From the right source

Expressions researched:
"right source" |"right sources"

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 18.76, Purport:

The understanding of Bhagavad-gītā is so transcendental that anyone who becomes conversant with the topics of Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa becomes righteous and he cannot forget such talks. This is the transcendental position of spiritual life. In other words, one who hears the Gītā from the right source, directly from Kṛṣṇa, attains full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The result of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that one becomes increasingly enlightened, and he enjoys life with a thrill, not only for some time, but at every moment.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.1.3, Purport:

By submissively hearing this transcendental literature, one can attain the full pleasure of his heart's desire. But one must be very careful to hear the message from the right source. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is exactly received from the right source. It was brought by Nārada Muni from the spiritual world and given to his disciple Śrī Vyāsadeva. The latter in turn delivered the message to his son Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī delivered the message to Mahārāja Parīkṣit just seven days before the King's death.

SB 1.1.5, Purport:

Those who listen to the Bhāgavatam may put questions to the speaker in order to elicit the clear meaning, but this should not be done in a challenging spirit. One must submit questions with a great regard for the speaker and the subject matter. This is also the way recommended in Bhagavad-gītā. One must learn the transcendental subject by submissive aural reception from the right sources. Therefore these sages addressed the speaker Sūta Gosvāmī with great respect.

SB 1.1.6, Purport:

The ācārya or the gosvāmī must be well acquainted with all these literatures. To hear and explain them is more important than reading them. One can assimilate the knowledge of the revealed scriptures only by hearing and explaining. Hearing is called śravaṇa, and explaining is called kīrtana. The two processes of śravaṇa and kīrtana are of primary importance to progressive spiritual life. Only one who has properly grasped the transcendental knowledge from the right source by submissive hearing can properly explain the subject.

SB 1.5.26, Purport:

One can attain to the highest perfection of life simply by attentive hearing of the transcendental pastimes of the Lord from the right sources, as Śrī Nārada heard them from the pure devotees (bhakti-vedāntas) in his previous life. This process of hearing in the association of the devotees is especially recommended in this age of quarrel (Kali).

SB 1.8.36, Purport:

Therefore, even though the Lord may be present before our eyes, it is not possible to see Him unless we have the necessary vision. This necessary qualification is developed by the process of devotional service only, beginning with hearing about the Lord from the right sources. The Bhagavad-gītā is one of the popular literatures which are generally heard, chanted, repeated, etc., by the people in general, but in spite of such hearing, etc., sometimes it is experienced that the performer of such devotional service does not see the Lord eye to eye. The reason is that the first item, śravaṇa, is very important. If hearing is from the right sources, it acts very quickly.

SB 1.12.27, Purport:

Mahārāja Parīkṣit, being especially attached to the Lord from the beginning of his body in the womb of his mother, was continuously under the shelter of the Lord, and the so-called warning of his death within seven days from the date of the curse by the brāhmaṇa's son was a boon to him to enable him to prepare himself to go back home, back to Godhead. Since he was always protected by the Lord, he could have avoided the effect of such a curse by the grace of the Lord, but he did not take such undue advantage for nothing. Rather, he made the best use of a bad bargain. For seven days continuously he heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the right source, and thus he got shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord by that opportunity.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.2.16, Purport:

Every living being is serving the dictates of desire, anger, lust, illusion, insanity and enviousness—all materially affected. But even while executing such dictations of different temperaments, he is perpetually unhappy. When one actually feels this and turns his intelligence to inquiring about it from the right sources, he gets information of the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Instead of serving materially for the abovementioned different humors of the body, the living entity's intelligence then becomes freed from the unhappy illusion of materialistic temperament, and thus, by unalloyed intelligence, the mind is brought into the service of the Lord.

SB 2.7.10, Purport:

In this age specifically, this jaḍa-yoga cannot be of any practical value, but on the other hand the practice of bhakti-yoga is feasible because it is just suitable for this age. The simple method of hearing from the right source, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, will lead one to the highest perfectional stage of yoga.

SB 2.8.2, Purport:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is full of narrations of the activities of the Supreme Lord, is auspicious for all living beings residing in every planet. One who takes it as belonging to a particular sect is certainly mistaken. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is certainly a very dear scripture for all the devotees of the Lord, but it is auspicious even for the nondevotees also because it explains that even the nondevotees hovering under the spell of material energy can be delivered from such clutches if they hear the narration of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with devotion and attention from the right source representing the Lord by disciplic succession.

SB 2.9.3, Purport:

So the science of bhakti-yoga, of worshiping the Lord, glorifying the Lord, hearing the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the right sources (not from the professional man but from a person who is Bhāgavatam in life) and being always in the association of pure devotees, should be adopted in earnestness. One should not be misled by misconceptions of "I" and "mine." The karmīs are fond of the conception of "mine," the jñānīs are fond of the conception of "I," and both of them are unqualified to be free from the bondage of the illusory energy. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and, primarily, the Bhagavad-gītā are both meant for delivering a person from the misconception of "I" and "mine," and Śrīla Vyāsadeva transcribed them for the deliverance of the fallen souls.

SB 2.9.8, Purport:

One has to receive the transcendental sound from the right source, accept it as a reality and prosecute the direction without hesitation. The secret of success is to receive the sound from the right source of a bona fide spiritual master. Mundane manufactured sound has no potency, and as such, seemingly transcendental sound received from an unauthorized person also has no potency. One should be qualified enough to discern such transcendental potency, and either by discriminating or by fortunate chance if one is able to receive the transcendental sound from the bona fide spiritual master, his path of liberation is guaranteed.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.19.38, Purport:

The beginning of devotional service is to spare some time and listen to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the right source. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu also recommended five items of devotional service, namely to serve the devotees of the Lord, to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, to hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, to worship the Deity of the Lord and to live in a place of pilgrimage. Just performing these five activities can deliver one from the miserable condition of material life.

SB 3.26.32, Purport:

Modern economic advancement for creation is also a product of hearing, and similarly one can create a favorable field of spiritual activities by hearing from the right source. Arjuna was a gross materialist in the bodily conception of life and was suffering from the bodily concept very acutely. But simply by hearing, Arjuna became a spiritualized, Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Hearing is very important, and that hearing is produced from the sky.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.4.8, Purport:

One cannot teach others unless he behaves the same way himself. Ṛṣabhadeva was an ideal king, and He took His education in the gurukula, although He was already educated because the Supreme Lord is omniscient. Although Ṛṣabhadeva had nothing to learn from gurukula, He went there just to teach the people in general how to take an education from the right source, from Vedic teachers. He then entered householder life and lived according to the principles of Vedic knowledge—śruti and smṛti.

SB 5.5.10-13, Translation:

Abandon identifying the self with the body and the home, and practice reading the revealed scriptures. Live in a secluded place and practice the process by which you can completely control your life air, mind and senses. Have full faith in the revealed scriptures, the Vedic literatures, and always observe celibacy. Perform your prescribed duties and avoid unnecessary talks. Always thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, acquire knowledge from the right source. Thus practicing bhakti-yoga, you will patiently and enthusiastically be elevated in knowledge and will be able to give up the false ego.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.2.46, Purport:

The conditioned soul has knowledge, and if he wants to fully utilize the gross and subtle bodies for his real advancement in life, he can do so. It is therefore said here that by his high intelligence (svena tejasā), by the superior power of superior knowledge achieved from the right source—the spiritual master, or ācārya—he can give up his conditional life in a material body and return home, back to Godhead. However, if he wants to keep himself in the darkness of this material world, he can do so.

SB 7.5.5, Purport:

Prahlāda Mahārāja confirmed this by saying that if one wants success in life, he should immediately understand from the right sources what his self-interest is and how he should mold his life in spiritual consciousness. One should understand himself to be part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa and thus completely take shelter of His lotus feet for guaranteed spiritual success. Everyone in the material world is in the bodily conception, struggling hard for existence, life after life. Prahlāda Mahārāja therefore recommended that to stop this material condition of repeated birth and death, one should go to the forest (vana).

SB 7.10.70, Translation:

The Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, appeared as a human being, yet He performed many uncommon and wonderful pastimes by His own potency. How can I say more about His activities than what has already been said by great saintly persons? Everyone can be purified by His activities, simply by hearing about them from the right source.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 5.14, Purport:

Everything, in fact, is inconceivable, for the truth is revealed only to the proper persons. Although there are varieties of personalities, from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, all of whom are living beings, their development of knowledge is different. Therefore we have to gather knowledge from the right source. Indeed, in reality we can get knowledge only from the Vedic sources. The four Vedas, with their supplementary Purāṇas, the Mahābhārata, the Rāmāyaṇa and their corollaries, which are known as smṛtis, are all authorized sources of knowledge. If we are at all to gather knowledge, we must gather it from these sources without hesitation.

CC Adi 16.52, Purport:

The statement kariyāchi śravaṇa ("I have heard it") is very important in the sense that hearing is more important than directly studying or perceiving. If one is expert in hearing and hears from the right source, his knowledge is immediately perfect. This process is called śrauta-panthā, or the acquisition of knowledge by hearing from authorities. All Vedic knowledge is based on the principle that one must approach a bona fide spiritual master and hear from him the authoritative statements of the Vedas. It is not necessary for one to be a highly polished literary man to receive knowledge; to receive perfect knowledge from a perfect person, one must be expert in hearing. This is called the descending process of deductive knowledge, or avaroha-panthā.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 32:

The pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa," Rāmānanda replied. Actually when the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are heard from the right source, one at once attains liberation. Unfortunately it sometimes happens that people do not hear of these pastimes from a person who is a realized soul. Thus people are sometimes misguided. It is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.39) that one who hears of the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs will attain the highest platform of devotional service and will be freed from the material lust which overwhelms everyone's heart in the material world.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 32:

In other words, by hearing the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, one can get rid of all material lust. If one does not become freed from material lust in this way, then he should not indulge in hearing of the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Unless one hears from the right source, he will misinterpret the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, considering them to be ordinary affairs between a man and woman. In this way one may be misguided.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 33:

It is recommended that one should rise from bed at that time and, after finishing daily ablutions, take to spiritual activities by performing maṅgala-ārati and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This period is very convenient for the execution of spiritual activities. When that auspicious moment arrived, Kṛṣṇa asked the gopīs to leave. Although His beloveds were not willing to quit His company, they were very obedient to Him. As soon as Kṛṣṇa asked them to go home, they immediately left and returned home. Śukadeva Gosvāmī concludes this episode of the rāsa-līlā by pointing out that if a person hears from the right source about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, who is Viṣṇu Himself, and the gopīs, who are expansions of His energy, then he will be relieved of the most dangerous type of disease, namely lust.

Krsna Book 33:

The conditioned soul should hear the rāsa-līlā dance from an authorized spiritual master and be trained by him so that he can understand the whole situation; thus one can be elevated to the highest standard of spiritual life; otherwise one will be implicated. Material lust is a kind of heart disease, and to cure the material heart disease of the conditioned soul, it is recommended that one should hear, but not from the impersonalist rascals. If one hears from the right sources with right understanding, then his situation will be different.

Krsna Book 45:

The ocean is the source of water in a river. The cloud is created by the evaporation of ocean water, and the same water is distributed as rain all over the surface of the earth and then returns to the ocean in rivers. So Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are the source of all knowledge, but because They were playing like ordinary human boys, They set the example so that everyone would receive knowledge from the right source. Thus They agreed to take knowledge from a spiritual master.

Krsna Book 47:

It is said by Śrīnivāsācārya that the six Gosvāmīs were always merged in thoughts of the activities of the gopīs. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also recommended the gopīs' method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead as superexcellent. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has also recommended that anyone who hears from the right source about the dealings of the gopīs with Kṛṣṇa and who follows the instructions laid down by the previous ācāryas will be elevated to the topmost position of devotional service and be able to give up the lust of material enjoyment.

Sri Isopanisad

Sri Isopanisad Introduction:

The mind-speed is so swift. Therefore it is stated, "If you travel at this speed for millions of years, you'll find that the spiritual sky is unlimited." It is not possible even to approach it. Therefore, the Vedic injunction is that one must approach—the word "compulsory" is used—a bona fide spiritual master, a guru. And what is the qualification of a spiritual master? He is one who has rightly heard the Vedic message from the right source. And he must practically be firmly established in Brahman. These are the two qualities he must have. Otherwise he is not bona fide.

Mukunda-mala-stotra (mantras 1 to 6 only)

Mukunda-mala-stotra mantra 4, Purport:

A pure devotee is neither a needy man, a man fallen into difficulty, nor an empiric philosopher who tries to approach the Divinity on the strength his own imperfect knowledge. A pure devotee receives knowledge of the Divinity from the right source—the disciplic succession of realized souls who have followed strictly the disciplinary method of devotional service under the guidance of bona fide spiritual masters. It is not possible to know the transcendental nature of the Divinity by dint of one's imperfect sense perception, but the Divinity reveals Himself to a pure devotee in proportion to the transcendental service rendered unto Him.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

The perfect knowledge is coming down, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, just we have begun, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). We have to receive the knowledge from the right source in disciplic succession of spiritual master beginning from the Lord Himself. So Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by the Lord Himself. And Arjuna, the, I mean to say, the student who took lessons of the Bhagavad-gītā, he accepted the whole story as it is, without any cutting.

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

So we have got two kinds of experiences: by hearing and by seeing directly. In Bengali it is called, dekhā-śunā. In India it is called. The two kinds of experience: one by seeing, practically experiencing, hand to hand; another by hearing. So one who is intelligent, he gets his experience simply by hearing from the right source. That is nice.

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

One who has got, one who has taken shelter of ācārya, bona fide spiritual master, he knows. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Because he is receiving the right knowledge from the right source, ācārya... Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Ācārya means by disciplic succession. As Kṛṣṇa says, disciplic succession, all the ācāryas will say the same thing. They will not change, they will not interpret. They can explain. But the original fact is not distorted. That is ācārya. Ācārya will never say that "Kṛṣṇa is material. Kṛṣṇa... There was no such thing as Kṛṣṇa. There was no such battle, Battle of Kurukṣetra. These are all imaginary." So if we don't want to be cheated, then we should take Kṛṣṇa as He is presenting Himself and as it is confirmed by the ācāryas. Then our knowledge is perfect.

Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966:

Tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśaḥ ajita: "My dear Lord, You are unconquerable, but by this person, You become conquered, simply by hearing." It is such a nice process. God is not conquerable, but He becomes conquerable, He is conquered, by a devotee who gives up this nonsense process of understanding Him by his limited knowledge and becomes submissive. And just try to hear from the right source, and try to appear, apply in your life. Then you become a conqueror of the Supreme.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

There is chief person. And the name are recorded in the Vedic literature. And in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that Kṛṣṇa sometimes in forty millions of years ago... We calculated, forty or four hundred. Some millions of years, He met the sun-god and He spoke Bhagavad-gītā. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). So we have to take information from the right source. Then we are awareness of everything. How God is expanded everywhere, you can take this example. The sun is away from us, according to the scientists calculation, 93,000,000 miles away. And immediately, within a second, his sunshine is expanded all over the universe. Immediately. At least 93,000,000's of miles. Within a second.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:

So actually, this Bhāgavata-saptāha is going on in India in village to village, but we see the effect is that they are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. They are not as good Kṛṣṇa conscious as you are becoming. Because they take it as, as a matter of some refreshment. No. It should be taken very seriously and should be heard from the right source. Then you will get the result.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

So Vyāsadeva is liberated person. Amogha-dṛk. He's amogha-dṛk. Bhavān amogha-dṛk śuci-śravāḥ: "And your behavior is pure." Śuci-śravāḥ: "You have heard the Vedic knowledge from right sources, from pure sources." Śuci-śravāḥ satya-rataḥ. Satya-rataḥ means "You are dedicated to the Absolute Truth." These are the qualification. One must be liberated, one must be pure, one must be dedicated to the service of the Lord, and dhṛta-vrataḥ, and one must be determined. Then he can do something to the human society. Not a conditioned soul, by whims he can manufacture something, that "I can do something to the human..." It is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

Tad-viceṣṭitam. It is not very difficult job. Simply you have to receive. Therefore satya-śravāḥ, śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci-śravāḥ. You have to hear from the pure source, give aural reception, and think of it, meditate upon it. Simply by doing this, you are liberated. These are not bluff. Here is the evidence. Simply receive the message from the right source and contemplate and meditate upon that instruction. You are liberated. Chanting and hearing. Hearing and... śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). First hearing, then chanting. Hear from the right source and discuss amongst yourselves. Iṣṭagoṣṭhi. Then the perfection.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

This is recommended, that Kṛṣṇa's kathā should be heard from the realized source. San-mukharitām. Sat means devotee. Sat. Oṁ tat sat. San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. Then sthāne sthitāḥ, you can remain in your place. It doesn't matter whether you are a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or American or Indian or... It doesn't matter. You keep yourself in your position. Simply go there. Where these things are discussed authoritatively, you hear. Śruti-gatām. Śruti-gatām. Śruti means the ear. You just give the aural reception of the words of realized soul. San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtāṁ sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatām. You can keep yourself... It doesn't require that you have to change your position. Simply you have to hear from the right source.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

Prabhupāda: The result is by hearing, hearing, hearing, one day you'll be able to conquer over the unconquerable, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is unconquerable. Nobody can conquer Him. But you hear, you'll be able to conquer Him, simply by hearing about Him. Therefore this hearing process is so important from the right source. Read.

Pradyumna: "The secret of success is to take refuge under the protection of the Supreme Lord. Without His sanction nothing can be possible. To make economic development by our own endeavors on the strength of tools and machinery is not all."

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Los Angeles, July 10, 1974:

Just like one who cannot memorize, he has to take note down. Formerly, five thousand years ago, there was no need of books. The students will go to the spiritual master or teacher and... Therefore it is called śruti. The Vedic language is called śruti. Śruti means hearing. It is not reading. Simply, pious students will hear from the right source. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Simply by hearing, they will understand everything. They will never forget. But in the Kali-yuga it is not possible. Therefore Vyāsadeva, the whole Vedic understanding, knowledge, he recorded into books. Otherwise before that there was no need of books. The power of recollection will diminish. And mercy. Mercy will reduce.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:

Ciraṁ vicinvan. For forever, millions of years, if you speculate, to understand what is God, it is not possible. It is not a subject matter of speculative knowledge. No. It is to be received through the right source, deductive process, not inductive process. Because our senses are limited. We cannot have any perfect idea on account of our senses being limited. We cannot see.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Indian man (2): How could I know the unknown within the known?

Prabhupāda: This is already explained. How could you know your great-grandfather? From the paramparā system. Your father says, "Yes, I had my grandfather." So from the authority of your father you can understand. This is easy process. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). You have to hear. Therefore Veda is called śruti. Śruti means you have to hear from the right source. Then you know. That is knowledge. You don't hear from a cheater. You hear from the right source. Then the knowledge is perfect.

Lecture on SB 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972:

When we hear from right source, the natural result will be Kṛṣṇa consciousness, kṛṣṇānubhāva, kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta. Śraddadhāno mahā-manāḥ. One who hears with attention, with faith, mahā-manāḥ. Just like the great sages in Naimiṣāraṇya, they did. Real purpose is vāsudeve bhagavati ātma-bhāvaṁ dṛḍhaṁ gataḥ, to increase our affection or love for Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeve bhagavati. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). Purpose, sannyasya, renounced... People cannot renounce. They are very much attached to this material body and anything in relationship with this body. But the real purpose of human life is to become renounced, no more material body. That is required. Vairāgyam.

Lecture on SB 2.9.11-15 -- Tokyo, April 28, 1972:

Just like outside there is a brilliant light, so you can get little reflection within your room, similarly, this universe is dark and covered. It is covered, round, surrounded. But outside that universe... Or this universe is floating in that effulgence. It is reflected. The sky is reflected bluish. This is the... Let the so-called scientist challenge it. Here is a description from the Bhāgavata: yasya prabhā (Bs. 5.40). So we have to know from the right source what is God. We cannot imagine. You cannot know even what is there within the sky. The scientists calculate that to go to the ultimate region.

Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:

So bhakti-yoga begins with hearing, śravaṇam, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. And if you have heard from the right source and if you are convinced, then automatically you will try to perform kīrtana. Kīrtana means glorifying. If you have attained like... Or to preach. Anyone who has listened from right person, authority, about Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, about Kṛṣṇa or about Rāma, he would like to preach that. That is automatic, glorifying. That preaching is equal. That is called kīrtana. Kīrtana... Simply preaching, glorifying, or speaking about the Lord, that is also kīrtana.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

Guru... Because the real guru, he's representative of Kṛṣṇa, sākṣāt-hari. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. In all scriptures it is described that guru is as good as Bhagavān. Means he knows from the right source. Therefore he may be, not maybe exactly, but as good, sākṣād-dharitvena. Why? Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Guru is servant, servant God. The master God and the servant God. Kṛṣṇa is the master God and guru is the servant God.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (6): Swamiji, how... What kind of a capacity is knowledge?

Prabhupāda: Capacity of knowledge?

Guest (6): Yes. Does that depend on his..., the previous body of the soul?

Prabhupāda: No. You can earn the capacity in this life also. You forget whatever was in your previous life. It doesn't matter. The śāstra is there and the spiritual master is there. The saintly persons are there. If you try to understand from right sources, then your knowledge is there. It is not that because in previous life you had been something, therefore you cannot understand. It is not like that. You, as human being, you have got the capacity to understand.

Lecture on SB 5.5.19 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1976:

He is the original, so... Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. Everything is coming from Him. So dharma and adharma, that is duality, duality understanding within this material world. In the spiritual world there is no such thing. The dharma and adharma is the same thing because the same source. This to be understood from right sources, right person. Then we can understand. But He comes, Kṛṣṇa comes, out of His causeless mercy to inform us. Not only Kṛṣṇa—many others incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Ṛṣabhadeva. He is also incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. He is explaining Himself. So we should take advantage of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, from the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 5.5.31 -- Vrndavana, November 18, 1976:

So we cannot understand what is a spiritual body at the present moment. We have to hear from the right source, Vedic knowledge. That is Vedic knowledge. Everything described about God, Kṛṣṇa, at the present moment is inconceivable. We cannot imagine. Long, long ago I was talking with one Ārya-samajī friend. So he did not believe that a lotus stem can grow on the navel of Viṣṇu and there is Brahmā born. Everyone says like that, "mythology." It is not mythology; it is fact.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

These discriminations are there. And in paramahaṁsa stage there is no such discrimination. He sees everyone is engaged in service of the Lord. He does not envy anyone, he does not see anything, anybody. But that is another stage. We should not imitate, try to imitate, but we may know that paramahaṁsa is the highest stage of perfection. Just like as a preacher we have to point out... Just like I told this boy, "You sit down like this." But a paramahaṁsa will not say. A paramahaṁsa, he sees, rather: "He is all right." He sees. But we should not imitate paramahaṁsa. Because we are preacher, we are teacher, we should not imitate paramahaṁsa. We must tell the right source, right course.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Los Angeles, June 6, 1976:

They are, according to their description, third class, fourth class, not even human beings, these Yamadūtas. And they are explaining about dharma. Why? Śuśruma: "From the right source we have heard it." And whatever they're speaking, correct. Veda-praṇihito dharma. What is ordered in the Vedas, that is dharma, that is religion. And what is Vedas? Vedo nārāyaṇa sākṣāt. Absolute. Nārāyaṇa, spiritual world, absolute. Nonduality. Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa's words are the same. There is no difference. Just like we are reading Bhagavad-gītā. Why we're interested? Because Bhagavad-gītā and the speaker of Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa, they are identical. So you cannot change the words of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1976:

So everything is, direction is there. Tad-vijñānārtham. If you want to know that science, then Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva: (MU 1.2.12) "must." Gacchet. This verb is used when there is the sense "must." If somebody says, "All right, I shall learn even without going to any guru," no, that is not possible. Therefore this verb is used, gacchet: "You must if you want to learn." Otherwise you remain in darkness. This is Vedic injunction. Śuśruma? You must hear from the right source; then you will get perfect knowledge. So therefore, whether there is witness or not witness, we cannot understand from a so-called professor. There is witness, śāstra says. And how can you deny it? If sūrya... first word is sūrya. The sūrya is the eyes of God, one eye. Another eye is the moon.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

Everything is there in the śāstra. If you simply refer to śāstras for the right source of knowledge, then you get. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. If you do things without reference to the śāstras, then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, na siddhiṁ sa avapnoti: "You will never get perfection." Na sukham: "Neither happiness."

Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:

Now we are presenting self-analysis. What is that self? Prahlāda Mahārāja is describing. This is self-realization, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A boy of five years old, because he has received the knowledge from the right source, he is presenting everything very competently and very scientifically. This is the beauty of knowledge received from the authorities.

Lecture on SB 7.9.15 -- Mayapur, February 22, 1976:

One must try to learn what is the ultimate source of everything, not that theorizing or, what is called, imagining something. Take knowledge from the right source, brahma-vidyā, the Vedic knowledge, and try to understand the situation, what is Brahman, what you are. We are also Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. These things are to be known. And when we neglect to understand these things, that means we are going to the wrong way of life. The wrong way of life can be allowed up to the animal life.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

We, according to Gosvāmīs, we don't say that riches, wealth, is a disqualification. But it must be engaged in the service of the Lord. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe yukta vairāgyam ucyate. Just like Rāmānanda Rāya, he was very rich man, he was governor, but he always engaged himself in Kṛṣṇa's service. He was one of the most confidential servants and devotee of Lord Caitanya. So the conclusion is that richness or aristocracy, they are not qualification and they are not disqualification also, provided we agree to hear about Kṛṣṇa from the right source. This is the conclusion.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

If you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa. The process... To... Kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā means to hear about Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Try to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Satāṁ prasaṅgād mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. That is very, what is called, potential. Simply if you hear from the right source of Kṛṣṇa—not from the professional, or from jñānīs, karmīs, or politicians. No. Pure devotee. Satāṁ prasaṅgād: in pure devotional service, in pure devotional mood. Then the potency will act and you will, we shall become more devotees. Khanera gītā diya mora me pasile mora me pasile (?). It will act. And as soon as it will act, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your life becomes successful, above all sinful or pious activities.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.113 -- London, July 23, 1976:

So less intelligent, for them, it is inconceivable, but those who are intelligent, they take knowledge from the right source. Just like even though I do not know who is my father, but if I take information from my mother, then I can know. Mother says, "My dear child, he's your father." There's no question of research. You can immediately understand your father. Father must be there. But I do not know, that may be a problem, but when the mother says, "Here is your father," then where is the difficulty? So mother is the source of knowledge of the father. The Vedas, they are called mother. Veda-mātā. These books, Vedic knowledge, this is the mother.

Initiation Lectures

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

Don't think that you are independent. It is foolishness to say that "I am independent. I don't care for anything of..." No. You have to care. You are being kicked every moment by the laws of nature. You should know it. You are not independent. Therefore be namanta eva, be submissive. Namanta eva. Jñāne prayāsaṁ namanta eva, be submissive. Namanta eva. Jñāne prayāsaṁ namanta eva san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. San-mukharitām. And try to hear about the Supreme Lord from the right source. San-mukharitām. San, sat. Sat-mukharitām. Sat means eternal, and mukharitām means speaking, coming out from the mouth of a person who is eternally situated.

General Lectures

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that if you want to know a saintly person, you try to understand him by your ear, not by the eyes. You cannot understand a saintly person by staring your eyes, "Let me see what kind of..." No. That is not possible. Therefore śāstra says, bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. You have to understand the Absolute Truth by devotion. At the same time, śruta-gṛhītayā. Śruta means taking information by hearing from the śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭhaṁ guru (MU 1.2.12), by hearing from the right source and with bhakti. Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. This is the process.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- London, March 12, 1975:

We, even in this material world, in this universe, we have heard of so many planets, but it is not possible to go and see. They cannot go even in the moon planet, and still, they are very much proud of their advancement of knowledge. So we cannot understand even. But if we patiently hear from the right source, then we can, may have some..., we may have some conception. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). Bhāvaḥ, or svabhāvaḥ, or nature, there is another nature. So we have to hear. By hearing... This is the beginning of bhakti, śravaṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. We have to hear, and after hearing, we have to repeat. That is called kīrtanam.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: That is our process. Just like sex impulse is natural for everyone in the material (world), but if we think of Kṛṣṇa embracing Rādhārāṇī or dancing with the gopīs, then our sex impulse becomes subordinate, no more stronger. Hṛd-rogaṁ kāmam āśv apahinoti. Hṛd-rogaṁ kāmam, this is a heart disease, to be lusty. But if anyone hears about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, through right source, then this hṛd-rogam, this lusty desire in the heart, is suppressed and he will develop devotional service.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Sri-Sri-Gurv-astakam -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Just like royal succession—the throne is inherited by disciplic or hereditary succession—similarly, this power from the Supreme Personality of Godhead has to receive. Nobody can preach, nobody can become a spiritual master, without obtaining power from the right source. Therefore the very word, it is stated here, prāptasya. Prāptasya means "one who has obtained." Prāptasya kalyāṇa. What he has obtained? Kalyāṇa. Kalyāṇa means auspicity. He has received something which is auspicious for all the human kind. Prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Educationists -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Simply by vibration of sound. The sleeping man can be awakened simply by this process, allowing the sound to enter the ear. By no other process. He's sleeping. If you show him a stick, "If you don't get up, I shall strike you," that will not be effective. Because sleeping. If you say... So many things... There are other senses. There will be no action. But only through the ear, if you cry, "Please get up! Please get up! Now your time," that will act. So our process is that, to force him to hear. Then he'll be awakened, by hearing. Therefore Vedic literature is called śruti. Śruti means it has to be received by hearing. You may be uneducated. It doesn't matter. If you simply hear from the right source, you get right knowledge. There is no need of education. Simply by hearing.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Monsieur Roost, Hatha-yogi -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: So bhakti school does not very much appreciate the speculative method. They surrender and they try to get knowledge directly from the Supreme Lord, as Bhagavad-gītā is being spoken by the Supreme Lord, or statements of the pure highly elevated devotees, just like Brahmā is speaking. This way. Hearing. The main purpose is hearing, hearing from the right source. That is... Especially in the western world, instead of hearing from the right source, they want to speculate about the Absolute. We have got about twenty books like this, but they are not speculation. They are simply by hearing. I am writing what I have heard, not that I am speculating.

Room Conversations -- September 11, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: If one actually hears from the right source (indistinct), then this lusty desire of sex life will be finished. No more. Hṛd-rogaṁ kāmam apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ. Sober. But these people, they are hearing life after life by the sex concentration, making offense that Kṛṣṇa is also doing the same thing. They publish book. One rascal, Bhaṭṭācārya(?), has published. In Paris we saw.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: Yes, actually without listening, so many big, big men, they have committed mistake about Bhagavad-gītā. Even Gandhi, he says that "I do not believe that there was a person, Kṛṣṇa, ever living." Just see. What to speak of others. (Hindi) Without listening from the right source, even a personality like Gandhi will commit mistake, what to speak of others. Similarly, Dr. Rādhākrishnan has committed so many mistake. So big, big scholars, they're trying to study Bhagavad-gītā, but they cannot understand. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). You first prepare yourself to surrender, praṇipāta, praṇipāta-prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta.

Room Conversation with Dr. Copeland, Professor of Modern Indian History -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Now he says, "not the same." You cannot offer reason. You have to take from one source, from the mother. That's all. You cannot take votes, "Can you say who is my father?" He will say this... He'll say, "He is your father." No, it is not the way. The way is to take the information from the right source, not take the votes of rascals and fools. That is not the way. One source. Even from scientific point of view, mathematics, "two plus two equal to four," you have to take from one source. Any mathematician will say like that. Nobody will say, "No, two plus two equal to five." "No, two plus two equal to three." Nobody will say. "Two plus two equal to four," everyone will say. This is not the way of securing knowledge, from here, there... Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not approve. And our Kṛṣṇa, He said, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). That is the recommendation. And because that source is now missing, therefore it is lost.

Room Conversation -- December 14, 1975, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Now he has to change the consciousness, whether he wants to continue this propensity for lording over the material world, or he wants to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This choice has to be made by the human being. If he makes his choice after getting good education from the right source, that "I am going on in the wrong way, by the desire to lord it over the material nature but I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa therefore I must surrender now. Bahūnā janmanām ante jñānavān mām... This is wisdom. And if we do not get this wisdom, simply like animals we continue to lord it over the material nature, by acquiring money. Dharma, artha, kama. Then we are spoiling our life.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Scheverman: Hearing about God. So therefore the necessity of speaking aloud in one's prayer. Yes. The father was speaking of the charismatics among Christians. That is one of their tenets, too, speaking a prayer, praise, aloud, so that it can be heard and all simultaneously join in it too.

Prabhupāda: And if factually one hears from the right source and the right words, automatically he becomes God conscious.

Scheverman: Becomes God conscious, that is a way of...

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly, he is guru. Just like Arjuna is our guru, but he's a gṛhastha, he's a soldier, he's a kṣatriya. He's neither brāhmaṇa nor sannyāsī nor Vedantist, nothing of the sort. But he knows Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is guru. So gṛhastha (Hindi). Śravaṇam, this is the first step of bhakti. Hear about Kṛṣṇa from the right source. Otherwise you will be misguided. Therefore Kṛṣṇa recommends, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). You have to go to a person where you can surrender.

Room Conversation with Indian Man -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: Then you should learn it, what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, anyone who knows Kṛṣṇa, he is liberated. Because you do not know, you are not liberated. Otherwise, as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa you become liberated.

Indian man: It is plain fact. I don't know.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So try to understand Kṛṣṇa from the right source. Otherwise, you will remain a rascal. That's all. That is your first business, to understand Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is explained in so many śāstras. If I am so rascal that still I cannot understand, that is my misfortune.

Press Interview -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is jñāna. But the jñāna must be received through the right source. Jñāna is not speculation. The modern rascals, they create jñāna by speculation. That is not jñāna. That is ajñāna. The same example. If you don't receive jñāna from your mother, there is no jñāna of father. If you millions of years go on speculating who is your father he'll never be revealed. That is not jñāna. That is ajñāna. So these rascals, they are creating jñāna. That is not jñāna. Jñāna means you should receive jñāna through the right source.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 20, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: And Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung that nāmāśraya kari thākaha āpana kāje: "Take shelter of hari-nāma and remain in your own profession." And Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also recommended, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiṛ. Bhagavān is ajita, but if one simply hears about Him from the authoritative sources, then Bhagavān, although Ajita—nobody can conquer Him—He becomes jita, He becomes conquered, simply by hearing about Him. So we should take to that. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. You have to hear from the right source, and then everything will be adjusted. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam.

Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Avan manasa-gocara. Which is beyond your mind and intelligence, you have to hear from the authority. Just like father. If one wants to know who is father, he cannot see it. He must know it from the authority-mother. Similarly, therefore called Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge means whatever is beyond the capacity of your senses, that you have to hear from the right source. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). And that is the teaching in the Bhagavad-gītā. When the things became so complicated, Arjuna submitted to Kṛṣṇa: śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). And then He taught him Bhagavad-gītā. And the first teaching of Bhagavad-gītā is this, that you are not this body.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Mahatma Gandhi -- Cawnpore 12 July, 1947:

Your Ahimsa is always followed by Himsa as the light is followed by darkness or the father is followed by the son. Nothing is absolute truth in this dual world. You did not know this neither you ever cared to know this from the right sources and therefore all your attempts to create unity were followed by disunity and Ahimsa. Ahimsa was followed by Himsa.

Letter to Ratanshi Morarji Khatau -- Bombay 5 August, 1958:

It does not require to be changed a bit but the only thing required in this connection is to qualify oneself in the matter of undergoing a strict spiritual training to realize the same transcendentally from the right sources. In order to keep the Rasalila activities of the Lord intact Srila Sukadeva Goswami has already explained the matter in the Bhagavata 10th canto chapter 33 and slokas 29 to 39. I shall request you to go through them with special reference to the slokas Nos. 30,34 and 39.

Letter to Ratanshi Morarji Khatau -- Bombay 5 August, 1958:

This society stands to rectify all these anomalies in the name of religion and I shall ask your good sense to join hands with us to stop all these nonsense. India's culture of spiritual value has an unique position and it has to be learnt by the human society in right earnest from the right sources. As an Indian and a man of good sense with practical business-brain you should not at least indulge in such organization under the influence of unauthorized person. Instead of indulging in the organization of such unauthorized persons you may kindly learn the science from the authority and make your life enlightened and attain success of the boon of human form of life.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Janardana -- New York 1 May, 1967:

Regarding my Canadian Visa, I shall go to Montreal when you are confident of getting it there. Otherwise I shall lose the U.S.A. Visa also. So conveniently you try to get information from the right source and the best thing will be to get me as a teacher as you suggested in your previous letter. So far I am personally concerned either I remain here or there my business is to chant the glories of Lord Krishna. Wherever I get chance to chant is good for me.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Janardana -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1968:

So we have to be very careful in understanding Krishna Consciousness and therefore if we remain continuously rascals and try to understand Krishna Consciousness, to understand Krishna as He has spoken in the Bhagavad-gita or in other Vedic literatures through the right sources of disciplic succession, that is our real knowledge. The idea is everyone should try to place himself as if he doesn't know anything. That is his position is secure.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 24 April, 1970:

Krishna is the original Cause of all causes. This is the fact. If He wants to know the subject matter clearly, then he should be prepared to receive the knowledge from the right source, and if he wants to consult such persons who have no knowledge of the soul or God, then how can he learn about the transcendental subject matter? If he is serious to know about these things, then he must know it from the proper channel.