone else by artificial means unless there is some natural tendency. So that natural tendency for, to love Kṛṣṇa is there in everyone's heart. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to invoke that natural tendency to love Kṛṣṇa. That is our business. And how it is possible? The śāstra, śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte. Śravaṇādi means this process. Just like you have come here; you are hearing about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. You may be illiterate, you may be rich, or you may be poor. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

Maybe royal family. Gṛhastha. But He selected him. Why? Bhakto 'si: because he was devotee. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is to be understood by devotee from the very beginning.

So one has to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then we can understand the teachings of the Vedas. Vedas means vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Any way you go, either... Bhagavad-gītā is also Vedic literature. Bhāgavata is also Vedic literature. So either you take directly Vedas, Īśopaniṣad, or Upaniṣad, the ultimate goal is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung that vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, tomāra kukura baliyā jānaha more. He's presenting himself, "My dear sir, Vaiṣṇava, kindly accept me as your dog." Davita... What is that song? You have forgotten?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

Ah. Kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra, tomāra śakati āche. This is a fact. If you want Kṛṣṇa, then you have to approach a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He can give you, deliver you. Vedeṣu durlabha adurlabha ātma-bhaktau. If one is Kṛṣṇa devotee, he can deliver Kṛṣṇa: "Take Him. Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is the special prerogative of devotee. Kaunteya pratijānīhi. Vaiṣṇava... Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna, because he's devotee, that "You declare, na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati." So He could declare Himself. No. He wants to declare everything through His devotee. Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin. He want to see that Arjuna becomes victorious, although He was conducting, actually He was doing this victory also, war. So in this way, kṛṣṇa-bhakti, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti, if we simply invoke our kṛṣṇa-bhakti, that is success of life. Some way or other.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

Sometimes in some season we see there is ample productions of mangoes, and sometimes there is no mango. So after all, it is in the hand of nature, prakṛti. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27). Prakṛti is producing, producing; prakṛti is reducing; and behind the prakṛti there is Kṛṣṇa. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). So just become devotee of Kṛṣṇa and do your duty. Svanuṣṭhitaḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṇ-manobhiḥ. Then everything will be complete. There will be no scarcity. This philosophy, they do not know. They want to... Like Kaṁsa, they want to make minus Kṛṣṇa. Like Rāvaṇa, they want to make minus Rāma, and the result is that with their all family, all their wealth and everything, material advance—vanquished, finished. That is prakṛti. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). They are trying to avoid God. They are trying to become independent of God. Then what is the benefit? In every step we are seeing that we are dependent on God. Because God has not supplied rain for one year, there is so much catastrophe going on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

If you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all your desires will be fulfilled. That is also fact.

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā

mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhiḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena

yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa

(SB 2.3.10)

It is not that... Sometimes we think like that, that "If we become devotee of God, then I'll become poor." Because Vaiṣṇavas are generally appear to be poor, so those who are after material happiness, they do not like to become Vaiṣṇavas. They become devotee of Lord Śiva, because by the grace of Lord Śiva they get all material facilities. Therefore generally people are very much fond of becoming devotee of Lord Śiva. This question was discussed between Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja..., not, Parīkṣit Mahārāja and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired this, that "Lord Viṣṇu is the master of goddess of fortune, but generally we find the Vaiṣṇavas are poor.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

So this society is attempting to create a society of devotees all over the world, without any discrimination of caste, creed, color. One must be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). One must know the science of Kṛṣṇa. Then he can preach to others. Sei guru haya. That is our purpose.

People may not misunderstand our propagation that we are proselytizing some persons to Hinduism. Yesterday one so-called jñānī came to me, and he challenged me that "Swamijī, formerly the Christians used to convert the Hindus and the Muhammadans used to convert the Hindus into Muhammadanism or Christianism. Now you are converting the Christians into Hinduism. Then where is the difference between their activities and your activities?" So this fool does not know this is not making a person from Christian to Hindu. This is not the process. We are not interested. I never said in any meeting in the Western countries that "Hindu religion is better than your Christian religion.

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

If you take that milk, then you'll die. So kṛṣṇa-kathāḥ is very good, but when it is touched by the lip of the Māyāvādī, nondevotee, it becomes poisonous. It becomes poisonous. Poisonous in this sense. It will push you far away from kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That is the loss, greatest loss of life.

This life is meant for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavad-gītā is left by Kṛṣṇa to make all people after Him, to become devotees. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). The instruction is there, but these rascals will spoil. They will never allow you to become a devotee. These rascals are so dangerous. They are going against the will of Kṛṣṇa. So one must be very careful to save himself from the poisonous effect of these rascals. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa, live with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness devotees. And then by the association of the saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ.

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

After much trouble in that way, when they come to the form of Vāsudeva, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That mahātmā is greater. Kṛṣṇa is not imagination. This is another offense to think of Kṛṣṇa as imagination. Just see, that it is imagination, kalpana, "Just make it kalpana, imagination of Kṛṣṇa." No, Kṛṣṇa is fact. Kṛṣṇa, the Kṛṣṇa devotees, they are not after imagination. They are after the fact. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Bhagavān, the personal. Kṛṣṇa says, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā manuṣīṁ tanum āś..., paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11). So these thing will be realized by, through the process as it is recommended by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

So by fighting, Arjuna became a great devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Kṛṣṇa certified that "You are My greatest devotee. You are My very confidential friend." But what did he do? He did not read Vedānta philosophy. He was a gṛhastha, a king, engaged in fighting. He knew how to fight only. He did not know what is Vedānta philosophy. But still, he became a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhakto 'si. So what is the criterion? The criterion is that he fought favorably. He did favorably to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

That is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. What is the difference between kāma and... Kāma means lust; and love. Kāma and prema. Prema is love, and kāma is lust. It appears similar. In the material world, lust is going on in the name of love. A boy loves a girl, a girl loves a boy, but actually the boy also wants sense gratification and the girls also want sense gratification. That is not love. As soon as there is any difficulty in sense gratification, immediately there is divorce. So there is no love.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

"The Hare Krishna People." So our preaching is the same. We don't change. We present, therefore, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Kṛṣṇa says that everyone should surrender unto Him. We are preaching the same philosophy, that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We say the same thing. We ask everyone that "You become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You think of Kṛṣṇa constantly. You worship Kṛṣṇa. You offer you obeisances unto Kṛṣṇa." So this is favorable. If we preach what Kṛṣṇa said five thousand years ago, that is favorable. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To act in favor Kṛṣṇa means Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

Then it will be very nice. Satāṁ prasaṅgād mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ. When you hear about Kṛṣṇa from a Kṛṣṇa devotee, it becomes very pleasing to the ear and the heart. Hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ. Therefore to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa... Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Tad vidhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. This is the process. So this Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu is the science of devotional service. If one wants to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead...

When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa means all Viṣṇu forms, all Viṣṇu forms. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu, kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavad paramaḥ pumān yo (Bs. 5.39). All incarnations, they are also Kṛṣṇa, expansion of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa, this Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, He's the Supreme Person. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

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

That's all. Similarly, if we simply carry the message of Kṛṣṇa as it is, we become perfect. It is not very difficult. If I simply carry the message of Kṛṣṇa, where is the difficulty? Everything is there. Kṛṣṇa has said everything. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. We carry this message. Just always think of Kṛṣṇa, always offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa, become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā, think of Kṛṣṇa always. We have to carry this message. Where is the difficulty?

So to become a bona fide spiritual master, there is no difficulty, if you, simply, if we carry the message of Kṛṣṇa as it is, without any adulteration. So we must find out a person who is actually bona fide spiritual master by this test, that he's not, I mean to say, adulterating Kṛṣṇa's message. He's not playing havoc with the message of Kṛṣṇa in order to introduce himself, his person. He's simply presenting the message of Kṛṣṇa as it is. Then he's spiritual master. Nobody else.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

And out of many millions of jñānīs who are trying to realize his self by philosophical speculation, brahma-jñāna, so one mukta, or liberated soul, is better. And out of many thousands of liberated souls, it is said by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is very rare to find out a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

The conclusion is, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is picked up out of many, many liberated persons. Mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. Kṛṣṇa realization, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam, mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. Bhagavat-tattva, the truth, the Absolute Truth, which is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. Tattva means truth, and that is Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11). Brahman realization is not all. One has to go further. Paramātmā realization—one has to go further.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

That is the verdict of all Vedic literature, and confirmed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: koti-mukta-madhye durlabha kṛṣṇa-bhakta. Kṛṣṇa bhakta, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, is very rarely to be found out amongst the muktas, amongst the liberated souls. Others are trying to become liberated, but a Kṛṣṇa-bhakta is above liberation. Pañcama-puruṣārtha. People are busy for dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Some of them are busy to become religious. Of course, without religious life, there..., there is no human society. Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. Unless a society takes to religiosity, it is not human society. Therefore we see any civilized human society, there is a kind of religious system. It doesn't matter whether it is Hinduism, Christianism, or Buddhism, or Muhammadanism, but there must be a religious system.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavān says, Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyam. Kṛṣṇa appears, Kṛṣṇa lives here, He teaches, He acts. If we simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa from the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then we become perfect, so much so that after giving up this body... Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti... (BG 4.9). Without being perfect, without being free from all sinful reactions, we have to undergo the tribulation of accepting different types of body. But as soon as we become perfect through the perfect knowledge, then automatically we become uncontaminated from this material world and we become liberated. Liberated means, as I have several times explained, to be situated in his original position. Just like a, a person gets fever. When his fever is subsided, he's liberated, he's called liberated from the fever. Similarly, when we have perfect knowledge... What is that perfect knowledge?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

So this is the fact. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra. Pure character, pure qualities will be manifest. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Similarly, just the opposite: if one is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot have any good qualities, however he may be educated academically. That is not possible. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Therefore, at the present moment, although the leaders are all very educated academically, but still, they cannot bring in peace in the society, because they're godless. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Great, great leaders, on account of their godlessness, they cannot lead the people nicely. Therefore there is no peace and prosperity in the society.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Yes. We see sometimes one man who is very educated, highly, university educated, but practical life—baser than animal. Because he, he has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He's not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa cannot be like that. Go on.

Acyutānanda: "Even though a person is highly educated academically, if he cannot go beyond the sphere of mental activities, then he is sure to perform only material activities and thus remain impure."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Our so-called advancement of education means to live on the mental platform. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathena (SB 5.18.12). They have no information of the spiritual platform. They... After bodily concept of life, the next platform is mental and intellectual concept of life. But spiritual life is beyond mental and intellectual concept of life. So unless one comes to the spiritual platform, even on mental and intellectual platform, he cannot do anything good to the society. Hm.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Acyutānanda: "Simply because he is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he automatically gives up all this nonsense and develops a high character. One develops the highest character by becoming a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The conclusion is that no one can truly have any good qualities if he is lacking Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Prabhupāda: Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). This is the conclusion, that if one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, we do not accept him as highly qualified. That is the statement of Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā:

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is called Yogeśvara. He's also the master of all yogic mystic power. Therefore a bhakta, a true devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he does not endeavor personally to achieve all these yogic mystic power. He depends on Kṛṣṇa, and if there is necessity of exhibiting some yogic power, Kṛṣṇa will show. Kṛṣṇa will exhibit. Yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ. So although Arjuna did not manifest any yogic power, but, by Kṛṣṇa's grace everything was so wonderfully performed in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Otherwise Arjuna was a, an insignificant warrior in front of Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Dronācārya. This is admitted by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, that it is simply by the grace of Kṛṣṇa that his grandfather came out victorious in front of Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Dronācārya and similar great heroes.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

We should simply follow the path... That is also Vedic. But because we cannot select... Vedeṣu adurlabha. If we study Vedas independently, without going through the lines chalked out by the six Gosvāmīs, then we'll be misled. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). These Gosvāmīs, they were personal devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa. They are eternal associates of the Lord. Therefore if we follow their principle, our success is guaranteed. But if we take to the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies without any reference to the path chalked out by the Gosvāmīs, it will not be possible to be successful.

Devotional service is not dependent on śubhāśubha-karma. It is simply dependent on the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. Kṛṣṇa de... Sādhu. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

Yes. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manaso (BG 9.13). Here we are under the influence of this material energy, but those who are devotee of Kṛṣṇa, they are under the influence of internal energy. The internal energy of Kṛṣṇa, it has got three different functions. One of the function is hlādinī śakti. That is Rādhārāṇī. That is Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī is the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa.

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād

ekātmānāv api (bhuvi purā) deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau

śrī-caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptam...

(CC Adi 1.5)

Rādhā-kṛṣṇa..., that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is... That is the version of Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara, that "Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, They are one, Kṛṣṇa." When Kṛṣṇa wants to enjoy, He manifests His energy. That is Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa cannot enjoy the material energy; He enjoys the internal energy. Kṛṣṇa has got many energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate, svābhāvakī-jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport).

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

Gurur na sa syāt. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, he is very expert in his business, in Vedic culture, Vedic mantras, tantras. That is the test of the brāhmaṇa, that he is very learned. So ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. Viśārada, very expert. Avaiṣṇavo gurur na sa syāt. But if he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa or if he's not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot become guru. Ṣaḍ-vaiṣṇavaḥ śvapaco guruḥ. But one person who is coming from the family of dog-eaters... The dog-eaters, they are considered to be the lowest of the human beings. So, śva-paca, śva means dog, and paca means eater or cooker. So śvapaca, even a person is coming from the śvapaca family, and if he's a Vaiṣṇava, if he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can become guru. On the other side, even born in a brāhmaṇa family and very expert in Vedic ritualistic performances, mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, he cannot become guru if he does not understand Kṛṣṇa. So therefore guru is very important because he has accepted Kṛṣṇa... Tattva-darśibhiḥ, he has seen the truth.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

So, śva-paca, śva means dog, and paca means eater or cooker. So śvapaca, even a person is coming from the śvapaca family, and if he's a Vaiṣṇava, if he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can become guru. On the other side, even born in a brāhmaṇa family and very expert in Vedic ritualistic performances, mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, he cannot become guru if he does not understand Kṛṣṇa. So therefore guru is very important because he has accepted Kṛṣṇa... Tattva-darśibhiḥ, he has seen the truth. So therefore guru is first offered... This is the test of guru. Guru does not become Kṛṣṇa himself, but he canvasses door to door to induce that "You become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." This is sign of guru. Vande gurūn īśa-bhaktān. Īśa-bhaktān. Then we shall describe later on.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.2 -- Mayapur, March 26, 1975:

So through the mercy of this Pañca-tattva, easily you can approach Kṛṣṇa, easily. Otherwise how it is possible? These Europeans, Americans, they did not know what was Kṛṣṇa. Four or five years ago they were unknown. How they have become so devotee of Kṛṣṇa that ten thousand miles, crossing over the sea, they have come here at Māyāpur, unless they have got developed love for this? Their coming is not so easy from neighboring villages, but it costs. They have spent lakhs of dollars—one dollar equal to eight rupees—and they have come here. Why? Through the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.3 -- Mayapur, March 27, 1975:

Therefore the author says that "You accept this authority." Na caitanyāt kṛṣṇāt para-tattvaṁ param iha. If you want knowledge, then... You have missed already, because when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared five hundred years ago people already became fools and rascals. They did not care for the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore He again came as devotee of Kṛṣṇa to teach us how to serve Kṛṣṇa, how to love Kṛṣṇa. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult, the same thing. When Kṛṣṇa appeared He said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Give up everything, so-called rascaldom. Just surrender to Me." And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said the same thing as a devotee: yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). He did not say anything new. That is the authenticity. "I have manufactured some way"—these are all rascaldom. The same thing you should... You can... Just like in your country it is said, "Old wine in a new bottle."

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.4 -- Mayapur, March 28, 1975:

Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). These things are there, already stated, but the so-called scholars and politicians, they misinterpret in a different way and mislead the people. That is going on. Therefore, in spite of Bhagavad-gītā being read all over the world for the last two hundred years, not a single person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. This is the defect. So let us try to understand Kṛṣṇa through Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and as we have repeatedly said, that "Through Caitanya Mahāprabhu you understand Kṛṣṇa and spread this cult all over the world." People are suffering for want of knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. So this movement especially meant to establish the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is that you become, every one of you, you become a guru. How to become guru? Now, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Simply that qualification is sufficient. Don't adulterate the 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa. You simply present what Kṛṣṇa says as it is. Then every one of you will become a guru.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.6 -- Mayapur, March 30, 1975:

They are not surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa came, appeared, upon this planet in this universe to canvass that "You surrender." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). But they did not. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa... He's Kṛṣṇa.

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne...

(CC Madhya 19.53)

He's Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. First of all He came as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and He demanded as God's order, "You surrender," but people did not do it. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has again come in the form of devotee, kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne, and now He is ready to give you not only Kṛṣṇa, but love of Kṛṣṇa, freely. Take it and distribute it all over the world. That is wanted.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Mayapur, April 8, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa is the most expert in this conjugal love. Kṛṣṇa... Therefore we have to submit, surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Suratau paṅgoḥ. We are very much feeble and very slow. And so far our sex impulse is concerned, here is especially mentioned, Madana-mohana. Sex impulse is called Cupid, Madana. But if we become staunch devotee of Kṛṣṇa, this material sex impulse will vanish. Because Cupid becomes, I mean to say, attracted. Even Cupid becomes attracted by Kṛṣṇa. We are attracted by Cupid, but Cupid is attracted by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore His name is Madana-mohana. That is the only remedy.

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

Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). We are thinking this universe is very great. It is nothing in comparison to the whole creation of the Lord. You are seeing only universe, but there are millions of universes like this. All together, they are ekāṁśena sthito jagat. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is only a part of Kṛṣṇa's creation. One devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, er, Lord Caitanya, requested, "My dear Lord, You have come to deliver all the fallen souls. You please take all the conditioned souls of this universe, and if You think they are not competent, they are sinful, You can give me all the sin to me. I shall suffer for them, but You kindly take." So this is the desire of a pure devotee, that "All may go with Kṛṣṇa. Let them become liberated. I shall suffer all their..." Now, Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied that "Suppose I keep your request. I take these, all the living entities of this universe. Do you think, is there any loss of this material world?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

And Manu, Vaivasvata Manu, the father of Mahārāja Ikṣvāku. And Prahlāda, the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu. The father was atheist and the son was a devotee, great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Then Janaka Mahārāja, the father of Sītādevī. And Bhīṣma, the grandfather of the Pāṇḍavas. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ. Then Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī; and Yamarāja, they are authorities.

Now, here the Brahmā, the first authority, he is admitting Kṛṣṇa as Brahman, pūrṇa-brahma sanātanam, pūrṇa-brahma, bhagavān. Brahman realization, there are stages, three stages of Brahman realization: first, impersonal Brahman, then localized Brahman, then full Brahman. Localized Brahman is Paramātmā, who is situated in everyone's heart. The example is given: just like the sun.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Only through devotional service He can be known. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). Kṛṣṇa is covered by the curtain drawn by yogamāyā; therefore Kṛṣṇa cannot be understood by everyone, neither His teaching, Bhagavad-gītā, can be understood without becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. This is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: (BG 4.3) "Because you are My very dear friend, therefore I shall speak to you." Rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam: "Without you, nobody can understand." Arjuna was a military man. He was not a brāhmaṇa, neither a Vedantist. You cannot expect a military man, a kṣatriya, to be highly learned in Vedic scriptures. That is not possible. They hear from the brāhmaṇas. The brāhmaṇas, they are expected to be highly learned scholars in Vedas because that is their department. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

That is not a prohibition; that is the necessary qualification to understand. Similarly, to understand the Vedas, the necessary qualification is that one must be a qualified brāhmaṇa. Not that Mr. Max Muller, he has got little knowledge of Sanskrit and he translates. That kind of translation is no use, just like so many commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā without becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa is useless. It has no meaning, because Kṛṣṇa says that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) "Only through devotional service one can understand Me." How a nondevotee can understand Him? He has no scope to enter into the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā. So first qualification is that he must be a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be revealed.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

He says that "I accept. I eat." But the atheist class says that He does not eat. Why? If Kṛṣṇa says, "I eat," what the atheist class of people has the right to say that He does not eat? He eats. So now not only in one temple or in one place, but millions and trillions of places, they are offering Kṛṣṇa, devotees. And Kṛṣṇa says, "I eat." So everywhere He is eating. Now, just imagine how He has expanded Himself in millions and trillions of forms. He says, "I eat." And there are millions and trillions of devotees offering Him. Then everywhere He's eating. That's a fact. Yes. He can expand. But that does not mean that He is no more in Goloka Vṛndāvana. He is still there. He has expanded in millions and trillions of forms to accept the offerings of His devotees; at the same time, He is in Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is Kṛṣṇa. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

As in the Parāśara-sūtra there is aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. When Kṛṣṇa was present He exhibited full strength of six kinds of opulences. So the... Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the fact. That is the Vedic version. It is not that some of the Kṛṣṇa's devotees have taken Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, or He is originally imperson and He takes a form, accepting a material body. These are not right conclusions. In the Kūrma Purāṇa it is said that there is no distinction between the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and soul. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they distinguish that "Kṛṣṇa's soul is different from His body." That is Māyāvāda philosophy. But that is not the fact. There is no such difference. (aside:) What is that sound? Who is making that?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

As sometimes our, these Europeans, Americans, they say frankly that "For many hundreds of years, the Bhagavad-gītā was known in Europe and America, and many swamis went there. They gave reference to the Bhagavad-gītā, but there was no, not a single devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Not a single devotee." Prior to this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they had not a single devotee of Kṛṣṇa, as you are finding. Now Bhagavad-gītā is being presented as it is, and they are understanding rightly, and they are becoming devotee. Anyone who will read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malcommentation, he'll become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And when he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, accepting the principle, "Kṛṣṇa is all in all," vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That position we have to attain. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching is based on that principle. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

That position we have to attain. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching is based on that principle. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). That is His... He is Kṛṣṇa also. According to Vedic evidence, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇa. He belongs to the category of Kṛṣṇa, but He is playing the part of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa in order to teach us how to love Kṛṣṇa, how to approach Kṛṣṇa. As such, if we accept the process enunciated by Lord Caitanya, then it is very easy to approach Kṛṣṇa.

To approach Kṛṣṇa is not very easy job, because Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). Koṭiṣv api mahā-mune. That is also stated in the Padma Purāṇa, that muktānām api siddhānām. Those who are muktas... To become mukta, that is also difficult job. Out of many millions of jñānīs, one becomes mukta, really liberated.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

To become mukta, that is also difficult job. Out of many millions of jñānīs, one becomes mukta, really liberated. And out of many millions of muktas, or liberated, kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ, kaścid, not all, somebody may understand what is Kṛṣṇa. So it is so difficult job. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya, and He is giving you the mercy, causeless mercy so that you can understand Kṛṣṇa very easily. That is the special gift of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We should always know that to understand Kṛṣṇa is very difficult, especially for this age, when people are very much fallen. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). The people of this age, they are very slow. Practically, they have no intention for utilizing this human form of life. Generally, people, especially in the Western countries, they are simply interested like animal—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That's all. We are also imitating in India. We have also made our business... This is animal business.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

It is said that a brāhmaṇa, even though he's well-qualified, ṣaṭ-karma, brāhmaṇa's six occupation, ṣaṭ-karma-paṭhana pāṭhan yajana yājana dana pratigraha-ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, and he's well expert in Vedic hymns, Vedic understanding—mantra-tantra, Pañcatantra, everything is competent—but avaiṣṇava, if he's not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot become guru. Ṣaḍ-vaiṣṇava śva-paco guruḥ. But if a Vaiṣṇava, even though he may come from the caṇḍāla family, śvapaca, the dog-eater's family—that is considered the lowest in the human society—if he becomes a Vaiṣṇava, he is fit for becoming spiritual master. This is the śāstric injunction. Our guru, out of the Six Gosvāmīs, one of them, he has given his direction in the Bhakti... What is that? Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, that avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam. A person who is not Vaiṣṇava... Vaiṣṇava means kṛṣṇa tattva vettā. If he's not well versed in the science of Kṛṣṇa, if his behavior is not Vaiṣṇava... Sadācāra-sampanna.

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

He has appeared as devotee. He appeared first of all as the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, and He instructed Bhagavad-gītā to the fallen souls and He asserted His Lordship, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But puffed-up, so-called learned scholars and men of position, they declined, "Why should I surrender to Kṛṣṇa?" Therefore Kṛṣṇa Himself as devotee of Kṛṣṇa appeared. That is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He's teaching how to approach Kṛṣṇa. And His disciples, they are also teaching the same philosophy. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa's philosophy and Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy. It is not that we can manufacture some philosophy. That is nonsense. Philosophy is one; religion is one. Everyone has to follow. There is no second alternative. That is the preaching about... Mām ekam, not that "Whatever you like, you can do." No, that is not. Mām ekam—simply Kṛṣṇa. There are some missionaries.

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

He said, "Caitanya Mahāprabhu, You are Kṛṣṇa. Now, this time, You have appeared as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya in order to give everyone Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa made some condition, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but here now, as devotee of Kṛṣṇa, You are distributing Kṛṣṇa without any condition. Therefore mahā-vadānyāya: You are the most munificent incarnation." So somehow or other, Sanātana Gosvāmī, he became attracted to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He resigned his ministerial post, and he has come to surrender to Caitanya Mahāprabhu while he was at Benares. Therefore it is said, tabe sanātana prabhura caraṇe dhariyā.

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

So anyone who's accepted Kṛṣṇa as everything, he is the greatest mahātmā. Most fortunate. And we can practically see in these modern countries, everyone four or five years or at most ten years, who never heard what is Kṛṣṇa. Now thousand, they are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, because they have accepted Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā (BG 7.19). You accept blindly or knowingly, the result will be the same. If you touch fire knowingly or unknowingly, it will burn. This is the position. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8), the origin of everything, then the action will be there. Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. You'll become the greatest mahātmā. And what is the sign of mahātmā? Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso (BG 9.13). That is mahātmā. He is under the control of daivī prakṛti. As we are controlled by this material nature, a mahātmā is controlled by the spiritual nature. And what is the sign?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:

We are not discovering anything. We are simply presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That's all. Kṛṣṇa said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We are teaching all over the world the same thing, that "Here is Kṛṣṇa. You always think of Him, you just offer your obeisances, you just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī, worship." So we are teaching. So there is no discovery. It is already there. So that we are carrying simply. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We don't interpret. There is no need of interpretation; then there is no authority of Bhagavad-gītā. If I am a third-class man, if I interpret Bhagavad-gītā, then Bhagavad-gītā has no authority. Bhagavad-gītā should be preached as it is. Then you become guru, you can deliver others. This is the process. (indistinct) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

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

He also appeared as devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He can command, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but here Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared as a devotee, ideal devotee of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

The Rūpa Gosvāmī offered his first prayer to Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "You are the mahā-vadānyāvatāra, most munificent incarnation." Why? Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: "Even Kṛṣṇa could not convince people about His supremacy, but You are so kind that You are giving love of Kṛṣṇa." Love of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gift.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.107 -- New York, July 13, 1976:

So the intelligent person, they will try to attempt for this, mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. "Let me become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa so that next life I go directly to Kṛṣṇaloka."

mām upetya kaunteya

duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam

nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ

saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

(BG 8.15)

That is the highest perfection of life.

So if we accept... If we little understand this philosophy, that "There is another life, which is eternal, blissful life of knowledge," if we simply become serious to go to that life, then the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only method. But if we want to live in this rotten life of material existence, then we can continue. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). Whatever you like, you can do. But if you have got little inclination, then there is process.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa says the last word, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.. (BG 18.66). He is talking on the position; He is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is asking, demanding, "You rascal, give up everything. Just surrender to Me. Then you'll be happy." This is the last instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same Kṛṣṇa but acting as devotee of Kṛṣṇa; therefore He is speaking the same thing. Kṛṣṇa said, "You surrender," and Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "Every living entity is the servant of Kṛṣṇa." That means he must surrender. Servant's business is to surrender, not to argue with the master or to claim that "I am equal with you." These are all fanatic, mad proposal.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- New York, July 20, 1976:

This rascaldom don't do. One thing you do. What is that? What is said by Kṛṣṇa, you say. That's all. What is the difficulty? What Kṛṣṇa has said, you say. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). These four things, that you just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa... How can I become devotee? Come to the temple, offer little obeisances, take prasādam. So what is the difficulty? If you say there is no difficulty... And if one comes, there is no difficulty. But they are so rascals, they will not come. We are giving so much facilities that "Come here, live in this nice building and hear about Kṛṣṇa. Take prasādam, chant and dance, very happy life." But they'll become hog. They are preparing their life for that purpose. They'll become a dog next life. They prefer like that.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

Anyone who wants this material prosperity, naturally they become the devotee of Śiva. So this is contradictory. "Śiva has no house even, not even a dwelling place, residence. He's a pauper. And worshiping him, one becomes richer. And Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is... Sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam: 'Always thousands of goddess of fortune is serving Him.' He's such opulent. And so Kṛṣṇa-bhaktas, devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they appear to be poorer. Why?" This question was... Just the opposite.

So the answer was given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī that "This very question was also put to Kṛṣṇa by your grandfather. So instead of answering myself, I'll put that very question and answer between your grandfather and Kṛṣṇa." So what is that? "Now, a similar question was put by your grandfather Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira to Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa answered like this." What is that? Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ: (SB 10.88.8) "If I do somebody some special favor, then My first duty is I become him crushed in all material possessions." You see? Why?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

Therefore he does not surrender. Now, Kṛṣṇa sees that "This man, this living entity, is very much devotee, but he wants something, this nonsense. So crush him so that when he'll feel helpless, he will come to Me. No more. So I'll give him all protection." So there is a policy of Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes He puts us into test, whether we are sincerely devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Because we are always after sense gratification, so if Kṛṣṇa is not a order-supplier, then one rejects Kṛṣṇa. We want God, or Kṛṣṇa, to be our order-supplier. So we must order Kṛṣṇa, "Give me this. Give me that. If You cannot give me, then what are You, Kṛṣṇa? I don't want You." This sort of bhakti, or devotional service, is not accepted by Kṛṣṇa.

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

How can I tell lie? I have never spoken lie in my life." So there was some argument. Of course this was, fight was, some compromise was made between them in the camp. So he became a mundane moralist. He did not consider that "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is asking me to tell lie." So he could not transgress his moral principles so he could not become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He (was) considered mundane moralism, so it was not possible for him to become a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. He could not take Kṛṣṇa's order as the Supreme. But Arjuna, in the beginning, he was hesitating to fight and kill his kinsmen, and when he understood that "Kṛṣṇa wants this fight," he decided, "Yes, I shall do." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So these are the principles. If we stick to the particular type of ritualism—because I confess a particular type of faith, and my faith describes this sort of ritualism, I must follow—then you stick to that, you cannot make any progress.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

They are called karmīs. "And above them," He says, "out of many thousands of karmīs, one person is jñānī or yogi. So out of many such jñānīs, one person may be a mukta, or liberated soul. And out of many thousands of liberated souls, there may be one devotee of Kṛṣṇa." That is the division Caitanya Mahāprabhu makes.

Therefore, to become a person Kṛṣṇa conscious, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, from the systematic way, it is very difficult. But by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa Himself, He has made the path very easy. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not very easy path. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

They are coming by disciplic succession. Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya—there are so many authorized ācāryas. The śāstra is there, the authoritative statement is there, and the activities are there. Then what reason you have got not to believe that Kṛṣṇa is not God? What reason you have got? Here is God. And those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, actually see their life, how they are advanced in God consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

I belong to Kṛṣṇa. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore whole energy should be for Kṛṣṇa," this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now I am applying all my energy to this material conception of life. When you apply your energy, your transcendental energy, to Kṛṣṇa, then you are liberated.

Therefore a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, they are not hankering after Kṛṣṇa..., mukti. They say, muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān: "Oh, the mukti lady is standing with folded hands, 'My dear sir, what can I do for you?' " And devotee doesn't care. "Oh, what can I (you) do for me? I don't want your help." There is a nice verse of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. He lived for seven hundred years in Vṛndāvana, and he was, became a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. In the beginning he was an impersonalist. His life is very nice. It is better to cite his life. He was a South Indian brāhmaṇa, a very rich man and very much sensuous. He kept one prostitute, prostitute.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

Because Kṛṣṇa is cent percent, He is 94%. Therefore it is said, kṛṣṇa-sama prāya. All these Viṣṇu-mūrti, They are kṛṣṇa-sama prāya, or almost like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa aṁśī. The difference is that Kṛṣṇa is the original teṅho aṁśa and this Viṣṇu is plenary expansion. This is the difference between Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa. How it is? Somebody may say, "Oh, Lord Caitanya is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and you are all devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you are saying that Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead." No. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, Kṛṣṇa Himself says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat asti kiñcid: (BG 7.7) "There is no more supreme than Me." "All right, He may say personally. He may advertise Himself." But there are many instances in the Vedic literature.

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

And last, this is his last composition of poetry. Bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha mate: "You fools, you mūḍha mate..." Muḍḥa mate means "you fools." He was addressing the whole world, "you fools." Bhaja govindam: "Just become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Just become Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Prāpte sannihite kāle maraṇe na hi na hi rakṣati ḍukṛñ-karaṇe: "You are philosophizing. You are talking on grammar and this way and that way." Because these people, they want to establish impersonalism from Bhagavad-gītā by strength of grammar. Such a nonsense they are. They want to understand God by..., through grammar. God is so cheap that He can be understood through grammar. Therefore especially he specified, prāpte sannihite kāle maraṇe: "When death will catch you, your grammar, ḍukṛñ, prata, this will not save you. You fools. You please become Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious." That was the instruction of Śaṅkarācārya.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.1-10 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

So pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇam. He is Kṛṣṇa, but He is present in this age with His five associates. Pañca-tattvātmakaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam. But although He is Kṛṣṇa, He presents Himself as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhakta-rūpa-svarūpakam. Bhaktāvatāram bhaktākhyam. And incarnation of devotee, Advaita, and bhaktākhyam. These five associates are always with Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. So to offer Kṛṣṇa Caitanya means to offer with His associates. Sa-ghoṣṭi. This is the process.

Now Kṛṣṇa's..., about the position of Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa, he has already described. The first proposition is sambandha. Sambandha means we have to understand our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Just like if we want to make some relationship with a friend, then we must know about him, what he is. So we are going to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, so we must know what is Kṛṣṇa.

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

They are called... Upaniṣad is Veda; it is śruti. That is the gist of Vedic knowledge. But Purāṇas, they are called smṛti. So this śruti smṛtir, according to Indian theistic scholarship, there are two kinds of literature: śruti smṛti. So there was another devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He has written another nice song. He says, śrutim apare smṛtim apare bhārata manye bhava-bhītāḥ. Well, people are taking shelter of the Vedic literature who have become afraid of this conditional life. What is the end of Vedic literature? Just to get oneself liberated from this material entanglement. So he says that "People, those who are afraid of this material life, material entanglement, let them worship śruti, Veda, or smṛti, or Mahābhārata. Let them be engaged in that way." Śrutim apare smṛtim itare bhāratam anye bhajantu bhava-bhītāḥ. "Then? What is that?" "Now, I am not going to do that." "What you are going to do?" Aham iha nandaṁ vande yasyālinde paraṁ brahma: "I shall worship Nanda Mahārāja." "Why?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.31-33 -- New York, January 16, 1967:

He became the charioteer and He delivered the lectures on Bhagavad..." These discussions, that is also presence of Kṛṣṇa. Then His pastimes. Just like His līlā in Vṛndāvana or with any other devotees. There are many līlās. Then Kṛṣṇa's associates, those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. If you speak about them, that is also a presence of Kṛṣṇa. If you talk about Nārada Muni, if you talk about Vyāsa Muni, if you talk of Lord Caitanya, if you talk Rūpa Gosvāmī—those who are, I mean to say, unalloyed devotees of Kṛṣṇa—if you discuss about them, then Kṛṣṇa is there. He is present by His name, He is present by His fame, He is present by His pastime, He is present by His associates. Anything in Kṛṣṇa connection, that makes Kṛṣṇa present in that spot. This is actual fact. One has to realize it, that's all.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 6 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1970:

He cannot discriminate. Na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. That neophyte devotee is almost material. Then next stage is to make friendship, to love God, and to make friendship with devotees, and to be merciful to the innocent and to reject the atheist. Four classes of men. You have to offer all your love for Kṛṣṇa and you have to make friendship with the devotees of Kṛṣṇa. And those who are innocent, just preach this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and try to attract them to Kṛṣṇa. And another class, atheists, don't go there. Don't try there. Hopeless. Not hopeless. For a person who is not very much elevated, for him it is hopeless.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 33 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

Advaita acyuta anādi ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam nava-yauvanam, vedeṣu durlabha. You cannot find out Kṛṣṇa by simply academic education. Adurlabha ātma-bhaktau. But He is available from His devotee. If you approach a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can deliver you Kṛṣṇa like anything: "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Take." Kṛṣṇa is so nice. He becomes a doll in the hands of devotee. He agrees. Just like before Mother Yaśodā He was trembling. Mother Yaśodā showed Him the cane.

So this is Kṛṣṇa's merciful pastime, that He becomes very easily available to the devotees. Otherwise it is very difficult to find out where is Kṛṣṇa, how is Kṛṣṇa. So our process is therefore to go through the devotees, not directly. Directly one cannot understand what Kṛṣṇa... Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.33). We worship Govinda, the original Personality of Godhead. That is our business.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

You go on studying all Vedic literature by your literary capacity or scholarship—durlabha. It is not possible. Vedeṣu durlabha. Therefore there are so many persons, they are trying to interpret Bhagavad-gītā by their so-called scholarship, but nobody cares for them. They cannot turn even one person, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. This is a challenge. In your Bombay there are so many persons, they are explaining Bhagavad-gītā for so many years, but they could not turn even a single person a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. This is our challenge. But this Bhagavad-gītā, now it is being explained as it is, and thousands and thousands of Europeans and Americans, whose forefathers or family never knew the name of Kṛṣṇa, they are becoming devotees. This is the secret of success. But these foolish people, they do not know. They think that by interpreting Bhagavad-gītā by their so-called rascaldom knowledge, they can reveal Bhagavad-gītā. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is not exposed to these foolish and rascals.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

Even if we find some discrepancies in the life of a devotee... Just like these European, Americans. They're devotees. They are pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. How? They have no other desire. They simply want to satisfy their spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are pure devotees. They have no other business. They have sacrificed everything. They are coming from rich family, rich nation, educated, everything. There is no scarcity in their country. Everything's complete. But still, for Kṛṣṇa they have forsaken everything. That is pure devotion.

Festival Lectures

Sri Gaura-Purnima Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.38 -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa taught everything for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, but still, we are so rascal we could not understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came again: "These rascals failed to understand Me, and now I shall teach how to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa by My personal behavior." That is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by His personal... Don't think that because He's playing the part... Just like somebody is giving massage to my body. So he's not giving properly. So immediately I take his hand and I began to give massage, "Do like this. Do like this." That does not mean I am masseur or I am servant of that person. Similarly, don't forget that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. You are worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and there is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Deity also.

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtāṁ, sambhavāmi yuge yuge (BG 4.8). The Lord appears with two purposes. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām: just to give protection and rescue the devotees, and to kill the demons, vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, five-years-old boy, his only fault was that he was Kṛṣṇa conscious. He was devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That was his only fault. And the father was so unkind to a child, even five years old. He could not excuse, "Oh, let this boy do whatever, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." No. The demons are so much against God consciousness that even at his home he would not allow his own child to become God conscious. This is demoniac civili... So you'll find many critics, many enemies, because you are making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So the demons are always against this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is the whole history. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. What was his fault? He was preaching God consciousness, that's all. This society is so cruel. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured in so many ways.

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Bombay, May 5, 1974:

So this is very instructive struggle between the atheist and the theist. This story of Prahlāda Mahārāja is eternally true. There is always a struggle between the atheist and the theist. If a person becomes God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, so he will find many enemies. Because the world is full of demons. What to speak of the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, even Kṛṣṇa, when He personally came, He had to kill so many demons. There was His maternal uncle, His mother's brother, very keenly related. Still, he wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa. As soon as any son was born to Devakī, immediately he killed, because he did not know who will be Kṛṣṇa. The prediction was that the eighth child of his sister will kill Kaṁsa. So he began to kill all the children. At last, Kṛṣṇa came. But he could not kill Kṛṣṇa. He was killed by Kṛṣṇa.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

Therefore He is begging little patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. There is no difficulty in understanding Kṛṣṇa and to accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But we'll not do that; that is our disease. Otherwise, it is not difficult at all. And as soon as we become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, we understand the whole situation. Our philosophy, Bhāgavata philosophy, is also communism because we consider Kṛṣṇa the supreme father, and all living entities, they are all sons of Kṛṣṇa.

So Kṛṣṇa says that He is the proprietor of all planets, sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Therefore whatever there is, either in the sky or in the water or in the land, they're all Kṛṣṇa's property. And because we are all sons of Kṛṣṇa, therefore every one of us has the right to use (the) father's property. But we should not encroach upon others. This is the formula of peace. Mā gṛdha kasya svidhanam, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to God. You are sons of God.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

Therefore, He is very much anxious to make us peaceful, happy. Just like the father wants to see his son is well situated and happy; similarly, Kṛṣṇa also wants to see every one of us happy and well-situated. Therefore He comes sometimes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). This is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's advent. So those who are servants of Kṛṣṇa, devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they should take the mission of Kṛṣṇa. They should take up the mission of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's version.

āmāra ajñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa

yare dekha, tare kaha, 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Just try to preach what Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the duty of every Indian. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- Hyderabad, August 19, 1976:

This is your qualification. If you simply deliver the message given by Kṛṣṇa you become guru. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You preach, you request everyone, "Sir, you surrender to Kṛṣṇa." You become guru. Very simple thing. Kṛṣṇa said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). You say that "You become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you offer obeisances. Here is a temple; here is Kṛṣṇa. Please come here. You offer your obeisances, and if you can you offer patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ (BG 9.26). You don't offer... But it is very simple thing. Anyone can secure a little flower, a little fruit, a little water. It is not at all difficult."

So this is the guru's qualification. Guru does not show any magic or produce some wonderful things then he becomes guru. So practically I have done this. People are giving me credit that I have done miracles, but my miracle is that I carried the message of Caitanya Mahāprabhu: yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128).

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 30, 1968:

Rāṇī means queen. They are always speaking, "Jaya Rādhe!" Rādhārāṇī. All the devotees in Vṛndāvana, they are worshiper of Rādhārāṇī. Hari-niṣkuta-vṛndā-vipineśe. Vṛṣabhānudadhi-nava-śaśi-lekhe. And She appeared as the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, and Her companion, Lalitā-sakhī and Viśākha-sakhī, and the devotees... So on behalf of the pure devotees of Kṛṣṇa, Rūpa Gosvāmī is praying, karuṇāṁ kuru mayi karuṇā-bharite. "Oh, my worshipable Rādhārāṇī, You are full of mercy. So I am begging of Your mercy because You are so merciful, very easily You offer, bestow Your mercy. So I am begging Your mercy." Karuṇāṁ kuru mayi karuṇā-bharite, sanaka-sanātana-varṇita-carite. Now somebody may say, "Oh, you are so great, learned scholar, you are so great saintly person, and you are begging mercy from an ordinary girl? How is that?" Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "Oh, this is not ordinary girl." Sanaka-sanātana-varṇita-carite.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 18.5 -- London, September 5, 1973:

"If Rādhārāṇī is pleased, if I can please Rādhārāṇī..." Rādhārāṇī is presented, the original pleasure potency, always absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa. So anyone who comes before Rādhārāṇī to serve Kṛṣṇa, oh, She becomes so pleased, "Oh, here is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." She immediately recommends, "Kṛṣṇa, oh, here is a devotee. He is better than Me." This is Rādhārāṇī. I may be a, not devotee. I may be most fallen rascal. But if I try to reach Kṛṣṇa through Rādhārāṇī, then my business is successful. Therefore we should worship Rādhārāṇī first. That is our business. Instead of offering directly one flower to Kṛṣṇa, you just put it in the hands of Rādhārāṇī: "My mother Rādhārāṇī, Jagan-mātā, if you kindly take this flower and offer it to Kṛṣṇa." "Oh," Rādhārāṇī says, "Oh, you have brought a flower?" Kṛṣṇa said, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26), but don't try to offer Kṛṣṇa directly. Just offer through Rādhārāṇī. It will be very much appreciated by Rādhārāṇī.

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

So "lowest of the mankind..." Now if somebody's not Kṛṣṇa conscious, and if we say that "You are lowest of the mankind," a very, very strong word used... A gentleman, suppose he's not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but if we say that "You are the lowest of the mankind," he'll be certainly very angry, that "I am such a nice gentleman, and you are talking of me as the lowest of the mankind." But actually the fact is this. Tāvac ca śobhate mūrkho yāvad kiñcit na hvāyate, sabhāyaṁ vastra-veṣṭhitaḥ.(?) There is a normal instruction that a so-called gentleman, nicely dressed in the assembly of human society, may appear to be very nice so long he does not speak. But he's, if he speaks nonsense, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately he becomes the lowest of the mankind. If he proves by his speaking that he has no knowledge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's simply well dressed, that's all... That we are finding all over the world.

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

So there are many things after this. So today Kṛṣṇa lifted this hill; therefore His name is Giridhārī. Giridhārī means who held the hill. Giri means the hill, and dhārī means one who holds up. So today is that, is the annual ceremony of today, this Govardhana-pūjā. So we follow that principle. Because we are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, we are trying to follow His instruction. So at noontime we shall perform that pūjā, and you are invited to take prasādam. I think prasādam will be ready by eleven o'clock, and you will kindly participate in taking prasādam.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

So in this way, gradually, I became attached to these Gauḍīya Matha activities, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, my business also was not going very well. (laughter) (laughs) Yes. Kṛṣṇa says yasyāham anughṛṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. If somebody wants to be actually devotee of Kṛṣṇa, at the same time, keeps his material attachment, then Kṛṣṇa's business is He takes away everything material, so that cent percent he becomes, I mean to say, dependent on Kṛṣṇa. So that actually happened to my life. I was obliged to come to this movement to take up this very seriously. And I was dreaming that "Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is calling me, 'Please come out with me!' " (pause) So I was sometimes horrified, "Oh, what is this? I have give up my family life?

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura knew this art, how to turn our activities for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Therefore I... "Wonder thy ways to turn our face, adore they feet, Your Divine Grace. Forgotten Kṛṣṇa, we fallen souls." Why we are fallen? Because we have forgotten. Our relationship with Kṛṣṇa is eternal. Unless it was eternal, how you Western peoples could be devotee of Kṛṣṇa? Artificially you cannot be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The relationship is there eternally. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. By the process it is now awakened. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. It is awakened. Love between young man and young woman, it is not artificial. It is there. But by certain circumstantially, environment, the love becomes manifest. Similarly, our love for Kṛṣṇa, relationship with Kṛṣṇa, is eternal. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). But we have to create such situation—that eternal relation should be awakened. That is the art. That is wanted.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, SB 6.3.24 -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

You are making plan, you are unhappy; I am also unhappy. I am also unhappy. (laughter) So many plans are coming daily, and I'll have to fulfill." But He's merciful. If a... Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs... (BG 4.11).

So except the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, everyone is simply giving Kṛṣṇa trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble. Therefore, they are called duṣkṛtina. Duṣkṛtina, most miscreant, the miscreants. Don't make any plan. Accept Kṛṣṇa's plan. That will be simply giving trouble to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, a devotee does not pray even for his maintenance. That is pure devotee. He doesn't give trouble to Kṛṣṇa even for his bare maintenance. If he has no maintenance, he'll suffer, fasting; still, he'll not ask Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, I am very hungry. Give me some food." Of course, Kṛṣṇa is alert for His devotee, but a devotee's principle is not to place any plan to Kṛṣṇa. Let Kṛṣṇa do. Simply we have to do according to the plan of Kṛṣṇa.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 8, 1977:

If we give instruction to the dog, "My dear dog, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa..." But a human being, either he may be known to Kṛṣṇa or not known to Kṛṣṇa, he can be trained up. Just like in your country, in Europe and America, they did not know even what Kṛṣṇa. But since we have started this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you have become so many devotees of Kṛṣṇa. That is possible because human being. They can be trained up. So in spite of all these facilities for the human being, if he's not trained up to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he is vimūḍha. He does not take the advantage. Na mām... This human form of life, he is classified as duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). He's described. He must be either of these categories. So things have degraded so low that India they're asking what is God. This is Kali-yuga. In India, where Kṛṣṇa comes personally, where Lord Rāmacandra comes, where Lord Buddha comes, where Caitanya Mahāprabhu comes, in that country now young men are asking, "What is God?"

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 8, 1977:

So we should not remain vimūḍha. We should become intelligent. And to make us intelligent, Kṛṣṇa comes, Kṛṣṇa's devotees come, some messenger comes. And Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is one of the messengers of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And not only he preached, but he trained up many disciples to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. So by his grace we are also endeavoring to do something. This is called paramparā system. So we should take advantage of this Vaiṣṇava mission. As Caitanya... Prahlāda Mahārāja said, they are very anxious. Vaiṣṇava means para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Kṛpaṁbudhir yas tam, ahaṁ prapadye (CC Madhya 6.254). Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Vaiṣṇava... Our Guru Mahārāja Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he is Vaiṣṇava, cent percent Vaiṣṇava.

Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

Yes, yes. Very nice. Your question is very nice. I'm very glad. Lord Caitanya, He was the greatest symbol of kṛṣṇa-bhakta, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So just see from His life. He never said that "I have seen Kṛṣṇa." He never said that "I have seen Kṛṣṇa." He was mad after Kṛṣṇa. "Where I can see Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa? Where is Kṛṣṇa?" He was mad after Kṛṣṇa. That is the, I mean to say, process of Caitanya philosophy. It is called viraha. Viraha means separation. Separation. "Kṛṣṇa, You are so good, You are so merciful, You are so nice. But I am so rascal, I am so full of sin, that I cannot see You. I have no qualification to see You." So in this way, if one feels the separation of Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, I want to see You, but I am so disqualified that I cannot see You."

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971:

In this way, Bhagavad-gītā, although widely read all over the world, in all countries, they are being mislead by improper commentary. So we are therefore trying to present Bhagavad-gītā or Kṛṣṇa as He is. And by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it is coming out successful. For thousands of years Bhagavad-gītā was being read in foreign countries by big, big scholars, philosophers, but there was not a single devotee of Kṛṣṇa. But we have started this movement, not even five years old, we have got sixty branches, and there are thousands and thousands of devotees. Why? The secret is that we have not cheated people, we have not adulterated. If you put something for sale in the market which is very pure, automatically you'll get many customers. Automatic. Because the thing is pure. If you sell pure milk, just from the farm, there will be many hundreds of customers immediately, and if you sell adulterated, homogenized water mixed milk, the milk will be sold, but not very many customers ordinarily. So anything pure will attract. That is natural. Pure love, pure foodstuff, anything pure. Pure gold. In economics also.

Arrival Address -- Paris, June 8, 1974:

"There is no God, I am God." Asuri bhāvam, asura. Asura means they defy God, "I am God. Who is God?" Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu and his son, Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlada Mahārāja is devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Hiraṇyakaśipu would not accept. "Who is God? I am God." This is atheistic attitude. So the atheist are divided into four classes. Number one is duṣkṛtina. Duṣkṛtina means they have got merit. Kṛti means meritorious. The modern men, they have got merit. Especially the Western people, they have got nice merit. Just like while passing through the city, we saw very nice buildings. So to construct such buildings, it requires merit, undoubtedly. But what for this building? Duṣkṛtina, only for committing sinful life. Therefore it is called du, duṣkalya. Meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling. Meritorious, they are undoubtedly for constructing this building, but what is the purpose?

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, July 8, 1974:

And continue this. You'll never be unhappy. And not only here but also, as Kṛṣṇa said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), if you simply practice these four principle—always think of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā, or become Kṛṣṇa's devotees and offer Kṛṣṇa obeisances and worship Kṛṣṇa—these four... We are teaching these four principle in the temple, how to worship Kṛṣṇa how to serve Kṛṣṇa, how to become Kṛṣṇa's devotee, and how to think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours. And if we do this, there is guarantee. Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva eṣyasi asaṁśaya: "Without any doubt, you will come to Me. You will go back to home, back to Godhead."

So do not be slackened. And it is not difficult. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). This devotional service is so nice. It is... To execute the devotional is also very pleasing. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam. And whatever you do, that is your permanent asset. It will never be lost. In the material world, suppose you have got some money.

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, March 20, 1975:

Prabhupāda: Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka—they are all devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they have established so many temples, and Gandhi says there was no such person. And how much poor study he had, and still, he is the leader. When?

Śruta-kīrti: London, just four days ago.

Prabhupāda: Four days ago. (break) So this time within two months from 26th February?

Devotee: Twenty-fourth January.

Prabhupāda: Twenty-fourth January to 15th March-less than two months—I had the opportunity to go round about the world. From Bombay I went to Hong Kong, then from Hong Kong to Tokyo, Japan; from Tokyo to Honolulu, Honolulu to Mexico City, then Venezuela. Caracas... Caracas?

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

Dr. Stillson Judah, he has written one book, perhaps you know, Hare Kṛṣṇa and Counterculture, a very nice book about our movement, and he is giving importance. He has admitted that "Swamijī, you have done wonderful thing because you have turned the drug-addicted hippies into devotees of Kṛṣṇa, and they are prepared for the service of humanity."

So this movement is so important. We are giving the best service to the humanity. They are plunged into ignorance. All, they are rascals, mūḍha. It is not our manufactured word. Kṛṣṇa says, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). So we have this test tube. If you see one has no information of Kṛṣṇa, then he is mūḍha. We haven't got to study more: whether he is Kṛṣṇa conscious, whether he has got any portion of his heart attracted, attached to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means attraction. So whether he has been attracted by Kṛṣṇa. That is our natural position—to become attracted by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive.

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

He has studied the movement very fairly. He is only surprised, "How these drug-addicted hippies have become devotee?" That is his surprise. He has mentioned that, that "We appreciate your movement, that you have turned so many drug-addicted hippies into devotee of Kṛṣṇa and in the service of humanity." That they are appreciating. And that is the fact. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ. If one is turned into devotee, then all the good qualities automatically become manifest. That is the verdict of Bhāgavata. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Anyone who is not a devotee, his material qualification has no value. Mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ. He is hovering over the mental plane. Therefore in your country, Western country, the so-called big, big philosophers, scientists, they could not do anything tangible, because they are hovering on the mental plane. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Manorathena. Mana means mind and ratha means car.

Initiation Lectures

Brahmana Initiation Lecture with Professor O'Connell -- Boston, May 6, 1968, (Glenville Ave. Temple):

Just like Bhagavad-gītā is called smṛti and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Mahā-purāṇa. So śruti, smṛti, purāṇādi (Brs. 1.2.101), and pāñcarātriki-vidhim, Nārada Pañcarātra. Without following the rules and regulation of these scriptures, if one poses himself as devotee of Kṛṣṇa, aikāntikī harer bhaktiḥ-harer means Lord, bhakti, devotional service—he is a disturbance to the society.

So the general rule is that if one is inquisitive... Just as we follow in our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness society we ask everyone to come. We don't make any imposition that with such and such qualification one can sit here or hear. No. All these students who are initiated, they know we don't impose anything. "You must be such and such, you must be such an such educated, you must be Hindu or you must be brāhmaṇa, or you must be white or black..." No such restriction. Anyone.

Initiation of Jayapataka Dasa -- Montreal, July 24, 1968:

Bhāgavata says ye 'nye ca pāpā, not these classes, even less than them, even they are born in the family of sinful tribe, they can be also purified. Śudhyanti, they can be also purified. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā śudhyanti. They can be purified by association of Vaiṣṇava. Yad-apa, yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ. Upāśraya means just like a person who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa and if anyone takes shelter of such devotee, he can be purified. This is called paramparā system.

So for this Bhāgavata-dharma, there is no restriction. Anywhere, any part of the world, they can accept this Bhāgavata-dharma. On that principle in Caitanya Mahāprabhu's life also He accepted many Muhammadans also as His disciples. Just like Ṭhākura Haridāsa, he was born in a Muhammadan family, and He took many Pathans as His disciples when He was coming back from Vṛndāvana. So in this system, disciplic system of Vedic process, there is no restriction.

Initiation of Rukmini Dasi -- Montreal, August 15, 1968:

They have invented this law that "Might is right." You struggle, and if you are powerful... Just like there is now struggle between Russia and America, or China and America. This is going on. So everyone is suffering. The struggle for existence means a condition of suffering. And these saintly persons, devotees of Kṛṣṇa, not only devotees of Kṛṣṇa, any devotee of God, they are, their business is to see how people become happy. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. Therefore, tribhuvane mānyau. The devotees are worshiped not only in this planet but in other planets also—wherever they will go.

There is a nice verse in Cāṇakya Paṇḍita... Vidvatvāṁ ca nṛpatyāṁ ca naiva tulyaṁ kadācana. He says that a rich man and a learned man cannot be compared. There is no comparison. Why? Because sva-deśe pūjyate rājan vidvān sarvatra pūjyate. A rich man may be honored in his own country but a learned man, a devotee of God, he will be honored wherever he goes. Sva-deśe pūjyate rājan vidvān sarvatra pūjyate.

Initiation of Rukmini Dasi -- Montreal, August 15, 1968:

So let us begin our today's business. (to initiate:) So you come forward. Yes. Take little water, one glass and spoon. This is too big. All right, take it. You know how to do it? Take little water, one, two, three, then four. Do it like that. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees chant japa) (Prabhupāda leads devotees in chanting oṁ apavitraḥ three times) Now again do that. Three times. Again chant. That door is closed? (break) The purport of this mantra is that if anyone is impure, apavitraḥ... Pavitraḥ means pure. Anyone, either he is pure or impure, it doesn't matter. Apavitraḥ pavitraḥ vā sarvāvasthām. In any condition of life, it doesn't matter. Pure or impure, there are two conditions. Someone is impure, someone is pure. So either way, namo apavitraḥ pavitro, sarvāvasthām, in any condition, yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam. Anyone who remembers puṇḍarīkākṣam, means Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa... Yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa, that person, bahyābhyantaraṁ śuciḥ, he immediately becomes clean inside and outside.

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

Prabhupāda: So there was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa who was king of the elephants. So you shall bring some elephants for us for preaching work. Come on. You have got printed ten kinds of offenses? They should be... To avoid the offenses.

Madhudviṣa: Right here.

Revatīnandana: Here it is, Prabhupāda. Should I read, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: "The ten offenses to avoid in chanting the mahā-mantra. The first is blaspheming the Lord's devotee." Just read them?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Initiations -- New York, July 23, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Bimalā, Bimalā. Bimalā means spotless, where there is no dirty things. You know the rules and regulations? Yes. If you follow the rules and regulation, then there will be no dirt. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees chant japa) Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Our, this process is simply to make the mind dirtyless. We are... Our mind is full of dirty things, so this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa means ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, cleansing the heart. And as soon as one is cleansed of the heart, that pure consciousness comes. Then he is liberated. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. All problems solved immediately. Due to misunderstanding of our position we have created so many dirty things. (doorbell rings) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Is there somebody?

Viṣṇujana: Door. (pause) Maṇḍaleśvara.

Initiations -- Sydney, April 2, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Pārtha. Come on. (devotee offers obeisances) So you know the rules and regulations? All right. Pārtha dāsa. Pārtha means Arjuna. Arjuna's mother's name was Pṛthā; therefore Arjuna is addressed sometimes as Pārtha. Pārtha means "son of Kuntī," in relationship with his mother's name. Kuntī was also great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So Pārtha dāsa, you are trying to become, follow the footsteps of Arjuna, how he was a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the meaning of Pārtha das. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on, next man.

Śyāmasundara: Śyāmānanda dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Hm. So you know the rules and regulations? You have heard already? And how many rounds you shall chant?

Śyāmānanda: Sixteen.

Initiation Lecture -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

Prabhupāda: ...impure. There is English word like that. So that we may not fall a victim of sinful activities, you shall go on always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa (devotees complete chanting), not that after committing sin, you'll utilize Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to counteract it. Don't do that. Then you'll give it up. Just to keep yourself aloof from sinful activities, you chant always Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, but don't utilize Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra to counteract your sinful activities. "So I am, I have got an instrument, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, let me do all nonsense and I shall chant in the evening Hare Kṛṣṇa and it will neutralized." Actually, they are doing. There are so many rascals, they are committing this offense, on the strength of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is the greatest offense. They will never make any progress in spiritual life if I utilize Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra for my material purpose. Go on.

Kīrtanānanda: "The eighth..." (break)

Excerpt from Sannyasa Initiation of Viraha Prakasa Swami -- Mayapur, February 5, 1976:

In Bhagavad-gītā, Sixth Chapter, first verse, it is also stated, anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca: (BG 6.1) 'One who works devotedly for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa is a sannyāsī.' The dress is not sannyāsa, but the attitude of service to Kṛṣṇa is. The word paramātmā niṣṭhā means being a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Parātmā-vigraha. Parātmā, the Supreme Person, is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Those who are completely dedicated to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa in service are actually sannyāsīs. As a matter of formality, the devotee accepts the sannyāsa dress as previous ācāryas did. He also accepts the three daṇḍas. Later, Viṣṇu Svāmī considered that accepting the dress of a tridaṇḍa was parātma-niṣṭhā. Therefore sincere devotees add another daṇḍa, the jīva daṇḍa, to the three existing daṇḍas. The Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī is known as tridaṇḍī-sannyāsī.

Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees chant japa) What are the rules and regulations?

Robert: No illicit sex life, no meat-eating, no gambling, and no intoxication.

Prabhupāda: Prabhu-pati dāsa.

Hari-śauri: Bhakta Lloyd?

Prabhupāda: Is he a doctor?

Hari-śauri: Bhakta.

Wedding Ceremonies

Paramananda & Satyabhama's Wedding -- Montreal, July 22, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now you garland this... You change the garland. Now you come to this side. You go to that side. Now you are legal husband and wife. Is that all right? Yes. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) (prayers, fire sacrifice) Now offer this plantain like this, slowly. Thank you.

Satyabhāmā: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees repeat last prayer of sacrifice after Prabhupāda, the mahā-mantra.)

Prabhupāda: Now bow down. (leads in recitation of praṇāma mantra) You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Initiation of Sri-Caitanya dasa and Wedding of Pradyumna and Arundhati -- Columbus, May 14, 1969:

It is very difficult to find out Kṛṣṇa within the Veda. But if you are fortunate enough to contact a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he can deliver you. And if one understands Kṛṣṇa, then he understands the whole Vedas.

So this merciful benediction was given by Lord Kṛṣṇa, er, by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32). He is Kṛṣṇa. Categorically, He is Kṛṣṇa, or chanting Kṛṣṇa. But by complexion He is akṛṣṇa. Tviṣākṛṣṇam. So He gave us this greatest benediction, that you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and you get all knowledge. The greatest impediment of acquiring knowledge is congestion of our heart with dirty things.

Initiation of Sri-Caitanya dasa and Wedding of Pradyumna and Arundhati -- Columbus, May 14, 1969:

I am speaking again to you the old philosophy, yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā, unto you, Arjuna." "Why You are speaking to me? I am not a Vedantist. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not even brāhmaṇa. Why You want to teach me?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." Therefore the first qualification of understanding the Vedas or Bhagavad-gītā is to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa; otherwise it is blocked. Just like if you take a bottle of honey and lick it on the bottle, you won't get the taste. It has to be opened, who has got the key. Then you get the taste of honey. So Bhagavad-gītā cannot be understood by academic scholarship. It is not possible, the same bottle-licking. But it has to be opened by the devotee, just like Arjuna opened it: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). He understood Kṛṣṇa. So we have to follow the opener of the bottle, honey bottle. Then you will taste what is Bhagavad-gītā.

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

In the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna, he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, a friend of Kṛṣṇa. Perhaps you know it. So in the beginning he did not like to fight. He denied. So any devotee of God or Kṛṣṇa is not fond of war or fighting with any others. But if there is necessity, if Kṛṣṇa wants that fight, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa will accept such fight. If you think that your Vietnam fighting is ordered by Kṛṣṇa, then it is all right. If it is not, then it is not. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If Kṛṣṇa says, if God says, "This is right," we accept it right. If God says it is wrong, we accept it wrong. Because we think, we have poor fund of knowledge. We do not know what is right and wrong. Therefore if God says or Kṛṣṇa says this is right, we accept it right. If God says or Kṛṣṇa says it is wrong, we accept it wrong. Yes?

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

Yes. One cannot be a spiritual guide unless he's not master of the senses. Therefore the spiritual guide is called svāmī or gosvāmī. Svāmī means who is master of the senses. He's not servant of the senses. Generally, people are servant of the senses. One who becomes master of the senses, he can become spiritual master. Otherwise not. All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees offer obeisances) You chant. Chant. Mādhavī-latā, you can chant. You. You and Mādhavī. Mādhavī. All right.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

His quality, His associates, His paraphernalia. Everything, they are absolute. Nāma guṇa rūpa līlā pari... And pastimes. Just like we are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, so this is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. When there is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, this Hare Kṛṣṇa, this vibration, is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Everything is absolute. Therefore pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. This is simultaneously one and different. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. This philosophy has to be understood, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person energetic, and everything, what we see, what we experience, they are all different energies of Kṛṣṇa. And the energy and the energetic cannot be separated. Therefore they are all on the absolute platform. Simply when it is covered by māyā or ignorance, it is different. That's all.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

To become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the greatest quality. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We have forgotten it. And when we come to understanding that "I am part and parcel of God," that is your greatest qualification. Simple thing. What is the greatest qualification of good citizen? American, when he thinks that "I am American citizen. I have to look after the interest of American state," that is his good qualification, or good citizenship. Similarly, when you transcend all these artificial designations, that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this or that..." "I am part and parcel of the Supreme," that is the greatest qualification.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

So we have no notice. So we should be more careful and cautious than Parīkṣit Mahārāja, who had seven days notice at least, that at least he was not going to die within seven days. So he was preparing. At that time he was asking all saintly persons there that "What is my duty? Now I am going to die. What is my duty?" So in that way... Because he was from the very beginning Kṛṣṇa conscious and devotee of Kṛṣṇa, so he also questioned, "Whether I shall simply remember Kṛṣṇa?"

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

Devotee: Prabhupāda, Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa from his birth. So is he actually in need of these talks by Śukadeva, or is this for the benefit of others?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You never think that you have become very stalwart, you do not need any spiritual master's instruction. Don't think that way. Then you are spoiled. You should always think that you are nothing. Even you are very much advanced. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "My spiritual master saw Me a great fool (CC Adi 7.71)." You see? So we should remain always a fool. We should never think that we have advanced. Then we can advance. Then we can advance. And as soon as we think, "Oh, I have advanced now. Nobody has to instruct me. Now I shall..." That's not good.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

That is material life. We are falsely puffed up. Don't you see? Every... Majority of the persons, they'll say, "Oh, what is God? What is God?" The scientists, as soon as you say... Any foundation you approach, "Sir, can you give us some money for spreading this Kṛṣṇa...?" "No. What is this?" You see? They have practically forgotten what is God. So anyway, we don't want many men. If there is one man to understand about this science of God, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is sufficient. He can deliver many men. You see. Chant always Hare Kṛṣṇa, remain humble, meek, pray to Kṛṣṇa, "Please save me," then it is very nice. You should always remain. (child crying) (break) (fire sacrifice?) Yes, everyone, take, those who are to be... Chant, always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees chant japa) That's all right. Now wash. Wash your hand. You should see how I've done it. Yes. You should be intelligent. That's all right. Once wash your hand.

Lecture -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

If we train... Just this child is dancing. This child is trying to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa with beads. Simply they are to be instructed. They must have the association. Then there will be a new growth of population, not like cats and dogs, but actually demigods, devatā. Demigods means devotees of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. And asura means nondevotee. So there is enough population of asura in this world. And the people are not happy because āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. This demonic civilization is killing the human race. So it is the responsibility of the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness to save so many ignorant, innocent people. They have got this human form of life to end all miserable condition of material existence. They are being misguided simply just like animals. It is not a good civilization. So this place is out of contact. It is Kṛṣṇa's desire that here no man of ordinary interest will come here. It is in a very nice location.

Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

Prabhupāda: This... Which place? This material world. What is that material world? Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām. In every step there is danger. Every step. But they are meant for the paraṁ padam. Paraṁ padam, the supreme post, or the supreme abode. That is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kalau doṣa-nidhe rājann asti eko mahān guṇaḥ. In this age of Kali it is a great ocean of faults. But still, there is one sublime gain. What is that? Now, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya (SB 12.3.51). Simply by kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ, he becomes liberated. And paraṁ vrajet, and he goes to the supreme kingdom. Simply. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam: "All glories to the śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana." So chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and go back to Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Haribol.

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees offer obeisances) (end)

Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:

So you give them five villages. They will be satisfied." And they replied, "Oh, what do You call five villages? I cannot spare even that land which can hold the tip of this needle." Then Kṛṣṇa says, "You must fight." So Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees, they are not after fight, but if there is absolute necessity of fight, then they can fight also. Because they are prepared to do anything. Just like in Rāmāyaṇa also, the same subject matter. Hanumān. Hanumān is a devotee of Lord Rāmacandra. So he fought with Rāvaṇa not for his personal self, but Rāma wanted, that "He has kidnapped the queen of Rāma. She must be delivered." And there was fighting. That is the principle. When one does not agree to the religious principle or to the moral principle or any instruction, he is adamant, then there must be fight.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

If after reading Bhagavad-gītā we do not realize what is Kṛṣṇa, what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what is our duty towards Kṛṣṇa, and what is the ultimate goal of life, then it is useless study. It has no meaning. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa prescribed it, how to read Bhagavad-gītā. Don't try to read Bhagavad-gītā made by some commentator who has no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. One who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he has no business to comment on the Bhagavad-gītā.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

The person who does not know what is Kṛṣṇa, if he tries to comment upon the transcendental knowledge imparted by Kṛṣṇa, that is simply impudent. So in this way, if we try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then we become liberated, we become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, we become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the objective of Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa therefore says, "Arjuna, I am trying to deliver this knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā unto you because you are My devotee." Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam (BG 4.3). "Without you, nobody can understand what is the mystery of this Bhagavad-gītā knowledge."

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

Out of many persons who have succeeded in such processes, one may understand Kṛṣṇa. That is difficult also. So without Kṛṣṇa's mercy... The conclusion is: without Kṛṣṇa's mercy, nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is futile to explain Kṛṣṇa, to comment on Bhagavad-gītā, without being a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is a fact. It is not that because one is very learned scholar or because one is very learned scientist or philosopher... Without any Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is not possible for him to understand Kṛṣṇa. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi (SB 10.14.29). Na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan. Others, they may go on speculating for thousands and thousands of years; still, they will not be able to understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

If you follow the footsteps of great personalities, great ācāryas, then that is the way. You don't manufacture your own way. Then you will be frustrated. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. So who can be greater mahājana than Kṛṣṇa? All mahājanas, they are great devotees of Kṛṣṇa; therefore they have become mahājanas. Just like Svayambhū, Lord Brahmā, Nārada Muni... Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Śambhu, Lord Śiva. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ kaumāraḥ, kapilo manuḥ. Kaumāra, the four Kumāras, Sanat Kumāra, Sunanda, these four Kumāras, and kumāraḥ kapila, Kapiladeva, the original propounder of Sāṅkhya philosophy, Kapiladeva; and Manu, you know, Manu-saṁhitā, the law-giver to the mankind, Svayambhuva Manu, Manu. And Prahlāda Mahārāja, whose instructions we were discussing in the morning. Prahlādo janaka-rāja bhīṣma, the grandfather of the Kurus. Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī; or Bali Mahārāja, a grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja, he is also an authority.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

The Lord Himself, Kṛṣṇa, He is always describing about Kṛṣṇa as devotee. He is teaching us how to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Just see how much merciful is Kṛṣṇa upon us. He is coming personally, instructing Bhagavad-gītā, and asking us, "Surrender unto Me. Give up all other business, all other so-called occupations. You surrender unto Me. I shall give you protection from all sinful reactions." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣa..., mā śucaḥ: (BG 18.66) "Don't be worried. I'll take charge of you." But still, we do not surrender unto Him. Still, we say, "Oh, this is too much. Kṛṣṇa is demanding too much from us. No, no. We have many other gods. We can surrender there, or we can do our own business." Therefore Kṛṣṇa again comes as devotee, Lord Caitanya. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

Prabhupāda: So gradually it will be realized that Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Don't take Kṛṣṇa as Indian or Hindu. Don't limit Kṛṣṇa's activities. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, Kṛṣṇa's activities are unlimited, Kṛṣṇa's devotees are unlimited, and Kṛṣṇa's field of activities, unlimited. So Kṛṣṇa says, yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat. (aside:) Why it is not working? Huh?

Devotee: The power is dead.

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

Although you are not Vedantist, you are not supposed to be a great scholar because you are a military man, you are gṛhastha, but still I have selected you because you are My dear friend and bhakta." Without being bhakta, who can become Kṛṣṇa's dear friend? "So therefore, I am speaking to you this confidential." Rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. It is very mysterious. The first thing is that without becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, bhakta, and dear friend... Kṛṣṇa, we can establish our relationship with Kṛṣṇa in so many ways. There are five rasas. They are called śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa, and mādhurya-rasa. Of course, in this material world also we find these five rasas in a perverted reflections. Originally, it is between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. So Arjuna was related with Kṛṣṇa in sakhya-rasa, as friend, a devotee as a friend. Anyone can become related with Kṛṣṇa. We have got our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa because we are all parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

"Sir, Kṛṣṇa is yours. You can deliver Kṛṣṇa." Dhai tava pāche pāche: "Therefore I am after you, because you can deliver Kṛṣṇa." And in the Brahma-saṁhitā also it is said, vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). If you want to achieve Kṛṣṇa by studying all the Vedas, it is very difficult, but if you approach a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can deliver you Kṛṣṇa: "Take it immediately." Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Therefore Vaiṣṇava is vāñchā-kalpataru. He can fulfill all the desires of our life because he can deliver Kṛṣṇa.

So in our paramparā system we are trying to create some Vaiṣṇavas in the world. There are many industrialists, many scientists, many philosophers, many politicians, diplomats, and leaders—so many things. They are trying also to solve the problems of the world in different ways, but they cannot do anything. It is impossible. They cannot do anything. They are themselves blind. They do not know actually what is the objective of life. So what they can give you? They can simply create problems.

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

So he was not a brāhmaṇa. But still, Kṛṣṇa said that "Still, I am instructing you this Bhagavad-gītā, rahasyam etad uttamam. The most confidential, secrecy, mystery of Bhagavad-gītā is difficult to understand, but I am instructing you." "Why? Why You have selected me?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." This is the only qualification to understand Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise, unless one is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot understand the confidential teachings of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

Do not think that those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, those who are fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, they are ignorant. No. Kṛṣṇa from within, He is giving intelligence. He gives intelligence to the devotees. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). He will give. Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. Simply you have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and everything will (be) supplied by Kṛṣṇa. Especially He says, teṣām evānukampārtham: "In order to show them special mercy." To whom? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam If you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, bhajatām, with love and faith, then Kṛṣṇa is within you—He will give you all intelligence. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. He gave the intelligence.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

God is from the very beginning God. Not that by some meditation, by mystic power, one becomes God. Kṛṣṇa was not that type of God. Kṛṣṇa was God from the very beginning of His appearance. Vīryasya.

Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya, yaśasaḥ, then reputation. His fame, reputation, is still going on. Apart from us... We are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. We may glorify Him. But apart from us, many millions of people are there in this world; still, they know how much reputed and famous is Kṛṣṇa by His Bhagavad-gītā. In all countries, all over the world. This Bhagavad-gītā is read by all philosophers, all scholars, all religionists. Still, those who are reading Bhagavad-gītā... There are many editions in your country. There are many editions. All of them are selling nicely. Our Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, the latest report is from the trades manager of Macmillan Company, who are our publisher. The report is that our Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is increasing in sale, others are decreasing.

University Lecture -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa, in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, instructed Arjuna the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The, in the Ninth Chapter it is said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. "Always think of Kṛṣṇa," man-manā. Bhava mad-bhakto: "Just to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." And māṁ namaskuru: "Offer obeisances unto Me." Kṛṣṇa instructed, mām eva ya prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Kṛṣṇa instructed that He's the Supreme Personality. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Kṛṣṇa instructed to surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching this instruction of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is the order of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 27, 1973:

That is called sādhu. So this question about Kṛṣṇa is sādhu because Kṛṣṇa is discussed among the sādhus, not amongst the yogis. And who is a sādhu? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30), he is sādhu. Bhajate mām ānanda-bhāk. Anyone who is purely devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he's sādhu, not anyone else. Sādhu means he's mahātmā. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty-ananya manaso (BG 9.13). He's mahātmā, who is unflinchingly, without any deviation, engaged in the service of the Lord. He's called mahātmā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtiṁ āśritāḥ. They are not under the influence of this material qualities, daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. They're under the influence of the spiritual energy. Therefore they're called daivīm. So what is the symptom that one is under the spiritual energy? Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, always engaged in the service of the Lord.

Lecture -- Jakarta, March 1, 1973:

Let me offer my obeisances." Simple thing. Man-manā bhava mad-bha..., the most confidential. The result? What will be the result? Result is mām evaiṣyasi satyam: "I take it, without any desire to cheat you, satyam, the truth that he'll come back, back to home, back to Godhead." Simply by executing these four principles—always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā, becoming devotee of Kṛṣṇa, following the devotional process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Viṣṇu means Kṛṣṇa. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Just hear about Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Vrndavana, March 14, 1974:

Therefore, to purify ourself we require certain process. That process is called varṇāśrama. Varṇāśrama. Varṇa means four divisions of the society: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And this varṇāśrama is created by Kṛṣṇa so that one day one may become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The whole project is, Vedic project is, Vedic civilization... Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Vedic civilization means that to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is Vedic civilization. Vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd cāham. So the Vedantist means to understand Kṛṣṇa. Veda means knowledge, and anta means the last. That Kṛṣṇa explains, Vedānta explains. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This is Vedānta. One who understands Kṛṣṇa, he is Vedāntist. Not the Pukkar(?). No. The so-called Vedāntists, they want to get out of Kṛṣṇa. They'll never accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. That is not Vedāntist. Real Vedāntist is here: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. Jñānavān means one who has actually knowledge. Jñānavān.

Public Lecture -- Konigstein, Germany, June 19, 1974:

So you are not loser. If you offer to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will eat and He will again get you the foodstuff for eating. That is His fullness. That is His fullness. So therefore you prepare very, very nice foodstuff and offer to Kṛṣṇa and take it. Then your desire for eating nice foodstuff will be automatically fulfilled. And at the same time become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Why don't you do this? Anyone can do, either in this temple or at home. But they will not worship Kṛṣṇa. They will worship a dog. Instead of God, keeping dog and taking all care. This is the mentality. Then next life he becomes a dog. Because he has got good faith and love for dog, therefore he becomes dog. And if you have got good faith and love for Kṛṣṇa, you become a body like Kṛṣṇa. Unless you have got the same type of body, how you can play with Kṛṣṇa, dance with Kṛṣṇa? Therefore when Kṛṣṇa says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti... (BG 4.9). If you become a perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then after giving up this body, you get a body like Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), and live eternally, blissful life of knowledge.

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

So he remained steady. So many demonic persons threatened him; he remained steady. His mother was instructed by the father to give poison in the food. So he remained steady. Then the father understood that "My son has got some mystic power." The mystic power was that he was a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that's all. A devotee never practices any mystic power. But a devotee, being protected by the supreme mystic, Kṛṣṇa, a devotee is never in danger in all circumstances. That is the instruction in this... So just to try... Try to remain a devotee always, and Kṛṣṇa will give you protection in all circumstance. There is no fear. Devotees, they remain devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa does everything. If something mystic or magic has to be shown, the devotee does not take any credit for that magic, because the magic is done by Kṛṣṇa for the sake of devotee. So he doesn't require to learn the art of magic to cheat the people. That is not.

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

What mystic power Prahlāda could attain? He was only five years old. So there was no opportunity of acquiring any mystic power. But he was being protected by the supreme mystic, Kṛṣṇa. That should be a devotee's point of view. Don't waste your time for acquiring so-called mystic power. Just devote yourself to remain a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and you become the supreme mystic. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

There are many yogis, mystics, but Kṛṣṇa confirms that "Of all the yogis, of all the mystics, a person who is always thinking of Me," śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā, "always thinking Me, Kṛṣṇa, within himself: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare...," so Kṛṣṇa said, "he is the best yogi."

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are being harassed by māyā, the material energy, and if we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa then we will be specially protected. Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.

So try to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching this philosophy. We have got so many books. Whoever comes here must read the books, devotee, the inmates of the temple, outsider, then you will understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Or you should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa only. Don't talk rubbish things, waste time. That is not good. A single moment is so valuable that you cannot purchase it by millions of dollars. Now today is 25th May, four o'clock gone. You cannot bring it back. Four o'clock, 25th May, 1975, if you want to get it back again by paying millions of dollars, it will not be possible. Therefore we should be very careful of our time. Time once wasted, you cannot get it back return. Better utilize this time.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

Mahāprabhu instructed this Bhagavad-gītā as a devotee. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is supposed to be incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He instructed as the order-giving master, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but still, people misunderstood. Therefore this time, five hundred years ago, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Kṛṣṇa Himself, appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa. That is described in the authentic śāstra:

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñair saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyair

yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

(SB 11.5.32)

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is practically Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. And Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. So Kṛṣṇa is very kind upon the conditioned soul. He is trying to elevate them to the real platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness again and again.

Lecture Excerpt -- Vrndavana, December 6, 1975:

If you follow it strictly—you also think of Kṛṣṇa yourself, and you teach others, "My dear sir, my only request is that you think of Kṛṣṇa"—nobody will kill you. Everyone will... If he doesn't follow, he will appreciate you: "Oh, these sannyāsīs are very nice. They are advising to think of Kṛṣṇa." Then you become guru. Simple thing. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. And anyone who thinks of Kṛṣṇa, gradually he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "You worship Me." Here is the temple, and anyone can worship Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is satisfied simply with a little flower and little water. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). It is not expensive. Anyone can bring little flower, little fruit, little tulasī leaf, and offer to Kṛṣṇa. Māṁ namaskuru. If you cannot do anything, simply offer your obeisances: "Kṛṣṇa, I am so poor, I cannot even secure a little fruit, flower, and water." That is not possible. Everyone can secure this patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam and offer to Kṛṣṇa and offer your obeisances.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975:

And this is becoming effective practically. You can see practically these Europeans and Americans, Australians, all over the world, they did not know four or five years ago, or say ten years ago, since I have begun this movement, they did not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Although Bhagavad-gītā was being presented by so many swamis and yogis, not a single man became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So our, this presentation, because it is pure, without any adulteration, it is acting very nicely. Even the Christian priests, they become surprised when they see that these boys, their boys—they were Christians or Jews—they becomes surprised that "These boys were never coming to the church. They were never interested in understanding what is God. Now, since this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there, how these boys have become so mad after God?" The only reason is that we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We preach that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975:

The āsakti, attachment, it has to be done according to the system, ādau śraddhā. First thing is śraddhā, little faith, that "Let us go to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and let us hear what they say." This is called śraddhā. Then, if you become interested, then sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Those who are actually devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa, you have to associate with them. And who is sādhu? Sādhu is described by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā:

api cet sudurācāro

bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ...

(BG 9.30)

He is sādhu who is... So the fact is, sādhu means unalloyed devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He is sādhu. Śuddha-bhakta.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975:

You become guru. It is not very difficult. How? Now, because you have to simply repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all. So Kṛṣṇa says everything in the Bhagavad-gītā. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). These four things if you accept—to think of Kṛṣṇa always, to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, to offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa and to worship Kṛṣṇa—these four things if you do, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and you can preach all over the world. It is not at all difficult. So if you become sincere, seriously Kṛṣṇa conscious, then there will be no difficulty because Kṛṣṇa says,

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ

bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam

buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam...

(BG 10.10)

If you constantly, twenty-four hours remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, man-manā, then—Kṛṣṇa is there within your heart—He will give you instruction, "Do like this." So Bhagavān is not far away from you. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna (BG 18.61). He is staying within the core of your heart.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

Means that "Anyone, even if he is born in the pāpa-yoni, the pāpa-yoni, kirāta, hūṇa, if he takes shelter of Me, then he also gets the supreme perfection." Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Now it is the duty of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa to expand this progressive march toward devotional service. Otherwise, how the pāpa-yoni will learn? This is para upakāra. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission,

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

That every Indian who has taken birth in India as a human being, he should first of all make his life successful by understanding Kṛṣṇa, and then he must preach outside to render service to others as welfare activities.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

If you have got some material desire, still you worship Kṛṣṇa. He'll fulfill; at the same time, you will be able to go back to home, back to Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, almighty, full with six opulences. So if you have got any material desire, that also Kṛṣṇa can fulfill, but you stick to Kṛṣṇa so that your āsakti will be increased. If you divert your attention to other demigods, then this āsakti will fail. Therefore for a devotee who sticks his faith in Kṛṣṇa, he has no chance for worshiping other demigods. So the Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, anya devāśraya nāi, tomāre kahinu bhāi, ei parama bhakti karaṇa. For a devotee of Kṛṣṇa there is no scope for worshiping other Deity, because that will not help him to increase his attachment for Kṛṣṇa. But if we want our āsakti, attachment, to increase for Kṛṣṇa, then absolute...

Lecture -- Nellore, January 4, 1976:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is the same because Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇa reminded that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, but the duṣkṛtina mūḍha narādhama, they could not understand it. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu came again as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa to teach how to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that—His mission is especially to the Indians, those who are born in India—that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This instruction was given in South India when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was traveling in South India. So many people... He was attractive, and... "Sir, take me with You. Sir, take me with You." He traveled in the villages, villages, very extensively. Especially He traveled in South India. So at that time this instruction was given to some South Indian brāhmaṇa: "My dear sir, better stay here. Don't come with Me. You try to preach My philosophy.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- London, July 25, 1976:

So by the grace of the Lord... In London there was no Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple. Now we have... (indistinct) ...and not that these temples are being worshiped by any Hindus or Indians, but all sorts of people. There is no distinction. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is this. Yei bhaje sei baḍa, abhakta hīna chāra (CC Antya 4.67). Anyone who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, yei bhaje, who is engaged in devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, yei bhaje se baḍa, he is big. Our calculation of big, small, not by the caste system. Yei bhaje: "Anyone who worships or who is engaged in devotional service of the Lord..." There is no particularly any person or any society or any caste or any nation is said. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yei bhaje se baḍa. Yei bhaje sei baḍa, abhakta hīna chāra. And one who is not a devotee, he is the lowest and abominable.

Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977:

So we shall be very careful. This Melā, there are so many so-called mahātmās. But the symptom of mahātmā is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhajanty ananya-manaso. That is the qualification. And to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, it is not at all difficulty. There is no difficulty. Anyone can become. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Even lowborn, they can also take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and what to speak of... Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). If actually qualified brāhmaṇas, they take shelter, what to speak of... Their progress is very quick. Punyā. Without puṇyā background, sukṛti, nobody can take birth in the family or society of brāhmaṇas.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

The orderly. The message from Caitanya Mahāprabhu as it is, I am delivering. That's all. And it is being effected because I am not adulterating in the kṛṣṇa-kathā. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja; (BG 18.66) I also say the same thing, that "You become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." So there is no doubt that I am really representing the interests of Kṛṣṇa because I am not adulterating. I am not misinterpreting the words of Kṛṣṇa. And it is being effective.

You can see that before me many Indians came in this Western world. They also preached about this Kṛṣṇa message or Bhagavad-gītā. Great scholars came. But you have to admit that before this, the Westerners never accepted this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because they could not deliver as it is. Now they are accepting. And there is immense potency. I have studied. There is immense potency of accepting. They are actually looking after this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the Western people.

Departure Talks

Departure Address -- Los Angeles, July 15, 1974:

Simply try to think of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is one item. It is not very difficult. And become His devotee. That you are practicing. Devotee means to hear about Kṛṣṇa, to chant the glories of Kṛṣṇa, to think of Kṛṣṇa, to offer fruits and flowers to Kṛṣṇa. In this way, this is called devotional service. So to think of Kṛṣṇa and to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa is not at all difficult task. Then... Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "Worship Me." So here is the chance for worshiping Kṛṣṇa. Ārā..., bhoga-ārātrika. Temple. Keep the temple very cleansed. Dress Kṛṣṇa daily. You also dress nicely, take your bath, be pure. So man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "And just offer obeisances to Me." Even the child can do. They are doing it. It is not at all difficult. But simply by executing these four principles, Kṛṣṇa says, gives assurance, mām evaiṣyasi: "You come to Me." So our program is how to go back to home, back to Godhead, and the program is very simple.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on David Hume:

Prabhupāda: Yes. We say also. If it is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa, then it is morality; otherwise the same morality may be immorality. Just like Yudhiṣṭhira was asked by Kṛṣṇa to speak lie—"Go to Droṇācārya and inform him that 'Your son is dead,' " because Droṇācārya had a benediction that unless he was shocked by the dead limbs of his son, he would not die. So he had to be shocked. But he would not believe anybody except King Yudhiṣṭhira because he was known as very honest and truthful. Therefore Kṛṣṇa employed this service that "You go." Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, he said, "Oh, how can I tell a lie?" So this is immorality. Kṛṣṇa is ordering, and he is saying that "How can I say lie?" This is immorality; he is disobeying the order of Kṛṣṇa. But Arjuna, he rejected all morality and immorality. He accepted Kṛṣṇa's order. That is morality. He was personally thinking that "If I kill my brothers, cousins, this, that," so many things, but because he was a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, when he understood "Kṛṣṇa wants it," he said, "Yes." This is morality. That is the fact.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: But it is not combined with virtue.

Prabhupāda: Why not virtue? If you get happiness, that is virtuous. That means he has no standard knowledge. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). If a man is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he has no good qualities. He may be a great philosopher, scientist, but he is a nonsense. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā, mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). By his mental speculation he is coming again and again on this material platform, that's all. He has no idea what is happiness, what is goal of life, the aim of life. He has no such idea. Vague. So therefore imperfect knowledge.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: That is brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). So anyone who has actually attained that position, what is the importance of Brahmā's body or Indra's body? He is not concerned with the body, just, therefore devotees are not interested to be elevated to the higher planetary system in the heaven. They are not interested. They are interested going back to home, back to Godhead. So devotee's position is different. Just like we can see practically our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have got so many members. We are not perfect, but still it is not our ambition how to become a Rockefeller or big rich man. This is not our ambition. Is it our ambition, like that? We don't care for this Rockefeller or big, big man. We want how to become a perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You can see practically. Our endeavors, activities, are not like the karmīs'. The karmīs are trying "How many motorcars I will possess. How many buildings I shall possess." We do not mind, but we are constructing temples.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Hayagrīva: Only a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because he abides by the order of the Supreme Good, that's all. If Gandhi could not become a good man, so that as he was killed by enemy, so how the man can be good man? There is no good man, unless he is a devotee of the Supreme Lord, all good. It is physically impossible to become good man, even if he has got the desire. That is not possible. This is our mental concoction. This is good man or bad man. Anyone who is not God conscious, he is bad man, and anyone who is God conscious he is good man. This should be the question.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: But that is lacking in the present society, because these rascals, they are proud of their nationals but they are denying this same national life to the animals. They are being sent to the slaughterhouse. Therefore they are rascals. Why the animals should be denied their national right? They are born in the same country. They have a right to live at the cost of God. Why we are interfering with their independence, given right? Therefore they are rascals. Their so-called social, moral, philosophical, political, they are all rascaldom. Therefore our decision is, harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā: (SB 5.18.12) anyone who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he has no good qualities. In the other direction, we will find so many defects with his so-called moral and social position.

Śyāmasundara: He says that God... He defines God as the active relation between the ideal and the actual.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: The, his, he understood Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, while they were talking on the Vedānta philosophy, that Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the same Kṛṣṇa; now He has come to teach the human society bhakti-yoga, which is vairāgya-vidyā. Devotional life means renounced life. Vairāgya-vidyā, vairāgya means renunciation. Anyone who has no more interest in materialistic way of life, that is bhakti-yoga. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti... So here is the person, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, in the form of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is none but the same original Kṛṣṇa. He has come to teach us the same philosophy as He did while teaching Arjuna Bhagavad-gītā, but this time He has come as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, another authority, Rūpa Gosvāmī, understood Him, that "Here is Kṛṣṇa, and He is the most munificent incarnation, because Kṛṣṇa, in order to give Himself to the devotee, demanded full surrender. And here Caitanya Mahāprabhu, without any demand, He is not only giving Kṛṣṇa but the love of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya." So Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, is affectionate towards us because we are all sons. We are rotting in this material way of life. So He comes Himself, as He is. He comes as a devotee. He leaves His instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. Again He advises His devotees to preach the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā. So He is always anxious to enlighten the human being how to go back to home, back to Godhead.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: Why one should become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa? When he understands perfectly that "Here is the ultimate source." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate.

So when you have got this knowledge, that this knowledge, jñāna, that how this knowledge comes? By researching for many, many life. Then, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), in this way researching, researching, researching, after many, many births, when he actually becomes in full awareness that "Here is the source," then He says, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "Oh, here is..., Vasudeva is everything." Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. Then he begins his bhajana. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso (BG 9.13). That is life. Simply speculation, coming to know definite knowledge, "perhaps," "maybe," and this and that—what is the value of this knowledge? That is childish. That is childish. He is, he is saying others, for giving him God, that is childish, but he is himself a child.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is our opinion. Beauty, knowledge, strength and opulence—everything—they are transcendental. Here, in this material world, it is perverted reflection. Just like the example is the mirage. A fool, animal, is thinking there is water in the desert, and he is running after it, and after sometimes he dies of thirst because there is not. But a sane man knows there is no water; it is simply a reflection by the sunshine, and this foolish animal is running after it. So he does not..., a sane man does not go for this false water. But another thing is that because there is no water in the desert, it does not mean there is no water. Water is there, but not there. Similarly happiness, beauty, opulence—everything is there. That is in the spiritual world. Here it is only a perverted reflection. So generally people have no information of the spiritual world; therefore they imagine something God, something spiritual world. They do not take that "This is imagination, this material world." When Kṛṣṇa says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9), they are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but this simple thing they can not understand, that a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, after giving up this body—the body has to be given up—then what happens?

Purports to Songs

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. So he is advising his mind, "My dear mind, please you engage yourself in worshiping the fearless lotus feet of the son of Nanda." Bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana. Nanda-nandana means a son of Nanda Mahārāja, Kṛṣṇa.

Purport to Gaurangera Duti Pada -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

Therefore one who takes a dip into this ocean, gaura-prema-rasārṇave, sei taraṅga yebā ḍube. Just like we take a dip and bath, and we play, sport, in the waves of the ocean or sea. Similarly, one who takes pleasure, taking a dip and sporting with the waves of the ocean of Lord Caitanya's distribution of love of God, such a person becomes immediately a confidential devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Sei rādhā-mādhava-antaraṅga. Antaraṅga means not ordinary devotee. They are confidential devotee. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, gṛhe vā vanete thāke. "Such devotee, who is taking pleasure in the waves of Lord Caitanya's movement," because he has become a very confidential devotee of the Lord...

Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, "Such devotee, it doesn't matter whether he's in the renounced order of life or whether he is a householder." Gṛha. Gṛha means householder. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement does not say that one has to become a renounced order, sannyāsī.

Purport to Gaura Pahu -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1969:

Kṛṣṇa means... When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa" means Kṛṣṇa with His devotees. Kṛṣṇa is never alone. Kṛṣṇa is with Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī is with the gopīs. And Kṛṣṇa is with the cowherd boys. We are not impersonalists. We do not see Kṛṣṇa alone. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa means with Kṛṣṇa's devotees. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to keep association with the devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Viṣaya viṣama viṣa satata khāinu. And he says that "I have drunk always the most dangerous poison of sense gratification." Viṣaya viṣama viṣa. Viṣaya means sense gratification. Eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. These are called... These four principles are called viṣaya. And viṣama means dangerously. And viṣa means poison. If one is simply engaged with these four principles of life, just like animals. Then it is to be supposed that he's simply drinking poison. That's all. Viṣaya viṣama satata khāinu. "I know this (is) poison, but I am so much intoxicated that I am drinking this poison every moment."

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Atlanta, February 28, 1975:

So these two prabhus, Nityānanda Prabhu and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, are very merciful, parama koruṇa. Parama koruṇa means extremely merciful. Extremely merciful because Kṛṣṇa is also merciful, but because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original feature... Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa, but He is acting as devotee. He is not acting as Kṛṣṇa. He is acting as devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-preme-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne (gaura-tviṣe namaḥ)

He is Kṛṣṇa, but at present He has assumed the name of Kṛṣṇa-caitanya. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya also appreciated Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He made one hundred verses about Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu, just to teach us, He destroyed the ślokas, "Oh, it is too much praising Me." So anyway, some of the ślokas were saved. Two of them are mentioned in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Page Title:	Devotees of Krsna (Lectures, Other)
Compiler:	Mayapur, RupaManjari
Created:	04 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=159, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:	159