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Empiric (Lec, Conv & Letters)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

Devotee: "Therefore the Māyāvādī explanation of the Gītā is a most misleading presentation of the whole truth. Lord Caitanya has forbidden us to read commentaries made by the Māyāvādīs and warns that one who takes to understanding of the Māyāvādī philosophy loses all power to understand the real mystery of the Gītā. If individuality refers to the empirical universe, then there is no need for teachings of the Lord. The plurality of the individual souls and of the Lord is an eternal fact, and it is confirmed by the Vedas as above mentioned."

Prabhupāda: So you read very carefully Bhagavad-gītā. You have to meet so many opposing elements; so you have to argue and convince them. Hm. (saṅkīrtana party enters and offers obeisances) So, what is your report?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yesterday we sold 125 magazines and collected twenty dollars. Today, so far, Junior Dave(?), he has sold... How many have you sold today?

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

Prabhupāda: Jñānī. Yes. Jñānī, not yogi.

Woman: Jñānī.

Prabhupāda: Jñānī. Jñānī means philosophers, empiric philosophers. Empiric philosophers. Brahma, Brahmavādīs, those who want to merge into the existence of Brahman. They are called jñānīs. And those who meditate on God within himself, they are called yogis. This is general definition. And those, those who worship the Supreme as Personality of Godhead, they are devotees.

Woman: Yes. The name? The name? You say jñānī...?

Prabhupāda: Jñānī, yogi and bhakta.

Woman: Bhakta.

Prabhupāda: Bhakta.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Three: "The blessed Lord said, 'O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who realize the self. The contemplative are inclined to understand it by empirical philosophical speculations, and the active are inclined to know it by devotional service (BG 3.3).' "

Purport: "In the Second Chapter, verse thirty-nine, the Lord has explained two kinds of procedure, namely sāṅkhya-yoga and karma-yoga, or buddhi-yoga."

Prabhupāda: Sāṅkhya, sāṅkhya-yoga. Sāṅkhya means analyzing the material elements and dovetail it with the Supreme. This is called sāṅkhya-yoga. Samyak khyāpayate, or things are very explicitly explained for understanding of the common man. That is called sāṅkhya-yoga, or jñāna-yoga. And another is karma-yoga, or buddhi-yoga.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "According to the empirical philosophers, simply by adopting sannyāsa or retiring from fruitive activities, one at once becomes as good as Nārāyaṇa, God. But Lord Kṛṣṇa does not approve this principle. Without purification of heart, sannyāsa is simply a disturbance to the social order. On the other hand, if somebody takes to the transcendental service of the Lord, even without discharging his prescribed duties, whatever he may be able to advance in the cause is accepted by the Lord. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt."

Prabhupāda: Hm. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Svalpam means very little, api—although, asya—of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dharmasya—occupation, trāyate—delivers, mahato—great, bhayāt—fearfulness. Yes.

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

So if you study Vedic literature very nicely and if you try to understand, then your life will be sublime. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give you all the authoritative information from Vedic literature. They are not manufacturing anything. They are not empiric philosophers presenting something, mental concoction. No. Therefore this Bhagavad-gītā, we have presented: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

This is our business, just like a post peon's business is to deliver the envelope as it is. And if there is good news, it is for you. If it is bad news, it is for you. But the peon's business is to deliver as it is. Similarly, our business is to present Kṛṣṇa's message as it is. Then you become spiritual master. Spiritual master does not become grown just like tree. No. It is carrying the message from higher authorities as it is stated. "I told this message," Kṛṣṇa says, "to Vivasvān, the sun-god. He told to his son Manu. Manu told to his son Ikṣvāku. In this way this is coming down. Now it is broken.

Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the Lord has many, many forms and incarnations. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Although there are many transcendental forms of the Lord, they are still one and the same Supreme Personality of Godhead. One has to understand this fact with conviction although it is incomprehensible to mundane scholars and empiric philosophers. As stated in the Vedas: eko devo nitya-līlānurakto bhakta-vyāpī hṛdy antarātmā: 'The one Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternally engaged in many many transcendental forms in relationships with His unalloyed devotees.' This Vedic version is confirmed in this verse of the Bhagavad-gītā personally by the Lord. Anyone who accepts this truth on the strength of the authority of the Vedas and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and who does not waste time in philosophical speculation obtains the highest perfectional stage of liberation."

Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

There is no alternative means, because anyone who does not understand Lord Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is surely in the mode of ignorance. Consequently he will not attain salvation simply, so to speak, by licking the outer surface of the bottle of honey or by interpreting the text of the Bhagavad-gītā according to his own mundane scholarship. Such empiric philosophers may assume very important roles in the material world, but they are not necessarily eligible for liberation. Such puffed up mundane scholars have to wait for the causeless mercy of the devotee of the Lord. One should, therefore, accept the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness with faith and knowledge, and in this way one can attain the perfection of life."

Ten: "Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified, and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me."

Lecture on BG 6.11-21 -- New York, September 7, 1966:

The material life is just like fire. It has been compared with the forest fire. As the forest fire automatically takes place, nobody goes to set fire, similarly, in this material world, even if you try to live very peacefully and without quarreling with any other man, the place is such nuisance that you'll not be able to live in peace anywhere, anywhere within this universe. That is the process.

But one who is transcendentally situated, either by the yogic process or by the process of empiric knowledge or by bhakti-yoga, either of these processes... There may be a little difference of the ultimate end, but all these three processes, they are meant for transcendental life. So any process, if you make it perfect, then really you get peace. Peace. The only difference is that this yogic process as described in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is not possible to be executed in this age. Therefore the next alternative is this hari-kīrtana, as Lord Caitanya recommends and devises.

Lecture on BG 6.11-21 -- New York, September 7, 1966:

One who does not know that real happiness can be experienced by our transcendental senses, not with these material senses... Senses are not to be sacrificed. Desires are not to be sacrificed, but there are desires in the spiritual field, there are sense satisfaction in the spiritual field. That is a different thing. So here it is said, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat (BG 6.21). What is really happiness, tad buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam, that is transcendental to this experience, empirical sense gratification. Vetti yatra na caivāyaṁ sthitaś calati tattvataḥ. One who does not know this, then certainly he will be agitated in the mind and fall down. So one should know that the happiness which we are trying to derive from the material senses, that is not happiness. I have, several times I recited one nice verse, the description of Rāma.

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Devotee: "A yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances, be a yogi."

Prabhupāda: Yogi, that is the highest perfectional material condition of life. There are different grades of life within this material world, but if one establishes himself in the yoga principle, especially in this bhakti-yoga principle, that means he's living in the most perfectional stage of life. So Kṛṣṇa is recommending Arjuna, "My dear friend Arjuna, in all circumstances, you be a yogi, remain a yogi." Yes, go on.

Devotee: "And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

So everyone knows it. So tendency is there. That is also richness. So that richness I have already explained. Here in the material world the same thing is represented pervertedly, not in actual position. Therefore we are frustrated.

So there are two kinds of philosophers. The mental speculators, empiric philosophers, they therefore reject that this should be zero. Here the association of woman is so abominable that it should be rejected. But they have no information that this association of woman and man is so, I mean to say, opulent in the spiritual world. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa is associating with the gopīs? Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī. Gosvāmīs, the six Gosvāmīs, about their life, they are described by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī were ministers in the government of Nawab Hussein Shah, most opulent. So naturally the minister must have association with big, big zamindars, lords, aristocratic family.

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Attainment of scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead means seeing one's own self simultaneously. As far as the identity of the living being as spirit self is concerned, there are a number of speculations and misgivings. The materialist does not believe in the existence of the spirit self, and empiric philosophers believe in the impersonal feature of the..."

Prabhupāda: This is doubt, whether there is soul or not. Chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. There are so many doubts for the material scientists. Somebody says, "There must be something." Somebody says, "No, there is no soul. It is the combination of matter. The life symptoms come out." There are so many theories. So actually, when becomes enlightened by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his all doubts are moved.

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

Pradyumna: "...and empiric philosophers believe in the impersonal feature of the whole spirit without individuality of the living beings. But the transcendentalists affirm that the soul and the Supersoul are two different identities qualitatively one..."

Prabhupāda: This is also another doubt. Because the impersonalists, they think, ghaṭākāśa-poṭākāśa. Just like the sky. The sky is within the pot, and the sky is outside the pot. So when the pot is broken, the inside sky becomes one with the outside sky. That is their theory. So these doubts are also dissipated when one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That this poṭākāśa means the sky within the pot, no, ghaṭākāśa, the sky within the pot, it cannot be made analogy with the sky in the pot and outside. Because they are individual souls. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that they are part and parcel of God sanātana, eternally, not that they have been cut off. Just like the sky within the pot is walled by the wall of the pot, but actually we are not walled.

Lecture on SB 2.1.11 -- Los Angeles, August 1, 1970:

And yoginām. Another class-mystic yogis. So generally, these four classes men are there. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that for all of them, either he is karmī or he is jñānī or he is yogi or he is bhakta. Karmī means fruitive worker, and jñānīs means empiric philosophers, and yogis, mystic, I mean to say, yogis, and bhaktas, and the devotees. Generally, these four classes of men.

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī gives his judgement. Nṛpa, "My dear king, for all these classes of men," nirṇītam, "it is already decided." This is Vedic conclusion. You haven't got to search out. You have to take information from the authority. So here Śukadeva Gosvāmī is authority, that "For all these classes of men this is decided conclusively." What is that? Harer nāmānukīrtanam. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Either you are jñānī, either you are yogi, either you are karmī, you desiring something or not desiring something, but you have got your objective, perfection of life.

Lecture on SB 2.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, May 29, 1972:

Word meaning? (synonyms read) Jñānaṁ yadā pratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram. Knowledge, progressive knowledge, so, when it comes to the real standard, yadā, jñānaṁ yadā, when the knowledge or speculative empiric knowledge, pratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram, no more affected by the waves of these modes of nature ... Our present conditioned stage is due to our being carried away by the waves of material nature. We are being carried away. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has translated in his song, keno māyār bośe, jāccho bhese', Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. "Why you are being carried away by the waves of māyā, and sometimes drowned and sometimes on the surface? Why you are taking so much trouble?" Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. As soon as you take it... It is a fact, but you are misled. It is a fact that you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, but artificially you are thinking that you are master. You are master, you are God, you are enjoyer, you are this, you are that.

Lecture on SB 3.26.35-36 -- Bombay, January 12, 1975:

Therefore Bhāgavata says, "That is first-class religion system." It doesn't matter you call it Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Buddha. "That is first-class religion which helps you progressing in realization of the Adhokṣaja." Adhokṣaja, another name of Kṛṣṇa. Adhokṣaja means the subject matter which you cannot understand simply by mental speculation or by empiric knowledge, by exercising and empiric knowledge. That is called Adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛtaṁ akṣa-jaṁ indriya-jñānaṁ yena.

So adhok... We have to approach that Adhokṣaja. There are different stages of knowledge: pratyakṣa, parokṣa, aparokṣa, adhokṣaja, aprākṛta. So we have to approach the aprākṛta, transcendental, above the material nature. Adhokṣaja is almost nearer than the lower grade of knowledge, pratyakṣa, parokṣāparokṣa. They are in the kaniṣṭha-adhikāra.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Lokanatha dasa -- New Vrindaban, May 21, 1969:

"I am God. I am God. I am God." But you are not God. You are God qualitatively, not quantitatively. Why don't you understand this?

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jñāne prayāsam. Jñānīs, the empiric philosophers, they simply speculate and try to prove that "I am God." That means āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. The atheist says that "There is no God," and here the Māyāvādī philosophy says, "Yes, there is God, but God I am." That's all. It is the same philosophy, atheism. He is also denying that "There is no separate God. I am God." That atheistic philosophy, like Buddha philosophy, "There is no God..." But Buddha himself is God. That is... Another Bhāgavata interpretation is that he is cheating the atheist person. The atheists, they say, "There is no God," and Lord Buddha said, "Yes, there is no God, but you follow me." But He is God. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. So Bhāgavata therefore says, sammohāya sura-dviṣām (SB 1.3.24). It is something like that.

General Lectures

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

Guru-gaurāṅga: The value of this movement is that if we can prove on a small level, on a model level, that it works, then any scientific man... This is the empirical method. If it works on a small level, it shall work on a large level.

Guest (5) (Indian man): Yeah, like what?

Guru-gaurāṅga: Well, for example, Isaac Newton discovered gravity. That discovery was a universal discovery. It was an axiom. If it works here, it will work anywhere.

Guest (5): No. That I understand. But I mean in regard to your own work, can you give an example of something having worked that..., whatever you mean by work?

Guru-gaurāṅga: Yes. Cultivating the land, for example. We have communities. New Vrindaban, in West Virginia; California. We are establishing in France. We can absorb as many people as wish to come, and we can feed them all, and we still have surplus in foodstuffs.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In Virginia, it has proved very successful. We are getting eighty pounds of milk daily. And from that milk.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: Well, his point is that these contradictions-saying that "There is a God," "There is no God"—these contradictions only arise because the reason attempts to apply its categories to the transcendent of the absolute, whereas these categories are only applicable to empirical experience. In other words, by reason alone I cannot...

Prabhupāda: This is by reason only. I see everything is growing; therefore the whole cosmic manifestation must have grown from a source. This is reason.

Śyāmasundara: This is transcendental reason.

Prabhupāda: No. Common reason. Every matter is growing from a certain source, so therefore this material world must have grown from a certain source.

Śyāmasundara: How could some people look at the seed of a tree and come to a different conclusion?

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: He says that by trying to apply their reason to the transcendental, that they naturally will run into trouble, that there will be contradictions in their thought. By trying to apply these empirical categories to the transcendental, naturally there will be these contradictions. They will not be able to discover the real nature of things because there is always some contradiction by using the reason.

Prabhupāda: Without fixed up conclusion, there is contradiction. Our fixed-up conclusion is that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. How, one after another, the categories are developed, that is in the Vedic literature. But it is summarized that Kṛṣṇa desired or He put His glance over the material nature and the material nature became impregnated, and then He delivered so many things. Matter and spirit have combined together, and the whole cosmic manifestation has come into being.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: In the ground? That means that in the ground is the only evidence? There is no other evidence?

Karandhara: Scientists think that the only way to maintain integrity is not to accept anything until they can see it or understand it with their own senses and mind, by material evidence. That is their whole platform of empiric research, that nothing can be accepted until it's proven by their own sensuous experience.

Prabhupāda: But they cannot prove that there was no human being wherefrom they are starting their study. They cannot prove.

Śyāmasundara: It appears from the evidence that there are apelike men in certain layers of...

Prabhupāda: The apelike man or manlike ape is already existing. If you say development, just like from this, it has developed this, then there should be no existence of this. Kārya-kāraṇam. That's all. Now when I see still both are existing.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: That missing link, let them learn from us. We can give him the missing link.

Karandhara: But ultimately they'll say it'll come down to we propose that Kṛṣṇa is the creator or that God is the creator, then they'll say "That must be proved to me." In other words, they want to fit God within their own empiric gaze. That will be their only satisfaction when they actually become able to circumvent God's existence and create a power by their own intelligence.

Prabhupāda: He has to admit that the theory of uncertainty is bogus, but everything is there, and that masking behind all these things there must be big brain. That one has to accept. Simply uncertainty, that is not a science. The certainty is that behind all these things there is a big brain. I do not know Him—that is a different thing—but there is a big brain.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually, our so-called modern scientific stories, knowledge is so empiric it's now (indistinct) on complete proof. It is always stands to have objectionable work, sides; so it is not perfect at all. Just like from Śrīla Prabhupāda's book on the Easy Journey to Other Planets, Śrīla Prabhupāda mentioned the discovery of the anti-proton, by the scientists who got the Nobel Prizes in 1959, and Prabhupāda gives all information from Bhagavad-gītā, anything, is already there; Prabhupāda has said it. They say anti-proton... They just discovered the anti-proton, but they still think it is some matter, that is not..., they say anti-proton but still they think that it is connected with matter. But Prabhupāda said it is not matter, it is spirit. Differentiation between matter and anti-matter. Matter is material thing; anti-matter is spirit or (indistinct). So Prabhupāda comments so nicely about the so-called modern scientists to do further research on this concept of anti-matter. Perhaps they will come to an understanding about the spirit, they come to a point. Our knowledge is what you call a modern scientific findings or evidences always subject to changes also...

Prabhupāda: This must be changing because the instruments by which we acquire knowledge, they are imperfect. So by our so-called research and sensuous acceptance of knowledge, that is never perfect. It cannot be perfect.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: They accept blind men leading them.

Karandhara: They say the empiric mind just, you cannot accept revelation, that revelation isn't experimental to our limited knowledge, or to our knowledge. The hard-core scientist doesn't want to listen to revelation or what he considers theoretical spiritual knowledge, because he can't examine it or experiment with it himself; therefore he considers it a waste of time. If he can't see it or understand it with his mind, he doesn't think that it has any bearing or importance.

Prabhupāda: So scientific brain means ultimately becoming a fool. He'll talk all nonsense. Once he is recognized scientist, then he can talk all nonsense, and the people accept it as scientific truth.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: Whatever conditions they may be, these conditions are already there, made by God. You are simply studying some of them, that's all. Therefore your studying is not sufficient. Here is a scientist. He'll say. What do you think?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Our senses are imperfect, simply by empirical scientific knowledge is (indistinct) are not complete (indistinct). So you..., we cannot compete with māyā. The ultimate conclusion is that there is a supreme cause.

Prabhupāda: Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). So our knowledge, Kṛṣṇa conscious people, our knowledge is perfect. We say everything is caused by Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Śyāmasundara: Even if you study the way the sun and the rain and so on combined to make this fruit ripe, you still have the question, "Well, why is there fruit in the first place?" Why is there fruit? Why has fruit appeared on this planet? There's no cause, apparently. But God has a cause.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Śyāmasundara: He sees that there are two basic or fundamental philosophical temperaments. The one he calls tendermindedness, which is exemplified by the rationalist, the idealist, the optimist, the religionist, and the dogmatist; and toughmindedness, or the empiricist, the materialist, the pessimist, the irreligious, the fatalist and the skeptic. He says that philosophers are of two types: tender minded and tough minded.

Prabhupāda: So this depends upon one's education. If one is educated, in one way he may become tender, and another man, if he is educated in a different way, he may be hard. But our proposition is that originally the soul is good. This tenderness and hardness, they are developed later on. But they are not standard. When you come to the platform of soul, there everything is good. In that platform, either tenderness or hardness, both of them are in the absolute. So our philosophy is that, as we understand from Bhagavad-gītā, that every living entity is part and parcel of God. So God is good, pavitra. Just like Arjuna accepts, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitram (BG 10.12). Pavitra means pure. But because we are part and parcel of God, therefore we are pure. The impurities are acquired by our contamination with this material world. So either you become tender or hard—that is impurity of this material world.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Śyāmasundara: William James's position is..., he calls himself a radical empiricist. He says that the unity of the universe as a neat set of interconnected relations in an absolute. It is false, because...

Prabhupāda: Absolute? False?

Śyāmasundara: No. He says that a unified pattern of things, that the universe as a unified scheme, neat pattern of things, is false because our direct experience informs us of a discontinuity of facts. Our direct experiences sees discontinuity of facts, so we must conclude that the universe is comprised of facts which are not perfect in unity.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because you are seeing the universe by your imperfect eyes. So it is your imperfectness. Just like you are seeing the sun planet just like a disc, but it is not a disc. But because you cannot see perfectly, you are thinking like that. So your conception of the universe is imperfect, because you are imperfect. Otherwise, everything is complete. Just like Īśopaniṣad, pūrṇam idam (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). It is complete. That is the first verse of the Īśopaniṣad.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Hayagrīva: Typical of the latter part of the nineteenth century, James' only acquaintance with Hinduism was through the impersonalists, and he spoke of samādhi and the mystical experience in this way. He says, "The Vedantists say that one may stumble into superconsciousness sporadically without the previous discipline, but it is then impure. The test of its purity, like our test of religious value, is empirical. Its fruits must be good for life. When a man comes out of samādhi they assure us that he remains enlightened—a sage, a prophet, a saint, his whole character changed, his life changed, illumined." What is this samādhi or...

Prabhupāda: Samādhi means ecstasy, always in God consciousness. That is samādhi. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata āntarātmanā (BG 6.47). The yogis means they are always remaining in meditation of the Supreme Lord. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā. Mind is always absorbed in God. That is samādhi. He has no other thought than God. So if we can continue in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is samādhi.

Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Śyāmasundara: He says that propositions pertaining to metaphysical realities such as we have been talking about, like the soul, he says they are neither chronological, that is uninformative assertions, neither are they empirical propositions. So it is impossible to demonstrate either their validity or to verify them.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Śyāmasundara: Statements like "the soul," "I am the soul."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: We can neither say that is valid or invalid, neither we can say it is...

Prabhupāda: It is valid. It is not invalid, it is valid. You cannot understand it. Try to understand it. It is valid. "I am the soul," that's a valid proposition. How you can say invalid?

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Śyāmasundara: In a way three dimensions. The first one is the phenomenological ego. He says first of all that there are two egos—there is the phenomenological ego and the transcendental ego—what we would call the jīvātmā and the Supersoul. The phenomenological ego is the psychological or empirical ego, which is found in the passing stream of consciousness, or the false ego: the ego that identifies with the events and the stream of events of day-to-day life in this world—what I think I am. And the transcendental ego is the observer behind that stream of consciousness. But his idea is that, still down on this phenomenological level, the phenomenological ego deals with appearances as an activity—that is, cogitates upon appearances which we've passed through by perception. These objects pass through my perception. My phenomenological ego cogitates on those objects and gives what I call the world a structure.

Prabhupāda: That means he knows that he has got another vision.

Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:

Prabhupāda: All right. So they are eating—where is the change of philosophy? Eating philosophy is there. Sleeping philosophy is there. Why it should change? What is fact, there is no need of changing. Imperfect knowledge changes. Perfect knowledge never changes. So he changes philosophy means his knowledge is imperfect.

Śyāmasundara: He comes in the tradition of the British empiricists, which believes that nothing outside of our senses can give us any knowledge. But still, he was never able to believe that simple mathematical principles like "Two plus equals four" are merely generalizations which we derive from our experience. He says that these things must be eternal principles, such as "Two plus two equals four."

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Devotee: That is the same thing we say about the scientific process. The scientific process isn't imperfect, it is just the masters who are imperfect. They claim that the empiric process is perfect. We have not developed it to perfection.

Devotee (2): For instance, they would say if our students are falling back, that is because of the environment.

Prabhupāda: They are not falling back. Some of them (indistinct).

Śyāmasundara: Some of them...

Prabhupāda: That is (indistinct) anyway.

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Conflict is always there. But you cannot come to the conclusion unless you take the right decision from the authority. Two litigants, there is conflict. I say that "You do this." You say, "No, why can I do it? Our agreement is different." So there is conflict. So you go to the court and take the right decision from the judge.

Śyāmasundara: He attacks speculators and especially empiricists, or those who draw conclusions of reality through their fragmentary sense perception.

Prabhupāda: He is also doing that. He is also one of them. Because he says that ultimately the barrel... What is that?

Śyāmasundara: That all political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.

Prabhupāda: That's all. He is one of them.

Śyāmasundara: Speculator.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's all.

Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Hayagrīva: Alexander distinguishes between what he calls deity and God Himself. For him deity is how it feels to be divine. Now deity for him is a relative term. It is the next highest level of existence. For instance, for an ant, a dog may be a deity; for a dog, a man may be a deity; for a man, a demigod may be a deity. He says, "For any level of existence, deity is the next higher empirical quality."

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Hayagrīva: "It is therefore a variable quality, and as the world grows in time, deity changes with it. On each level a new quality looms ahead, which plays to it the part of deity. However, God is the being which possesses Deity in full." That is to say God is always one step ahead of every creature.

Prabhupāda: They do not know the science of God, but as philosopher they are suggesting the method. That is nice. Just like for ant, a bird is deity; for a bird, a cat is deity; for a cat, a dog is deity. So in this way, according to the position one selects the deity. But if you go on searching out, when you find out somebody that he has no any, anyone to worship.

Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Hayagrīva: Now he analyzes theism, which is the personal aspect, and pantheism, the impersonal aspect, and he finds both defective in themselves, and so what is his position? This is his position: "If the question is asked whether the speculative conception of God or Deity which has been advanced here as part of the empirical treatment of space/time, and has appeared to be verified by religious experience belongs to theism or pantheism, the answer must be that it is not strictly referable to either of them. Taken by itself..."

Prabhupāda: That is his mistake. As you have explained that the sky is also with reference to God... The sky is explained as the heart of God, and the water is explained as the semina of God, the moon is explained as the mind of God, the sun is explained as the eyes of God, the land is explained as the foot of God. So everything is with reference to God. So for a person who understands God, there is nothing existing without God. So how God can be separate? That is the fact. So pantheism or any "ism" you take, it has reference with God. What he says?

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:
Prabhupāda: Of course, varieties there are, but the original division of the Absolute is three: Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Now, Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān is the same Absolute. Different names. The jñānis, or the empiric philosophers, they reach or they aim at Brahman, impersonal Brahman. The yogis, they, I mean to say, focus on the Supersoul, Paramātmā. And the devotees, they aim at Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now, this Kṛṣṇa and the Supersoul and the impersonal Brahman, they are not different. They are light. They are not darkness. But in the light also, there is difference The example is given: just like sunlight, sun globe and the sun-god. Everywhere you find light. In the sunshine there is light. In sun globe there is light. And what to speak of the predominating deity in the sun-globe? He also must be light; otherwise wherefrom this light comes?
Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: This sarvaṁ means Paramātmā, Brahman, everything. These are clearly stated. Brahmaṇo 'ham pratiṣṭhā. So Brahman knowledge or Paramātmā knowledge is within Kṛṣṇa knowledge. If one has got Kṛṣṇa knowledge he has got Paramātmā knowledge, Brahman knowledge. He has got the effect of yogic principle, meditation, he has got the effect of empiric philosophical speculation, and he is situated personally in the service of the Lord. So if you make comparative study, then this Kṛṣṇa knowledge includes all knowledge. The Vedas also confirm it, yasmin sarvam evaṁ vijñātam bhavati. If you understand the Supreme, then all knowledge becomes automatically revealed. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātam bhavanti. And in the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, "Knowing this, you'll have nothing to know anymore." In the ninth chapter there is. So first of all we have to seriously study. Therefore I'm asking that to become serious student, what is the difference between Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān? Paramātmā is localized aspect of the Absolute Personality of Godhead. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Journalists -- August 18, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: So this is artificial. There was Roman Empire, there was Mogul Empire, there was Carthagian Empire, there was Egyptian Empire and Greece and so on. They come and go. And there is a song by a Vaiṣṇava, kata caturānana, māri māri yāvatā.(?) There are so many Brahmās come also and they died. So this kind of empirical imperial, onslaught, they will come and stay for hundred or two hundred, and create some problems. There were...Just like there was Napoleon, there was this and that. So they will come and go. They will come and go, create some disturbances and go. Nobody will stay.

Journalist (1): Yes, but they don't seem to be improving society. When they do come and go, society doesn't seem to improve on the way.

Prabhupāda: If you cannot... if you remain demon then there is no question of improvement. You must be prepared to become... There are two classes of men. One is called god, or demigod; another is called demon. If you continue your demonic civilization, there is no question of happiness. That Hitler will come and this will come, that will... They will fight for some time, create some disturbance and go away. Another Hitler will come, another will come, another will come. This way.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 15, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No, just like God, let us stick on word, that God... You say it is an idea only. I say it is not an idea. It is fact.

Karandhara: Well, then they say, "By objective empirical analysis it has to be researched, scientific."

Prabhupāda: Oh, then let us analyze, analyze. Let us analyze. That... We say that God means Supreme, Supreme Being. So how you can say that Supreme Being is an idea? How you can say? You accept Supreme Being. So how you can say it is idea? It is fact.

Karandhara: Well, they say there is no necessity for a Supreme Being.

Prabhupāda: No, there's a necessity. If you don't accept, then you will be beaten with shoes. Because as soon as there is light, you have to accept supreme authority.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: I think... When I was in college I studied chemistry, and I think many of the scientists that I also met, they felt very alienated from their asso..., from their relationship with nature or with God because of their empirical approach to everything, of setting themselves apart from everything. Therefore they felt detached from the complete whole, almost as if an island floating away somewhere with no relationship.

Prabhupāda: They... You became detached from all material activities? No?

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Well, just the observer.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: This is the scientist's point of view. He's just observing, observing, observing, and therefore he feels almost left out of it. So they want to participate. They're very attracted to the...

Prabhupāda: But he's observing himself or not? Or he's simply observing outside himself?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- July 21, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Yes, same one. But the moon planet where they went, that is a dark planet. That is not moon planet.

Kṛṣṇa-dāsa: My father is a graduate of Berkeley and he majored in astronomy and chemistry. And he's an atheist. And his logic is is that—it's very empirical—is that if there's other life, they have to have bodies similar to ours.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Paramahaṁsa: So it's impossible to have a life on the sun because we could not live there. That's the empirical way of...

Prabhupāda: You cannot live there; therefore there is no life.

Paramahaṁsa: That's what they assume.

Prabhupāda: But you cannot live in the water. Why there is life?

Morning Walk -- July 21, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: But you cannot live in the water. Why there is life?

Paramahaṁsa: Well, yes. That is fish.

Prabhupāda: What is this nonsense, "empirical"? There are millions of living entities within the water, but you cannot live even for an half an hour.

Paramahaṁsa: But to scientific knowledge there's no life in fire.

Prabhupāda: Why not? Fire is also one of the elements like water and earth. So if there is life in the water, life on the earth, why not in the fire? What is this logic?

Bahulāśva: Actually, everything is burning. Even this body is also on fire.

Prabhupāda: No, the material ingredients, five elements... Out of the five elements, fire is one of them. So if in the four elements there are life, why not in the fifth? How do you say? That is their ignorance.

Morning Walk -- October 3, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa's mercy. You have accepted Kṛṣṇa's mercy. This is the... (break) This empirical policy was very good, provided it would have been done for Kṛṣṇa. Then they could unite the whole world.

Brahmānanda: They had very good managing talent.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. But the whole thing was planned for their own sense gratification.

Brahmānanda: Exploitation.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: If we ever had any kind of power like that and tried to do something like that, they would accuse that this is like the Crusades.

Prabhupāda: Now, Crusades, even... If they could expand the ideas of Christian, love of Godhead, that was nice. But that was not the purpose. It is exploitation.

Morning Walk -- December 12, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is the point, you have to...

Harikeśa: Trying to do it the other way is impossible. From the...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: Empirical process?

Devotee: I don't know if that's the right word.

Harikeśa: Inductive reasoning? Deductive reasoning. Impossible.

Prabhupāda: Deductive reason is possible. Kṛṣṇa says that na jāyate na mriyate vā. This is deductive: you hear from Kṛṣṇa, and this is fact. And if you want to make research, how that living entity never takes birth, then it will take time and at the same it may not be perfect.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Satsvarūpa: It's religion because it's not empirical fact.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Satsvarūpa: It's not an empirical fact.

Prabhupāda: What is that empirical fact?

Satsvarūpa: That after you die, you take another body.

Prabhupāda: Apart from that, why, how the baby is becoming a boy? This is a fact. How a baby is becoming a child, a child is becoming a boy, a boy is becoming young man, a young man is becoming middle aged? Does it mean... Is it a particular type of religious system? Why this nonsense? What kind of intelligent person they are? It is a fact. Now we come to the old age. So I have come to the point of old age body after so many stages. Then where is the next? The next is tathā dehāntara: he'll get another body. This is very common sense.

Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Dr. Wolfe: Prabhupāda, may I still add something? In Atlanta, one professor in a seminar said when confronted with the Vedic philosophy, he said, "These things cannot be proven empirically, so we dismiss the problem." He is satisfied to be made out of molecules that came together through chemical combinations, and that is what he believes in and what he works for, and there is no more. He dismisses the problem.

Prabhupāda: Dismisses the problem? What is that.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But he cannot prove that life is made from molecules.

Prabhupāda: Yes, so they no more deal with that subject matter?

Rāmeśvara: Yes, that's their point. That because they cannot prove that life comes from life or that there is transmigration of the soul, therefore they will not consider your challenge because it cannot be proven by empiric means.

Prabhupāda: Why not proven?

Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: What is that scientific?

Jay Warner: Through empirical evidence, through evidence...

Prabhupāda: This is evidence. I ask you to show me your childhood body. Where it is? Can you show? That is finished. So if the childhood body finished, you get another body, boyhood body. Similarly, the conclusion should be that after this body—I am old man; it will be finished—then I'll get another body.

Jay Warner: That makes sense.

Prabhupāda: Very common sense. But we are so dull-headed we cannot understand.

Jay Warner: I am so what?

Prabhupāda: We are so dull-headed.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Richard: Okay, and what I am saying is that I have, there has never been any empirical proof of that.

Rāmeśvara: But I have already explained that these senses are not the perfect instruments for experiencing reality. Just like sometimes there may be a cloud, and therefore you cannot see the sun with your senses, but that does not mean the sun is not there. It simply means your senses are not powerful enough to see. The senses are imperfect instruments for perceiving reality. The sun is always there, but sometimes you can see it and sometimes you can't.

Prabhupāda: Just like night, this is night, you don't see the sun. That does not mean there is no sun.

Rāmeśvara: Don't rely on empirical sense perception.

Richard: Okay, right, you're introducing here though, the essence of all religion, and that is faith. Faith...

Prabhupāda: It's not faith, it is fact. If I say that there is sun and you cannot see, if you deny, "No I don't see. There is no sun," so which is fact?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is empty voice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, boy. He says, "The highly developed forebrain and the deeply convoluted cortex have helped him to think creatively. Scientists, as a general rule, are objective thinkers because they base their thoughts on empirical knowledge. Mystics and visionaries, the so-called spiritual scientists of Dāsa and Swami, on the other hand, build up their thoughts on their subjective perceptions. Books on chemistry, physics, mathematics, geography, history, geology, anthropology, paleontology, engineering, medical science, astronomy, etc., are the products of objective thinkers."

Prabhupāda: Big, big words, that's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "On the other hand, books like Arabian Nights, Gulliver's Travels..."

Prabhupāda: Whose Arabian Night?

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Prititio Principial. So what the public said?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I just finish reading his article, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: He's giving very strong argument.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "The Oxford Dictionary defines empirical as 'based on observation and experiment.' Observation and experiment is conducted with limited senses. Therefore the conclusions are naturally limited and imperfect. So in fact, the soul and the existence of God is quite beyond the power of Kovoor's observation. Why be so obstinate? This is common sense, a point anyone can understand. He says, 'It is the unique ability of man to engage in creative thinking that has made him succeed in his fight against the laws of nature.' This is a preposterous claim only a fool would make. Nature forces everyone to become old, diseased, and, lastly, die. Even the most powerful conquerors of the world are helplessly dragged off the stage of life by nature in the shape of all-devouring death.

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Raja Mohendra Pratap -- Cawnpore 13 July, 1947:

He is better realized when He by His causeless mercy agrees to descend in this mortal world but he He is never realized by the partial speculations of the empiric philosophers however systematic and long-termed it may be.

7) Sri Krishna is the Personality of Godhead and is the Summum Bonum Cause of all Causes proved by fact and figures in the statement of Bhagavad-gita, but He reserves the right of not being exposed to the sensual speculations of the empiric philosophers.

8) One should therefore surrender unto Him if one wants to know Him as He is and that is the real process to approach the Infinite by the infinitesimals.

Letter to R. Prakash -- Allahabad 22 June, 1951:

To preach the teachings of Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavata, Ramayana, life of such saints as Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Tulsidas etc.

(3) To establish the philosophy of devotional life as against fruitful action or dry speculation of empiric philosophy and meet the opposite elements with all logical weapons. i.e the medicine of "Hari Sankirtana" is administered by threefold action, namely by (a) melodious songs (b) by propaganda through press and (c) by propaganda on platforms.

The diet portion of the transcendental treatment consists in the distribution of prasadam. i.e. in all gatherings the audience should not only be sustained by melodious musical performances of Bhajan Sangat or by religious or theistic discourses but they must be given some sort of remnants of food-stuff offered to God, as recommended in Bhagavad-gita.

Letter to R. Prakash -- Allahabad 22 June, 1951:

So the present process of human thinking for material gains only has to be changed by an organized preaching work of Bhagavad-gita as done by Lord Caitanya not only for the benefit the people of India but also for all people in the world. Lord Caitanya's way of preaching is ___ but a practical demonstration of the way of Bhagavad-gita. No amount of dry speculation by easy chair empiric philosophers will be able to implement the teachings of Bhagavad-gita unless we adopt the practical ways of Lord Caitanya as above mentioned.

I think that immediately an organized body of devotees may be registered with suitable memorandum & articles of association to embrace all kinds of people and then individual members must sacrifice a portion of their income for God's sake. They should not only accept the amenities of life for nothing from the agents of God but they must now repay the debit by some personal sacrifice. That is the way of "Jajna" as stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 14 September, 1951:

The present smoky materialistic or sensuous civilization has to be kindled into the fire of reality or spiritualism. It is neither difficult nor impossible and is much more simpler than any other method. It is just a simple process of fanning the fire in order to get rid of the disturbing smoke. Such fanning process is eternally the same and the one and the empiric speculators have nothing to invent now in it.

The great Philosophy of Bhagavad-gita is the authoritative book to guide us in this respect. We have nothing to drag in it by forcing empiric interpretations. Let it be understood as it is because it is just like the Sun. The Sun does not require to be helped by other light. So there is no need of interpreting Bhagavad-gita by any indirect meaning. Let us understand that Kuruksetra is Kuruksetra and it is still a sacred place of Hindu pilgrimage. The Pandavas are the sons of Pandu as it is stated in the history of Mahabharata. The Pandavas and the Kurus met at the battlefield of Kuruksetra and the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita was told by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 14 September, 1951:

The Pandavas and the Kurus met at the battlefield of Kuruksetra and the philosophy of the Bhagavad-gita was told by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna.

I wish that the American people may try to understand Bhagavad-gita in terms of its direct meaning. Let it not be unnecessarily misunderstood by the empiric speculative method for making a show of the vanity of so called learning without any living experience. Such academic erudition has nothing to do with living reality.

I wish to present an analytical study of Bhagavad-gita as it is. If your people can grasp the direct meaning of Bhagavad-gita it will be possible for us all to understand the basic principle of cosmic harmony. When that is done we shall know then that all adjustment of our existence is not only peaceful but an eternal bliss distinguished from the ephemeral sensual satisfaction. We shall then only know that here is world where there is no struggle for existence and every living entity, never mind what it is, is fit to exist.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 2 October, 1951:

I am glad that you have a copy of Gita with you. Apart from the Swamijee's learned interpretations—you can see for yourself what is written in the 18th Chapter 67th sloka. Empiric philosophers may call it a sophistry but is a fact substantiated after all human reasoning offered by Arjuna. It is clearly said here that one should follow Sri Krishna alone. If any body makes his choice not to follow him surely he will have relative result.

Bhagavad-gita is mostly read by almost all classes of people of the world but unfortunately they are accepted in an independant choice of indirect interpretation. That is a deviation and for that reason only they cannot derive the direct benefit.

My sincere thanks are due to you for the last portion of your letter under reply.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 7 July, 1953:

Above these senses or sense-organs is a dymitric force which is subtler than the sense-organs and is known as the mind but acts in terms of thinking, feeling & willing. The empiric philosophers speculating on an imperfect process of induction, generally indulge intellectual feats without knowing that behind the mind there is human intelligence which is able to analyse the process of psychology but is unable to find out the ultimate force or spirit behind their intelligence.

So the spirit that conducts even intelligence is the primeval root of everything and there is an adjustment of spirit and matter as much as there is an adjustment of smoke & fire. The smoke is a conditional state of fire and therefore smoke is nothing but fire and yet we cannot compare smoke & fire on the same platform. Smoke emanates from fire but it is disturbing condition of fire. We need fire and not the smoke.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 7 July, 1953:

The present smokey material or sensual civilization has to be kindled into the fire of reality or spiritual civilization. It is neither difficult nor impossible. It is just a simple process of fanning the fire in order to get rid of the disturbing smoke. The fanning process is eternally the same & one and the empiric speculators have nothing to invent new in it. It must be actually a fanning in spiritualised process & nothing else. The great philosophy of Bhagavad-gita is the authoritative book to guide us in this respect. We have nothing to drag in it by foreign empiric interpretation. Let it be understood as it is because it is just like the Sun. The Sun does not require to be helped by the light. So there is no need of understanding Bhagavad-gita by indirect interpretation. Kuruksetra is Kuruksetra. Dharmaksetra is Dharmaksetra. The Pandavas are Pandavas or the sons of Pandu and nobody else. The Pandavas & Kauravas not actually at the battlefield of Kuruksetra and the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita was told by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 7 July, 1953:

I wish that your people may try to understand Bhagavad-gita in terms of its direct meaning. Let it not be unnecessarily misunderstood by the empiric speculative method. For making others of the vanity of so called learning without any living experience. Such academic erudity has nothing to do with the living reality.

I shall try to present an analytical study of Bhagavad-gita through the pages of your American Reporter in order to help the American people to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. If your people can grasp the direct meaning of Bhagavad-gita it will be possible for us all to know the basic principle of cosmic harmony. When that is done we shall know that all maladjustment of our existence is not only peaceful but an eternal bliss distinguished from the ephemeral temporary sensual satisfaction.

Letter to Sri Munshiji -- Bombay 18 February, 1957:

Therefore, the right philosophy is that God is simultaneously one and different from the living being. Those, who therefore consider God and living beings are identical in every respect, are polluted in thought. This pollution of thought of the empiric and atheistic philosophers now prevailing practically all over the world, has caused a tremendous deterioration of human civilization as to become agnostics in dealings. Symptoms of this agnostic trend of human civilization is described in the 16th chapter of the Bhagavad-gita and I need not describe it before you.

Therefore the preaching of the Bhagavad-gita must be in the line of its parampara system as it is described in the 4th chapter of the book. If it is not done so, then such preaching of the Bhagavad-gita, even if it is done by the erudite scholars, will be a sheer waste of time, energy and money.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Bhakta Don -- Los Angeles 1 December, 1973:

I am in receipt of your recent letter undated. The topmost science is this Krsna Consciousness and that is a fact. The so-called modern science has become spoiled for lack of this perspective. Real science means to acquire perfect knowledge from the Parampara, not by so-called academic and empirical research. Such technique is bogus and will not help us in obtaining perfect knowledge.

Yes, you should use your scientific credentials to present this Krsna Conscious philosophy. Everything may be used in Krsna's service. It may not be possible to convince the rascal scientists of this Krsna Consciousness philosophy because after all, Krsna gives everyone free will and if it is their determination to remain atheistic how shall it be checked? Our principle aim is to challenge their nonsense proposition so that the layman and common people may be saved from this rascaldom. You study our books very carefully under the guidance of Amarendra Prabhu and preach our philosophy from Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam in your scientific language.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Vasudeva -- Bhuvanesvara 23 January, 1977:

"Lord Brahma said (to Krsna), 'My dear Lord, those devotees who have thrown away the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth and have therefore abandoned discussing empiric philosophical truths should hear from self-realized devotees about Your holy name, form, pastimes and qualities. They should completely follow the principles of devotional service and remain free from illicit sex, gambling, intoxication, and animal slaughter. Surrendering themselves fully with body, words and mind, they can live in any asrama or social status. Indeed, You are conquered by such persons, although You are always unconquerable.' " (Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila Ch. 8 Text 67)

The purport is, don't become over intelligent. Just hear from the self-realized soul. If you sincerely, seriously hear from the realized soul, then one day, although nobody can conquer Him, you will be able to conquer Krsna.

Page Title:Empiric (Lec, Conv & Letters)
Compiler:SunitaS, RupaManjari
Created:26 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=35, Con=15, Let=12
No. of Quotes:62