Flickering (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"flick" |"flickering" |"flickers"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.23 -- London, July 19, 1973:

We are searching after ānanda, bliss, but we do not know where to get bliss. We are trying to get bliss in this material world by eating meat, eating wine, drinking wine, by sex. They are trying to get ānanda. That is not ānanda. Ānanda is what is satyānanda. These ānandas, these pleasures— flickering, for few minutes, for few hours. That is not ānanda. Ānanda means satyānanda, real ānanda, real ānanda. What is that real ānanda? Brahma-sukha. That ānanda is in exchange with the Supreme Brahman. Brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). That is anantam, unlimited ānanda.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

Yoga practice means that controlling the mind and the senses. That is yoga practice. Because our mind is very flickering and changing, something accepting immediately, something rejecting immediately, very flickering. Therefore we have to train up the mind, and when the mind is trained up, then automatically your senses will be controlled.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

Tamala Krsna: (Purport) The word Āryan is applicable to persons who know the value of life and have a civilization based on spiritual realization. Persons who are led by the material conception of life do not know that the aim of life is realization of the Absolute Truth, Viṣṇu, or Bhagavān. Such persons are captivated by the external features..."

Prabhupāda: But at the present moment they claim that "We belong to the Āryan family," but they have not the qualification of an Āryan. The Āryan qualification is described there. Simply Arjuna was little flickering, he showed his little weakness, and he was at once condemned as non-Āryan. "Oh, you are just showing your symptom of a non-Āryan." You see. And by Kṛṣṇa. So the Āryan word is not ordinary. To become Āryan means a perfect human being, as far as possible. That is Āryan civilization.

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

Speculation means mental platform; it has no value. As this body is also nonpermanent, the mind is also flickering. Mind is flickering, accepting something and rejecting something. The same thing now accepted, again rejected. This is mind's business. So mind cannot be tattva-darśī. Of course we have to think with mind, but under the direction of authority. Then we can reach real tattva.

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

"Those who are too much attached with these bodily pleasures, and by that conception, one who is illusioned, that person cannot fix up in his identification with the soul." So that is the critical point. That is the critical point, that if we indulge in our bodily pleasure, that pleasure is flickering. That pleasure is flickering. We cannot enjoy. Bodily pleasure we cannot enjoy. That is an intoxication, something like intoxication. That is not pleasure, actual pleasure. Actual pleasure is of the soul, not of this body.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

So those who are concentrating mind, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, that is the perfection of yoga system, but they have no idea of Kṛṣṇa. They make some circle, they concentrate. That is a practice only, how to engage one's mind. Because mind is so flickering, I am thinking of a red circle, and then next moment, I think something red, and from that red, I go to something red, something red, oh... Mind is gone.

Lecture on BG 5.14-22 -- New York, August 28, 1966:

You have heard about Kṛṣṇa's rāsa dance. That is happiness. In the field of spiritual platform that happiness is realized. So sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣayam aśnute. Akṣayam means that does not pass away, not flickering, not flickering. Here in the material world all happiness, the so-called happiness, they are all flickering. They come and go. Therefore one who is transcendentally situated, he does not care for happiness or distress because he knows, "Either this happiness or this distress, it has appeared and it will go.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

Those who are spiritualists, they also enjoy. But they enjoy in the real happiness which has no end. Any happiness which is ended at a certain point, that is not happiness. That is, rather, source of distress. Ādy-antavantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ. Budhaḥ means who is learned. A learned person does not enjoy such flickering or transient happiness which is derived by sense touching.

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

Devotee: One should abandon without exception, all material desires born of ego and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind (BG 6.24). Purport: The yoga practitioner should be determined and should patiently prosecute the practice without deviation."

Prabhupāda: Now, this determination can be actually practiced or can be actually attained by one who does not indulge in sex life. His determination is strong. Therefore in the beginning it was said, that "without sex life," the determination. Or controlled sex life. If you indulge in sex life then this determination will not come. Flickering determination. You see. Therefore sex life should be controlled or given up. If it is possible to give up altogether, if not, controlled. Then you'll get determination. Because after all this determination is bodily affair. So these are the methods how to get determination.

Lecture on BG 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966:

The living spirit is eternal, the Lord is eternal, and their exchange of feelings, or loving feelings, that is also eternal. So one who is intelligent, they should refrain from this sensual enjoyment of this material body which is flickering, which is not in essence, and should seek such enjoyment of spiritual life. That is called rāsa-līlā.

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Even if you can control the wind, that is not possible. Nobody can control the wind. But even it is theoretically accepting that you can control the wind, but it is not possible to control the mind. It is very difficult. Mind is so flickering and so turbulent.

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

One who is trying to concentrate his mind on the imperson or voidness, it is very difficult and troublesome. At least here in this temple, these students, they are trying to concentrate his mind on Kṛṣṇa. But to concentrate one's mind in void, that is very difficult. So naturally my mind is flickering. Instead of finding out something void, my mind is engaged in something else. Because mind must be engaged in something. If it is not engaged in Kṛṣṇa, then it must be engaged in māyā.

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

One who has completely ended sinful activities, janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām: persons who have simply executed pious activities. Such person becomes fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any dualities. Because our mind is flickering, so dualities will always come. Whether I shall accept it or not. Whether I shall become Kṛṣṇa conscious or another conscious, these problems are always there. But if one is advanced by pious activities in the previous life, then he is fixed up steady, "I'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious."

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

The thinking should be so careful that one cannot divert his attention to any other subject matter. In the Pātañjala yoga system, it is said yoga indriya-saṁyama: yoga means to control all the senses. Because unless the senses are controlled, the mind will be flickering, go this way, that way, that way. So mind is the leader of all other senses. If you control the mind, concentrate on the feature of the Supreme Lord, that is the yoga system.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

At the present moment, due to my material conditional life, because I have got this material body, therefore my pleasure... I am hankering after pleasure, but whatever pleasure I am acquiring, that is not permanent, or flickering, or simply illusion. But that hankering after pleasure is your constitutional position. Because you are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, who is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), who is by nature blissful, and you are part and parcel of that blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore your nature is also blissful. That is a fact.

Lecture on BG 7.15-18 -- New York, October 9, 1966:

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "My dear Lord, I am fully satisfied. I don't want anything. I have no distress. I am not poverty-stricken. I am the wealthiest. There is no comparison of my assets." That position he comes to.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that udārāḥ: "They are also good, because gradually they will come to this understanding." Because a jñānī knows that "What are these material things? They are only flickering, flickering.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

Enjoyment is the goal of everyone's life. But the difference is that the materialist is trying to hanker after flickering enjoyment, and the transcendentalists, they are hankering after the spiritual enjoyment, or eternal enjoyment.

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said to Nṛsiṁhadeva, "My dear Sir, I have no problem. I am happy anywhere by chanting Your holy..., by glorifying Your activities. But I am simply morose seeing the fallen-down condition..." Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). "I am simply thinking of these rascals, whose, who, for flickering happiness, engage themselves in so many material activities, forgetting your relationship."

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa said that "Give up everything, I shall give you..." "Yes, it is fact. Why shall I bother with..." That is śraddhā. Viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya. Sudṛḍha means very firm faith. Not flickering faith. When you have got this kind of śraddhā, naturally, the next stage will be "How to keep my śraddhā, firm faith in Kṛṣṇa?" Then you have to mix with devotees who are keeping constantly in Kṛṣṇa's service.

Lecture on SB 1.15.30 -- Los Angeles, December 8, 1973:

One who has got this much faith, strong faith, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this faith, not flickering, firm faith, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality..." That is called śraddhā. That is beginning of śraddhā.

Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:

Compact, in the direction of the mind. Mano-dharma. Mano-dharma. So long we are directed by the flickering mind, then we are in danger. We have to go Above mind there is intelligence. The intelligence is where to consider, "Whether I am this body or I am something else?" So on this way, from the mental platform, you have to elevate yourself to the intellectual platform, and from the intellectual platform, you have to raise yourself to the spiritual platform. Then you will be able to give up so-called material possession, completely freed and surrender to Kṛṣṇa and become wise.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

Everyone is full of anxiety. Even a bird, even a beast, even a small ant, what to speak of our position. The material world is such, we must be full of anxieties. That is explained also. Asad-grahāt. Because we have accepted something flickering as shelter. If you accept something which is not permanent, which is tiltering... In a boat suppose which is tiltering, at any moment you will be drowned.

Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

One who has got firm faith in declaration, that "If I become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, if I fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then all perfection is there," this is called faith. This is called faith. Not flickering faith: "Let me adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and when there is opportunity, let me go to some rascal who has appeared as Bhagavān." That kind of faith will not help.

Lecture on SB 2.1.7 -- Paris, June 15, 1974:

So long one is rascal, falsely thinking that he's independent, there must be the regulative principles, he must observe the regulative principles, vidhi-niṣedha. In this way, when he's actually situated in the transcendental platform, that is called nairguṇya-sthā\ h. Stha means situated. Tiṣṭhati iti stha: "One who stays." Not flickering. Permanently. Nairguṇya. This nairguṇya means devotional service. This is nairguṇya.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

There is rasa; otherwise why a man is working so hard to maintain the family? Unless there is some ānanda, why he is taking? Nobody is taking so much hard responsibility for others. But children, wife, family, they take. There is... Unless there is some ānanda, how he can take? So the relationship has got ānanda. But this ānanda is flickering, illusion. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This is moha. It will not stay; it is temporary, illusion.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

The demands of the body, the ultimate aim is pleasure. I want to be happy. But if we make our demands of the body flickering, temporary, changing, then we shall waste our time because pleasure is the ultimate goal of life. So Ṛṣabhadeva advised that "If you want eternal pleasure, eternal happiness, then you do not try to misuse your, this valuable body simply for meeting the demands like cats and dogs."

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

So this whole Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is nothing to stop, but to change the standard of pleasure, from the standard of temporary, flickering pleasure to the permanent, eternal pleasure. That is the program of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So anyone who's interested to be, to accept the standard of pleasure which is eternal and continual, for them this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very nice.

Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Chicago, July 5, 1975:

Mind is very flickering. Even five thousand years ago, when Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa that "You make your restless mind fixed up," he frankly said, "Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham: (BG 6.34) "I see my mind is always very much agitated, and to control the mind is exactly an attempt to stop the wind. So it is not possible." But actually his mind was fixed up in Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

I have developed this particular type of body for this gratification of false material senses. You cannot satisfy your senses because this is false satisfaction. Because actually this body, you are not this body. Therefore even you try to satisfy your senses, that is flickering and that is temporary. But actual sense enjoyment is spiritual sense enjoyment that has no end, that has no limit.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

What we call māyā... Māyā means Mā means "not," and yā means "this." What you are accepting as fact, it is not a fact. This is called māyā. Ma-ya. Māyā means "Don't accept it as truth." It is simply flickering flash only.

Lecture on SB 7.9.2 -- Mayapur, February 12, 1977:

We are praying to Lakṣmījī with sambrahma, "Mother, give me little money. Give me little favor I may be happy." We are worshiping Śrī. Still, she does not remain, Śrī. Śrī's another name is Cañcalā. Cañcalā, she is in this material world. Today I may be millionaire, tomorrow I may be beggar in the street. Because every opulence depends on money. So money, here nobody can have fixed up. That is not possible. That Śrī which is so flickering, they are worshiping the Lord with sambrahma, with respect. Here we are thinking, "Lakṣmī may not go away," but there, Śrī is thinking, "Kṛṣṇa may not go away." That is the difference.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

Avyavasāyinām means those who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, those who are flickering, for them, bahu-śākhā, many branches. They think that "This will save me, this will save me, that will save me, that will save me." But one who is fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he knows, and it is certain that Kṛṣṇa will save him.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 12, 1968:

Their so-called advancement of civilization, machine and machinery and so many things, they've complicated. But what is their purpose? The purpose is indriya sukha. Indriya sukha means sense gratification. That's all. And what is that sense gratification? Māyā sukha indriyārtham. For the matter of the senses. Māyā. Māyā means illusion. It, this kind of sense gratification has no practical meaning. It is simply temporary, flickering. But I am hankering after eternal pleasure. And what this sense gratification will give me?

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 19, 1968:

You cannot meditate on a particular subject matter because mind is so agitating and changing that you try to fix up your mind on a particular subject matter, but mind flickers from one subject to another, another, to another. Then it becomes something else. But this vibration is so nice that even if your mind is flickering, the sound will force you to, I mean to say, draw your attention. "Hare Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 7.9.17 -- Mayapur, February 24, 1976:

Atat means untruth, flickering, not... Atad-dhiyāham. We do not know what is our identification. Misunderstanding. Dehātma-buddhi. Asad-grahāt. Atat, asat, the same thing. We have accepted this body, identifying this body, on account of this. If you are on the spiritual platform, then there is no trouble, there is no misunderstanding.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.7 -- Mayapur, March 31, 1975:

Rāma means who enjoys. So this word rāma is explained in the śāstra that one who is expert in enjoying eternal happiness, he is perfect yogi. Not flickering happiness. Flickering happiness, the yogis are not interested in flickering happiness or material happiness. Material happiness is always flickering, temporary. That is not happiness, but we take it. Real happiness is when we enjoy life with Kṛṣṇa, rāma. That is real happiness.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.12 -- Mayapur, April 5, 1975:

Now it is your business to find out where to surrender. But you have to surrender. This is the process. Without surrender, you cannot understand the truth as it is. That is the instruction of Vedas everywhere. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) "One has to surrender to guru." Why? Jijñāsu: "If you are inquisitive to know the Absolute Truth." And if you want to know something which is flickering, relative truth, that is another thing.

Festival Lectures

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

Brahma-sūtra means this Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta-vedyam. Śiva-viriñci, that Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā, they are trying to understand the Supreme. Flickering knowledge? No. Through the Vedānta. Vedānta. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). And vibhum, vibhum means the greatest. Nobody is greater than the Supreme Lord.

Lord Nityananda Prabhu's Appearance Day Nitai-Pada-Kamala Purport -- Los Angeles, January 31, 1969:

The Nityānanda, very name, suggests... Nitya means eternal. Ānanda means pleasure. Material pleasure is not eternal. That is the distinction. Therefore those who are intelligent, they are not interested with this flickering pleasure of material world. Every one of us, as living entity, we are searching after pleasure. But the pleasure which we are seeking, that is flickering, temporary. That is not pleasure. Real pleasure is nityānanda, eternal pleasure. So anyone who has no contact with Nityānanda, it is to be understood that his life is spoiled.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

Don't think because you are American, you have got material opulences, very comfortable life, cars, roads, buildings... That's all right. But any moment, you will be kicked out, and it may be that you'll have to accept another body which is not at all American. It may be the body of a tree or a cat or a dog. That science we must know. Don't be enamored by the flickering happiness. This happiness is there which is factual: this Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. You see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, how He's jolly, with His cows, with His flute, with His comrades, with His boyfriend, girlfriend, how He's happy.

Initiation Lectures

Lecture at Initiation Fire Sacrifice -- Los Angeles, July 16, 1969:

That brahma-bhūtaḥ means simply to understand that I am not the material body. To be convinced firmly with all reasons and argument, firmly conviction, this is called faith. Faith is not flickering. One must be firmly convinced. So then you immediately become joyful.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

When your senses are purified, and when that senses are engaged in the service of the master of the senses, that is called acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What is your question? So meditation, the engagement of mind, should be in that way. Then it will be perfect. Otherwise, the mind is so flickering and changing that if you don't fix up at a certain point... Fix up means... The mind is want to do something because the symptom of mind is thinking, feeling and willing. So you have to train your mind in such a way that you will think of Kṛṣṇa, you'll feel for Kṛṣṇa, you'll work for Kṛṣṇa. Then it is samādhi. That is perfect meditation.

Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

Not only the materialists, but the yogis, the bhaktas, the jñānīs, they are also for happiness, brahma-saukhyam. But they want unlimited, unrestricted happiness, not this flickering happiness. That is their aim.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

For brahmānanda, for enjoying the transcendental pleasure, here we see many, many great saintly persons, sages, they give up this material enjoyment for enjoying spiritual enjoyment, brahmānanda, which is known as brahmānanda. Brahmānanda means unlimited, unlimited ānanda. Here in this world, there is a reflection of ānanda, of brāhmaṇanda, but it is flickering, temporary.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: The individual, who is put in this temporary world, willing and satisfaction, but he is reality behind this willing and satisfaction. (break) So Schopenhauer's defect is that he does not see the, there is a person behind this willing; the individual soul, he is willing. So when he stops this flickering willing, then what is next, that he does not see. Nirvāṇa, stopping willing, of this nature of willing, temporary, one kind of willing, one kind of satisfaction, again another kind of willing... Behind this willing whimsically there is the spirit soul. So when the spirit comes to his real understanding of identification, that willing is pure willing.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: There are two kinds of sects: this Māyāvādī and the Vaiṣṇava. So both of them know that this material world is flickering, and sometimes they say it is false, unreal. So there is another life; that is spiritual world. So the Māyāvādī philosopher, their spiritual life means to merge into the Brahman effulgence, and the Vaiṣṇava philosopher to go back to Goloka Vṛndāvana, Vaikuṇṭha, where God is situated, and become His associate person.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- San Francisco, March 16, 1967:

"Now, with all this hard labor, what I have done? I have served some persons who are not at all favorable to my Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And why I have served them?" Capala sukha-laba lāgi' re: "Capala, very flickering happiness. I think if my small child smiles, I will be happy. I think if my wife is pleased, I think I am happy. But all this temporary smiling or feeling of happiness, they are all flickering." That one has to realize.

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- San Francisco, March 16, 1967:

In a desert, if a ocean is transferred, then it can be inundated. And what benefit can be achieved there if drop of water is there? Similarly, our mind, our consciousness, is hankering after ocean of happiness. And this temporary happiness in family life, in society life, they are just like drop of water. So those who are philosophers, those who have actually studied the world situation, they can understand that "This flickering happiness cannot make me happy."

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1969:

"You have experience of your material happiness. So material happiness means, the ultimate goal of material happiness is sex life. But don't you remember how long you can enjoy this sex life?" Capala. "Flickering. Say, for a few minutes or moment. That's all. But for that purpose you are working so hard?"

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1969:

Whole day and night you are working. And what is the result? Simply for that flickering momentous enjoyment. Are you not ashamed of this?" So śīta ātapa, bāta bariṣaṇa, ei dina jāminī jāgi re. Dina means day, and jāminī means night. So "Day and night, you are working so hard. Why?" Capala sukha-laba lāgi' re. "Simply for that flickering happiness." Then he says, ei dhana yauvana, putra parijana, ithe ki āche paratīti re. "There is no happiness actually, eternal happiness, transcendental happiness, in enjoying this life, or this youthful age, or family, society. There is no happiness, no transcendental happiness."