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Five hundred years (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

You know, Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, they belonged to a very high-class brāhmaṇa, Sarasvata Brāhmaṇa, very rich men. But both the brothers accepted service in Mohammedan government as ministers, and they were immediately rejected from the brāhmaṇa society. It is not very long ago, say, about five hundred years ago. The brāhmaṇa society was so strong. As soon as they will accept service. You know, the Tagore family of Calcutta, Rabindranatha Tagore, they are also brāhmaṇas. But we know, in our childhood, they were also excommunicated from the brāhmaṇa family because they also accepted service.

So these are Vedic principles. If we follow... The brāhmaṇa will not accept anyone's service. That is against. Similarly, kṣatriya. Kṣatriya... Why this fight between Arjuna? They made them bereft of the kingdom. So they appealed to Duryodhana, that "My dear Duryodhana, you are my brother, you have taken all our properties.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). In this way, the point is that the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā was especially taught to the royal order because they would know. They should know. Because a king is supposed to be representative of God, nara-deva. King is addressed as nara-deva. Even in 500 years ago when Sanātana Gosvāmī was minister of Nawab Hussein Shah... Sanātana Gosvāmī wanted to resign. He wanted to join Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. So when the Nawab understood that Sanātana Gosvāmī... His name was Dabir Khas. He changed his name. So he said, "No, you cannot resign. Then my whole kingdom will be topsy-turvied. I completely depend, dependent on you." So Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "My, Your Majesty, I am no more able to serve you. Kindly excuse me." Then the Nawab said that "Then I shall punish you. I am Nawab. I am king." So Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "Yes, you can punish me because you are representative of God." He never protested "Oh, you are Mohammedan, I am this, Hindu or..." No.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

He gave evidence. So Kṛṣṇa is accepted. So far Vedic literature is concerned, the ācāryas are concerned... Recently, within, say, two thousand years, there have been many ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Rāmānujācārya. They have all accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And, say, within five hundred years, Lord Caitanya, He also accepted Kṛṣṇa. By His symptoms, by the historical fact, by the evidence of the Vedas, He is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, when Kṛṣṇa is speaking, the very words are used, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking. Uvāca means speaking.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

And recently, in the modern age, by our ācāryas, Śrī Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Rāmānuja, yes, Śaṅkarācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī. All these great sages, great ācāryas, they came from your South India. So you are fortunate in that sense. So we have to follow the ācāryas. All these ācāryas accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. All these ācāryas. And later, lately, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago, He also accepted that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). That is the acceptance in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Similarly, Lord Brahmā also accepted Kṛṣṇa:

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- London, August 19, 1973:

Say, forty to fifty, primarily old man, and after fifty, he is old man. Therefore it is advised pañcāś ordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. Pañcāś means fifty. Ūrdhvam, fifty-one. And rest of the days, maybe one hundred years, but that is not possible nowadays. Maybe seventy, eighty, utmost. Somebody lives ninety, ninety-five. Hundred years, although the limit, nowadays nobody lives. So those who are dhīra, gentlemen, sober-headed, cool-headed, they can understand that "I have changed my body. When I was a boy, up to fifteenth year, I remember how I was playing, how I was jumping. Then I became young man. How I was enjoying my life with friends and families. Now I am old man." "I am" means my body. Dehinaḥ. Dehi and dehinaḥ. Dehi means the proprietor of the body, owner of the body, and deha means the body.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

The Indian civilization means they are interested in sat, and others they are interested in asat. Asat means which will not exist. I've already explained. In India, of course, materially, five hundred, five thousand years ago, materially also, India was very opulent. Why five thousand years? Even five hundred years or four hundred years, India was so opulent that Europeans were attracted to go to India. Even during the time of Mogul Empire. It was so opulent. Those who have gone to India, you'll find if you visit in Delhi, the Red Fort. Red Fort you'll find there are pictures of birds and trees on the wall and the eyes of the bird is now hole or some parts. Means it was bedecked with jewel. On the wall there was decoration of birds. Just like we paint now. There is also paint. But that is not painting. Set up with stones, and the eyes and other parts of the bird, or trees, flowers, they are bedecked with different types of jewels.

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

There is a very good example in the life of the Gosvāmīs, whom we daily pray, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. These six Gosvāmīs, they were very important men of their age five hundred years before. These Rūpa and Sanātana, they were great politicians, ministers, of the then Mohammedan government in Bengal. In Bengal at that time the Pathans were ruling. Before the Moguls came, there were Pathans ruling. For one thousand years the Mohammedans invaded India, from 1000 A.D. up to 1947, till the end of the British period. India was under subjugation by so many foreigners: Mohammedans, Greeks, and so many others. Lastly, the Mohammedans ruled for eight hundred years. And the Britishers ruled for two hundred years. So now they have got independence, India. So at that time the Bengal was being ruled by the Mohammedans, Pathans, and their entrusted ministers were these Rūpa and Sanātana.

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

Neither it is recommended. In the Kali-yuga it is recommended that one can perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña. That will give him the same result which was derived by meditation in Satya-yuga.

So Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced this method of saṅkīrtana-yajña in this age. Five hundred years before, Lord Caitanya advented Himself in India in Bengal in the district of Navadvīpa. It is about sixty miles from Calcutta. And He... Of course, He was born in that particular place, but He, I mean to say, distributed these missionary activities all over India. And He desired that His followers may also distribute this missionary activity in other parts of the world. That is His desire and foretelling.

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, about whom we pray daily, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau, this Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was also a young man and very rich man's son. At that time, five hundred years before, his father's income was, I mean to say, ten millions of rupees. So there are many instances in India we have got. But this Jaḍa Bharata, he left his kingdom and family and everything, and went for spiritual realization, self-realization. Unfortunately, he was again in affection with a cub of deer and he got next life... I think I have already narrated this story. While he died, he was thinking of that deer cub and he became a deer. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6).

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

Because he is seeing always Kṛṣṇa there, so he has no fear. He has no fear. He is enjoying life there. There are many instances.

In our line one Rūpa Gosvāmī... Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was the prime minister of the then government. Five hundred years before, India was under the Pathan rule, Bengal, and there was a king whose name was Nawab Hussain Shah. Nawab Hussain Shah's prime minister was Sakara Mallika. That Sakara Mallika later on became a great devotee of Lord Caitanya and his name was transformed into Rūpa Gosvāmī. So they were coming from very aristocratic family, but they gave up everything and lived at Vṛndāvana, eating only dry bread and whatever nonsense they...

They were very rich men, but still, how they could live in such a way? That is described that tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat: "They gave up all aristocratic association just like insignificant."

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

There is no objection. But do not forget God. Then it is perfect. Otherwise, śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8), simply waste of time.

So because the whole world now has forgotten God, we have started... Not we have started. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You see the statues of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Five hundred years ago, seeing the fallen condition of the living entities, especially the human society, He started this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago he appeared in Navadvīpa, a district in Bengal. And the station is sixty miles from Calcutta. We have got our very big temple there. You are invited to come there, stay there, try to understand the philosophy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

We have already written Caitanya-caritāmṛta, thirteen volumes. You have shown these books? You will find. So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, but He is very liberal.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa personally appeared and He left behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā to be read by the human society and make his life progressive and be liberated from this material condition of life, we did not care for it. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu five hundred years ago, again He appeared as a devotee, not as Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa, but He appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa to teach us how to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Again this movement is started to enlighten the human society how to come to his original position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So our request is that this movement at least it has come to your country in South Africa and you are welcome. So try to understand this movement, how much it is important. It is not a sentimental movement, neither a so-called... It is actually religious movement, but not so-called religious movement, simply some sentiments and formalities, no. It is practical application in life.

Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:

Now, where is the fire and where is the clarified butter and where is the expert performer of yajña? The performer of yajña must be so much educated. There was a talk between Lord Caitanya and a Muhammadan magistrate. Because when Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal, India was being governed by the Muhammadans, Pathans, in the fifteenth century, five hundred years before. Lord Caitanya appeared about 480 years before. So there was a talk between Lord Caitanya and the Muhammadan magistrate.

Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:

Anyway, apart from that, this misunderstanding of kīrtana, five hundred years before also, there was. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was performing kīrtana, the, not the Muhammadans, but the Hindus, they took objection that "This is not according to our scripture. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced something new." So he complained to the magistrate although the magistrate was Muhammadan, he was government representative. So he took action. What action was taken? Now, the first of all he warned Lord Caitanya's party that "You cannot perform saṅkīrtana." Then Lord Caitanya's party neglected. Then the magistrate sent some constables and they broke the mṛdaṅga. You have seen the mṛdaṅga. So there was some disturbance and Lord Caitanya formed a party of one hundred thousand people from Navadvīpa and He began to make a civil disobedience.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

So we have to follow that. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Our principle is to follow the footprints of authorities. So these things are not unauthorized. These are being followed from time immemorial. This dress, this tilaka, this chanting. Everything. Just like you see the picture of Lord Caitanya, we are following the same principles. This was being enacted five hundred years ago. The same principle we are following. We are not introducing anything new. We are simply following the footprints of our predecessors. That's all.

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

Yoga-āsana cannot be executed in a public place, so that, in assembly. Now, so far this kīrtana is concerned... Just like we have performed just now kīrtana, this is called saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtana means: bahubhir militvā kīrtayati iti saṅkīrtanam. When we sit down, many people together... When Lord Caitanya was performing this kīrtana ceremony five hundred years before, He had in each group sixteen persons taking part in kīrtana, and thousands and thousands of people were singing with them. Now, this participation in the kīrtana is very easily possible. But so far the yoga system is concerned, that is required any very secluded and sacred place, silent. That is required. It is clearly said here that śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ (Bg. 6.11-12). One has to place himself in a sacred place, in a silent place; then yoga system is possible.

Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:

So his father, he was the only son, very beloved son. Very nice wife. Left everything. And left means stealing, without saying anything. Somehow or other he left home. And the father could understand he has gone to Lord Caitanya at Purī. So he sent four servants, because he was very rich man. And four hundred rupees—five hundred years ago four hundred rupees means twenty times at the present value. So first of all he accepted, that, "Oh, father has sent, all right." So how he was spending money? So he was inviting all the sannyāsīs, in Jagannātha Purī there were many sannyāsīs, renounced order. And every month he was offering feasting. Then after few days, Lord Caitanya inquired His secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara, "Oh, nowadays I don't get any invitation from Raghunātha. What happened?" "Oh, Sir, he has stopped accepting his father's money." "Oh, that's very nice." He thought that, "I have renounced everything and I am enjoying my father's money. This is all nonsense." He refused. He asked the man, "You go home. I don't want money."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

That thing can be attained by the simple method hari-kīrtanāt. Hari means the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kīrtanāt—by glorifying Him. This is the method recommended in the śāstras. And Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago, He appeared in a town which is known as Navadvīpa. It is about sixty miles northern side of Calcutta. People still go there. We have got our temple, center there. It is also a sacred pilgrimage. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared there, and He started this saṅkīrtana movement, mass saṅkīrtana movement, without any discrimination. And He predicted that this saṅkīrtana movement would be spread all over the world and the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra would be chanted in every village, town on the surface of the globe.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

Our beloved student Śrīmān Hanumān Gosvāmī has already given some introduction about our movement. Lord Caitanya, five hundred years ago, ordered it. Lord Caitanya is accepted as Kṛṣṇa Himself in the form of a devotee. Kṛṣṇa, when He was personally present, He stressed that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). I understand that you are reading in this hall Bhagavad-gītā regularly. You know all these verses. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat asti kiñcit. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ: "Beyond Me." Just like if I say, "Beyond me, this person." Similarly Kṛṣṇa says mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7).

So your prayer, nirākāra, or gagana-sadṛśa, that is one feature of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is person. The nirākāra, Brahman feature is His effulgence of the body. That is expressed in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. The Absolute Truth is realized in three angles of vision according to the capacity of the devotee.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu, within these five hundred years, He inaugurated the saṅkīrtana movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, from Bengal. You know. So His order is... It is not that because Caitanya Mahāprabhu advented Himself in Bengal, He requested the Bengalis. No. He said, especially to the Indians: bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Anyone who has taken birth on the land of Bhāratavarṣa as human being, he should make his life perfect and distribute the knowledge to the others who are in ignorance. Because transcendental knowledge, spiritual knowledge, that is only in India. That is a fact. That is nowhere else. Even one Chinese educationist, he has admitted that "If we want to know what is religion, then we have to approach India." There is no other source.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

If one is very influential, he's attractive. If one is very wise, he's attractive. If one is very beautiful, he's attractive. In this way, we attract. So God, Kṛṣṇa, has got all the six opulences of attraction; therefore He is called Kṛṣṇa.

So our recommendation is... Not our; it is the recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who inaugurated or revitalized this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement five hundred years ago in Bengal as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says, nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija sarva śaktis, tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. Nāmnām akāri: the name and person whose name. Because God is absolute, there is no difference between His name and He Himself. Just like in this material calculation, if you want water, simply by chanting "water, water," you won't get water. The water substance is different from the name "water." But God being absolute, His name, His form, His quality, His entourage, they are all the same, as good as God.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

Ladies and gentleman, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this great movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the inaugurator of this movement five hundred years ago, although He is accepted as Kṛṣṇa Himself, still, He says that "Alone, I have no power or strength." Ekākī āmāra nāhi pāya. This is the humble submission of us, who have taken this movement very seriously, that we alone cannot make this movement perfect. You have all to join this movement. Because it is everyone's interest. It is not that a particular party or particular society or a particular country's interest. No. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. He is the original father of all living entities.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

He does not know what is India. In India, he'll see, village to village, they're chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. In every village, in every town, there is a place which is called hari-sabhā. Or every neighborhood, there is... Now, after the British rule, they have forgotten this culture, but they, originally, every village, every town, there is a club or society where this Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting is going on. And, besides that, five hundred years ago, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was there, He, all over India He traveled and preached this saṅkīrtana movement. Not only that, He has ordered to His followers, to His devotees... Not only devotees, He has ordered to every Indian to preach the saṅkīrtana movement all over the world.

Lecture on BG 9.11 -- Calcutta, June 30, 1973:

He has written in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā. He accepts. Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt, sa bhagavān nārāyaṇaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. He has accepted. And what to speak of Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and other ācāryas. Latest ācārya Kṛṣṇa, er, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years... These ācāryas are thousands of years ago, they appeared. Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared near about five hundred years ago. He accepted Kṛṣṇa—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And we are followers of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who is ācāryavān, one who is following ācārya, he knows things as they are." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda.

So unless we become ācāryavān... That is the Vedic instruction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We cannot understand God, what is God. We cannot make research (because) we do not know what are the symptoms of God, although everything is described in the śāstras.

Lecture on BG 9.34 -- New York, December 26, 1966, 'Who is Crazy?':

The land is land. But we give some designation, "This is America." We make some boundary. This is United States of America. This is Canada. This is Europe, and this is Asia. This is India. So this is our name, but actually was there any history that the land is American, or the land...? Say, four hundred years before, or five hundred years before, was this land was known as America? You have named it, America. Say, some thousands of years before was this, this, the continent which is known as, I mean, Europe, can you trace out history, that it was known as Europe? They are all designations.

Just like we can say from historical point of view of Vedic literature, this whole world was known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa. Ilāvṛta-varṣa. And, later on, since the reign of one great king, emperor, his name was Bharata. He changed the name into his own name, Bhārata-varṣa. So this whole planet was now Bhārata-varṣa.

Lecture on BG 10.3 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Now, here this ajam, that God is unborn, this indicates that He is different from this material world because in the material world we have no experience that anyone is unborn. Everyone is born. Not only everyone, everything is born. This your New York City is born. You will find some date in the history that the New York City was started four hundred years or five hundred years. So we have got, we are very much fond of history. That means finding out the date of birth of everything. So this is the nature. So "He is unborn" means that spiritual nature is not like this material nature. At once we can understand. Spiritual nature is born and... Material nature is born, and spiritual nature is not born. This is the distinction. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is not material, He is spiritual. Because He says unborn, therefore He is not material. Immediately you have to understand.

Lecture on BG 10.4-5 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

So before death comes just utilize yourself. Don't think that "I am young man. Let me enjoy now. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy." No. You should not neglect.

Prahlāda Mahārāja, a five years' old boy, he was instructed by Nārada Muni. He became a very great devotee. And he was instructing his class fellows when he was a five years' old boy. Because it doesn't matter whether he's a five years' old boy or five hundred years' old tree or a five millions years' stone. There is no utilization. If you become a five years' old boy and if you understand this knowledge your life is perfect. These things are all very nicely discussed. They say, "Oh..." Taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti (SB 2.3.18) . "Oh, you are very much proud of your long duration of life? Because you see that cats and dogs die within ten years or twenty years and you live seventy years or eighty years, therefore you are very much proud?" Oh. The answer is taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti: "Don't you see the tree? It lives five hundred years, thousand years." "Oh, a tree lives, but it cannot breathe." Oh. Bhastrā kiṁ na śvasanti:

Lecture on BG 16.11-12 -- Hawaii, February 7, 1975:

Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī, the example, when he wanted to retire from family life, he gave 50% to Kṛṣṇa. He was very rich man. After retirement he brought one full load of boat, golden coins. Just imagine the value. What is the price of gold coin now? I think there is no gold coin at the present moment. It is all finished. Now it is paper coins. (chuckles) This is going on. But even five hundred years ago or four hundred years ago there were gol... Not four hundred years ago, in our childhood, we have seen gold mohor, guinea. They were used in practical use. And silver coins, gold coins, we saw. But now it is, everything, paper. So we are so advanced that there is no more gold and silver.

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

So if you think Śaṅkarācārya is better than Kṛṣṇa, that is your opinion. We follow Kṛṣṇa. Śaṅkarācārya is not original person. Kṛṣṇa is original person. That is accepted by Vyāsadeva and all... Nārada, Devala. So our proposition is "Follow Kṛṣṇa." Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The original person. Ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Śaṅkarācārya is, say, one thousand five hundred years, but Kṛṣṇa, He's the original puruṣa, before the creation. The creation was made... Śaṅkarācārya also admits in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā: nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. And he accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. So you cannot supersede Kṛṣṇa by accepting Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya admits, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. So Śaṅkarācārya admits Kṛṣṇa is the authority, but Kṛṣṇa says that this material body is prakṛti. How you can say it is puruṣa? Kṛṣṇa says that bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā: (BG 7.4)

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 6, 1971:

That is the fifth chapter. There were hundred chapters. Only fifth chapter is available. So in the beginning of that fifth chapter, Brahmā says, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So how these rascals can conclude that Kṛṣṇa was liv..., some years, some hundred or five hundred years ago there was a beel boy, he was very powerful. So in this way, these rascal so-called scholars they are misleaded public. Therefore we call them simply rascals. They do not know what is the truth, and still, they write books, they write commentaries unauthorizedly and mislead public. This is going on. Kṛṣṇa is not manufactured. In the Brahma-saṁhitā there is complete description of Kṛṣṇa:

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu picked up these Vedic instruction and introduced it to the world five hundred years ago, and He predicted that this mission should be spread all over the world, and specially the task was entrusted with Indians. He said specifically that,

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

Those who have taken birth as human being in India, they should take this task of distributing Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, for doing well to others. (applause)

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

So God is explaining Himself personally, and He is accepted by authorities, not only in days of yore, formerly, but recently within five hundred, seven hundred years, big, big ācāryas-Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī-big, big ācār..., stalwart, latest within five hundred years. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, everyone accepts Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And these rascals are searching out what is God. Just see their rascaldom! God is here, and he is searching. So those who are searching after God, and they are, if they are making some proposition, thesis, these are all nonsense, cheating. You do not know God. You admit. That is very good. But why you are making thesis? God is not subjected to your mental speculation.

That is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Tirupati, April 26, 1974:

That is the aim business. (aside:) Yes, you can translate. (break) ...to give you one example of Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was minister in the government of Nawab Hussein Shah. Somehow or other, he came in contact with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and he decide to retire from government service and join the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement started by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu five hundred years ago. About them it is said by one learned scholar, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. Because they were ministers, their association was with aristocratic family, big, big men. But he decided, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders, social leaders, political leaders. So they gave up the company of the so-called aristocratic circle—tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat—as most insignificant. Bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Just to give real service to the mass of people, they became mendicants, kaupīna-kanthāśritau, or accepted the sannyāsa order.

Lecture on SB 1.7.47-48 -- Vrndavana, October 6, 1976:

They were twenty-four hours thinking. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna... The same philosophy, everywhere. What was spoken by Prahlāda Mahārāja millions of years ago, the same thing was perceived by Rūpa Gosvāmī five hundred years ago, and same thing can be perceived now also. Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ. If you once become merged into the nectarean of chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, then you'll always remain happy. There is no doubt about it. Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ (SB 7.9.43). So either Rūpa Gosvāmī or Prahlāda Mahārāja or anyone, even up to date, they may face many difficulties, so-called difficulties. A Vaiṣṇava has no difficulty. But we see... Just like we see Prahlāda Mahārāja was in difficulty. Rūpa Gosvāmī was in difficulty. He was minister and he became a mendicant. Kaupīna-kanthāśritau. No, he was not difficulty.

Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Mayapura, October 19, 1974:

By the same Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, thousands of Jagāi-Mādhāi are coming to be purified. The process is the same. This is called paramparā system. If we follow the paramparā system strictly, then the effect will be the same. As it was five thousand years ago, five hundred years ago, the same effect will be now also.

So here, as Kuntīdevī says, that during the time of the Pāṇḍavas, five thousand years ago, when Kṛṣṇa was present, so everything was very nice in Hastināpura... Śobhi. Śobhiṣyate. Śobhiṣyate. Everything was very beautiful. Śobhā. Śobhā means beautiful. So Kuntī is requesting Kṛṣṇa that "Don't go. Please don't go." It is, of course, Kṛṣṇa's duty. He was going to Dvārakā. But Kṛṣṇa, Kuntīdevī was desiring like that, that "If You go away, then the beautiful Hastināpura will..." Na śobhiṣyate. Na ayaṁ śobhiṣyate tatra yathā idānīm: "As it is now beautiful, it will not be so beautiful." Yathā idānīṁ gadādhara. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Gadādhara. Tvat-padair aṅkitā bhāti.

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974:

And there is no life. For old man there is no enjoyment, material enjoyment. He wants to enjoy, but he cannot enjoy. Therefore generally, they become disgusted.

There was a question, very nice question, by Akbar Vasar, the Muhammadan emperor, Mogul emperor of India, Akbar Vasar. He was in the fifteenth century, five hundred years ago. So he kept very intelligent ministers. They would reply. Whatever inquiries are made by the emperor, the particular minister will inform, "This is this, sir." So he inquired one minister. His name was... I forget now. So "How long the lusty desires continue, sex desire?" So he replied, "Up to the point of death." So the emperor said, "No, no, how it can be?" "No, he has got the desire, but he cannot use it. His instruments become dull or useless. Therefore... But the desire is there." And, "I don't believe. I cannot...I am not satisfied with this answer." "All right, sir, I will satisfy you."

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

Five hundred years. And Śaṅkarācārya has described about the seven islands 1,500 years ago. So why the credit should go to Columbus? (laughter) It should go to Śaṅkarācārya. But andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. He says that "I have discovered." So he was talking, perhaps you know this story. He was talking among his friends. So the friends ridiculed another friend. So they were criticizing, "Oh, for nothing you got some credit, that you have discovered America. What you have done? It was already there." So he said, "Yes, that is knowledge. Things are already there, but one who puts it into the forefront of the public, that is credit."

So actually, everything is existing. We have to simply take the knowledge. The modern method is ascending process. The knowledge is there, but still, they are trying to understand it by āroha-panthā, ascending process. It is called inductive knowledge. Inductive knowledge means that... Suppose a man is mortal. So the so-called scientists, they are trying to discover the law, why man is mortal. They are studying, "This man is mortal, this man is mortal, this man is mortal.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

And next to his secretary, the six Gosvāmīs, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, they were very, very important rich men of that time. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī happened to be the son of a very big landlord, zamindar. That father's income was twelve hundred thousands of rupees in those days, five hundred years ago. And he was the only son of his father and uncle. So he did not like to enjoy the father's property, but he joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is known as Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. Similarly, Rūpa-Sanātana Gosvāmī also joined. They were also very rich men, important men. And Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī... Jīva Gosvāmī, very learned scholar and philosopher. He was the nephew of Rūpa Gosvāmī. So they were all very important men of the society. They joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu to make life successful. So these examples we should take and make our life successful.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Melbourne, June 26, 1974:

And each and every verse is so important that if a serious student studies each and every verse, each verse will take at least one month to understand. And there are eighteen thousand verses. So for serious study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it will take eighteen thousand months. So eighteen thousand months meaning how many years? One thousand five hundred years. (laughter) It is such an important book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Each verse is a new verse, not repetition of the same subject. And it is deeply thoughtful. And every verse is, as it is stated here, ātmavit-sammataḥ, approved by persons who are self-realized. Ātmavit. Ātmavit. Ātmā means self, and vit means one who knows, well aware of self-realization. They are called ātmavit.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

The Bhāgavatam says that certain trees live for hundreds and thousands of years. At Vṛndāvana there is a tamarind tree. The place is known as Imlitala, which is said to be existing since the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa. In the Calcutta Botanical Garden there is a banyan tree said to be older than 500 years, and there are many such trees all over the world. Svāmī Śaṅkarācārya lived only 32 years, and Lord Caitanya lived 48 years.

One may doubt that trees have life because they do not breathe, but modern scientists like Bose have already proved that there is life in plants, so breathing is no sign of actual life. The Bhāgavatam says that the bellows of the blacksmith breathe very soundly, but that does not mean that the bellows has life. The materialist will argue that life in the tree and life in the man cannot be compared because the tree cannot enjoy life by eating palatable dishes or by enjoying sexual intercourse.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

The Bhāgavatam says that certain trees live for hundreds and thousands of years. At Vṛndāvana there is a tamarind tree (the place is known as Imlitala) which is said to have existed since the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa. In the Calcutta Botanical Garden there is a banyan tree said to be older than five hundred years, and there are many such trees all over the world. Svāmī Śaṅkarācārya lived only thirty-two years, and Lord Caitanya lived forty-eight years. Does it mean that the prolonged lives of the abovementioned trees are more important than Śaṅkara or Caitanya? Prolonged life without spiritual value is not very important. One may doubt that trees have life because they do not breathe. But modern scientists like Bose have already proved that there is life in plants, so breathing is no sign of actual life. The Bhāgavatam says that the bellows of the blacksmith breathes very soundly, but that does not mean that the bellows has life.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

Just like it became so in the case of Rāvaṇa, and he was finished. Similarly, as soon as the kings of the world became puffed up with their false power, the monarchy is now finished. All over the world. Otherwise, say, five hundred years ago, all over the world, there were kings, monarchy, monarchical government. But they misused their power. They did not surrender. Therefore their turban or crown became very burdensome, and they had to give it up. Still in some countries the so-called king or queen are existing. And they have no power. It is simply a show-bottle. So they have lost their power.

So we should be very much careful, not become puffed up by a princely order, turban, but we must know that this opulence, this kingdom, this power... Everyone. Anyone who has got some power, he must know that "This power is given by Kṛṣṇa unto me, and to execute His will, not my sense gratification."

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

The question should be, "All right, then what kind of body I am going to get?" That depends on your work. You can see in your front, there are so many dogs. They are barking day and night. They have no food. They have no shelter. And anyone sees, he beats him with a stick or some stone. There is no shelter, no food. You can get a life like that also. You can get a life like a tree, standing before you for five hundred years. Or you can get a life even like a demigod if you are pious.

So that will depend on your karma. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa deho...jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). That will depend. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu (BG 13.22). Everything is there is the śāstra. You can get a nice body or you can get a very bad body, not comfortable, cats' and dogs' body. But in every body the living entity thinks that he is very happy. This is called illusion.

Lecture on SB 3.26.31 -- Bombay, January 8, 1975:

Yes, here is the secret of training the mind. The whole yoga system, aṣṭāṅga-yoga system—dhyāna, dhāraṇā, āsana, prāṇāyāma, like that—they are meant for only controlling the mind. Mind is the center of sensual activities. The purpose of aṣṭāṅga-yoga is to train up the mind because the mind is very restless. Arjuna, five hundred years ago, he also appreciated, the mind is very restless. So he declined to practice the haṭha-yoga system. He said clearly that "Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me to control the mind." In another place in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, "The mind is the most dearmost friend, and mind is the bitterest enemy." Everyone's bitterest enemy and dearest friend is there. That is the mind. It requires little training.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

So are they prepared? No. It is very difficult. But that is the aim. Therefore, you will find, those who are for spiritual advan..., just like Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī. Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī belonged to a very rich man's, son. His father and uncle were very rich men in... Five hundred years ago, the income was twelve lakhs of rupees per annum. That one lakh, one hundred thousand of rupees, I think at the present moment, the value has increased one hundred thousand times.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

Any brāhmaṇa accepting service, he'll be immediately excommunicated: "No, you are not brāhmaṇa." Brāhmaṇa's business is not to serve others. Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. They should remain... Everyone was independent. Brāhmaṇa independent, kṣatriya independent, vaiśya independent. Simply śūdra's dependent. So in those days, five hundred years ago, these two brothers were born of a very high class brāhmaṇa. They were learned scholar, but because they accepted the service of Nawab, they were excommunicated. So practically they become Muhammadans. Their names were changed: Dabira Khāsa, Sākara Mallika. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made them gosvāmī. This is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They were rejected by the brāhmaṇa community, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu made them Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. The gosvāmī is not a caste title. Gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Go means senses and svāmī means master. Those who are servant of the senses, they cannot become gosvāmī.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Nellore, January 5, 1976:

He advises that when a diseased man goes to a physician, the physician, after diagnosing the disease, he gives the suitable medicine. If the disease is very serious, sometimes very expensive medicine is recommended. There is some example in the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's time. One gentleman, he was a big zamindar, landholder. He was converted into a Muslim. In those days, five hundred years ago, it was not very difficult to convert a person into Muslim religion. If a Muslim would take some water from his water pot and sprinkle on the body of a Hindu, he would become Muslim. In this way, so many people were converted into Muslims. So I am quoting these instances in this respect because when in those days people would go to the brāhmaṇa to take advice for atonement they would give so severe type of atonement that it was impossible to perform.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:

So this is the advancement of spiritual life. When we conquer over these things, that means we have come to the spiritual platform. So, so long we have got this material body, it is not possible, but try to minimize. Try to minimize. Therefore Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī... He was very rich man's son. His father's income, five hundred years, ago was twelve hundred thousand rupees. So now, you know, the exchange is... What is the exchange today? It is at least five hundred times increased. Anyway, that Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, when left home... His father and uncle was very strictly observing. He was given very nice beautiful wife and very beautiful house. But he was not very much satisfied. He wanted to join Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So his father was very strictly keeping guard, that "This boy may not go out." Just like some of your parents do. (laughter) So... But this cannot be checked.

Lecture on SB 6.2.14 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1975:

And Śrī Locana dāsa Ṭhākura also sings, viṣaya chādiyā se rase majiyā, mukhe bolo hari hari. Viṣaya chādiyā. If... Of course, in the beginning it is not possible, but the ultimate goal of life is to give up viṣaya—no more āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. That is called viṣaya chādiyā. Just like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī did. He came here, lived in Vṛndāvana. He was a very, very rich man's son. Five hundred years ago his father's income was twelve lakhs of rupees. Now it may be crores of rupees. Five hundred years He was such a rich man's son. And very beautiful wife. Because Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was restless, he was always trying to go with Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so his father and uncle He was the only son of these two brothers. So they thought that "This boy is very restless. He wants to go away with Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Let him have a very nice, beautiful wife and he'll be attracted." But he was not attracted. He was not even going inside the house. He was lying down outside the house, young man. He had no taste for viṣaya. Viṣaya chādiyā.

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

This Vaiṣṇava philosophy, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. There are other Vaiṣṇava philosophers also—viśuddha-dvaita, dvaitādvaita, advaita, like that. So many philosophies are there. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the latest ācārya who appeared five thousand years ago, er, five hundred years ago, I'm sorry, He preached this acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Means that jīva, simultaneously one and different, one in quality and different in quantity. This is very reasonable. And it is confirmed in the Vedas, Upaniṣad. Just like in Kaṭhopaniṣad it is said:

nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām
eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān
(Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13)

So Kṛṣṇa is the supreme nitya, eternal, and we are also eternal. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mamaivāṁśa jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7).

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

You can die at any moment. So take this opportunity. Until the next death comes you take this opportunity in the matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction. There is no guarantee. Why you are thinking that way, that now you are five years old; you will live for five hundred years? No. There is no guarantee. At any moment you can die.

Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This body, human form of body, is obtained after many, many millions of years through evolutionary process. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, 8,400,000 species of life we had to come through. Then we have got this body, human form of life, and civilized. Civilized, according to our Vedic conception, a civilized means ārya, ārya. When Arjuna was declining to fight, Kṛṣṇa condemned him, anārya-juṣṭam: "You are just like..., speaking like an anārya, not an ārya. It is your duty. You must do it." Anārya-juṣṭam akīrtiṁ karam arjuna. "You'll be defied by others.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

Similarly... But when the mango is finished, it does not mean the tree is also finished. The tree is there, and again, in the next season, there will be mango and the same changes will go on. Similarly... It is a crude example. We spirit soul, we are eternal exactly like the tree. Tree is not eternal, but in comparison to the fruit, it is eternal. A tree lives for hundred thousand, five hundred, years and the same business go on. The mango, it is coming in fu..., just like flower, then green, then grows, then dwindles. So we are eternal, and our different bodies are just like seasonal fruits. On account of our different karma, we get different body. So this body is undergoing the six kind of changes. But the soul, he is not going any change. He is the same.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- Vrndavana, December 11, 1975:

This advancement of material civilization is māyāra vaibhava. Therefore the Vedic civilization is voluntarily accepting poverty. Voluntary. Big, big kings, they voluntarily accepted poverty. Rūpa Goswami Don't go to the past, big, big..., Bhārata Mahārāja and others. Even Lord Rāmacandra. Take recent history, within five hundred years. Rūpa Goswami, the chief minister of the government of Bengal, most opulent position: tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. They became mendicant, voluntarily accepting, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-mandala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. "What is this nonsense position, minister, opulent life? Kick it out." They are not fools. They are politicians. But why they "Kick it out." Then what they became? Bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. They become mendicant.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

There are many instances. And Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were born of very good brāhmaṇa family, rich family, but with bad association they became drunkard, woman-hunter, meat-eater. Now these things have become common thing. Avaidha-strī-saṅga, illicit connection with woman, and meat-eating and drinking, it has become a daily fashion. But formerly, at least five hundred years ago, these things were accepted as most abominable. So just like here, our Jagāi-Mādhāi. Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were zamindars and born of brāhmaṇa family, but because by bad association they became drunkard, gamblers and woman-hunters, they were condemned. They were taken as pāpī, sinful. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is to rescue them. That is the song by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura: vrajendra-nandana yei, śacī-suta hoilo sei, balarāma hoilo nitāi, pāpī tāpī yata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo, tare sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi. Everyone wants evidence that how Caitanya Mahāprabhu delivered pāpī tāpī. Now, here is the instance.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

Lord Brahmā and other demigods, they could not satisfy the Lord, and what I shall do?" A Vaiṣṇava thinks like that. Vaiṣṇava, Prahlāda Mahārāja, although he is transcendental, nitya-siddha, he's thinking, identifying himself with his family. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not entering in the Jagannātha temple. The same thing, five hundred years ago they did not allow anyone except Hindus in the Jagannātha temple. The same thing is still going on. But Haridāsa Ṭhākura never by force entered. He thought himself, "Yes, I am low grade person, born in low grade family. Why shall I disturb the pūjārīs and others who are directly engaged with Jagannātha? No, no." Sanātana Gosvāmī, he did not go near the temple gate. He thought himself, "By touching me, the pūjārīs will be impure. Better I shall not go." But Jagannātha Himself was coming to see him daily. This is the position of devotee. Devotee is very humble. But to prove the devotees' quality the Lord takes care of them. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31).

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That is the way. Everything here in the material world is temporary. Anything you take, anything material, that is temporary. Similarly this body is temporary, this house is temporary, this country is temporary. Say some five hundred years ago, this was not Canada. It was something else. Similarly, in some other time, it will be different. So nothing is fixed up or permanent in this material world. Yes?

Guest: Some time ago, I... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...either belonging to the Indians or to the Canadians. It belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Actually, that is the fact. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. We simply falsely say that "This is, belongs to Canadian," "This is, belongs to Indian," "This is, belongs to..." (end)

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

Pradyumna (reading): "The Nectar of Devotion is a summary study of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, which was written in Sanskrit by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda. He was the chief of the six Gosvāmīs who were the direct disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When he first met Lord Caitanya, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda was engaged as a minister in the Muhammadan government of Bengal. He and his brother Sanātana were then named Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa respectively, and they held responsible posts as ministers of Nawab Hussain Shah. At that time, five hundred years ago, the Hindu society was very rigid and if a member of the brāhmaṇa caste accepted the service of a Muhammadan ruler he was at once rejected from brāhmaṇa society. That was the position of the two brothers, Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika. They belonged to the highly situated Sārasvata brāhmaṇa..."

Prabhupāda: These two brothers, at that time their name was Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa. So they were ostracized from the brāhmaṇa community. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special grace, that He accepted two rejected gentlemen from the brāhmaṇa society and made them gosvāmīs. That is the special significance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He accepted Haridāsa Ṭhākura from born in Muhammadan community and He made him the ācārya, namācārya. The, practically Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to glorify the significance of the holy name. He is actually the ācārya, namācārya, but He transferred His namācārya-ship to Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

No. All of them, six Gosvāmīs... Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were very, very big men, ministers, very rich men. Similarly, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. He was the only son of his father and uncle. And at that time his father and uncle had twelve lakhs of rupees income. So you cannot imagine what is the exchange of twelve lakhs of rupees five hundred years ago. So very rich man. Similarly, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa, and Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī. He was the jewel of all learned philosophers. That is acknowledged even by the greatest philosophers of the world. So these six Gosvāmīs, they were not ordinary men, but still, for Caitanya Mahāprabhu's service, they left everything. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kantāśritau. So kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, is so exalted that a devotee can kick out even mukti. They do not want. A devotee doesn't want.

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

Pradyumna: (reading) "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda and of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda by whose inspiration I have been engaged in the matter of compiling this summary study of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. This is the sublime science of devotional service as propounded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared 500 years ago in West Bengal, India, to propagate the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī begins his great book by offering his respectful obeisances unto Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī who is his elder brother and spiritual master, and he prays that Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu may be very pleasing to him."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Pradyumna: "He further prays..."

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

Pradyumna: ...and of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, by whose inspiration I have been engaged in the matter of compiling this summary study of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. This is the sublime science of devotional service as propounded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared five hundred years ago in West Bengal, India to propagate the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī begins his great book by offering his respectful obeisances unto Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī who is his elder brother and spiritual master, and he prays that Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu may be very pleasing to him. He further prays that by residing in that ocean of nectar, he may always feel transcendental pleasure in the service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: So, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī is first offering his respect, obeisances to Sanātana Gosvāmī who is his elder brother, at the same time, guru. So we offer our respect in that way, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. That is the way. We cannot jump over the highest authority directly. That is not possible. That is not the etiquette or rules, regulations we have to go. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

Almost they became Muhammadans. Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa—both the brothers, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī. And they met Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then they decided to resign from the government post and join this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not new. It, it, it is continuing, it is going on since Kṛṣṇa appeared. And later on, five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu revived it, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). So when they met Caitanya Mahāprabhu, both the brothers decided that "Now we shall join Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. It is very nice movement." So, after resigning their posts, Rūpa Gosvāmī stealthily left the country and Sanātana Gosvāmī was situated. He formally wanted to resign the post, but the Nawab would not allow him to resign; therefore he was arrested. And somehow or other, he managed to come out of the prison and then join Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

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

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975:

They were not ordinary men. And they gave up everything. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was, they were ministers in the government of Hussain Shah. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was the only son of his father and uncle, very, very big zamindar, landholder. Twelve lakhs of rupees' income. Five hundred years twelve lakhs—twelve crores now. He was so rich man. Similarly, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, they were very, very learned. Jīva Gosvāmī was the nephew of Rūpa Gosvāmī, very learned scholar. So either scholar, rich men, big politician—all of them gave up their occupational, material occupational duty and joined Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His saṅkīrtana movement. So they were always absorbed in the gopīs' activities, always thinking. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was always thinking of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's activities, and the Gosvāmīs, they were also thinking of the gopīs' activities.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:

Therefore, it is concluded here by the author, agaty-eka-gatiṁ natvā (CC Adi 7.1). If we take the path of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then—we are embarrassed in so many ways—we can get the light. We can get the light. We can reform our life. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching is so nice. Of course, the great author Kavirāja Gosvāmī has depicted the activities and teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and this Māyāpur is the birthsite of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Five hundred years, 488 years ago, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu traveled on this street. Now, still, that memory is going to be revived by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world because Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted this.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.66-76 -- San Francisco, February 6, 1967:

"Oh, you come from India and you are decrying God in this way? Oh, I'm surprised." He was..., simply he has decried God: "Oh, why do you care for God? Throw Him, God. You are God." In this way, he has spoken.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years before, He knew it that in future the all these rascals will misinterpret Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore He presented Himself that "I am fool." Vedānta-sūtra is not a very easy thing. Therefore Vyāsadeva, he explained Vedānta-sūtra in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The first aphorism of Vedānta-sūtra is janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now it is the time for understanding what is Brahman." The next sūtra is... "What is Brahman?" The next answer is janmādy asya yataḥ: "Brahman is that from whom or from where everything emanates." Now he explains janmādy asya verse:

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.149-171 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1967:

That's all right. Oh, you have forgotten your book? Library book? Huh? Who brought that book which is lying in my room, apartment? Anyway, there is a picture of Vṛndāvana. That picture, there is a temple. This temple was first constructed by Sanātana Gosvāmī. That is the oldest temple in Vṛndāvana, not less than five hundred years old. And it was desecrated by the Aurangzeb, Emperor Aurangzeb. Then another new temple is now constructed where Madana-mohana is residing. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu authorized Sanātana Gosvāmī to go to Vṛndāvana and excavate the city. Before Lord Caitanya, the places of pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa was forgotten. People knew only that "In these quarters Kṛṣṇa was born and His pastimes was played here." But no particular places were excavated. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu... After Caitanya Mahāprabhu sent Sanātana Gosvāmī, the importance of that tract of land known as Mathurā-Vṛndāvana became very important.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.149-171 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1967:

In this way, Pañcatattva, these five pictures you have seen: Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Caitanya Prabhu Nityānanda Śrī-Advaita Gadādhara Śrīvāsadi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. They inaugurated this movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness five hundred years before, and it is predicted here that this movement will sanctify the situation of the whole world.

ei pañcatattva śrī-kṛṣṇa...
kṛṣṇa-nāma-prema diyā viśva kailā dhanya

He has already impregnated the seed. Just like Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda. In 1896 he sent the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message to McGill University. That book you have seen. The letter was there. And these are coincidence. Now, after so many years, a servant of that disciplic succession has come here again to preach. So these things are significant. Caitanya Mahāprabhu practically sown the seed of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and it is spreading, and it is sure it will spread. Now it has come to your country, and I am sure the students who are taking very seriously about this movement, they will spread in the western world.

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

Therefore Kṛṣṇa, when He appeared on this planet, His last instruction was that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ: (BG 18.66) "You just surrender to Me, and after giving up all your mental speculation, so-called religious system..." This is real religious system. So He left behind Him the Bhagavad-gītā to open our eyes, but we did not take much care of it. Therefore five hundred years ago Lord Caitanya appeared. He is Kṛṣṇa. He practically taught how to accept instruction of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

Of course, to come to this position, as Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19), after many, many births, that is very difficult job. We do not know. Suppose in this life I am living for hundred years or fifty years or ninety years. Then again another eighty years, ninety years, another hundred, four, five hundred years, or five thousand years... Because according to the body... The trees are standing for hundreds of years, five thousand years. So bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19) is not very easy thing. It may be millions of years. So after millions of years, if one actually becomes wise, jñānavān, he understands this simple truth, that jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa, this simple truth, that every living entity is eternally the servant of Kṛṣṇa. If he understands this, then he becomes immediately liberated. But intelligent man, he takes things very intelligently: "Caitanya Mahāprabhu said jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109), then why I am falsely thinking that 'I am God.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.334-341 -- New York, December 24, 1966:

So Lord Caitanya demonstrated such mass movement simply by this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So that is His contribution to the people of the world. And India was overflooded with this movement about five hundred years before. And still they have found that thousands and thousands of followers of Caitanya Mahāprabhu... During Caitanya Mahāprabhu's birthday in February there is a procession in Calcutta. Practically the whole population of Calcutta joins that. So here, of course, this movement is started, and people, if they take advantage of this movement, they will be very happy. And this is the only movement for respiritualization of the whole world. And those who are intelligent, they should come forward and cooperate with this movement. We have started this movement in a humble way, but we are inviting cooperation of people who are interested for the peace of the world.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.62-67 -- New York, January 6, 1966:

This is coming from long, long ago. So similarly, there were champions of scholars. Just like in modern days a sportsman will challenge, and if he is victorious all over the world... Similarly, in those days there were competition of the great learned scholars, champions. So this Keśava Kāśmīrī... At least India, that was the system even five hundred years before. So Keśava Kāśmīrī, he was a paṇḍita.

Now, India was united on the strength of religious culture and Sanskrit language. All over India the lingua franca, or the language, common language, at least for the scholars, not for the common man... The common man could speak any language—Hindi, Parsi, or Bengali, Oriya, Telegu, so many. There are so many languages. In every district you will find some language. But that was not taken into consideration. When education is concerned, every student all over India, they would take education in Sanskrit. Sanskrit language was the...

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Lecture on Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 3 -- Los Angeles, May 5, 1970:

So you should try to read the explanation, these word meanings. So kurvann eveha karmāṇi jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ. Samāḥ means years. You can live hundreds of years if you understand the philosophy of life. Otherwise, what is the use of living? The trees are also living for five hundred years, for thousands years. There is one tree in San Francisco... What is that wood?

Festival Lectures

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

So after the appearance of Lord Caitanya, there was great ceremony. All the inhabitants of Navadvīpa, His father, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's father, was not very rich man but was very respectable brāhmaṇa. The brāhmaṇa community, especially in those days, five hundred years ago, the brāhmaṇa community, as a community, they were not very rich because they did not care for material opulence. That is the specific quality of brāhmaṇas. There are four classes of men all over the world. (break) ...people, they are interested for success of this human form of life. They are called brāhmaṇas. And the next class of men, they are interested for political power, next important class. First important class is called who are seeking success of the human form of life, and the next class, they are seeking success to become very rich within this material world by political power. Another next class is trying to be successful by material opulence, by earning money, the mercantile community.

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

Nothing belongs to me, everything Kṛṣṇa's. Even my body, that is also Kṛṣṇa's. My mind, that is also Kṛṣṇa's. My thoughts, my speech, whatever I create, everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa philosophy, and actually, that is the fact.

So this Jagannātha Ratha-yātrā is a part of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement because Lord Caitanya preached this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement within five hundred years. Of course, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a new thing. From Bhagavad-gītā we understand it is five thousand years old, and from Bhagavad-gītā we also understand that it is five million years old. But in the modern age this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, was started by Lord Caitanya, and this Ratha-yātrā is part of this movement. Therefore we have introduced this Ratha-yātrā festival in our society. And the boys and the girls, they are taking it very nicely, and it will go on. So the Lord Caitanya was taking the part of Rādhārāṇī, when Rādhārāṇī requested Kṛṣṇa to come to Vṛndāvana.

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

So when Lord Caitanya wanted to wash the Guṇḍīca Mandir, the king of Jagannātha Purī, Mahārāja Pratāparudra... He was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya. So it was his open order to his officers that whenever Caitanya Mahāprabhu will ask for anything, it must be immediately supplied. So during this time about... In those days there was no railway facilities five hundred years ago. So people used to go on foot from, especially from Bengal. And because He was staying in Orissa, there were many Oriyan-Gauḍīya. Practically Lord Caitanya's followers are the Bengalis and the Oriyas. They are generally. Because Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal and resided, He made His residence in Orissa. Naturally, the people of these two provinces became His devotees in large number. And still, in Orissa there are many devotees, as there are in Bengal. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was patronized or... Mahārāja Pratāparudra was very powerful king. He did not allow the Mohammedans to enter into Orissa. He was so powerful.

Ratha-yatra Lecture at The Family Dog Auditorium -- San Francisco, July 27, 1969:

We have developed this human form of life after passing through many millions of lower grades of life, and similarly we have to now develop this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love of God. If you will take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very seriously, then we have volumes of books to convince you what is your relationship with God, what is your duty, what is your ultimate goal of life—these things are all very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. But unfortunately, so-called scholars and so-called wise men misinterpret the whole thing. That is why the Lord appeared as Lord Caitanya five hundred years ago to establish the correct principles of Bhagavad-gītā, and He showed that even if you do not understand the processes of religion, you simply chant

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

And it is practical. Just like when we were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, all the members who were assembled here were joining in, but when I am now talking about philosophy, some are leaving. It is very practical to see.

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

It is not manufactured by me or concocted by me. It is the old story, five thousand years. Why five thousands years? If we accept the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, this book of knowledge was first discussed with the sun-god some millions of years ago, so it is not a new thing. But in due course of time, sometimes it becomes covered. So Lord Caitanya, five hundred years ago, He wanted to give the spiritual knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout the whole world, and He has ordered to every Indian that anyone who has taken birth as a human being in India should preach this transcendental knowledge throughout the whole world. So perhaps previously..., means somebody have preached this Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge, but since 1965 or '66, since I started this movement from New York, generally all the boys and girls, younger section, they are very much kind upon me, and they are coming to me.

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:

My dear boys and girls, those who have come here, I welcome you on behalf of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared five hundred years ago, and He introduced this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This Ratha-yātrā is one of the item of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Jagannātha, just try to understand Jagannātha. Jagat means the moving world. Gacchati iti jagat, Sanskrit word, gacchati means which is moving. So all these planets, this universe, even the sun, everything is moving, as we are moving... We are, of course, animate. Even inanimate things are moving. Your motorcar moving, your machine is moving, but they are moving under the control of some animate object. But animate objects moving, some of the animate objects are standstill, just like trees, but ultimately they are also moving in this sense: that one species of life is being transmigrated to another species of life. Therefore it is called jagat. Jagat means moving. And Jagat-nātha, nātha means the proprietor, master, proprietor. So Jagannātha means the proprietor or the master of all these movements, He is Jagannātha.

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for you coming here and participating in this great movement known as Hare Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana movement. This saṅkīrtana movement was started five hundred years ago by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in India, in the state West Bengal, in the district of Nadia. His mission was that this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, or God consciousness, should be spread all over the world. As many town and villages as there are on the surface of the globe, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement would be spread all over. His prediction is now being carried out by some of the devotees. And you may kindly take advantage of this movement.

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

We are missing Vṛndāvana. So I wish that You come along with Me again in Vṛndāvana and We enjoy in the forest of Vṛndāvana."

These feelings of separation was preached by Lord Caitanya. So this Ratha-yātrā festival is still observed in Jagannath Purī in India. And five hundred years ago Lord Caitanya participated in this festival, and He was in the mode of separation as if Rādhārāṇī was taking back Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. So this Ratha-yātrā festival is a feeling festival for the Vaiṣṇavas. Lord Caitanya taught us how to feel separation of God. Lord Caitanya never taught us that He had seen God, but He felt the separation of God very severely. Similarly, His next disciples, the Sad-Gosvāmīs, they also prosecuted their devotional service by separational feelings.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

So all the śāstras says, in our Vaiṣṇava śāstra also, Rūpa Gosvāmī says, ādau gurv-āśrayam: "In the first beginning, you must take shelter of a bona fide guru."

So this Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's birthday, we should adore, we should worship, because in the modern age he reintroduced the disciplic succession. From Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught this philosophy, but within two hundred years... Because this material world is so made that whatever you introduce, in due course of time it will deteriorate. You make a nice house, but after one hundred years, two hundred years, or nowadays, even after fifty years, it becomes dilapidated. That is the nature's law, kāla. Time will destroy everything. Now, British empire, such a big, vast empire, now it is finished. The kāla, the time, will make everything finished. That is material. Anything material, it has birth, it has growth, it has got some opulence, then dwindling, then finished. That is the way of material... So we are interested in spiritual subject matter.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:

That was the Vedic system. To accept another's service was so abominable. In the Bhāgavata also it is stated that if the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśya, especially the brāhmaṇas, they have no livelihood, then they can adopt the business of kṣatriya and vaiśya, but never accept the occupation of the dog, śūdra. That is stated. You see? So to accept service of others was so abominable, even five hundred years ago. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, they were also belonged to very rich family, but because they accepted ministership in the government of a Muhammadan, they were rejected. They were exterminated from the society. What is the extermination of society? He will never be invited. Nobody will offer his daughter to their family, because according to Vedic system, daughters and sons are not loitering in the street. The father and mother must engage. So if one is exterminated, oh, it is very difficult to get his daughter married. Nobody will accept. That was their condition. Actually, they also became hopelessness. They became almost Muhammadan.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

Pṛthivīte, all over the world, as many towns and villages are there, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu predicted that His mission will spread. This prediction was made by Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally five hundred years ago.

So perhaps my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, attempted to fulfill the desire of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And sometimes in the year 1918, he was brahmacārī, and Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, his material father, he wanted... Actually, he wanted, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura... Of course, everyone wanted. But he wrote one small book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Teachings and Precepts of Lord Caitanya, in 1896. And he presented that book to the McGill University in Canada. And he very much desired that the foreigners, especially Americans, would join this movement. That was his desire in 1896. And then, in 1918, my Guru Mahārāja started with this mission one institution known as Gauḍīya Math. Perhaps some of you know the name, Gauḍīya Math. And he was trying to spread this message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and by chance or by prediction, as you think, I was taken to Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura by one of my friends.

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

That is not perfection. Perfection is that whether you are satisfying the Supreme Lord by your occupation. It doesn't matter what you are doing or what is your income. You will be surprised to know that Lord Caitanya had a very poor friend. In His childhood He had a poor friend. His name was Śrīdhara. His income was daily, in those days, five hundred years before, his income was, say, about five cent daily. And not even that. Suppose five cent. So out of that five cent, he would spend two half cent for gaṅgā-pūjā, for worshiping mother Ganges. And with the balance two half cent, he will maintain his family. So similarly there are many instances. So it doesn't matter what is your income, five cent or five hundred dollars. You must try to satisfy according to your capacity, the Supreme Lord. That should be.

There are many examples. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī is the direct disciple of Lord Caitanya. When he retired from his service—he was government minister—oḥ, he brought home golden coins, full, a boat full, full of gold.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Paris, July 20, 1972:

This saṅkīrtana movement was started by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu five hundred years ago for mitigating the sufferings of the people of the world. He predicted that in every village, in every town on the surface of the globe, let this saṅkīrtana movement be spread out and people will be happy and they'll find Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That was His prediction. Actually this is happening now. So our simple method—we go everywhere all over the world, chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and we attract people, especially younger generation, boys and girls. Sometimes the newspaper reporters they ask me, "Why these young men and young women they are very much attracted with this movement?" I replied, "That is the success of the movement, because younger generation, they are the flowers, the future hope of the country, of the world. If they take this movement seriously then the whole world will be happy." Vedic civilization desires that everyone be happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. Vedic civilization is not animal civilization, exploiting others... Giving something to others.

Initiation Lectures

Sannyasa Initiation -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1970:

This happened long, long years ago because it is mentioned in the Bhāgavatam which was composed by Vyāsadeva at least five thousand years ago. So it is to be concluded therefore that this tridaṇḍi sannyāsī order is coming down since a long time. Since a time long, long years ago. And within five hundred years of time, Lord Caitanya adopted this order of life. In the latest years, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda adopted it personally and made many of his disciples tridaṇḍi sannyāsīs. We are also following his footsteps. In the purport of this mantra is that the ekaṇḍi sannyāsī is devoid of parātma niṣṭha, which is explained above. In other words, impersonalists..." On the first page it says, an explanation of parātma is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is given in the English synonyms. So it says, "We are also following his footsteps. And the purport of this mantra is that the ekaṇḍi sannyāsī is devoid of parātma niṣṭha, which is explained above."

Initiations and Lecture Sannyasa Initiation of Sudama dasa -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

This happened long, long years ago because it is mentioned in the Bhāgavatam, which was composed by Vyāsadeva at least five thousand years ago. So it is to be concluded, therefore, that this tridaṇḍī sannyāsīn order is coming down since a time long, long years ago. And within five hundred years of time Lord Caitanya adopted this order of life. And in the latest years His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thakur Prabhupāda adopted it personally and made many of his disciples tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs. We are also following his footsteps, and the purport of this mantra is that the ekadaṇḍī sannyāsī is devoid of paramaṁ niṣṭha, which is explained above. In other words, impersonalists cannot have any faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they prefer to merge into the impersonal Brahman effulgence. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we do not find any mention of ekadaṇḍa sannyāsa. This tridaṇḍa sannyāsa is accepted, therefore, as standard. Lord Caitanya accepts Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as the supreme authority.

Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

Why shall I purify my existence? Because you want happiness. That is your desire. So you'll get brahma-saukhyam, the greatest happiness, which will never end. If you purify your existence by tapasya then you will be happy eternally. There will be no end. Here in this material world any happiness is temporary—either for five minutes or five days or five years or five hundred years or five millions of years. It will end. But if you purify your existence, then the happiness will never end. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam (SB 5.5.1). Anantam means unlimited. It is very serious thing, and it is offered to the human being. So anyone can take advantage of this opportunity and make his life successful.

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a new movement. It is there always in the Vedic scriptures, but people have forgotten. So we are trying to revive that movement, although in India the movement is there always, especially since the last five hundred years, introduced by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In your country it is introduced since 1966. But people are appreciating. We have got many books and literature, magazines, to convince people about the importance of this movement. And those who are coming to be a serious student of this movement, initiated, they require to follow four principles of regulation. That one, first regulation, is that the student is not allowed to have illicit sex life. In this country, the guardians, the teachers, the government allows the boys and girls to meet together and have illicit sex life without marriage. That is not allowed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If any boy or girl wants sex life, then he should regularly be married. That is civilized way.

General Lectures

Lecture -- San Francisco, April 2, 1968:

...consciousness movement was started five hundred years before by Lord Caitanya. This is not a new movement. Practically, it is as old as the creation of this world, but as things change in course of time, so it required rejuvenation. So this movement was rejuvenated about five hundred years ago. Before that, Lord Kṛṣṇa... You might have heard His name. Most of you have read Bhagavad-gītā, the famous philosophical doctrine of Indian Vedānta philosophy. Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed Bhagavad-gītā in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra five thousand years ago. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā we find everything complete so far God consciousness is required. The first and foremost qualification to understand the science of God or to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is to understand yourself. The first thing is what you are or what I am. In the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra this perplexed question was there before Arjuna. Arjuna was to fight with his brothers and relatives on the other side to decide who shall be the emperor of the region.

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

I mean to say, temporary existence. So these informations are there, and they are very scientific. They are not dogmatic. If you accept them with reason and argument and with human consciousness, the solutions are there.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the movement. It is not new movement. This movement is at least, current, since five hundred years before. Lord Caitanya, He started this movement in the fifteenth century. So this movement is current everywhere in India, but in your country, of course, it is new. But our request is that you kindly take this movement little seriously. We do not ask you to stop your technological advance. You do it. There is a nice proverb in Bengal that a woman who is busy in household work is also..., she also takes care for dressing herself nicely. It is the nature of women. When they go out they dress very nicely. So similarly, you may be busy with all kinds of technology. That, that is not forbidden. But at the same time, you try to understand this technology, the science of soul. That is there. It is not a bogus propaganda.

Lecture at Engagement -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness was established in 1966 by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, who had come to this country from Calcutta, India, to preach the science of God realization which is recommended for this age, this age of Kali, this age of disagreement. This process was started by Lord Caitanya five hundred years ago in India. (break) You may want to ask the Swami about Bhagavad-gītā or transcendental philosophy. Now I present His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami.

Prabhupāda: The primary principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have been briefly described by my disciple Śrīman Brahmānanda Brahmacārī. It is a very important science of God, understanding what is God. Of course, in every religion this conception of God is there. Simply by understanding "God is great" is not sufficient. We must have knowledge about our relationship with God.

Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968:

That is material, but spiritually, the name Kṛṣṇa or the name Allah or the name Jehovah is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Therefore if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa... You may inquire why we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, this name, was chanted by Lord Caitanya, who introduced this movement five hundred years ago in India. We are following the footprints of Lord Caitanya. Because He chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. But Lord Caitanya has recommended that God has innumerable names, and any one of them can be chanted, and there is no hard and fast rules and regulations for chanting. It is not that you have to prepare yourself or you have to educate yourself or you have to adjust yourself for chanting. No. Everyone. Just like immediately we began to chant. You were not prepared, but you joined with us, you clapped with us, you danced with us. So similarly, there is no preoccupation or any rules and regulation. You simply chant. And this is very easy. While walking, you can chant whatever name you like.

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

"I am learned." Now, this Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was formerly known as Dabira Khāsa. He was born in a high aristocratic family, brāhmaṇa family, and he was finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Bengal governor of Bengal. It is about five hundred years ago India was governed by the Pathans, Muslims, and in Bengal the governor was known as Nawab Hussain Shah. Under his government this Dabira Khāsa was minister of finance, and his brother also, Sākara Mallika, he was also a departmental minister. So both the brothers were in very high position. They were great scholar in Sanskrit and Parsi, Urdu. Parsi, Urdu, you know the language spoken in Arabia, in that part of the world. So they were very good scholar and born in very aristocratic family and associated with rich men, aristocratic persons. Because they were ministers, no ordinary person could mix with them. So that was their position.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very simple. Very simple. It is inaugurated by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu especially, although it is very old, in the Vedic scripture, but still, taking from the historical point of view, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is since Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared on the surface of this planet five thousand years ago, and later on, Lord Caitanya, five hundred years ago, He expanded that movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. His mission, Lord Caitanya's mission, is ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayaḥ. If you want to love or if you want to be subordinate... Everyone is subordinate. This is false. Everyone wants to be independent, but nobody is independent. Everyone is subordinate. Nobody can say that "I am independent." Can you say, any one of you, that you are independent? Is there anybody? No. Everyone is subordinate willingly. Not by force everyone becomes subordinate. A girl says a boy, "I want to become your subordinate," willingly. Similarly a boy says to a girl, "I want to be your subordinate." Why? That is my nature.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Na hanyate. Na hanyate means "never dies" or "is never destroyed," even after the destruction of this body. This is the position.

Now this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we have to understand through the teachings of Lord Caitanya. He is the... Five hundred years ago, He appeared in Bengal, a province of India, and He specifically preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. His mission is that anyone who is born in India should take this message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and distribute it all over the world. To execute that order we have come to your country. So my request is that you try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement with all your knowledge, scrutinizingly. Don't accept it blindly. Try to understand with your arguments, knowledge, logic, realization—you are human being—and you'll find it sublime, sublime, undoubtedly. We have published this book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and other books also, many books. So try to read them.

Recorded Speech to Members of ISKCON London -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Misled by blind leaders, the followers who themselves are blind have failed to achieve the desired success, but here is a method called by the name Kṛṣṇa consciousness which is directly offered by Kṛṣṇa, and the instructions are plainly described in the Bhagavad-gītā, given to us five thousand years ago, and again confirmed by Him in the form of Lord Caitanya five hundred years ago. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a great art of life, very easy and sublime. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement gives you everything you want, without any artificial endeavor. It is transcendentally colorful and full of transcendental pleasure. We prosecute these Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities through singing, dancing, eating, and talking philosophy received through authorized disciplic succession, and therefore it gives us everything we want, without any artificial change of our natural instincts.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:

Don't accept any bogus, so-called God. Just try to put him to the test whether he is actually God. This is the test, that nobody should be greater than him; nobody shall be equal to him. Then he is God.

So in the Vedic literature, in India, you know there were many saintly persons, great scholars from time immemorial. Even not very recently, say, five hundred years ago there were such men, personalities. Now it is almost finished, but still, if you find, you will see there are great sages, saintly persons, who understand the meaning of Vedic literature, and they live up to the standard of Vedic life. So that is the definition given by great saints and sages, this definition given by Parāśara Muni, a great sage. He was the father of Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is called Veda-Vyāsa. His another name is Veda-Vyāsa. Veda-Vyāsa means... His actual name is Vyāsadeva, but because he compiled all the Vedic knowledge in book form... Before the advent of this present age, which is known as Kali-yuga... He compiled all Vedic knowledge...

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

"A man is supposed to be defeated in all his activities if he does not inquire what he is." This statement is also in Bible, you know, that "If one loses his own self and he gains all material prosperity, what does he gain?" Actually, this is the fact.

Therefore Lord Caitanya, five hundred years ago, He appeared in Bengal and He introduced this movement, saṅkīrtana movement—not whimsically, but according to the tenets of Vedic literature, where it is stated that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). In the Golden Age it was possible to realize God by meditation, when people were all cent percent pure. Then tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ: "And in next age, God-realization was by offering great sacrifices." And dvāpare paricaryāyām: "And in next age, by temple worship or church worship or mosque worship. Now, at this present age," kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt, "in this age, simply by chanting the glories of the holy name of God." This was introduced by Lord Caitanya.

Brandeis University Lecture -- Boston, April 29, 1969:

That is stated by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who inaugurated this movement. You see this picture, five learned brāhmaṇas. In the center there is one picture who is Lord Caitanya. He started this movement when He was only seventeen years old, a boy. A boy only—a schoolboy. He was student, but He introduced this movement five hundred years ago, and some of the elderly men, as you see, one elderly man with beard, He also helped Him, and the others... Actually this movement was originally started by young boys. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, and Advaita Prabhu, They started. And there was a great agitation against Them by the brāhmaṇas, priestly brāhmaṇas, at that time. So Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu picked up these sixteen words from Vedic literature. It is not that He manufactured something. No. In the Vedic way there is no question of manufacturing something, religious process. No. Just like you manufacture law. In your state, privately, you cannot manufacture law. The law is given by the state.

Northeastern University Lecture -- Boston, April 30, 1969:

I shall give you this mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa." It is publicly distributed. You simply catch up and try it. You'll... Very quickly you'll come to the transcendental platform, and when you hear the chanting, that is transcendental meditation. This process is recommended in all scriptures of Vedic literature, and it is followed by Lord Caitanya and His disciplic succession for the last five hundred years, and people are achieving good result. Not only in India, here also, the young boys and girls who have joined this movement... You try to understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how transcendental meditation is possible. We are not sentimentalists. We have got many books. Just like here is our Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. We have got our magazine, Back to Godhead. We have got Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, five volumes. So many things. Īśopaniṣad. It is not that we are sentimentalist. We are backed by high philosophical thoughts and everything.

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

All glories to the saṅkīrtana movement. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago in Navadvīpa, at the age of sixteen years only, a boy of sixteen years, He introduced this movement, saṅkīrtana movement. Not that He manufactured some religious system. Just like nowadays there are..., so many religious system have been manufactured. Actually, religion cannot be manufactured. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Religion means the codes of God, the laws of God." That's all. Just like you cannot live without obeying the state laws, similarly, you cannot live without obeying the laws of God. And in the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati: (BG 4.7)

Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969:

There are many symptoms. So Bhāgavata recommends, "For self-realization in this age, simply by performing this sacrifice of saṅkīrtana..." The saṅkīrtana-yajña is so nice that at once you get transcendental ecstasy, and from spiritual consciousness, you try to join. Even a child desires like that. This is the effect of the saṅkīrtana-yajña. And Lord Caitanya, the inaugurator of this movement five hundred years ago, He says that if you chant this mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, then the first installment of your gain will be that all the dirty things in your heart will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). And when we are in clean heart, then the next stage will be bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam: "The problems of material existence will be solved." And when you are spiritually steady on the platform of saṅkīrtana-yajña, then your original consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and its concomitant joyfulness begins.

Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:

Original consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And all other consciousness which you have now acquired, these are superficial, temporary. "I am Indian," "I am Englishman," "I am this," "I am that"—these are all superficial consciousness. Real consciousness is ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

So Lord Caitanya, who started this movement five hundred years ago in Bengal, India, He immediately informs you that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109), that our real identity, real constitutional position, is that we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God. Therefore you can understand what is your duty. Just like this hand is part and parcel of your body. Now, what is the duty of this hand? To serve the body, that's all. The hand cannot enjoy independently. It is not possible. If you cut off this hand from this body and throw into the street, nobody will care for it. But so long it is attached with this body, it has got millions and trillions of dollars' value. If there is any trouble, you will be prepared to spend any amount.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 11, 1971:

Now we have got fifty-two branches all over the world, including one in Tokyo, one in Hong Kong, in Australia, Sydney.

Now try to understand what is this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, recently it was started about five hundred years ago by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in Bengal, West Bengal, in the district of Nadia, about sixty miles north of Calcutta. And He started this movement. This movement is, of course, not to be understood that Caitanya Mahāprabhu started it, something new. No. It is the oldest, oldest in this sense, that five thousand years ago Lord Kṛṣṇa spoke about this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the Bhagavad-gītā. And if we go further, then from the statement of Bhagavad-gītā we understand it was started about forty millions of years ago, because in the Fourth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find, there is a statement given by Lord Kṛṣṇa:

Lecture -- San Francisco, June 28, 1971:

By the order of Lord Caitanya they went to Vṛndāvana, and the present city of Vṛndāvana is the contribution of the Gosvāmīs. First of all Sanātana Gosvāmī went there, then Rūpa Gosvāmī. In this way the city was excavated. It was formerly, five hundred years ago, there was no trace where and how Kṛṣṇa līlā was performed in that tract of land. But when Caitanya Mahāprabhu went there, He first of all discovered Rādhā Kuṇḍa, the lake in which Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī used to take bath and Kṛṣṇa used to come. There is Śyāma Kuṇḍa also. The Śyāma Kuṇḍa, Rādhā Kuṇḍa, two lakes are still existing. Hundreds, thousands of people, devotees, go to see that lake every day.

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

Similarly, long, long ago there was only Vedic culture. Five thousand years ago there was no other culture except this Vedic culture, Aryan culture. But later on, all these so-called system developed. The Christian religion, the Mohammedan religion, or the Buddhist religion, they are all later. Nobody can give history more than two thousand five hundred years. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at least if you take the historical reference of Kurukṣetra battle, it is five thousand years old at least.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu begins where Kṛṣṇa ended. He said to Sanatāna Gosvāmī that jīvera 'svarūpa' haya-nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109), the real identity of the living entity is that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa or God. That is our real identity. But we are identifying in so many ways. Not only am I identifying that "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am Christian," "I am Mohammedan," "I am so on, so on," at last, "I am God." At last... That is the last snare of māyā.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

I am recently born, say, seventy-six years ago. How I became Kṛṣṇa's representative, this question may be raised. But the answer is also there, ready. We have got a disciplic succession: from Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā; from Brahmā, Nārada; from Nārada, Vyāsadeva; from Vyāsadeva, Madhvācārya; from Madhvācārya, so many disciplic succession. Later, five hundred years ago, Mādhavendra Purī, in the line of Madhvācārya. Then his disciple, Īśvara Purī, his disciple, Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya we consider Him Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He also accepted a spiritual master, Īśvara Purī. So Lord Caitanya is everyone's spiritual master, but for the sake of formality, He also accepted a spiritual master so that others may learn that this is essential.

Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:

Ladies and Gentlemen. I thank you very much for your coming here and participating in this great movement known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement was started five hundred years ago by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in a, a place which is now known as Nadia. It is a district in West Bengal, about sixty miles north of Calcutta. Lord Caitanya appeared there about four hundred and eighty-five years ago, and He took sannyāsa. Sannyāsa means renounced order of life. According to Vedic civilization, at the end of one's life, one has to take sannyāsa, renounced order of life, no family connection. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, at very early age... He was only twenty-four years old, and He had at His home very nice, young wife and very affectionate mother, but still... (someone in crowd starts yelling)

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much for your participating in this saṅkīrtana movement. This movement was started by Lord Caitanya five hundred years ago in India, West Bengal. (noises in background) (aside:) What is that sound? That sound cannot be stopped?

Haṁsadūta: That's the speaker system, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: But this movement is not five hundred years old. It is coming since very, very long time. As we have advertised, bhāgavata-dharma. This is part of bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma was explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja, a great devotee of Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, Nārāyaṇa, some millions of years ago. His father was Hiraṇyakaśipu, atheist. He did not believe in God. But by the grace of Nārada Muni, his son, from the very womb of his mother, he was initiated in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And after his birth he became a great devotee. And when he was only five years old he was preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement amongst his class fellows. He was little boy, king's son. He had no opportunity to go out of the palace.

Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

All perfection. That is the... Our this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is meant for that purpose. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu... The picture is there, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Here, Ṣaḍ-bhūja. So He inaugurated this movement five hundred years ago, chanting. Chanting and dancing. So this is going on for the last five hundred years. In India it is very popular, but in the Western countries, we have just introduced five or six years ago, and people are taking to it, and they are feeling happy. So this is the only process. Therefore, the guru is always engaged in chanting. Mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta **, Chanting and dancing. Unless he performs himself, how he can teach his disciple?

So first symptom is that he will give you such instruction that immediately you will feel relief from all anxieties. And the second symptom is that he's personally engaged also in chanting and dancing the holy name of the Lord.

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

British man: No. What I'm trying to ask is that if the Vedic scriptures were written about five thousand years ago...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

British man: ...then how is it just only five hundred years ago somebody came to impart what was written five thousand years ago?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). As soon as it becomes too much deteriorated, then Kṛṣṇa comes Himself or sends His representative to revive Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It may be five thousand years or five lakhs of years or five days. That doesn't matter. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya. Whenever there is discrepancy. It doesn't matter. It does not depend on the historical dates. When there is necessity. When there is necessity. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. At that time. So although Kṛṣṇa consciousness was introduced five thousand years ago by Kṛṣṇa Himself, but it deteriorated. (end)

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

Guest (1) (Indian man): Swamijī, nobody will disagree with you that taking the world's population at its present level, and also the production at its present level, one can see that the distribution is very uneven. And it is also true, just leaving aside the predictions, the pessimistic predictions of demographers as to what will be the human population five hundred years from now or in the year 2,300 or whatever it is, but also leaving aside the deterioration of the environment as a result of wrong technologies that have begun here (?), it is true that, as you said, there is lot of scope of additional sources, food production and other resources if it is evenly distributed over the existing populations. Yet the fact remains that there are areas of the world where people are living in luxury, and they are guarding their rights, territorial ones, as you rightly said, national...

Prabhupāda: Yes. So-called nationalism.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

They are very debauchees. That debauchees means what was their fault? The fault was that they took their birth in brāhmaṇa family, but they became woman-hunter and drunkards and cheaters, like that. So Nityānanda Prabhu delivered them to become first-class Vaiṣṇava. Pāpī-tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo, tāra sākṣī jagāi and mādhāi. So five hundred years ago, to become a drunkard was most abominable, especially in the higher section of the Hindu society. But now it has become a fashion. So if you want to develop the position of the society, position of the country, which is now full with pāpī-tāpī, you have to accept the process of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and that is practically being manifested. These European, American boys, they are also the same type, Jagāi and Mādhāi. That is a fact. They were at least. Now they are not. So how they have become delivered? The same process. Pāpī-tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo.

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

So five thousand years ago this philosophy was spoken to Arjuna, and we are having the instruction. Unfortunately that is again being distorted. Because we do not receive through the paramparā system, we inference, we make inferences in our own way, and therefore it is also again broken. Therefore again, five hundred years ago, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed this Bhagavad-gītā as a devotee. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is supposed to be incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He instructed as the order-giving master, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but still, people misunderstood. Therefore this time, five hundred years ago, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Kṛṣṇa Himself, appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa. That is described in the authentic śāstra:

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

So He is accepted by the direct disciple, Arjuna; He is accepted by Vyāsadeva; He is accepted by Nārada Muni; and recently, within two thousand years, He is accepted by all the ācāryas of India-Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī; and lately, five hundred years ago, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So there is no doubt about Kṛṣṇa's becoming the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is confirmed, ete cāṁśa kalāḥ puṁsāṁ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: (SB 1.3.28) "The original Personality of Godhead-Kṛṣṇa." Similarly, in the Upaniṣad, in the Vedas, and Brahma-saṁhitā, if you take evidence from the śāstras, everywhere you will find, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

So there are many description about their activities in Vṛndāvana. Some of them are described by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya. The prime duty was, these Gosvāmīs, they were ministers, big, big zamindars. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was the only one son of his father and uncle, and in those days, five hundred years ago, their paternal income was twelve lakhs of rupees. So such person joined Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Rūpa sanātana bhaṭṭa-raguṇatha. Either they were very, very learned scholar or coming from very, very rich family, big post, all the six Goswamis.

Speech to Devotees -- Vrndavana, April 7, 1976:

Guru's business is not to exploit the śiṣya. It is the business, how to deliver. So who can deliver? Who is actually guru in the paramparā system? Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So we have to take the authority of become guru from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same thing. Within five hundred years His order is that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You cannot become guru all of a sudden. You must take order from Me." He is jagad-guru. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says you, all of you, to become guru and deliver. Because there are so many innumerable fallen souls in this age-mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10)—we require hundreds and thousands of gurus. But not cheaters. This is the time when requires hundreds and thousands of gurus. But who will become guru? That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's injunction, āmāra ājñāya: "By My order you become guru. Don't be all of a sudden guru. Become guru on My order."

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

That is not possible. It is to be executed alone. Still you'll find in India, many places-Hardwar—there are many yogis, they are sitting alone. They have nothing to do with this material world, and dhyānāvasthita, and not only for one, two, three years, but for many hundred years. Still many yogis come during Kumbhamelā. Their age is three hundred years, four hundred years, five hundred years old. It is possible. It is possible. By exercising the breathing, one can prolong his life. That is called samādhi. If you can stop your breathing, then you enhance your duration of life. That is possible. Therefore you'll find the picture of the yogis, they are controlling the breathing. Because everyone has got a destined breathing period by superior arrangement. So if you don't spend your breathing, then you prolong your life. If you can remain in samādhi, don't breathe, then... Just like if you have got a bank balance, one thousand dollars. If you don't spend it, then the one thousand dollar is there. Or out of one thousand dollars, you spend one. Still you have nine hundred ninety-nine.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So we started this movement in 1966, registering it. Our Rūpānuga Prabhu has already explained. So take this movement very seriously. The same, Kṛṣṇa, started within the historical, five thousand years ago. And He started this movement with Arjuna as His disciple. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago, He revived again the same movement. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. And that is going on. Don't think that this is a manufactured movement. No. It is the authorized movement and confirmed by the authorities. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). There are mahājanas mentioned in the śāstra. So be fixed up in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. We have got so many literatures, authorized literatures. And make your life success.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Śyāmasundara: I don't know how geologists date earth layers...

Prabhupāda: They bluff everything.

Śyāmasundara: But even if, let's say the deepest layer is only five hundred years old, but still the ones on top are newer. So in the lowest layer, there are no chariots, cities...

Prabhupāda: We can rather believe the Bhagavad-gītā, who gives a description of one, twelve hours duration of life, millions of years. So we can believe such authority. You can actually gain...

Śyāmasundara: Just like when you are dreaming, you may think it's millions of years, and it's only five minutes. You wake up and you've only been asleep five minutes. even though it seems like millions of years.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are doing that. We are taking from the history of forty millions of years ago and transmitting it by guru-paramparā, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). Accepted by great authorities like Vyāsa, Nārada, Devala, five thousand years, Arjuna, and later on the great ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya. Lately, five hundred years ago, Lord Caitanya. And we are following Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.

Śyāmasundara: So the values that are taught to us by history, are they not...

Prabhupāda: The same value. The value has not deteriorated. It has not fluctuated.

Śyāmasundara: What is that?

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Śyāmasundara: Well, what about before they had botanists? They didn't know anything about leaves before?

Prabhupāda: No. Botanistism may not be there, but the knowledge was there.

Śyāmasundara: But they... Five hundred years ago there were no...

Prabhupāda: Five hundred years... Since the beginning of the creation. Why do you say five hundred years? You cannot... Five millions of years ago...

Śyāmasundara: That's using an example that five hundred years ago, when we had no microscopes, we had no idea...

Prabhupāda: But the knowledge was there. That is Vedic knowledge. Knowledge was there. Just like five millions of years ago there was no scientist (indistinct), analytical laboratory. But the Vedic knowledge is that cow dung is pure. Now you analyze at the present moment scientifically you'll find yes, it is pure. So wherefrom this knowledge came? There is no need of scientist if this knowledge was there. That is Vedic knowledge.

Purports to Songs

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

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu organized immediately about one lakh of people and went to perform at the house of the magistrate. The civil disobedience movement, perhaps you know that it was inaugurated by Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi, in India against the British government. But long, long before, five hundred years before, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He started this civil disobedience movement against the order of Kazi. So He was so popular. My point is that not only He was a very learned scholar... He was young man, twenty, twenty-two years, but He was so popular that He could call 100,000 people at once to start this civil disobedience. The social position...

He was beautiful, Gaurasundara. His another name is Gaurasundara, very beautiful boy. And a very learned scholar, Nimāi Paṇḍita. Nobody could defeat Him. And very influential and born of a very high-grade brāhmaṇa family. His father, His grandfather, was very, very learned scholars. So in every way He was very well situated, although the brāhmaṇas are not very rich. They do not care for money. They are interested in knowledge, brahma-jñāna. And if one knows Brahman, then he is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ: "Brāhmaṇa means one who knows the Absolute Truth." That is brahma-jñāna. The human life is meant for that purpose, athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Page Title:Five hundred years (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:19 of Jun, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=124, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:124