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Freedom (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"freedom"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: freedom not "freedom from"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

So when you are liberated you will develop your body of spiritual energy. That spiritual energy is Rādhārāṇī. So you have to become under some..., under the control of some energy. You are also energy; you are marginal energy. Marginal energy means you may be under the control of the spiritual energy or you may be under the control of material energy—your marginal position. But when you are under the control of the material energy, that is your precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when you are under spiritual energy, that is your life of freedom. Rādhārāṇī is spiritual energy, and Durgā, or Kālī, is material energy. So those who are materialist, they worship Drgā, Kālī, the material, different forms of material energy. And, so in both the cases... There is a word in Sanskrit, it is called śakta, śakta. Śakta, the word comes from śakti. Śakti means energy.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

There was fight between Hiraṇyakaśipu and the Indra's party. So when Hiraṇyakaśipu was defeated, naturally the... Afterward, if the other party is defeated, the victorious party makes some, so many aggression, especially aggression of women. That is still current. Innocent women, they are very much harassed after the war by the victorious party. You know, the soldiers are given freedom to rape the women. And plunder the property. So many things they have. So when Hiraṇyakaśipu was defeated, all the devatās, they did not make such aggression, but the wife of Hiraṇyakaśipu—Kāyadhu, I think—she was arrested by Indra and was taken. She was crying, just usual, woman. But she was being dragged by Indra. So Nārada was passing. Now, he said, "What are you doing this?" "No, there is no question of harassing this woman. But I am taking her in my custody because she is pregnant and the child is begotten by asura, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Therefore I shall wait for the birth of the child, and as soon as she gives birth, I will kill that child." Yes.

Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

"Act for Kṛṣṇa, act for God, not for your personal interest. Then you'll be entangled." Yajñārthāt karmaṇaḥ anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). Anything you do, it will produce some reaction, and you have to enjoy or suffer that reaction. Anything you do. But if you do for Kṛṣṇa, there is no more reaction. That is your freedom. Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam (BG 2.50). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yoga, when you are in contact with Kṛṣṇa, that is the secret of success in this material world, working. Otherwise whatever you are doing, whatever you are working, it will produce some reaction and you will have to enjoy or suffer.

So here again, the same thing. Arjuna is thinking in terms, na caitad vidmaḥ kataran no garīyo (BG 2.6). So he is perplexed, "Which one, which side will be glorious? I shall stop fighting or not fighting?" In the next verses it will be seen...

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

By superior examination we get a body, karmaṇā. So at the time of death it is decided what kind of body you are going to have next. That is decided by superior authority. You cannot dictate that "Give me this body," or "I don't want this body. I want a body..." No. That is not in your hand. You can do, you are given freedom. In the human form of life you are given freedom to act although there is direction that "You act like this." But if you don't like, you can act. Yathecchasi tathā kuru. (BG 18.63) You can act, but you become implicated with your karma because you have to act according to the modes of nature.

The modes of nature are three: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So if you act in sattva-guṇa, then you will be promoted to the higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you act in the rajo-guṇa, then madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. And if you act in tamo-guṇa, then jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. Jaghanya. Tāmasāḥ means very abominable activities.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Public Lecture With German Translation Throughout -- Hamburg, September 10, 1969:

We are conditioned in every step by the laws of material nature. Still, foolishly, we are thinking we are free. This is foolishness. We are so much controlled by the material nature, exactly like a small child is pulled by the ear by his mother. "Come here." He comes here. "Go there," and goes. Just like a dog. A dog may feel very freedom, jumping. But as soon as the master says "Come here," he comes and immediately chained. This is our position. So that is our position, that we are completely under the clutches of material nature, and according to the modes of material nature, we are acting and changing our body in different species of life. So our real business in this human form of life is to get, try to accept the process by which we can get free from this conditioned life. The process is that we have to give up all our false consciousness. We are, under false consciousness, I am thinking, "I am Indian," you are thinking you are German, and the dog is thinking "I am dog," and cat is thinking "I am cat." So this bodily consciousness, bodily concept of life, will keep us conditioned within the material nature. Therefore our first business is how to get free from all these designations. Just like I am putting on this saffron cloth, but I am not saffron cloth.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

So if I am not liberated, if, if I have got so many plans to execute in this material world, then I'll have to accept another body. But if you have no more plan, no more plan, niṣkiñcana... That is called niṣkiñcana. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, niṣkiñcana. One has to be completely freedom, completely freedom about this material world. One should be disgusted. Then there is possibility of being transferred to the spiritual world. So long one has got a pinch of desire that "If I would have become like Brahmā, or like king, like Jawaharlal Nehru," then I'll have to accept a body. This desire. Kṛṣṇa is so liberal, so kind. Whatever we want—ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11)—Kṛṣṇa will give you. To take something from Kṛṣṇa... Just like the Christians pray, "O God, give us our daily bread." So is it very difficult task for Kṛṣṇa to give our dai...? He's giving already. He's giving daily bread to everyone. So this is not the mode of prayer. Their mode of prayer... As Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). This is prayer. We haven't got to ask anything. Kṛṣṇa, God, has made ample arrangement for our maintenance.

Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:

Who will go to the higher planetary system? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Ūrdhvam means higher. Only those who are pious, they can be elevated. So even if you are pious, still you have to come back again. This is the process. So sarva-gataḥ. Sarva-gataḥ means a soul is free to go anywhere, anywhere. Full freedom, as he wants. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yānti deva-vratā devān
pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām
(BG 9.25)

As you like. It is up to you. Make your selection where you want to be. You have, somehow or other, you have come here. That's all right. But Kṛṣṇa gives you chance to be elevated to any planetary system you like. Ultimately, if you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, that is also given, everything. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. So if you want to go to the moon planet, there is no need of the sputnik. There is a process so that after this body you become elevated to the moon planet. Why should you make research for, and futile research, going to the moon?

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

"Be situated in yoga and act in your daily duties," then similarly, if we practice this to work in such a way that we have to work from the spiritual platform, then your next life will be free from this material bondage and you get your freedom life.

Spiritual body means your freedom life. We do not know; we have no conception that in our spiritual body how much we can be powerful. We do not know that. There is calculation. There is calculation that suppose God is cent percent perfect. So when you get your spiritual body, you may not be as powerful as God, but almost near to God. You get seventy-eight percent. You get seventy-eight percent of the whole power. That is a calculation by the great sages. They have calculated that a living entity can attain to the perfection of seventy-eight percent. Now, in our present material condition we have no spiritual power at all. We are always encumbered and conditioned by material forces. You see? So therefore one who does not utilize this body for perfection, for liberation, he is called kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa. This is stated here. Kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ. Kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ. That kṛpaṇa, that means miserly person who does not utilize this human form of life for better profit. Then he wants that "Oh, I have done so much. I must get the profit.

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

Now Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is just trying to place Arjuna in the platform of working on pure consciousness. The... We have already discussed for so many days that we are not this dull body, but we are consciousness. Now, some way or other, we are in contact with this matter. Therefore our freedom is checked. As spiritual beings, we are free, free to act, free to have anything, pure, no contamination, no disease, no birth, no death, no old age, and besides that, we have got many, many other qualifications in our spiritual life. So unfortunately, because we are in contact with this matter, we are hampered in so many ways. This we should understand, and this is the opportunity; this human life is the only opportunity. If we miss this opportunity, then it may be that in our next life we may not have again this nice, civilized human form of life according to our karma. But one thing is sure. You'll be glad to hear that once begun, this process of spiritual realization, one is guaranteed to have next life as human being. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41).

Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

So this is our position. This is called conditioned stage of life. There is no freedom. The so-called freedom... We declare that "I belong to the free nation. I am free." These are all simply mental speculation. There is no freedom. So long I am bound up by the conditions of nature, there is no freedom. Now, here is a chance... Lord Kṛṣṇa says that karma-jaṁ buddhi-yuktā. Now, here is an opportunity for you. In human form of your life, you have got sufficient intelligence, and the Lord Himself is before you to enlighten your intelligence more and more. Here is the book. This book, what is spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is not different. Because Kṛṣṇa, or the Lord, is on the absolute plane. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa is absent. Kṛṣṇa is present here. There is a verse in Bhāgavata, tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ, that, "I... My dear Nārada,..." Nārada is a great devotee. Perhaps you, who are accustomed with Vedic literatures, you have heard the name of Nārada. So Nārada is a great devotee, and the Lord assures him that, "Don't think that I am living in the kingdom of God, or I am living in the heart of a great mystic, or somewhere else, somewhere else... People may think. But I am living in that place where My sincere devotees assemble and discuss about Myself."

Lecture on BG 2.55-56 -- New York, April 19, 1966:

We simply change the body just like we change our dress. But we are eternal. But because we are under the spell of this material energy, we do not take seriously that "Why I shall agree to change my body life after life?" We have taken it as usual. This is our foolishness. We have got our eternal life, and in eternal life we have got immense measure of freedom, immense measure of power, almost equal to God. But we do not make any research in that part of our life. We are simply satisfied the..., to have a little more of the necessities of our, this present material life. Suppose I have got one, one hundred millions of dollars. I think, "If I get ten thousand millions of daughters, dollars, then I shall be happy." This is our foolishness. You cannot be happy with any millions of dollars, because you are not matter. You are spirit. You think like that, that "I shall be happy." No. Just like... I'll give you one example: A diseased man, a suffering man, suppose he has got severe headache. Now, he sometimes thinks, "Oh, I am suffering.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

They're more or less... And, imitating the Western philosophers, in India also, recently, the persons who are very well known... Perhaps you know Śrī Aurobindo. He's, he's also speculated very nicely on the mental platform. Mental platform cannot give us the actual freedom or the happiness. Therefore Lord says, "One should give up all mental speculation and should be satisfied in the understanding that 'I am consciousness, and there is Supreme Consciousness, and I am subordinate to the Supreme Consciousness. Therefore let me dovetail my consciousness with the Supreme Consciousness.' " Last day also, we discussed on this point. And the point is very clearly manifested in the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā, that Arjuna mentally speculated in the beginning that "Whether I should take up this fighting or not?" But at the ultimate issue he gave up his mental speculation and agreed with the Lord that "Yes, I shall fight."

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

Why? This affection is not bad, but this affection will lead me again to have another body. My whole process is that how to get out of this bodily relation, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). The whole human activities should be concentrated to get rid of this bodily, material bodily connection. Then I shall be happy really. Real happiness, real freedom. That is real freedom. For want of this spiritual knowledge, we do not know how much free we are.

Even in this material world, within this universe, in the upper planets... The upper planets, they are called heavens or... Of course, in Vedic language, it is called heaven, and in other languages it is also called heaven. But there are many planets. Beyond the heaven, there are many good planets. There are seven planetary systems. This is called Bhūrloka. Then, above this, there is Bhuvarloka. Then there is Svargaloka. Then there is Tapoloka. Then there is Maharloka. Then there is Satyaloka. Just like so many planetary systems there are.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

Yes. We have got this information. They take pleasure in the sky. Just like sometimes we stroll in open field, similarly, they take pleasure by in the sky traveling. You see? So that is possible. But still, they are mortal. They are mortal. They have got this material body. Now, when you get spiritual body, how much freedom you'll have. How much freedom you'll have.

So we should be very clever to understand about the spiritual life. We should not be dragged to this material conception of life due to this false affection. This bodily affection is false affection. Because the body will not exist. Suppose I and my wife, or my children, we are all very happy. Paśyann api na paśyati. Teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ pramattaḥ paśyann api na paśyati. It is said in the Bhāgavata that... Now, for example, suppose if you are preparing very nice thing, a nice, very nice house. All right. If somebody asks you, "Well, sir, why you are building such nice house?" Now, if you answer, "Yes, just to set fire in it," so what the people will think?

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

Similarly, he does not take seriously the miseries of prison life. He is so accustomed that he does not take. That is ignorance. That is ignorance. Similarly, those who are in this material world under the shackles of material modes of nature, they have completely forgotten that we have got a spiritual life which is full of freedom, full of knowledge, full of bliss, and we can become exactly almost like God. These things they have forgotten. They think that "If, from the C-class prisoner's life, I can become an A-class prisoner..." Just like in the prison life there are some classes, A-class prisoner, B-class prisoner, C-class prisoner, similarly, our endeavor is going on in this material life to become A-class prisoner. The program is not for getting out of the prison life, but we want to become A-class prisoner. That is ignorance. That is ignorance.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

Therefore he decided, "I shall not fight. I shall not fight." That is his material calculation.

So our material calculation is all nonsense. Our material calculation of our activities, they are all nonsense. They are all causes of our bondage. And when the same senses, they are engaged in the service of the Supreme, that is our freedom. Kāmaḥ kṛṣṇa-karmārpane. Here the same thing is indirectly explained. Yadā saṁharate cāyaṁ kūrmo 'ṅgānīva. One should know "When I shall properly use the senses." That is the sign of a person who is situated in pure consciousness. He knows properly, "How to use my senses." That is the difference by the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, we'll find, that in the beginning Arjuna did not know how to use his senses, and after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he learned it. He became a learned man, how to use his senses. And when he did not know how to use his senses, he said, "I shall not fight." And when he learned how to use senses, he said, "Yes, I'll fight."

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Prabhupāda: So one who cannot become cent percent, all right, become fifty percent, twenty-five percent, one percent. Give something for Kṛṣṇa. Don't be miser. Because whatever you have got, it is Kṛṣṇa's. So long you catch it up, "It is mine," that is māyā. You just let loose it for (chuckling) Kṛṣṇa. Then it is freedom for you. You see. Go on.

Sudāmā: Verse number nine: "Work done as a sacrifice for Viṣṇu has to be performed, otherwise work binds one to this material world. Therefore, O son of Kuntī, perform prescribed duties for His satisfaction and in that way you will always remain unattached and free from bondage (BG 3.9)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bondage means working for one's own account. The same example. Just like a soldier is fighting for the country under the command of the commander in chief. The more he's killing, he's getting promotion, he's getting medals. But the same man, when he comes back at home, if he kills one man, he's hanged. Why? Because that killing and this killing is not the same thing. So one who cannot engage himself cent percent in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, let him remain in his own position and try to sacrifice for Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa as far as possible.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

You will find in this practical experience. Suppose a boy is very rich man's son. But still, he thinks "Why shall I live under the rules and regulations of my father? Let me go out. I shall enjoy life freely." Freely, what freedom? You are already rich man's son. You can enjoy the property of your very, very rich powerful father, and what independence you will enjoy? This is criminality. This is criminality. We are sons of God, part and parcels of God, and God means almighty. So we have got almighty father, and leaving His place, I have come to this material world to enjoy independently. That is criminality. And we are suffering. That is explained here: prakṛti-stha, "being placed in this material world," puruṣa, bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān, "he is enjoying, but enjoying the quality of the modes of material nature."

Just like a tiger. He is also enjoying. He is thinking, "I am very strong. I have got so power, so much jaws and nails. I can jump over any animal and immediately kill him." He is pleased in that position, but, you know, the tiger or the lion, they are so unfortunate that they do not get daily food, in spite of becoming so strong. Because prakṛti-jān guṇān, he is under the influence of the material nature. He... The tiger may be very powerful, but he remains always hungry. Very powerful. Because the other animals, they know that in that corner of the forest there is tiger, nobody goes there. Where he can get food? Hardly chance, by chance he gets one animal and jumps over it. This is called prakṛti-jān guṇān.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

In our childhood we read one poetry that a boy has brought one bird, and the bird is talking with the boy. "My dear bird, you live with me. I shall give you very nice fruits. I shall talk with you," and so many things. But the bird says, "No, I want to go away. I want to go away." "No, I shall give you a golden cage. You don't go away." So he says, "No, no. I don't like golden cage. I want freedom." So that was talk. So similarly, if a bird is kept in golden cage and if golden foodstuff is supplied to him, it is not happy. It is not possible. Similarly we are spirit soul. Any amount of material happiness will never make me happy. That is a fact. But due to our ill faith, we do not know what is happiness. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know what is the ultimate aim of life, what is the goal of life. They are trying to be happy with this matter, and the material happiness means sex life, and they are trying to squeeze the sex life in different ways. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

That is the difference. Now, when we become free from the designation and we come to our senses and render service to the Lord, that is our position of freedom, real position. Real position.

So here Lord says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati means that whenever there is some discrepancy in the modes of rendering service of the living entity... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati. Dharmasya means... I have explained to you. Dharmasya means my real nature. Dharma means my real nature. Dharma is not a faith. Dharma is not a designated faith. Dharma is my real nature. So when the real nature of the living entities are jeopardized, then, at that time, to make the adjustment, the Lord comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati. And abhyutthānam, whenever there is discrepancy in the natural sequence and natural life of the human being, and there is artificial increase of sense gratification, at that time, when there is too much sense gratification...

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

Try to understand bondage, what is bondage. We are thinking we are very, we are free. We are declaring that "We belong to the free nation" or "free community," or everyone is seeking after freedom. But nobody is free. Nobody is free. Everyone is under the stringent laws of nature. So bondage means to remain under the condition of material laws. That is called bondage.

Just like people are trying for so many years to go to the moon planet. The Russian and the American scientists are competing. But they are so bound up, they go some, say, thousands and thousands of miles up, again come back. Just see how they are bound up. You cannot go. So this is the nearest planet, and there are so many other planets also. So you cannot go by your whims or by your will. This is called bondage.

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

So you cannot go by your whims or by your will. This is called bondage.

But if you become free—when you are in spiritual understanding, then you are free—then you can travel anywhere. The perfect yogi, he can travel in any planet. That is freedom. That is little freedom. We have no idea what is the freedom of the spirit soul. That we have forgotten because for, from time immemorial we have been bound up under the laws of material nature, so we do not know what is freedom. But there are information of the freedom, how a spirit soul can become free. Go on.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968:

Similarly, in every species of life we will find these four principles existing.

How you can say that you are better than him? You are better than him when you understand how the laws of material nature is working so that one has become tree to stand up for ten thousands of years, and I have got all freedom to move and to make education, to go to the school, colleges, take education, advancement of knowledge. That is the difference between tree and me. So far necessities of the body, material body, is concerned, the demand is there; demand is here. You can accept from that type of body, by this body, simply by understanding, by advancing in knowledge. And the perfection of knowledge is to know who is God. Or where is God. That is perfection. So long one does not understand what is God or the Absolute Truth by whom everything is being emanated, the knowledge is imperfect. Knowledge is not finished. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births of cultivating knowledge, one comes to the understanding of accepting God is the prime source, fountainhead of everything."

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

Just like the people are going in the moon planet, but because they actually do not get any shelter, they are coming back again. So that is the position. Simply by worshiping impersonal Brahman, after severe penance and austerity, you can enter into it, but you cannot remain there because there is no ānanda. It is simply eternity.

But we are actually eternity, bliss and knowledge, very small portion. Simply eternity will not satisfy us. So eternity also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So you can enter. Kṛṣṇa has given you freedom. Therefore He says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. "If you want to merge into the Brahman effulgence, that you can do. Or if you simply want to realize the Paramātmā, localized, that you can also do. And you can do also, come to Me."

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

Even Professor Einstein, he also admitted. So there is brain. That brain is Kṛṣṇa. That brain is Kṛṣṇa. So people are working.

In the previous verse we have discussed, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Father. He's very loving father. So He has given freedom to His sons. We are, all sons. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Material nature is the mother." Tāsāṁ yonir mahad brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. So the original father is Kṛṣṇa, and mother is this material nature. So I am the soul, spirit soul, very minute position. My, my magnitude is very, very small. That is also given in the śāstra: keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya (CC Madhya 19.140). One ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. That is my magnitude.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

There are so many instances. Just like even on this planet if you want to go to other countries, say, America, you have to fulfill so many conditions. Passport, visa, then P-form and so many other forms. Not easily. This is called conditioned life. We have no freedom to move.

And there is another life which is life of freedom. Just like Nārada Muni. Nārada Muni travels everywhere. He goes in the spiritual world. He comes in the material world. In the material world he can go in any one of the planets. Sometimes by yogic practice we can go also, but not so easily. So there is a life of freedom. That is spiritual life.

Nitya-mukta, the living entities who are living, who are residing in the spiritual world, their number is greater than the conditioned soul. Just like some of our friends or citizens, they are in the jail. Their number is not as many as there, we are free. Similarly, the number of free living entities in the spiritual world is greater than the number of the conditioned souls. A few only, we are conditioned.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

Actually, that much facilities must be given to the head executive. If he becomes under the laws, then his position is not exalted. The... That is the principle of accepting in the highest order of life.

So in the material condition, that is not applicable perfectly, but so far spiritual condition is concerned, God must be given full freedom. Otherwise there is no meaning of God. If God is also under the, under your laws... Sometimes: "Why God has done like this?" They inquire like that. This question sometimes put. "Why God has put us into this condition?" These are foolish questions. But the real conception of God is that He is free to do anything, whatever He likes. You cannot say, "Why God can... Will... God will do this, will do not that." No. That is not the conception of God.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:

Just like a person who is, I mean, tightly bound-up, hands and feet. Suppose we are sitting here, some people, twenty-five gentlemen, ladies, and all our hands are tightly bound-up by some rope, and if I want to make you free, although my hand is also tightly bound-up, is it possible? No. At least my hand should be free. Then I can open, I can untie, your bindings by the rope. So unless one is free man... And what is that freedom? One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is free man. And nobody is free man.

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te
(BG 7.14)
Everyone is under the spell of material influence. Nobody's free.

And one who is, who has surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness, māyā has nothing to do. Māyā cannot touch. Just like when... If you come in front of the sunlight, there is no question of darkness. There is no question of darkness if you place yourself in light, sunlight, not this artificial light. This artificial light may be extinguished at any time, but sunlight is not like that.

Lecture on BG 4.20 -- Bombay, April 9, 1974:

Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that ultimate goal of life—to approach Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So asuras, they are engaged for fruitive result. They are working, but they are expecting that "I shall enjoy the result." So that freedom is given to everyone, that "You can work at your responsibility and enjoy or suffer." Just like state has given everyone individuality, everyone freedom, "You act as you like. But if you act criminally, then you will be punished." That you cannot avoid. You have been given freedom, "You act whatever you like," but if you violate the laws of the state, then you are to be punished, criminal.

Similarly, the same thing is there in God's kingdom, that we have been given freedom, we have got little freedom because we are part and parcel of God.

Lecture on BG 4.20 -- Bombay, April 9, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says, "All these living entities, they are My minute particles, minute part of My body." Just like father is the part of the body, er, son is the part of body of father, similarly, we are also part and parcel of the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa. That is our real identity, spiritual identity.

So therefore Kṛṣṇa has got freedom, full freedom. So we have got also freedom in minute quantity. That is our position. That freedom, if we use properly, then we are happy, and if we misuse improperly, then we are unhappy. But freedom is there. Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He is requesting Arjuna that "You just surrender unto Me." He is all-powerful. He can force anyone and everyone to be surrendered to Him, but that He does not do. That is not Kṛṣṇa's business. He gives freedom. Because Kṛṣṇa has given you little freedom, so He does not want to interfere with your freedom. Then what is the meaning of giving freedom? That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63).

Lecture on BG 4.20 -- Bombay, April 9, 1974:

You can do whatever you like." Because Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna's decision was that "I shall not fight. I am not going to kill my brothers and nephews and teachers and grandfather. Kṛṣṇa, excuse me. I will not fight." So therefore Kṛṣṇa instructed him the whole Bhagavad-gītā science. Now, after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he asked, because he has got the freedom, "Now what is your decision?" Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). "Whatever you like, you can do. You can reject My proposal or you can accept." This is freedom. Then Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna said, "Yes," kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73), "I shall accept Your proposal."

This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is giving instruction to everyone. This is the way of life, to come gradually to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All these things are being explained by Kṛṣṇa, how to work, how to gradually come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the original consciousness. Now it is polluted. Just like originally when the rain falls, it is pure distilled water. And as soon as touches the ground, it become polluted. Immediately dirty.

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

That is human life. Because I am put into jail, "All right, it is very good. Without working, I am getting three times food. Let me remain in the jail." Oh, that is not very intelligent question. You see. We must get out of the jail. So this material world is just like a prison house. We must get out of it. We must get our freedom, the absolute freedom, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), full of knowledge, full of bliss and eternal. That is our mission. So this knowledge we must get. "Knowledge is the solution." This is the subject matter of our speech today, "Knowledge is the solution." This is knowledge, that everything belongs, it belongs to Kṛṣṇa, or God. We can use them as much as we like.

Just like the elephant is eating hundred pounds. Oh, God is supplying. "Yes. Come on. Take hundred pounds." But he's not stocking. He's eating both times, hundred pounds in the morning, hundred pounds in the evening. He's supplied. Nature supplies. Come on. You know, gorilla. They are very big animals.

Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:

I am in miserable life, but I accept it, "Oh, I am very happy. I am very happy." This is called ignorance.

So when one is awakened to the full knowledge, he understands, "Oh, I am not happy. Oh, I want freedom. Oh, there is no freedom. I don't want to die, but there is death. I don't want to become old man. Oh, there is old age. I don't want diseases. Oh, there are diseases." These are the problems, but due to our ignorance we set aside all these big questions of human problems. We take a small problem as very important.

We take economic development as the most important thing, forgetting that how long I shall live here in this material world? So fifty or sixty or hundred years. So economic development or no economic development, my life will be finished. Suppose I develop my economic life in a very... I accumulate millions of dollars. But when I leave this body I'll leave everything. Then again I take my birth according to my reaction, either in poor family or old, I mean to say, rich family or even animal life. There is no guarantee.

Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:

One has to acquire this knowledge. So unless this knowledge is awakened in our mind or in our consciousness, then whatever we are doing we must consider that we are being defeated, defeated by the influence of material nature. So here Kṛṣṇa says, jñānāgniḥ sarva-karmāṇi bhasmasāt kurute tathā. As soon as I understand my position, that I want freedom...

We are trying to go to the moon planet, but because there is no freedom, oh, we are failing in every step, although we are advertising in the paper, "Now it is two years more, two years more." The Russians began to sell land in the moon planet, that "In 1965 we shall go there." But 1965... It is going to 1967. Now they are silent about selling land in moon planet.

The thing is that we want. That is our nature. We want to travel. People are coming from India to America, from America to India. So we want to travel freely. That is my right because as spirit soul, there is a word... You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-ga. Sarva-ga means a spirit soul has the potency of going anywhere he likes, anywhere he likes.

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

Even in your rebellious condition Kṛṣṇa is giving you protection. Without Kṛṣṇa's protection you cannot live even for a second. He's so kind. But when you admit it, when you recognize it, then you become happy. Now Kṛṣṇa is giving you protection but you do not know it because you have taken your life at your own risk. Therefore He has given you freedom, "All right, do whatever you like. As far as possible I will give you protection." But when you fully surrender, the whole charge is to Kṛṣṇa. That is special. That is special protection. Just like a father. The child who has grown up doesn't care for the father, he's acting freely. What the father can do? "All right, do whatever you like." But the child who is fully under the protection of the father, he takes more care.

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find: samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu (BG 9.29). "I am equal to everyone." Na me dveṣyaḥ: "Nobody is my enemy." How He can be envious? Everyone is Kṛṣṇa's son. How he can become enemy to Kṛṣṇa? He is son.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

There are millions of other planets also, and the scientists say that to reach the highest, topmost planet, it will take forty thousands of years. And who is going to live for forty thousand years to go and come back?

These are practical difficulties, and therefore we are called conditioned souls. Our activities are conditioned, not free. But you can attain a life of freedom, life of unlimited energy, unlimited happiness, unlimited bliss. There is possibility. This is not story or fiction. We see so many planets within this universe. We have got so many flying vehicles, but we cannot approach even to the nearest. We are so much limited. But if we worship Govinda, then it is possible. You can go anywhere. We have written these statements in our small booklet, Easy Journey to Other Planets. This is possible. Don't think that this planet is all and all. There are many, many millions of other very nice planets. There the standard of happiness, standard of enjoyment is many more times greater than what we are enjoying here. So how this is possible?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:

"You have got attachment for this material world. This is false." Brahma satyam. Jagan mithyā. He simply explains the negative side. But brahma satyam: "Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is truth." So attachment for that. You cannot give up the attachment spirit, but you have to change the attachment. That is freedom. We have got so many attachments for this material world. You have to transfer that attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. He doesn't say that "You give up your attachment." How you can give up your attachment? That is not possible. He says, "Just transfer the attachment to Me."

So all of a sudden to transfer the attachment to Kṛṣṇa and give up our all attachment for this material world, that is called renounced order of life. But Kṛṣṇa says, "You do this," but it is not so easy. It is not so easy. Therefore we have to go to the person... Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12).

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

So our request is to everyone—I think there should be any objection—that "You chant the holy name of God." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If you have got your own name of God, you chant that. If not, what is the objection? Take this name, "Kṛṣṇa," and chant. Why there should be objection? This is not dogmatism. We give freedom. We do not give. Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives that God has got many name. Why not? Just like one man in the family—somebody is calling him father; somebody calling him brother; somebody calling him by his name. There are so many ways to call the same man. Similarly, if you have got a name, holy name of the holy father, you chant that. This is our propaganda. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). This is the recommendation in the Vedic literature, that in this age, this age of differentiation, this age of fight, quarreling, misunderstanding, if I say, "This is the name of God," and you say, "No, this is the name of God," then there will be fight. So better, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives here, that whatever name you have got... But it must be God's name, harer nāma, not your manufactured name. It must be authorized God's name. You chant that.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

He can control everyone, but He has given little freedom that He does not interfere the freedom given to you. Otherwise He can control. Just like in Bhagavad-gītā, you will find, after explaining Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna He is giving the freedom to Arjuna, yathecchasi tathā kuru: (BG 18.63) "Whatever you like, you do." He is supreme controller, He can force him to do it, but he doesn't do that. The little independence you have got, you have to utilize it favorably. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You do this." He can forcibly make me to do that, but He doesn't do that because He has given little independence, and He wants that voluntarily we surrender, not by force. That is wanted. Otherwise it is not that He cannot control you. He can control everyone.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Yes, yes. Just like you are sitting here. If you don't like, you can go away. That's your free will. There is free will. Because we are part and parcel of God, God is completely free to do anything. And because we are part and parcel of God, therefore we have got minute quantity of freedom. Just like a drop of ocean water, it is also salty, but the quantity of salt in that drop is not equal to the salt in the ocean. Similarly, you have got a little quantity of freedom, but not as freedom as God has got. That is not possible. You are subordinate. Your freedom is subordinate to God's freedom. Therefore if you misuse your freedom, then you become punishable. The government gives you freedom, but if you misuse your freedom, if you violate the laws, then you are criminal. Yes?

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Swedish man (4): Couldn't we say that we as men are determined to freedom, determined to indeterminism, so to say, determined to take some responsibility?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That determination required. We must know that we have got little freedom, so we may not misuse it. That is determination. If you misuse it, that is not good determination. Yes?

Swedish woman (5): Will I ever, in another life, will I feel my "I," my ego? Will I feel that again?

Prabhupāda: Yes, you are already feeling. So next life also you will feel, and the past also you felt. That is described. You are always individual. That is described, that "In the past we were existing in the past, your feeling was also there. As you are existing now, your feeling is already there, and in the future also, you will exist. The feeling will be there."

Swedish woman (5): You say that our souls are..., we will always go on. But you are getting more and more people.

Prabhupāda: That is your misunderstanding.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

So sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Nirmalam means complete pure. What is that purity? "Oh, I am spirit. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I am Brahman. I am Brahman. I am not this matter. This is my covering. I am now eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is my real identity." So one who is freed from the designation and situated in his real constitutional position, that person, when he is fixed up, when he renders service in that way, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Hṛṣīkeṇa. Hṛṣīka means the senses. Now my senses are designated. When my senses will be free from designation and with that freedom, with that freedom, in that purity, when I shall engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness service, that is called devotional service.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

"Now I am..., now let loose, let me fly away." But that, that he does not do. He again comes into the cage, again. Again he comes. So this human form of body is just like let loose. Now you get the freedom of flying away from this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, but that we'll not do. We'll enter again. We'll enter. Everything is clear.

So we are not interested how to get out of the cage of mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. We are again and again coming back to the cage. This is called ajñāna. This is called ajñāna. Jñāna means that I am eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). I don't..., I am not annihilated after the killing, after the annihilation of this body. Nityaḥ śāśvatayam, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Then why I am entering this body, which is annihilated? That is the problem. That is mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. If you enter again into this material body, then again mṛtyu. Again enter, again die, again mṛtyu. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). This is the problem, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. But nobody is interested how to get out of this problem. They do not know, they do not feel. They think that "After death I am annihilated." But that is not the fact.

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966:

I can take care of my family members, how they are happy, how they are eating, but God is taking care of innumerable living entities. You see? I don't take care of the ants in my room, what they are eating, I do not take care of the bugs in my bed, but God is taking care also of them. He is taking care. He is suhṛt. He wants that "You live. You are given freedom, whatever you like. But if you want to be happy, then give up all this nonsense. Come to Me. Take shelter, Me. I will give you all protection." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

So suhṛt prabhavaḥ, development. You are trying to make economic development, but how we can develop economic development provided there is no material supplied by God? Can you manufacture, can you build, construct, a big skyscraper building without the materials being supplied by God? Can you manufacture wood? Can you manufacture stone? Can you manufacture lime? You cannot manufacture. Can you manufacture iron? You can work, labor.

Lecture on BG 9.24-26 -- New York, December 12, 1966:

So how can you expect that... You have purchased a ticket for intermediate station. How can you expect to go to California? Similarly, if you worship demigods, you can go up to that planet. As you worship, there are different arrangement in the system, in the creation of God, as you want. You have got freedom of action, and God awards you the result, whatever you want. But if you want to go to the planet where Kṛṣṇa is, Kṛṣṇa planet, which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana, then you have to worship Kṛṣṇa. Oh, there is nothing unreasonable. If you want to go to California, San Francisco, you have to purchase ticket for that.

Now, what is the difference between going to other planets and to the planet where Kṛṣṇa is? That will be explained. The... That is explained in a different place that yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama: (BG 15.6) "The supreme platform, supreme planet is that, where going, nobody returns to this material world." Yad gatvā na nivartante. Nivartante means..., na nivartante, "does not return." Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16).

Lecture on BG 10.4 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

Not perfect completely, but they are called siddha. Siddha means almost perfect. The inhabitants of that planet, they can travel without any aid of a sputnik or aeroplane from one planet to another. We get this information from Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. So in spiritual life we have got complete freedom to move, to act, to enjoy. So that spiritual knowledge should be cultivated. That is the best utilization of this human form of life.

If we do not utilize this human form of life for spiritual cultivation, then we are practically committing suicide. Ātma-han.

There is a very nice Sanskrit verse that... Just like you have to cross a great ocean. Now, if you want to cross Atlantic Ocean from New York to England, then you must have a very nice ship and a good captain and the atmosphere very favorable. Then it is very easy to cross. So that example is given in a Sanskrit verse, nṛ-deham ādyaṁ su-labhaṁ su-kalpam. Now, to cross this ocean of material existence... This is ocean. It is compared with ocean. Bhava-sāgara. Sāgara means ocean. So to cross this ocean you have got very nice ship. What is that? Nṛ-deham. This human form of life. Nṛ-deham ādyam. It is very nice ship.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:

Similarly, there are two souls within this body. That is stated in the Vedic literature. Just like two birds on one tree. So the living entity, the individual soul, is there. He is also one bird. And the Supersoul, or God, is also there.

So God, the Supersoul is simply observing the activities of the individual soul. And He has given freedom to the individual soul. Because the individual soul has come in this material world to enjoy independent of the Supersoul. That is the material disease. He has to remain under the protection. He is already under the protection of the Supersoul, but he is thinking that he is independent. That is called māyā. He is not independent.

As soon as there is cause of death, he is no more independent. He cannot say that "I have got so many business to do, perform. Give me some time." "No, immediately get out." So he is under control, fully controlled. Still, he is thinking that he is independent and he can do whatever he like. In this way his life is being spoiled.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

This is the Vedic injunction. That one Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, He is giving us satisfaction. Whatever we want to enjoy. He's given us full facility within this material world. But because we do not know what is actual enjoyment, therefore the so-called enjoyment is turning to be distressed condition.

Just like a child, if he's given full freedom, "All right, my dear child, whatever you like to do." So he cannot stay in one kind of engagement. Sometimes this, sometimes that, sometimes this, sometimes that. He's not happy. But if he follows the instruction of the parents, "My dear child, you do like this, you eat like," then he's happy. If he takes the freedom in his own hand, it is not possible to become happy.

Similarly Kṛṣṇa has given us a certain type of body. I am the occupier of this body. And I am enjoying. But because my calculation is mistaken...

Lecture on BG 13.21 -- Bombay, October 15, 1973:

So therefore, parābhavas tāvat, yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. So long we do not inquire about the ātma-tattva, whatever you are doing, it is all foolishness and defeat. It is actually defeat. We got opportunity, this human form of life, to get out of this control of material nature, get completely freedom. If we don't try for that, simply if we try like cats and dogs, how to improve the method of eating, sleeping, sex life and defending, we are spoiling our life. This is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

It is Vṛndāvana. So if you stick to this temple service, Kṛṣṇa's service, then you are not in this material world. This is your position.

So what is the business of this material world? Now, falsely we are trying to enjoy. The false enjoyer. Everyone is trying to be enjoyer. Kṛṣṇa has given little freedom. "All right. You want to enjoy. Enjoy it." But you have to be in this material world. And in the material world, as soon as you come to the material world, immediately you become contaminated by the modes of material nature.

Material nature has three modes, or three qualities—good quality, passion quality and ignorance quality. Goodness, passion and ignorance. So material world means you associate with the material three qualities—goodness, passion or ignorance. And according to that, as you associate, you get a certain type of body.

Kṛṣṇa orders prakṛti, the material nature, that "He wants to enjoy in this way; you give him a suitable body like that." You... "He wants to enjoy by becoming a tiger: 'Immediately I shall jump over an animal.' " Because phalgūni mahatāṁ tatra, the weak is the food for the strong. So sometimes we think that we shall be strong like tiger or lion. Kṛṣṇa is sitting within you. He says, "All right, you become a tiger." He sees that "To become a tiger is my success life." A very strong body. They are exercising, very strong, to become very strong, stout. So Kṛṣṇa will give you. Whatever you want. But in this material world.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

Three into three, it becomes nine. And nine multiplied by nine, it becomes eighty-one. Therefore there are eight million four hundred thousand species of life, according to the material quality. That is explained here. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān (BG 13.22). Prakṛti-jān guṇān. To possess different types of the modes of material nature. Full freedom.

Therefore when one is advanced in consciousness, he doesn't want to enjoy anything of this material world, any way. He doesn't desire either to become the king or Lord Brahmā or the stool, or, I mean to say, the worms of the stool.

These are the different varieties. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. According to our desire we get body. In the water, nine hundred thousand forms. Similarly, in the botanical garden, they have given signboard, "This is this, this is this." But there are two millions types of trees and plants. How many they know?

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

Because you have got little freedom. Why one is not coming here and going to the liquor shop? It is his desire. Because he has associated with a different type of material quality... The same man who was drinking, now, as soon as they come in our association, he becomes a saint. Why? The American government spent millions of dollars to stop this habit of intoxication, LSD. And as soon as the same man comes to our society, he immediately gives up. Why? It is practical. Immediately. At the initiation time we ask that "You don't touch all these things." Yes. That's all. See practically. Especially in the Western countries they are habituated to all these things, meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, gambling. How they give it up? Association. We are opening so many branches all over the world to give opportunity of association. It is not a business firm. Just to give spiritual association, chance. Why you are going the street saṅkīrtana? We are giving chance: "Come here, be saved." It is not business.

Lecture on BG 16.4 -- Hawaii, January 30, 1975:

If you desire, immediately it begins to work. You have got experience. Similarly, we have got limited number of energies, and Kṛṣṇa has got unlimited number of energies. So if we desire to become something unlimitedly, Kṛṣṇa can supply you your necessities unlimitedly. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). That freedom is there. If you want to remain as a demon, then Kṛṣṇa will supply you all the ingredients, how you can flourish as a demon.

Just like there was Hiraṇyakaśipu and there was Prahlāda. Prahlāda was being supplied spiritual advancement of life, necessities, and Hiraṇyakaśipu was being supplied for demonic status of life. So it is Kṛṣṇa's pleasure that whatever you want, you can get it. You get all advantage by Kṛṣṇa. If you want to become a demon, Kṛṣṇa will supply you, "All right, you become a demon. You take whatever you want from Me." He will give you. Similarly, if you want to become a demigod or devotee, Kṛṣṇa will supply you all the necessities.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

They say, even the big, big swamīs will say, "Oh, what is there wrong? You can eat anything. It doesn't matter. You can do anything. You simply give me fees, and I give you some special mantra." These things are going on. So because we want such cheaters... If I say, just like in our Society, if you had been given the freedom, "Now, whatever you like you can do," millions of students would have come. But that is not possible. We don't make any compromise like that, that "You can do whatever you like. You can eat whatever you like." No. We don't restrict to the ordinary man, but if one comes forward to become our student, serious student, then he must follow this pravṛtti-nirvṛtti. Otherwise he remains asura. What we have to make an asura a deva. That is our process. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that it is not that if a man is born in an asura family he cannot be deva. No. He can be deva. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yonayaḥ means asura-yonayaḥ, or lower than asura-yonayaḥ.

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

Vaikuṇṭhaloka means... Kuṇṭha means this anxiety, and vaikuṇṭha... Vigata-kuṇṭha. Vigata means without. There is no more any anxiety. That is Vaikuṇṭhaloka, spiritual world. Material world is kuṇṭha. Kuṇṭha means anxiety, full of anxiety, and Vaikuṇṭha means there is no anxiety. Everything is freedom. Sac-cid-ānanda. Vaikuṇṭha life means sac-cid-ānanda. Kṛṣṇa's body is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Not only Kṛṣṇa's body, anyone who lives in the spiritual world, his body is spiritual body, and spiritual body means sac, cit, ānanda. Sat means eternal. Spiritual body never annihilates. The material body annihilates. Every one of us, we have got now material body. It will annihilate. But in the spiritual world, when you have got spiritual body, it does not annihilate. Eternal. Eternal life. And cit means knowledge. So in this material body we have no knowledge. Even if we have got..., now imperfect knowledge, limited knowledge. But in the spiritual life you have got full knowledge. That is spiritual life. And ānanda.

Lecture on BG 16.13-15 -- Hawaii, February 8, 1975:

So last night we discussed about the demons' thinking. Āśā-pāśa-śatair baddhāḥ. He does not know "So long I shall be aspiring more and more, I am getting entangled more and more within this material world. Because Kṛṣṇa is so kind, he has given me freedom to enjoy this material world, but according to my work, I am becoming implicated. So long I'll have a pinch of desire for enjoying this material world, I'll have to accept a typical body." This is the law of nature. When you'll actually be free from all material desires, then it is called mukti, mukti, liberation. That is liberation. So that standard of mukti, mukti standard or mukti platform, is bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

Without being sinful, nobody exists in this material world. Just like yesterday we visited the Savarmati (?) jail. So all the prisoners who are there, it is to be understood they are all sinful, or criminals. Otherwise, how they are put into the jail. So this material world is jail. You cannot have freedom here. It is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And the superintendent of jail is Durgā-devī. You have seen the many, there are many worshiper of goddess Durgā. She is the superintendent of this jail. Durgā. Durgā means fort. So this material world is just like a fort, and the predominating deity is the Durgā-devī. Therefore she is equipped with so many weapons, ten kinds of weapons on ten hands. That means there are ten directions. The four corners, east, west, south, north, and the four corners, up and down. These are the ten directions. So you cannot escape. Just like from the jail you cannot escape, there is very strong guard, similarly, we are all put into this fort, durgā, material universe. So... And the deity, predominating deity, is Durgā-devī.

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

Those who are under the domination of the husband after being married, they're happy. And those who are under the domination of elderly children, they are happy. So this statement of Manu-saṁhitā... Just like children should not be given freedom, similarly, woman should not be given freedom. They should be given all protection. That is our Vedic culture.

Similarly, prakṛti... Just, this is an example. Here, either man or woman, everyone is prakṛti. The real puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. And there is a nice example. When Rūpa Gosvāmī was there in Vṛndāvana in his bhajana, Mirabhai went to see him. And Rūpa Gosvāmī's message was that he does not see any woman. They were very strict. At least, the story is like... So Mira challenged that "I came to Vṛndāvana. I know that only Kṛṣṇa is puruṣa here, and everyone is woman. So how does it mean that Rūpa Gosvāmī's declined to see another woman?" So Rūpa Gosvāmī agreed, "Yes, I am mistaken. Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the only puruṣa." So puruṣa means the enjoyer, and prakṛti means the instrument of enjoyment, prakṛti, energy. Just like here we see one man is very big, rich man, but he's enjoyer by utilizing his energy. Similarly, the whole cosmic situation, whole creation is..., the supreme enjoyer is God.

Page Title:Freedom (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:09 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=58, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:58