Finger (Lectures, Other)

Expressions researched:
"finger" |"finger's" |"fingers"

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

The perfection of life is that after giving up this body, we shall not accept any more material body. That is perfection. The people do not know that. They think... People, the karmīs, they think that "If we get a nice body in the heavenly planet, that is perfection of life." Svargaloka. And the jñānīs, they think that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul. But somehow or other, if we finish my body, and merge into the Brahman effulgence, that is perfection of life." The yogis, they think that "We may keep this body, but with this body, if we can play some jugglery, magic, that is perfection of life." Sometimes we see somebody plays some jugglery, magic, little magic, not very nice magic... One cannot show greater magic than Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa, when He was seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill with little finger. So who can show this magic? There are so many imitation Gods, but if I ask him that "You just lift this one hundred kilo burden with your finger," it will be very difficult for him. You see.

So this kind of magic, or this kind of perfection, the devotees do not want. The devotees, they say... Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is teaching us,

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ

kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye

mama janmani janmanīśvare

bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

(Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

This is devotee. Therefore devotee's called akāma. They have no demand. They are satisfied in any condition of life. But they only pray to Kṛṣṇa that his devotion to Kṛṣṇa may not be disturbed. May not be disturbed. He doesn't want anything in exchange of his devotional service. That is pure devotion. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam jñāna-karmādy anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). When we engage ourself in this pure, unadulterated devotional service, then we qualify ourself to see God. So long we are not pure devotees... That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

Sometimes we see somebody plays some jugglery, magic, little magic, not very nice magic... One cannot show greater magic than Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa, when He was seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill with little finger. So who can show this magic? There are so many imitation Gods, but if I ask him that "You just lift this one hundred kilo burden with your finger," it will be very difficult for him. You see.

So this kind of magic, or this kind of perfection, the devotees do not want.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

Our relationship with Kṛṣṇa is natural. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mamaivāṁśa jīva-bhūtaḥ. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore our only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is natural. There is no question about it. Part and parcel means helping the whole. As we have several times explained that this finger is the part and parcel of my body, so it is the duty of the finger always serve the body, whole body. It has no other occupation. As soon as I desire, "Finger, you come to this place," immediately it comes. "Finger, you come to this place," it immediately comes. So we can study. What is the meaning of part and parcel? Part and parcel means to serve the whole. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth. We are relative truth. Therefore it is our duty to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is our natural position.

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

"Of course, in the categories of mystic perfection there are certain processes which the material scientists have not yet been able to develop. For instance, a mystic yogi can enter into the sun planet simply by using the rays of the sunshine. This perfection is called laghimā. Similarly, a yogi can touch the moon with his finger. Though the modern astronauts go to the moon with the help of spaceships, they undergo many difficulties, whereas a person with mystic perfection can extend his hand and touch the moon with his finger. This siddhi is called prāpti, or acquisition. With this prāpti-siddhi, the perfect mystic yogi can not only touch the moon planet, but he can extend his hand everywhere and take whatever he likes. He may be sitting thousands of miles away from a certain place, and if he likes he can take fruit from a garden there. This is called prāpti-siddhi.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.3 -- Mayapur, March 3, 1974:

Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). "One who surrenders unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says, "he can get out of the clutches of māyā." Māyā means this material life. We have forgotten ourself, that we are intimately related with Kṛṣṇa, we have got a special function on His behalf. Just like part and parcel of my body: the finger has got a special function the leg has got a special function, the head has got a special function; similarly, we all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we have got a special function in relationship with the Lord. When we are forgetful of this special relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that is called conditional life or material life. Material life means we do not serve Kṛṣṇa but we serve our senses—kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mātsarya, like that. That is material life. We are serving, there is no doubt about it, but every one of us we are serving our senses. Kāmādīnāṁ katidhā na katidhā pālitā durnideśa.

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

So this is the proposition to the spiritual master, that one must submit that "Actually, I do not know what I am. Am I this body or something else?" I am not this body, that I can understand, because I say, when somebody asks... Even a child, you ask, "My dear child, what is this?" he will say, "It is my finger." He'll never say, "I finger," what to speak of others. If every one of us, we say, "This is my hair, this is my nose," then where is "I"? He doesn't inquire "Where is I?" Then there will be analysis of the body, where is that "I"? Everyone knows "my," but who knows "I"? That is education. That is being submitted by Sanātana Gosvāmī. Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. So tāpa-traya means three kinds of miserable condition: ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. Ādhyātmika means pertaining to the body and mind. Sometimes we are feeling some ailments in the body-mind is not in good order. This is called ādhyātmika. And ādhibhautika.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:

In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find this knowledge, kṣetra-kṣetrajñaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says that "This body is called kṣetra." Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa "What is kṣetra, what is kṣetrajñaḥ, what is jñāna, and what is subject matter of jñāna?" So Kṛṣṇa answered that kṣetra means this body, and kṣetrajñaḥ means one who knows that "This is my body." He is kṣetrajñaḥ. You study your own body. You study your finger, you'll never say "I finger." "My finger." Nobody says. Even a small child, you ask him, "What is this?" He'll say, "My finger." He'll never say, "I finger." I am not finger. I'm not this. So one who knows that this body is mine, that is kṣetra, ah, kṣetrajñaḥ. And the body is kṣetra. Ksetra means the field of activities. We have got this body, field of activities. We are very much proud of civilized... But subject matter is the same. The dog is thinking, "I am this body." He is jumping with four legs, and you are jumping with four wheels, that's all. Because the knowledge is the same, that "I am this body." There is no improvement.

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

And another philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy—that we are different. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that both are true. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. A living entity is one with God and is as different from God. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. One? How one? Because Kṛṣṇa says that "Living entities are My part and parcel." Just like this hand, this finger, is part and parcel of my body, so therefore it is one. But the finger is not the whole body. Different. It is very simple thing. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. Anyone can understand. The finger... The tree... Just like the leaf, the twigs, the flowers, the fruits. They are all tree. But at the same time, it is not tree; it is leaf, it is branch, it is twig, it is flower. It is very simple philosophy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained, taṭasthā-śakti, marginal. Marginal means the living entity has to become servant. That is his position. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). But when the servant wants to become master, he is under the clutches of māyā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

"You give me your daughter as my wife." Oh, he was a great ṛṣi, and because he was in the water, his feature was very ugly. So the king became perplexed: "Oh, how my daughter will select such a nasty body as my son-in-law?" So he was yogi; he could understand: "Then all right..." (snaps fingers) He became very nice. Because yogis, they can do anything, very nice bodily feature. Then the king tried to avoid him, and the king told him, "Well, sir, my determination is I have got eight daughters. So I can offer my daughters to one who can become eight at least." He wanted to see how much he was yogi. And he bifurcated himself at once into eight forms.

Festival Lectures

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

That proper use of independence is to surrender unto... We are suffering, we are manufacturing so many philosophical ways, but actual position is—that is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā—that we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, God. We are not working according to our particular duty. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. It has got a particular duty: to serve the whole body. When it is unable to do it, it is painful, the physician or the surgeon says that "This finger should be amputated. Otherwise it will create disturbance to the whole body." Similarly, we are all part and parcel of the supreme whole, but not surrendering unto Him, misusing our independence, we are giving pain to the Supreme. Therefore He comes, that "You surrender. Don't give Me pain. You just abide by My order. That will give Me pleasure. You will be happy." That state of consciousness, to abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa, is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's all.

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

Sarva-dharmān. "You just surrender unto Me. Because you are meant, your original creation is meant, for serving Me." Just like this body. When this body was made in the womb of my mother, it was just like a small pea, and from that pea, different holes came out, then hand came out, leg came out, the fingers came out. Why this finger was created? Because I require the service of the fingers. Suppose if I want to press something, if there was no nail, then I cannot press. It is so nicely manufactured. By my energy, by my desire, and nature supplying me ingredient, it is manufactured. So you are manufacturing different bodies, but our real sense is covered. So that transcendental sense can be discovered when we give up this material sense gratificatory process by creating different kinds of bodies.

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

Daśaratha, Mahārāja Daśaratha. And he decided to enthrone Lord Rāmacandra and retire. So everything was settled, but just one day before, his youngest wife turned the whole thing into different way. Sometimes Mahārāja Daśaratha was suffering from what is called whitlow, some trouble in the finger? And this queen served him very nicely, and he was pleased. And he said, "My dear Śarmiṣṭhā, if you want some benediction from me, I can give you." And she replied that "I shall ask you for the benediction when I require it. Not now." So just one day before Lord Rāmacandra's coronation, she approached her husband Mahārāja Daśaratha and reminded him, "My dear husband, you promised to give me some benediction, and I told you that I shall ask you when I require it." Mahārāja Daśaratha said, "Yes, I remember. You want some benediction just now?" She said, "Yes." "And what is that?" She said that "Rāmacandra cannot be seated on the throne.

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

So as if somebody, if there is incarnation of God, somebody believes and somebody does not believe, when Kṛṣṇa was actually present on this earth, it is not that everybody understood that Kṛṣṇa was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not even up to date. Only few persons, the five brothers of the Pāṇḍavas and the damsels of Vṛndāvana, only in the fingers' count, say, out of the whole population, say, hundred or two hundred men knew Him that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise everyone thought that "He is an ordinary man just like one of us, but most powerful. That's all." Similarly, the demigods in other planets, they also thought, "Oh, he's a foolish person. They are thinking of a cowherd boy as God," sophisticated, like that. And especially Indra, the heavenly kingdom..., king of heaven. He was... He's very powerful, so he thought, "What god he has come? My God, He cannot come." This was some speculation. Even Brahmā also speculated. But Kṛṣṇa wanted to show Indra that "Yes, actually I have come."

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971:

We are all His sons. Somehow or other we have left home. We have tried to enjoy material sense gratification. Kṛṣṇa has given us full facility. But we are not happy. That is not possible. Because we are separated from our original position, therefore we can not be happy. I give you one example. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of your body or my body, your body. If this finger is separated from this body it has no value, but if it is attached with this body, it has value. Similarly, we being part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa, if we're detached from God then we cannot be happy. That is a fact. There are many examples. Just like a baby, the part and parcel of the mother, crying, so many people trying to pacify the baby, taking on the lap, but still it is crying. But as soon as the baby is on the breast of the mother, immediately happy. Naturally. The baby knows, "Now I have come to the right place." Although it cannot speak, it cannot express, but the natural position, as soon as realized.

Arrival Lecture -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971:

No, the process is, just like if you pour water on the root of the tree, the water is distributed to the leaf, branches, twigs, and they remain fresh. But if you water on the leaf only, the leaf will also dry, and the twig will be also dry. If you put your foodstuff on the stomach, then the energy will be distributed to your finger, to your hairs to your nails and everywhere. And if you take foodstuff in the hand and do not put in the stomach, it will be useless waste. So all this humanitarian service has been wasted because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They're trying so many ways to serve the human society, but they're all being frustrated in useless attempt, because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if people are trained to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then automatically everyone will be happy. Any one who will join, one, anyone who will hear, anyone who will cooperate—everyone will be happy. So our process is natural process. You love God, and if you (are) actually expert in loving God, naturally you love everyone.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

You try to understand whether you are this body or something beyond this body. This is to be understood. Anyone who is thoughtful, he can understand by little thinking that if you study your body, you will never say that "I body." You will say, "My body." You study your finger; you will say, "It is my finger." You will never say, "I finger." "My head, my hand." Then who is that "my" or "I"? That is the subject matter of thinking. If we do not find out what is that "I..." On the basis of "I," I am thinking "I am my body, my head, my leg." But it is a fact. If you think little, you will find that you are not this body. You are different from this body. And as soon as we understand that "I am different from this body," then the business will be "How I shall be happy?" not "How my dress will be nice?"

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

And that is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Similarly, when we actually become self-realized and agree to serve the Supreme Lord... The another point is that Lord is perfect. He doesn't require our service, but if we are engaged in His service, that is our healthy condition. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. Now I am asking this finger, "Keep like this. Move like this." This is healthy condition of the finger. But if I want to take service from the finger in some way but if the finger cannot serve me, this means unhealthy condition. Similarly, when we do not serve God, that is our unhealthy condition. That is material condition. Therefore... There was a big meeting in Naimiṣāraṇya.

Initiation Lectures

Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968:

So your spiritual name is Vilāsa-vigraha. Vilāsa-vigraha. V-i-l-a-s-v-i-g-r-a-h-a. Vilāsa-vigraha. You begin from here, big bead: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This finger you should not touch. Similarly next. In this way you come to this side, again begin from here to this side. Your Godbrothers will teach you. And there are ten kinds of offenses which you shall avoid. That I shall explain. You have got paper, that ten kinds of offense?

Initiation Lecture and Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

So, I may recite that in my younger days when my eldest son was only two years and half, so, he was trying to catch the table fan—the table fan was moving—so I was resisting(?), "No, don't touch." But he insisted, a child. So, one of my friends was sitting, he said that, "Make it slow and allow him to touch it." So I did it and the child touched it; then there was, in the finger, "Tunnng!" And, then I asked him if, "Again touch?"

"No, no! (devotee chuckles) No."

This is the process. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. We all living entities, we have come here within this material world, to enjoy, to lord it over the material nature. It is going on, everyone can understand, that, What is this market? If you go to (indistinct)? Then what is the business there? The business is that everyone wants to enjoy this world to the full satisfaction.

Initiation Lecture and Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

So, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to train people to come to the original constitutional position. What is that? Every living entity is part and parcel of God; therefore the duty of the part and parcel is to serve the whole. The part and parcel cannot enjoy individually or independent—that is not possible. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. It has to enjoy at a certain cost. Not that a finger will catch up some rasagullā and enjoy it—that is not possible. It must go through the stomach. The rasagullā will be caught and put into the mouth—it must go to the stomach, and the stomach will digest it, and the energy will be distributed, not only to this finger but other fingers, other parts of the body. This has to be learned. That is called yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. We are discussing that point. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that immediately everyone comes into ecstasy, and he wants to serve Kṛṣṇa.

General Lectures

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

When you see your body you think that "This is my finger, this is my hand, this is my head, this is my chest, this is my leg." You see simply you will find, "This is my, this is my, this is my." But if you try to find out "Then what is I?" then you will find out. That is called self-realization. We are simply now engrossed with things "my," but we do not know what is "I." The identification of myself or I with this body is wrong. The identification of I with the mind is also wrong. The identification of I with intelligence is also wrong. When you actually come to the platform of spiritual understanding, then you understand that "I am neither this body, neither the senses, neither this mind, nor intelligence, but I am spirit soul."

Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:

Now, just like this finger or this hand is grown from this body, similarly, the different parts of human social body is also born out of the whole body of universal body of God. They analyze that the intelligent class of men, they are born of the mouth of the universal form of God. The administrative class of men, they are born out of the arms of the universal form of God. The mercantile class of men, they are born out of the abdomen of the universal form of God. And the laborer class of men, they are born out of the legs of the universal form of God. Now, so far the body is concerned, either the mouth or head or the legs, no part of the body is less important, because every part of the body is required for proper function of the body. But by comparative study, the head is most important than all other parts of the body. If head is cut off from the body, then body becomes immediately dead. But if your hand is cut off from the body, the body still remains alive. It is not dead.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

You haven't got to understand any high standard of philosophy or jugglery of words, this or that. Simple thing. What is simple thing? God is great, everyone knows, and we are part and parcel of the great. So when we are combined with the great, we are also great. Just like your body, a small part of your body, a little finger or toe, that is also the same value of the whole body. But as soon as that small part or big part is separated from the body, it has no value. It has no value. This finger, a very small part of your body. If there is any pain, you spend thousands of dollars. You pay to the physician to cure the pain thousands of dollars, and when the physician says that "This finger has to be," what is called, "dislocated or cut off, separated, otherwise the whole body will be infected," so when this finger is cut off from your body, you don't care for it. No more value. Just try to understand. A typewriting machine, a small screw, when it is missing, your machine is not working nicely, you go to a repairing shop.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

That little screw, when it is out of that machine, it has not a value even one farthing. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of the Supreme. If we work with the Supreme, that means if we work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, that "I am part and parcel..." Just like this finger is working fully in consciousness of my body. Whenever there is little pain I can feel. Similarly, if you dovetail yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you are living in your normal condition, your life is successful. And as soon as you are separated from Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the whole trouble is there. The whole trouble is there. So there are many examples we cite every day in this class. So we have to accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness if we at all want to be happy and be situated in our normal condition. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1969:

According to Vedic literature, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, svayam. Svayam means original. Kṛṣṇa has many extension, incarnation. We are also Kṛṣṇa's extension. We are, all living entities, we are also Kṛṣṇa's extension. We are called vibhinnāṁśa, separated extension. Separated extension means just like this finger is the part of your body, but when it is separated from the body for some reason... The finger's name is "finger," but it is separated; it is no longer used for the whole body. Similarly, the conditioned souls, we... We have come to this material world being conditioned by the laws of material nature; therefore our so-called independence is bogus. There is no independence. We are completely under the grip of material nature, so therefore we are separated. When we are again joined with Kṛṣṇa, then we are one with Kṛṣṇa. Just like this finger is one with this body; although it is called finger, but it is the same. The importance of the finger is as good as the whole body.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

So our preaching is to reinstate the living soul to his original condition. The original condition of living being is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. As such, the part and parcel is meant for rendering service to the whole. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. The finger is expected to give service to the whole body. When I am feeling itching, my finger is helping it. When I want to pick up something, my finger is helping. Similarly, any part of my body... When I want to go out, my leg is walking. When I want, I want to see something, my eyes are helping. So in this way you can understand what we mean by part and parcel. Take materially also, any machine. The part and parcel... Just like here is a machine, tape recorder. There are different parts. One part is required to give, adjust speed; one part is required how to move, how to start, how to stop, how to increase. So different parts.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

So different parts. Similarly, we are living entities, and the Lord is also a living entity. And we are originally created to help the Lord. He does not require... Because He's complete. But just to give a crude example, as the part and parcel required: now, suppose this finger is not giving me service. It is diseased. So sometimes doctors advise that "You have to amputate this finger, otherwise it will affect the whole body." Similarly, we living entities, being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, when we rebel, that is our diseased condition. We, when we don't want to render service to the Lord, that is a state which is called demonic state.

Srila Prabhupada and Disciples Speak -- New York, April 9, 1969:

All right, I shall teach something."

So there was torrents of rain, heavy rain, for seven days in Vṛndāvana, and Kṛṣṇa took up that Govardhana Hill on the little finger of His left hand and kept it for seven days in this way. (referring to picture?) Where is that Govardhana Hill? Is that Govardhana Hill? No. Inside, yes. No, no. No, there is no need. Yes. So Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that even when He was seven years old He could raise the hill, Govardhana Hill, on the top of His little finger, left hand, like this. So we worship such kind of God. Yes. Who can... (chuckles) We don't want petty gods. You see. We want God like that. Yes. When He was on the lap of His mother and the Pūtanā came to kill Him by sucking her breast, so Kṛṣṇa sucked her breast and life both. This is Kṛṣṇa. God is not made, manufactured, that by meditation one becomes God. "First of all he was dog; now he has become God." It is not like that. God is God from the very beginning, always God. Whether He is a small baby or He's young man or... God never becomes old man.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

That is omnipresence. So He is present within you. It is not that you have to search out God anywhere else, but you can search out within yourself. And that searching process is called yoga. Our this subject matter today is yoga. That means to search out your self. Meditation means you have to meditate upon what you are. Are you this body? Are you this finger? Are you this head? You analyze one after another. You will find that you are not this. Then you analyze your mind, whether you are mind, you will find you are not mind also. If you analyze your beyond mind, your intelligence, then you will find that you are not intelligence. Beyond that intelligence, you are sitting. These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. And when you find out your self, that is self-realization. And as you become self-realized, the symptoms become that you become jolly and free of all anxieties. So long you are not self-realized, you are full of anxieties. That is the nature, material nature.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Instead of searching out what you are, what is your position, what is this "I," you get direct information from Kṛṣṇa. What is that? Kṛṣṇa says that "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." So as part and parcel, you may claim as God. How is that? Just like this whole body. Now, the finger, which is the part and parcel of this body, can be said also "body." But the finger is not the whole body. A finger, if it claims that "I am the whole body," then it is wrong conception. But if the finger claims that "I am body," there is no wrong. Finger is... Because it is part and parcel of bo..., this body, whole body, therefore it is also body. Just like part and parcel of gold is also gold—it is not different from gold—similarly, I, individual I, I am the part and parcel of the Supreme "I," Kṛṣṇa. That is the real philosophy. And as soon as you understand that you are part and parcel of the Supreme, then your function is also immediately fixed up.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

What is that? Now, this part and parcel of this body is the finger, or anything you take. What is the duty of this finger? The duty of the finger is to serve the whole body. That's all. It has no independent existence. The... A finger, if it noncooperates with this body to work for the body, then it is to be understood that the finger is in diseased condition. Suppose if I have got some pain. I want my finger to work in some part of my body like this, and if it cannot, that means it is in diseased condition. If there is some pain, you are feeling not to work the finger. Similarly, our position, being part and parcel of the Supreme, our function is to serve the Supreme. If we do not serve the Supreme, then it is our diseased condition, which is called māyā. Māyā means which is not actual fact. Mā-yā. Mā means "not"; yā means "this."

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Nobody's...I am moving this sun. I am moving this moon. I am...," so you have to prove it. Otherwise, it is nonsense. But if you remain in your actual position, that "I am not God, but I am part and parcel of God, and God is nondifferent..." Just like the part and parcel of your body, this finger, and the whole body... If you make analytical study: "Oh, there is blood, there is vein, there is muscle, there is skin, there is bone, everything complete," as much as there is blood, vein, muscle, bones, everything in the whole body, so, as part and parcel, the, all the qualities, or all the ingredients of God are there. But he is a small quantity; therefore part and parcel. But even it is small quantity, if you actually come to the platform of God, then you'll become almost equal like God. But you cannot be God. That is not possible. Then there is no meaning of God, because God is great. And in the Vedic literature it is confirmed that na tasya kāryaṁ ca vidyate na tasya sama adhikaś ca dṛśyate: "Nobody's greater than Him, nobody's equal to Him. He, He has nothing to do. Everything is being performed by His multi-energies."

Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970:

So the meditation means, "What I am?" If you think, meditate, that "Am I this body?" then you'll come to understand that "I am not this body." If you think... Just to see, see your hand, "Am I this hand? Am I this finger? Am I this leg? Am I this body? Am I this head?" Every point you analyze, you'll say, "It is my hand, it is my finger, it is my head, it is my..." Everything "mine." And where is "I"? That you have to find out by meditation, where is "I." That is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā. How it is answered? It is said that avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. One thing, avināśi; and another, vināśi. Avināśi means eternal, and vināśi means perishable. So this body is perishable, everyone knows. Either it is young body or old body or child's body or boy's body—anyone's body—today, tomorrow or one hundred years after or fifty years after, it is perishable. There is no doubt about it.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

The original constitutional position is every living entity is a part and parcel of the Supreme Person. I have given you several times example. This is stated in the śāstras also. Just like this finger is my part and parcel of this body. It is the duty of the finger to serve the whole body. I want to do like that; the finger helps me. That is the duty of the finger. If the finger cannot do it, then it is to be understood that he is diseased. It is diseased. As soon as the finger cannot give me regular service, it is to be understood that it is diseased. Similarly, any person who is not giving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is diseased, materially diseased. He has to be cured. Therefore the śāstra says, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Just suppose I am a great patriot. I am giving service to my country. That's very good.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

They are still worshiped as the great Vaiṣṇavas, Vajrāṅgajī and Arjuna. So it is a mistake. Here is the definition of bhakti: tat-paratvena nirmalam, "When your senses are purified by devotional service." Not that your senses are wiped out in mukti. No. The senses are there. It cannot be wiped out. Simply it is purified. Just like if you have got some disease—the same example—in your finger, it is painful. You cannot render service. But when the finger is cured by treatment from the disease, it again gives service. Similarly, those who are not engaged in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa, they are supposed to be diseased. The degree may be different, that one is very highly diseased, another is very slightly diseased. It doesn't matter. But he is diseased. Therefore this is the curing method. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). When He said? When he was cured of the disease. Kṛṣṇa asked him... (end)

Lecture at Boys' School -- Sydney, May 12, 1971:

Who says yes? Please come here. Thank you. It is very good. At least one of you know what is Bhagavad-gītā. Don't go away. Please come here. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that kṣetra-kṣetra-jñaḥ. Two things are described there. Kṣetra means this body, and kṣetra-jña means the knower of the body. Just like "I am." I know this is my finger, this is my leg, this is my head. So I am the knower., And this leg is my body. Is that not stated in the Bhagavad-gītā?

Lecture at Boys' School -- Sydney, May 12, 1971:

All right. Bhagavad-gītā, in the Thirteenth Chapter, you will find, it is described: the body and the knower of the body. Just like you think over your body, you think over your finger. You will understand that it is your finger. When I think of this finger, I know this is my finger. When I think of this leg, I think that "This is my leg." But I don't think your finger as my finger. This knower is individual, and he knows not everything but something of his body. I do not know everything of my body. Suppose I am eating, I am eating something. How this eatable substance transforms into vitamin secretion and how it is being distributed all over the body and is supplying the energy? Or take, for example, I have got my hairs, but I do not know how many hairs I have got. Is not that a fact?

Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):

There are many types of living entities. All of them are parts and parcels of God. The part and parcel of God means... You can understand from your own personal experience. Just like your body but there are many parts and parcels of the body, just like the legs, the hands, the fingers, the hair, so many things. The idea is that the parts and parcels are meant for serving the whole body. Similarly, we living entities, being part and parcel of God, it is our duty to serve Him. Actually our position is that we are rendering service to somebody else. Every one of us who are sitting in this meeting must admit that he is giving service to somebody else. Somebody is rendering service to his family, somebody is rendering service to his country or to his society, or if one has nobody to serve, sometimes he keeps a pet like cats and dog and renders service unto it.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

Yes. Self-analysis, if you analyze yourself, if you think yourself, meditate, study your finger, "Am I this finger?" the answer will be, "No. My finger." "Am I this hand?" The answer will be, "No, it is my hand." Then where is "I"? That is... If you can study "I," then it is scientific. Simply "my" is not scientific. That is, child knows "It is my finger."

Lecture -- Laguna Beach, September 30, 1972:

It is very serious. So he became very angry. Kṛṣṇa stopped demigod worship, Indra worship, so he became very angry. So there was torrents of rain for seven days continually, and Kṛṣṇa took up a hill which is called Govardhana Hill—if sometimes you come to Vṛndāvana, you will see the Govardhana is there—as the umbrella on the, what is called finger, ring finger? No. Small finger. So jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī, gopījana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī. Immediately lifted the big mountain as umbrella like this. So when Kṛṣṇa was present, although He was playing like an ordinary human child or human being, still, when there was need, He manifested His godly power. That is God. When it was needed to protect the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, He lifted a big hill, and since then His name is Giri-vara-dhārī. Giri-vara-dhārī means that hill, and He sustained that hill. He was at that time seven years old from material calculation.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

The artificial way of life is that we are trying to become master. That is artificial. We are not master. Constitutionally we are servant. But that servitude is interlinked in the service of the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa says that mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "The, all the living entities, they are My part and parcel." Just like this finger is the part and parcel of your body, similarly, we are also part and parcel of the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are so many descriptions. It takes a long time. I don't wish to take much of your time. The... Just like our part of the body is this head, the part of the body is the hand, the part of the body is the belly, and the part of the body are the two legs. So the head is considered to be the brahminical portion of the society, and the arm is considered as the kṣatriya portion of the society, and the belly is the vaiśya part of the social body, and the legs are śūdras.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 28, 1973:

"This world is false, and now brahma is satya; therefore I shall become Brahman." You are already Brahman. Why you shall become? You're already Brahman, because you are part and parcel of God. God is Brahman, Para-brahman, and you are Brahman also. Just like your part and parcel of the body, finger, that is of the same material as your whole body, the same blood, same skin, same bone. Similarly, we are already all Brahman. There is no mistake. Actually you want to be situated in His position. He knows that "I'm Brahman." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. So 'ham. So 'ham means "I'm as good as Kṛṣṇa and God." That we know. Simply by our material understanding we cannot realize it. Actually we are Brahman. Therefore this Brahman realization is being explained by Kṛṣṇa. This is Brahman. Brahman means sanātana, eternal. "My dear Arjuna, you also existed, I also existed in the past, because we are Brahman."

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

That's all. Less powerful men serve the more powerful. That is the nature. Nūnaṁ mahatāṁ tatra. Just like human being, they are misusing their brain by eating poor animals. Because human being is stronger he's eating the weaker. So when a human being... (break)

...the fingers are little, little fingers. So on my order the fingers are working, not by the order of finger I am working. Similarly, you cannot bring God in your business. But you must be engaged in God's business. That is religion. That is religion. It is very simple formula. So God is great and we are teeny small living entities. Our only business is to serve God. We are serving, any one of us. That means if you do not serve God, then you have to serve māyā. You cannot be without service. Māyā is another agent of God. Just like if you do not obey the laws of the state as a free man, then you will be pushed into the prison house as a criminal, and you have to abide by the orders.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

"This body is the field of activity." Idaṁ śarīram. Śarīram means this body. This body is the field of activity. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetraṁ kaunteya, etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣetra-jña iti tad-vidaḥ. And the person who knows this field of activity... Just like if we meditate upon this body, if I see my finger, if I ask, "What is this?" "This is my finger." "What is this?" "This is my head." "What is this?" "This is my leg." Everything "mine." And where is the "I"? Where is the "I"? The "I" means who is questioning; that is "I." This is self-realization. Therefore I, the real I, the soul, is different from this body. He's given the chance of living a certain type of body. Just like a man is given chance to work under certain office of position. Similarly, there are 8,400,000 forms of body, and each living entity has been given the chance to utilize it according to his desire. Because God is within you, everyone, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). In the previous verse also, I recited.

Lecture at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan -- Bombay, October 18, 1973:

"The real, original characteristic of the living entity is to serve Kṛṣṇa." That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "All these living entities, they are My parts and parcels." Just try to understand. What is the duty of the parts and parcel? Suppose this finger—they are the parts and parcel of my body. What is the duty of the finger? The finger has to catch the foodstuff or prepare the foodstuff and put into the mouth. The finger cannot enjoy; it has given to the stomach. Similarly, if we are parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we cannot enjoy anything directly without giving Kṛṣṇa. That is our duty. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). So Kṛṣṇa also said in the Bhagavad-gītā, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge.

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

Then everything will be adjusted. If we simply become disturbed by the external symptoms, it is not possible to make them solved. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot make solution of the stringent laws of material nature. It will go on. Just like the fire. If you touch fire, it will burn your finger. It will not consider that... Even if you are a child, if you touch fire... The material laws are very stringent. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). So our only request is: Those who are working in the United Nations in so many different departmental situations, if they will take advantage of this great cultural book, Bhagavad-gītā, and try to study and, if possible, to implement in social life—everything is there—then people will be happy, and there will be no problem, and the chaotic condition will not exist.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

So if you study yourself—that is called meditation—then you can understand what is God. Therefore the yoga system is recommended. Those who are in bodily consciousness of life, for them, this meditation yoga, or to understand oneself, that is very important thing. If you try to understand yourself, very simple method... You take your finger. You ask yourself whether you are finger, the answer will be "No, I am not finger. It is my finger." Everyone will say, even a child will say, "This is my finger, my hand, my leg, my head." Nobody will say that "I leg, I finger, I head." Nobody will say. Therefore the conclusion should be I, the soul, is different from this material body. The material body changes on account of presence of the soul. Just like a child gets a different body like a boy; a boy gets a different body like a young man. Similarly, young man gets another body as an old man. Every one of us can consider that "I had a small body of child. I had a small body of boy. I had a youthful body.

Lecture on Science of Krsna -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

That is "I," Kṛṣṇa. That is "I," Kṛṣṇa. If you understand this demigod... Just like this finger. If you understand this finger belongs to Swamijī, then you are correct. And if you think that this finger is separate power, that is incorrect. This finger is powerful so long attached to the body. And if you cut the finger from the body, it has no power. Similarly, the demigods, if you accept that they are different part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa—there must be relationship with Kṛṣṇa—then it is correct. Just like it is said, sūrya, sūrya upāsanā, that or durgā upāsanā. These are different upāsanā, sūrya, or pañcopāsanā, durgā upāsanā, sūrya upāsanā, gaṇeśa upāsanā, and viṣṇu upāsanā. Pañcopāsanā. So how we can worship? Just like Durgā. Durgā is worshiped by the Vaiṣṇava in this way, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva ya... (Bs. 5.44). (break)(end)

Subha Vilasa Home Engagement -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:

So we can see that it is the desire of the pure devotee. Whatever Kṛṣṇa wants, He does not have to work at all. His desires are immediately fulfilled simply by His desiring. Everything is fulfilled. By Kṛṣṇa's finger signal the whole material creation is created, brought about, and it's maintained by His separate energies. And everything is annihilated by Kṛṣṇa's will and created again. And Kṛṣṇa, He is fulfilling all His infinite desires in the spiritual world also. So as Kṛṣṇa's desires are immediately fulfilled, the pure devotee's desires are also fulfilled. That's because he is one with the Lord. His interests are the same are Kṛṣṇa's. This is the oneness, that the pure devotee has no desire but to see that Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. And so by Śrīla Prabhupāda's desiring this to come about, praying to Kṛṣṇa, therefore the devotees also praying and endeavoring have brought about that now Toronto is situated in such a nice temple, and just since opening that temple now so many new devotees have come and joined. So it's now very firmly situated in this big North American city to go on spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 19, 1977:

At the present moment this danger is there in a very large quantity. People are thinking wrongly that they are also God, as good as God. In the Bhagavad-gītā the statement is, Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Jīva-bhūta is the living entities. "They are My part and parcel." So it is an axiomatic truth: part is never equal to the whole. Āṁśi. So just like this finger is the part of my body, but it does not mean the finger is the whole body. Therefore there is distinction between Brahman and Parambrahman, īśvara and Parameśvara, ātmā and Paramātmā. So īśvara means controller, one who controls, but Parameśvara means the controller of the controller. That is explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara... All of us may be īśvara. I am īśvara amongst my disciples. You may be īśvara amongst your family members. But none of us is Parameśvara. So this mistaken knowledge is very much spread at the present moment.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is what is called māyā. Māyā has no existence, but it appears like truth. The same example: the shadow has no existence, but it also looks like my finger, and everything exactly. In the mirror you see your face exactly the same, but it is untruth. The truth is one. Truth cannot be two types of truth. What is taken as truth for the present moment, and by experience he comes to the right truth, that is called māyā.

Śyāmasundara: He says that these two types of truth are governed by two different principles: the truth of reason or the logically necessary proof, like the triangle...

Prabhupāda: This is reason, that truth is one. When we find another competitor truth, that is māyā. Truth cannot be two.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: The girl was so intelligent that the challenge was that "Any man who will defeat me in argument, I shall marry." But she was so intelligent that nobody could defeat. So all the learned scholars, the father was asking, "Bring me an intelligent boy to marry her." So they did not find any intelligent boy. Whoever comes, he is defeated. So they decided "Now, because she is so determined to have a very nice husband, we shall make this boy her husband, this fool number one." So they took him there and instructed that "That girl..." and he will show his finger like this. "You'll show this." So he was a fool, so "All right, I'll do that." So when he was brought to the girl, the girl held up one finger and he showed two fingers, and then the all the paṇḍitas, "Oh, the answer is given him. Your girl says eka brahma, 'Brahman is one.' " And he immediately answered (indistinct), "There is no two Brahma. Brahman is one." The girl also thought, "Yes, this boy is a genius." So in this way this foolish man was made her husband, and at night, when she came to understand that he was fool number one, she kicked him and asked him, "Get out of my room." So he became very insulted: "My wife has kicked me. I am so fool. So I shall make suicide by drowning in the water." He was crying and remembering the goddess of learning, that "I am so foolish, my dear mother Sarasvatī.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Śyāmasundara: That means when we make decisions that they are...

Prabhupāda: You cannot make decision. If you are part and parcel, then you have to take decisions from the whole. You cannot make. The finger does not make decision. I say "Finger, stand up like this, please."

Śyāmasundara: So just like when there are decisions to be made, because a self-realized soul automatically...

Prabhupāda: The decision is that I shall serve Kṛṣṇa as soon as ordered. But the order comes from the superior. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is ordered by Kṛṣṇa to fight, so he has to fight. That is all. Arjuna's decision was wrong, but when he takes decision from Kṛṣṇa, that is right. So we have to take decision from Kṛṣṇa's representative. That is right. We cannot make our own decisions. That is wrong.

Śyāmasundara: So full will means to follow...

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: (indistinct), we have seen Russia is not happy. Russia is not happy and they are simply waiting for another opportunity, another revolution. (indistinct) this boy (indistinct), he is not happy. Similarly we can study. Just like when there is rice boiling you take one grain of rice and press it in your finger. If it is soft, then you can understand the whole rice is boiled. So we can understand the position of Russia from the sample, that boy. We haven't got to study more. And we could get some idea by talking with that professor that, how much foolish he is. He says that after death everything is finished. And he is passing on as a big professor, Indian department, Indology or something. So, if his knowledge is like that, if the sample of the citizen is like that boy, then what is their position? They may theorize so many things. So far as we are concerned, foreigners, we could not get even food to our satisfaction.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is called sajātīya-vijātīya bheda in Sanskrit. Different... Sajātīya. Just like two trees, two mango trees, but still there is difference. They are one as mango tree, but this tree is different from that tree. Similarly, the fingers. As finger they are one, but this finger is different from this finger. Although sajātī. Sajātī means of the same category, but there is difference. Although the same category, finger, but this finger is bigger than this finger. The whole body. It's a part of the body. Hand is different from leg. Leg is different from his head. Head is different from palm. Palm is different from sole. There are so many differences. They are called sajātī vijātī.

Śyāmasundara: So the one characteristic that they all have is that they are individuals, that they are individual.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: No. The soul is created and... Actually not created. Soul is existing along with God, just like the sparks of fire is existing with the fire. But the difference between the two fire is that the sparks may be separated from the big fire, and when it is separated, is loses its illumination. Similarly, an individual soul is already there. The master is there and the servants are there, eternally. Just like the body is there, the parts of the body are also there. We cannot say that the parts of the body is separately created. As soon as the body is there, the fingers of the body are there, the other limbs and parts of the body are all there. The soul is never created or never dead. It is explained in the Bhāgavata, na jāyate vā mriyate vā. Soul has neither creation nor death. It appears, because the soul has accepted this material body, with the end of this material body it appears that somebody is dead. But he is not dead. He simply transfers from this body to another body, and when he is liberated, then he hasn't got to accept any more material body. Then in his original, spiritual body he goes back to home, back to Godhead.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Jaya Radha-Madhava -- New York, July 20, 1971:

So as the residents of Vṛndāvana, they love Kṛṣṇa without any condition, similarly, Kṛṣṇa also loves them without any condition. Vraja-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī. When the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana were in danger because they stopped Indra-yajña and Indra became very angry, and he sent very great, powerful cloud and rained over Vṛndāvana incessantly for seven days, so when the inhabitants became very much disturbed, Kṛṣṇa, although He was only seven years old boy, He saved them by lifting the Govardhana Hill. So He taught Indradeva, demigod, that "To stop your disturbance is the business of My little finger. That's all." So he came down to his knees. These things you'll find in Kṛṣṇa book. So as the Gopī-jana-vallabha, His only business is how to protect gopī-jana. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to become one of the gopī-jana. Then Kṛṣṇa will save us from any danger, even by lifting a hill or mountain. Kṛṣṇa is so kind and so powerful. When Kṛṣṇa lifted the hill, He did not practice some yoga system. And that is God. Although He was a child, He was playing like a child, He was dealing like a child, but when there was need, He was manifesting as God. That is Kṛṣṇa.