God is not so cheap

Expressions researched:
"God as very cheap" |"God has become so cheap" |"God is not cheap" |"God is not so cheap" |"God is so cheap" |"God is very cheap" |"Not that cheap God" |"cheap God" |"cheap gods" |"not accept such cheap God" |"not seeking after a cheap God"

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 10.11, Purport:

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said, anya-devāśraya nāi, tomāre kahinu bhāi, ei bhakti parama-kāraṇa: if one wants to become a pure, staunch devotee, one should not take shelter of any of the demigods or -goddesses. Foolish Māyāvādīs say that worshiping demigods is as good as worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but that is not a fact. This philosophy misleads people to atheism. One who has no idea what God actually is thinks that any form he imagines or any rascal he accepts can be God. This acceptance of cheap gods or incarnations of God is actually atheism. It is to be concluded, therefore, that those who worship demigods or self-proclaimed incarnations of God are all atheists. They have lost their knowledge, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.20): kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ. "Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods." Unfortunately, those who do not cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness and do not properly understand the Vedic knowledge accept any rascal to be an incarnation of God, and they are of the opinion that one can become an incarnation simply by worshiping a demigod. This philosophical hodge-podge exists under the name of the Hindu religion, but the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not approve of it. Indeed, we strongly condemn it. Such worship of demigods and so-called incarnations of God should never be confused with the pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Easy Journey to Other Planets

Easy Journey to Other Planets 2:

"I worship Govinda (Kṛṣṇa), the primeval Lord, by whose order the sun assumes immense power and heat and traverses its orbit. The sun, which is the chief among all planetary systems, is the eye of the Supreme Lord." Actually, without the sun we cannot see. We may be very proud of our eyes, but we cannot even see our next-door neighbor. People challenge, "Can you show me God?" But what can they see? What is the value of their eyes? God is not cheap. We cannot see anything, not to speak of God, without sunshine. Without sunlight we are blind. At night, we cannot see anything, and therefore we use electricity because the sun is not present.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

They may be very great scholars, academic scholar, but in the matter of understanding God, they're mūḍhas, asses. Why? Māyayā apahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (BG 7.15). At the present moment, people are mostly āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Āsuri, āsuri bhāva means to defy God: "There is no God. God is dead. I am God. You are God. So many Gods are loitering in the street. Why you are finding out God?" These are so many statements. So God has become so cheap. There are so many incarnations of God, especially in India. It is a breeding ground of Gods, so many. So that is, means they do not know what is God. Mūḍha. They think God is so cheap thing. But from the śāstra we understand, from Bhagavad-gītā we understand... When Kṛṣṇa was asked by Arjuna, "How You are controlling the whole cosmology, Your vibhūti, Your power, energies?" So Kṛṣṇa explained, and the, at last, He concluded,

athavā bahunaitena

kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna

viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam

ekāṁśena sthito jagat

(BG 10.42)

"The whole cosmology, material world, is just sustained by My partial manifestation of energies." Ekāṁśena. This material cosmology, material manifestation, is one fourth demonstration of God's energy. The three-fourths manifestation of His energy is the spiritual world. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature which is spiritual nature, para, superior.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is directly offering the spiritual platform which is above the mode of goodness. The quality of goodness will (be) automatically there. Any person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his quality of goodness, namely, he does not indulge in illicit sex life, he does not smoke even or take tea or coffee even, he does not eat any forbidden foodstuff, neither he takes part in unnecessary gambling. So good character is immediately there. That is the test. How one is spiritually advanced will be tested how he has acquired all the good qualities. Not that a yogi talking with a cigarette in hand. There is a picture. (laughs) In our Back to Godhead somebody was talking with our representative. He cannot give up smoking even for a moment, chain smoker, and claiming, "I am God, I am spiritually advanced," (laughs) and so many nonsense thing. You see. He's being kicked up by material energy in so many ways, and still he's claiming, "Oh, everyone is God, I am God." God is so cheap thing, you see. And they are satisfied. "I am God." That's all. So this bluffing, these cheating things are going on. And because we are unable to cheat and bluff, nobody cooperates with us. They want to be cheated and bluffed. That is the business. Yes. Go on.

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

In the Eleventh Chapter you'll find that Arjuna will request Kṛṣṇa to show him His gigantic universal form. Because he, Arjuna, as he is, he accepted Kṛṣṇa that He's God undoubtedly. But in future people may think that Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were two friends. So out of friendly appreciation, Arjuna might have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but what is the evidence to us? Now, here, when Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna requested that "Kṛṣṇa, You kindly show me the gigantic form, the gigantic universal form," He showed. That is also described. So the idea is that imitation God, there may be so many. Nowadays it has become a fashion. Not in your country; at least in India, it has become a fashion, that everyone is coming out and he declares himself, "I am God. I am God." As if the God has become a very cheap thing, and it can be had in the market, wherever you go. You see? That is not the thing. God is not so cheap thing. God is not so cheap thing.

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

So this is a great science, what Kṛṣṇa is—Kṛṣṇa science. It is simply a synopsis; Bhagavad-gītā is only a synopsis of the science of God, and it is more explicitly given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. But after all, it is a great science. If we study it very seriously, then we can understand... We should not take so cheaply that "Here is a God, here is a God, here is a God." No, no. God is not so cheap. God is one, and He is great. "God is great," as in your English language it is said, and nobody can be greater than Him or equal to Him. That is the position of God. Now here, Arjuna, he accepts Kṛṣṇa and he says that "You are Paraṁ Brahman." Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12).

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

This morning, the press representative, he was astonished that "Swamiji, so many people are coming, they are declaring that 'I am God.' What is this?" So these rascals are like that. Therefore there are so many incarnations of God without the powers of. So people, why they should be cheated? If somebody comes and says that "I am God," why don't you test? For testing this... When Kṛṣṇa assumed the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Of course, Arjuna was convinced. He accepted, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12), but for future guidance, he requested Kṛṣṇa, "Please show me Your universal form." Otherwise, without showing universal (form), they're still claiming that "I am God." God is not so cheap thing. They're imitating, trying to imitate. This is very dangerous.

Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:

Not that one becomes God by doing something. Nowadays it has been practiced to say that "I have meditated so many years, I have undergone so much penance. Then I have become now God." Oh, God is not manufactured in that way. God cannot be manufactured. Now, Kṛṣṇa, when He was in the lap of His mother, He was God at that time also, not that He had to grow up and undergo some penance and austerity and vows and go to the jungle or Himalaya or accept some very great spiritual master and so on, so on; then He became God, as it has been now the practice, that anyone who... He's a little advanced in spiritual life, and if he can display some wonders, oh, he at once becomes God. So God is not so cheap thing. Simply by playing some wonders...

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

Kṛṣṇa said that "Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them." Many, many. Thousands and thousands of times Kṛṣṇa appeared on this world, but He remembers everything. And I cannot remember about my childhood. So how can I become one with Kṛṣṇa? These Māyāvādī philosophers, they are declaring that "I am God." How you can? What is your qualification that you become God? God is not so cheap thing. People have taken it that "Everyone can become God. Every one of us God." This is another illusion, another māyā, because we do not know what is God. Here is God. He says that "Many, many millions of years ago I spoke to sun-god. I remember it." This is God. Simple truth.

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

Now I am living in my body. If there is pain here, I can understand, "Here is pain." But if there is some pain in your body, I cannot understand. Therefore I am different from you. But Kṛṣṇa can understand what is pain or pleasure in my body, and what is pain or pleasure in your body and everyone's body. That is Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-kṣetreṣu.

That is God, not that, simply by claiming, "I am God. I am the same God." And how you claim God? Can you tell what I was thinking? Can you tell what he is thinking? No. Then how... What kind of God you are? Don't accept a cheap God. These are the symptoms of God. Adv aitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). He has got ananta, unlimited... There are unlimited living entities. In the Vedas it is stated, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13): "There are unlimited living entities, unlimited eternals. But there is one, another, one supreme eternal, supreme entity."

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

So here Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, although they are on the level of friendship, one is God and another is ordinary living entity. God does not forget; living entity forgets. That is the distinction. How you can say that you are God? You are so forgetful that you cannot say what you were doing a few hours before, and you claiming that you are God? They have made God as very cheap thing. Everyone is claiming, "I am God." They do not know what is God.

Now, here try to understand what is the difference between God and dog. A dog forgets. A dog comes to your place to eat something. You give it a slap. He goes away, again comes. He forgets that slapping. You see? That is the dog's nature. And God's nature is different.

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Suppose if you go to a professor and if you say, "Oh, if you are a professor, can you make me immediately M.A.?" and if he says, "Yes, why not?" then are you not a fool? He is also fool. The so-called spiritual master is also rascal, and the man who has gone to him, he is also rascal. God is so cheap thing that immediately you go to a rascal and he shows you God immediately? Is it magic? But these things are going on. "Oh, such and such swamiji had a spiritual master who immediately showed him God." Huh? Dhruva Mahārāja went to the forest, and he had practiced so much penance and austerities. Then he saw God. And I can see God immediately without being trained, without undergoing training? No. It is not possible.

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Māṁ mūḍhāḥ. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this word is used, avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ. Similarly the same word is used in Bhagavad-gītā: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Mūḍhāḥ means rascals. Only rascals, they think that...do not care for Me. Rascals. He does not know that he will suffer but he dares to say like that, "I don't care for..." that is avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11). Without knowing the supreme position of the Lord. Cheaply, cheaply they select God. God has become so cheap. "I am God, you are God." What is the meaning of God? Do you know? If I am God, you are God, then what is the meaning of God? So, avajānanti, this word is very appropriate. Avajānanti means neglectful, don't care. But they are mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍha means senseless, without any knowledge. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Go on.

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

Indian man (4): Just now you said we are all part and parcel of God. What would you say is God?

Prabhupāda: That we have explained, what is God. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). You have to become God conscious. Then you will understand what is God. It is not a so trifle thing you ask me and, one minute, you understand God. That is foolishness. You have to study the science of God. God is not so cheap.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Out of many thousands of men, one wants to become perfect, and out of many millions of perfect men, one can understand God. So God is not so cheap thing.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

Mukti does not mean one thinks himself that "I have become Bhagavān. I have become now..." Vimukta-māninaḥ. They have been called as rascals, wrongly thinking that they are vimukta. Vimukta-mānī. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. There are so many rascals, they are thinking that they have become mukta, liberated Nārāyaṇas. They're thinking like that. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. So why they are...? Now, if they have become liberated, so advanced, and feeling that they have become Nārāyaṇa, so what is the objection? The objection is ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvāt (SB 10.2.32). They do not know what is Nārāyaṇa, these rascals. Śaṅkarācārya admits, nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt: "Nārāyaṇa is not a being within this material world." That is Nārāyaṇa. And they have become Nārāyaṇa, namo nārāyaṇāya. Nārāyaṇa is so cheap thing? Therefore śāstra says, ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. These rascals, they are thinking they have become Nārāyaṇa, but they do not know what is Nārāyaṇa. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Why they do not under...? Tvayy asta-bhāvāt. They never tried to understand what is really God. They thought, "God is very cheap thing. Everyone can become God." So therefore they have become vimukta-māninaḥ.

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

Kṛṣṇa says, tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ. Sulabha means "I am very easily available for him." Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. "Why? Why You are so...? Why You become so cheap to this person?" Because nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ. "Oh, he is constantly... Twenty-four hours, he's engaged in My service. I cannot forget him." This is... This is the process. Just become submissive and attract the attention of God. Then you'll be successful. Just try to... My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see God. You work in such a way that God will see you. God will take care of you. Don't try to see God." This is the process. "I want to see God. Oh, God please come and stand before me," oh, just like He's my servant. God is no one's servant. You have to oblige Him by your love, by your service. That is the process. Here it is..., tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. Anyone who is engaged in that way, in that submissive way, always, constantly, without any deviation, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, oh, for him, God is very cheap, although He's not..., He is unconquerable.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

So that is meaning of God. And this God, Mahā-Viṣṇu, is partial representation of Govinda. Viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajā... So sometimes cheap gods in the Western country. They cheat you. But God is not so cheap. This is one of the description of God, that within the breathing period of God, Mahā-Viṣṇu, who is not directly God—He is an expansion of God, Mahā-Viṣṇu—the total material energy is being created an annihilated. That is God. So that aiśvaryasya samagra. This is one opulence. If we possess one house, we become very opulent. If another possesses two house or three house... Now, here, in the breathing period of God, there are innumerable universes. You cannot calculate what is the opulence.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

Because Bhagavān means... Every word has got meaning. Bhaga means opulence. So one of the opulence is nobody is wiser than Him. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Bhagavān means one who possesses six kinds of opulences, richness, aiśvaryasya samagrasya, total richness. You are rich, I am rich, he is rich, but nobody can claim that "I am the only rich," or "Nobody is richer than me." That is not possible. But if you find somebody who is the richest—nobody is richer than him—then he is God. Then he's God. God is not so cheap thing that in every street, every village, there is incarnation of God. Don't accept that. You must know what is meaning of God. At least we followers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we do not accept such cheap God. The God's description is there in the śāstra.

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

In this way God is situated. Antar bahiḥ. He is situated outside, He is situated inside also. Kṛṣṇa says... This is quite reasonable, otherwise how He is God? Just like I am here, you are here, but you are not in your apartment. You are absent from your apartment. But God, God means He is in his apartment and He is everywhere. That is God. The rascals, they claim that "I am God." What kind of God you are? Are you everywhere spread? So you should not accept such cheap God. God's description is there in the śāstra. Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭim (Bs. 5.35). One part, one portion is Paramātmā, the Supersoul. In His Supersoul feature He is present in innumerable universes. Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Jagad-aṇḍa means the universe. It is just like an egg. They are aṇḍa. Aṇḍa means egg. The form is like egg. So there are millions. So to maintain the millions and millions of universes by His one portion, Paramātmā, He is spread. He is called Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. It is a great science. God expands Himself in so many ways, and for the material world He is expanded as puruṣāvatāra: Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. He's expanding like that. Causal Ocean.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hawaii, February 2, 1975:

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not a bluff sentiment. It is a great science. Those who are actually studious, they can understand the science perfectly if they study all our books. We have got twenty volumes books like this already published. And we propose to publish seventy-two volumes, how to understand God. So God is not so cheap thing, that "I have become God; you have become God." It is a great science. So those who want to understand God scientifically, philosophically, let them read these books. That is our presentation, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:

Therefore somebody comes, "Yes, I am God." "Oh, sir, you are God? Yes. That's all right." Because he wanted to be cheated, so somebody comes and declares himself that "I am God," and he is cheated. We cannot accept such God. We shall say, "Oh, you are God? All right, you lift this hill first of all with your finger. Then I shall accept you God." We don't accept such so cheap God. The rascals may accept some cheap God. No, we don't accept. We accept Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Brahmā said, "God is here, Kṛṣṇa." Brahmā is the original person who distributes knowledge, Vedic knowledge. So we accept Kṛṣṇa. The Brahmā has said. And we see, "Yes. He is God. He is lifting hill. He is killing Pūtanā at the age of three months old only. A seven years old boy is lifting hill." So God must execute uncommon acts; otherwise, how shall I accept God if He's like me? Kṛṣṇa devoured the whole forest fire. His friends appealed, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, there is fire." The cows were crying. Kṛṣṇa said, "Don't worry." Boy of six years old. So that is God. We accept Rāmacandra as God. He brought big, big stones and floated over the ocean. Does a stone float over the ocean? Yes, it floats under the order of God. He can do it. The law of gravitation will not act there. He can change. You can see. Million tons heavy, this earth, so many hills, and Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean. It is floating in the air just like a swab of cotton. You are explaining "weightlessness," but that's all right. But you float such thing. You can say so many things.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971:

The rascal says, "No, I am God." And what, in which way you become God? God is great. Are you great? If I give you any slap, you immediately cry, and you're claiming God? You see. But these rascals are doing nicely, and fools are following, "Here is a God, incarnation of God." You see? So God is not so cheap.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972:

Even in goodness also, māyā, there is māyā. Therefore in the material platform, even goodness is not pure. Therefore there is another stage, which is called śuddha-sattva. Goodness is sattva, sattva-guṇa. There is another stage, transcendental stage, which is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam. That is called vāsudeva stage, and in the vāsudeva stage, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, appears. You can see Kṛṣṇa. Not that a rascal inviting everyone, "Come on. I shall show you God, I shall show you God," and some rascals are going there to see God. God is not so cheap. One has to qualify himself to see God. These are the processes.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Los Angeles, August 23, 1972:

This is the sign. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ (SB 1.2.20). Then you can understand what is God. God is not so cheap: "Come on, I shall show you God. You haven't got to follow any rules and regulations." People want to be cheated. Therefore there are so many cheaters. They take advantage of it. Because they want everything very cheap. That is not possible. This is the stage, prasanna-manasa. Then you can understand what is God.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

So therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is becoming successful. They were looking after such cultural movement, but taking advantage, there are, so many rascals are going and posing himself as incarnation of God. People can be misled. Even in India, there are so many men misled with the incarnation of God. But incarnation of God is not so cheap. Don't make, don't accept cheap incarnation of God. Try to understand with reference to the śāstras, with reference to the authority. Then it will be all right. Otherwise, it will be misleading. Don't be misled. That is our request.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

So only the rascals will follow such rascals. A man is known by his company. God has become so cheap. God, they, there are incarnation, there are hundreds and thousands of incarnation, but to accept that incarnation, we have to follow the direction of the śāstra. The śāstra, in every incarnation is described there, His symptoms are described there. When Rāmacandra is described, He is... What did He do, that is also given there. Even Lord Buddha's activities are there in the śāstra—He's accepted an incarnation. Kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. Lord Kṛṣṇa's, Lord Balarāma. Everything is described there—Lord Caitanya. So we have to accept one incarnation with reference to the description given in the śāstra. Not that any rascal comes and he becomes incarnation and we accept.

Lecture on SB 1.3.10 -- Los Angeles, September 16, 1972:

Just like in season, there are hundreds and thousands and millions of fruits. You haven't got to create each fruit. When the season is there, the fruits are all ready, immediately. Similarly, when God says, "Let there be creation," millions of planets, immediately created. That is God. Not that cheap God, "I am God." In your country they come, and you become cheated. We don't accept such cheap God. We want this God. Simply by His will, millions of universes are created.

yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya

jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ

viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kāla-viśeṣo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.48)

We are not seeking after a cheap God. Real God. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **.

So we are not so fool that... Why we shall make research? Everything is there. So we are confident. We know what is going to happen. It is not astrology. It is... Everything is there in the Vedic knowledge. Veda means knowledge, full knowledge. You take advantage of it and become learned.

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

So sinful civilization. Therefore our first restriction is no meat-eating. It is a most sinful act. Meat-eating, or intoxication, drinking, gambling, and illicit sex. These are the four pillars of sinful life. So unless you stop, you break these four pillars, how you can think of God? God is not so cheap. The rascal says, "You can do whatever you like. I give you... I push your eyes and you see God. You push your nose, you see God." You see? These nonsense things are going on. But God is not so cheap. He is cheap, very cheap. He is very kind. But we want to remain sinful. Therefore we cannot see God.

Lecture on SB 1.3.19 -- Los Angeles, September 24, 1972:

Real religious principle means to abide by the laws of the Supreme Lord, God. But they do not believe in God. "Everyone is God. I am God, you are God, he is God, everyone is God. So whatever law you give yourself, that becomes your religion." This is going on. So God is not so cheap that you become God, I become God, he becomes God. The śāstra says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). God is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, the original God. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda (Bs. 5.1). God, Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no superior authority than Me." The Vedānta-sūtra also says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The original source of everything. Who is that original source? God. Who is that God? Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:

Here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, some of the incarnations are described. But all incarnations are described in the śāstra. We should not be blind to accept any rascal and rogue as incarnation of God. Incarnation of God is not so cheap. That we should understand.

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

So as soon as we forget our duty or we want to imitate... Just like these Māyāvādīs, they want to imitate Kṛṣṇa. They want to become Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can become Kṛṣṇa. These rascals, they think that by mystic yoga process one can become God. Simply rascaldom. Nobody can become God. God is never made. God does not become. God is always God, not that one is not God, and he becomes God by some mystic yogic power. This theory is going on amongst the Māyāvādīs, that by the mystic yoga practice, one can become God. So we don't want such cheap God. They may become God, so-called God, but we are concerned with the real God, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, when He was three months old, He was God. He did not practice any mystic yoga to kill Pūtanā. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. God's intelligence, power, is natural. Although Kṛṣṇa was on the lap of mother Yaśodā like a little baby, but the full potency of God was there. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā. How to kill Pūtanā, how to kill Aghāsura, Bakāsura, Kṛṣṇa knows perfectly. All the Kṛṣṇa's friends, they were entering within the mouth of Aghāsura. Kṛṣṇa is observing, "Now My all friends have entered the mouth of the Aghāsura, and how to kill this demon?" The last, He entered. And at the end of the throat, He began to expand Himself. Just see how He knows to do His business. Svābhāvikī.

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

Our knowledge is so imperfect; still, we are proud of our knowledge: "Oh, I have known everything. I know everything. I am God. I am God." So, and foolish like that... Just like a foolish child, he is declaring himself, "I am God," and there are so many followers: "Oh, he is God, he is God." That's it. They do not know what is God. At least we know what is God in this sense, that our God, when... Actually He is God. Therefore, at the age of seven years, He lifted a big mountain on the finger. So we accept this God. When He was young man He married sixteen thousand wives. These are the unique instances. And why shall I accept a cheap God who cannot provide even one wife? We are not... Because he cannot provide it, he does not marry. So this kind of God we don't accept.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

So our intelligence is like... Even mother Yaśodā. She was trying to bind Kṛṣṇa, and at the end, at the time of knotting, there was two fingers small, I mean to say, there was scarcity. So our intelligence is like that. However I may be intelligent, however I may to cheat Kṛṣṇa, at least, little difference. Little difference. The little difference, that he never thought that "I'll be killed by the nails, not by any atomic bomb." He thought simply atom bomb can kill. He never thought that Kṛṣṇa can kill even by nails. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti (Bs. 5.32). He can do everything. But he wanted to be cheap God, to surpass... But it could not be done. This is the asura. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. And the asuras... Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). They may think themselves as very advanced in knowledge, but they are rascal number one because their so-called knowledge, the effect of knowledge, is taken away by māyā. They are called Māyāvādīs. They are very much proud of their knowledge. But Kṛṣṇa says, "These rascals, these atheist class demons, their actual knowledge is taken away." Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He devised means that "Indirectly I shall be immortal. I shall not die in daytime.

Lecture on SB 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974:

So don't think that this material energy is working independently. She is working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. So a devotee knows this. Just like a policeman is working. A sane man knows that he is working not independently, but under the government order. This knowledge required, not that that because policeman has got some power, he becomes God. No. God is not so cheap.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

So this is the way, not whimsically accept any rascal as avatāra. No. That is not the process. Or any rascal as God. This rascaldom has killed the whole human society to become atheist. You should be very, very careful of these rascals. As soon as somebody says that "I am God," you shall immediately take him as dog, not God. So God is not so cheap.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Just like the sun appears after so many hours. It is like that. And the sun does not disappear. Sun is already there in the sky. It may not be in Australia's vision, but it may be in other country's vision. The sun is not dead. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa appears by rotation in this universe after so many years, eight billion and billion years. So next He goes to another universe. Just like the sun, after disappearance from Australia, it goes to another country. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, after finishing His business in this universe, He goes to another universe. In this way the rotation takes eight million, nine billion years. Just imagine how many universes are there. He stays in one universe for 125 years. Everything is there, calculation, in the śāstra. Now we can imagine how many universes are there. That is, altogether, material world. That is stated in the...

athavā bahunaitena

kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna

viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam

ekāṁśena sthito jagat

(BG 10.42)

This material creation is one-fourth creation of the whole God's property. And the three-fourth part is in the spiritual world. That is God. Not that cheap God, "I am God," in this God. We don't accept such cheap God.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:

So actually we, the living entities, we are part and parcel of God, but we are very minute quantity, infinitesimal. And God is infinite. So infinitesimal, our magnitude is, I've several times explained, one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. So you cannot even imagine with your material senses. Therefore aṇor aṇīyān, smaller than the atom. The same thing—we are also spirit, and Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, is also spirit. Qualitatively we are one. But we are the smallest and He is the greatest. So we accept it immediately from the Vedic information. Therefore our position is safe. We do not falsely declare that "I am God." Just give proof that you are God. Then claim. But some rascal claims that he's God, and other rascals, they accept that he's God. God is not so cheap.

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

So much sambhrama. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ (Bs. 5.29). These are the statements of scripture. And when Kṛṣṇa was actually present on the planet, He showed it, how much He is respectfully served by His sixteen thousand wives, and how much comfortably He kept all of them in different palaces, and expanding Himself into sixteen thousand forms. That is God. That is God. So everyone, even the Lakṣmī is servant, maidservant of Kṛṣṇa, what to speak of others? Dāsī. So how one can claim that "I am God"? God is not so cheap. Only persons who are illusioned, they claim that "I am God."

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

He is servant. Instead of becoming, voluntarily rendering service to God, because they claim to be God they are more put into illusion. Māyā-graṣṭa jīvera sei dāsa upajaya. It is said in the Vaiṣṇava literature, piśacī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya, māyā-graṣṭa jīvera sei dāsa upajaya: "Just like a person, when he is haunted by ghosts, he speaks all kinds of nonsense, similarly, when a living entity is engrossed by the illusory aspect of this material nature, he also talks all foolishly." He also talks... One of the greatest foolish things is that he claims that "I am God." So God is not so cheap.

Lecture on SB 6.1.38 -- Los Angeles, June 4, 1976:

This transaction is going on in the body of Maha-Viṣṇu. The material world is being created and annihilated. When there is exhaling, the universes are coming into existence; when there is inhaling, it is all finished. This material world is like that. It is not permanent. Everyone got such experience. Your body, it has a beginning at a certain date from your father and mother. It stays for some time, it develops, it gives some by-products, then it becomes old and you finish. This is material body. Everybody knows it. Similarly, the whole cosmic manifestation, what you are seeing, so big things—it may be very big thing, but the process is the same. Either you take the body of an ant or you take the body of Brahmājī or... The process, the same rules and regulations. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). There is no change. So that is God. God is producing by His exhaling, inhaling, so many universes. Why should you take such a cheap God? As soon as the God has got some toothache, he goes to the dentist. And he's God! Don't take such cheap Gods. We don't take them. At least, we Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. Just to accept Kṛṣṇa as God...

Lecture on SB 6.1.38 -- Los Angeles, June 4, 1976:

The description of God is there in the śāstra: yasyaika-niśvasita kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). That is God. By His breathing, millions of universes are coming with exhaling. And when He's inhaling, billions of universes are going within. Can you show like that? That is also not original God. That is plenary expansion of God. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣa (Bs. 5.48). This transaction is going on in the body of Maha-Viṣṇu. The material world is being created and annihilated. When there is exhaling, the universes are coming into existence; when there is inhaling, it is all finished. This material world is like that. It is not permanent. Everyone got such experience. Your body, it has a beginning at a certain date from your father and mother. It stays for some time, it develops, it gives some by-products, then it becomes old and you finish. This is material body. Everybody knows it. Similarly, the whole cosmic manifestation, what you are seeing, so big things—it may be very big thing, but the process is the same. Either you take the body of an ant or you take the body of Brahmājī or... The process, the same rules and regulations. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). There is no change. So that is God. God is producing by His exhaling, inhaling, so many universes. Why should you take such a cheap God? As soon as the God has got some toothache, he goes to the dentist. And he's God! Don't take such cheap Gods. We don't take them. At least, we Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. Just to accept Kṛṣṇa as God...

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

To understand God and to understand our relationship with God, it is not to be done by mental speculation. It is not possible. God is not so cheap thing that one can understand by mental speculation. In the present age people are very much fond of mental speculation. In the śāstra it is said, tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "Simply by arguing you cannot come to the right conclusion."

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

So everything should be understood very distinctly, what do we mean by God, not that a third-class man comes and he proclaims himself, "I am God." This is our foolishness. Why shall I accept a third-class man as God? At the present moment everyone is very much anxious to become God and cheat you. There are so many so-called swamis. They are coming, and they are preaching that "You are God. I am God." Then who is God? Everyone is God? No. Therefore you will find in the Vedic literature definition of God. Here is definition of... Just apply this definition. If you find somebody, that he is corroborating with this definition of God, then he is God. Otherwise he is a nonsense. God is not so cheap thing. You find out a person that nobody can be found richer than him, nobody can be found stronger than him, nobody can be found more famous than him, or beautiful than him, or wiser than him, or renouncer than him.

Lecture on SB 7.9.22 -- Mayapur, February 29, 1976:

Here it is said that God is He who... Kālo vaśī-kṛta-visṛjya-visarga-śaktiḥ: "He keeps control over the time factor and the creative energy." That is God. God is not so cheap that you'll find here and there. God is everywhere. That's a fact. But that is partial manifestation of His material energy. This is... Ekāṁśena sthito jagat.

athavā bahunaitena

kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna

vistabhya aham...

ekāṁśena sthito jagat

(BG 10.42)

He's there. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. He is within the atom. So when the same God, sa tvam, He comes, the foolish persons, they think that "Kṛṣṇa is like one of us." No. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā. One who thinks like that, that "Kṛṣṇa is one of us. He is like a human being, like me or you," he is mūḍha. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto (BG 9.11). He does not know what are the activities of God, what He can do, what He can undo.

Lecture on SB 7.9.30 -- Mayapur, March 8, 1976:

So if it is possible materially that one ordinary man, he can manage hundreds of factories and offices without going there, simply by his order, so how much powerful is Kṛṣṇa, we have to imagine. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ. Still, even a man or even a demigod... Just like demigod Indra: he's managing the affairs of rains, how to collect the clouds, how to disperse them, how... And there are management, so many managements. But all these managements are going on on the supreme management, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He says in the Bhagavad-gītā that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). This is to be understood. That one Supreme Person, He is managing everything. The material and spiritual world, everything is being managed by Him. That is God. God is not so cheap. This is God.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

Bhavānanda: "In the material world, everyone is trying to be the topmost head man amongst all his fellow men or neighbors. Either communally, socially or nationally, everyone is competing to be greater than all others in the material concept of life. This greatness can be extended to the unlimited, so that one actually wants to become one with the greatest of all, the Supreme Lord. This is also a material concept, although maybe a little more advanced."

Prabhupāda: This kind of conception, that "I shall become God," or "I shall declare myself God," this is also material conception. This is not spiritual conception. Spiritually, nobody can become God except God. But he has no knowledge of God. He's thinking that he's God. Vimukta-māninaḥ. Tvayy asta-bhāvād. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Māninaḥ means taking for granted that "I've become liberated. I have become God." And I advertise, and some foolish people, they adore me: "Oh, here is God. Here is Bala-yogi incarnation, God." So such cheap God, we don't accept. We want to see that Kṛṣṇa, at seven years old, He lifted Govardhana Hill. So if you are actually God, then show me that you can lift a hill, you can kill a Pūtanā. Then I can accept. What sort of God you are? We don't accept such cheap God. Go on.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:

...that "I am Kṛṣṇa." Never said. Rather, when He was (in) Vṛndāvana, some of the devotees eulogized Him that "You are Kṛṣṇa," He immediately blocked His ear: "No, no. Don't say like that." That is the indication that to claim to become God or Kṛṣṇa is the highest type of rascaldom. That is rascaldom. Those who are these Māyāvādīs who are claiming that "Everyone is God. I am God, you are God," they are all rascals. Therefore I have said in connection, with reference to that boy-god..., you know, I do not wish to repeat. We do not accept such cheap God. No. We accept Kṛṣṇa. And we accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as God because śāstra says, the ācārya says; therefore we follow the footsteps of the ācāryas. Rūpa Gosvāmī says, kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne: "Sir, You have now come... You are Kṛṣṇa. You have come under the name of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. You are so magnanimous that You are distributing..." Be... Without becoming Kṛṣṇa, how one can distribute Kṛṣṇa? Without one becoming millionaires, how he can distribute millions of dollars?

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

Actually our position is servant of Kṛṣṇa. Now, at the present moment, every one of us, we are trying to become master. If not master of Kṛṣṇa, at least we are trying to become equal with Kṛṣṇa. This is our position. That is called māyā, "which is not possible." God is not so cheap that you can become equal with God or greater than God. You must always remain subordinate to God. That is your position. Actually we are subordinate.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

These are inconceivable energies. And foolish rascals, they claim that "I am God." You see. God is not so cheap. One must know the science of God, how great is God. We cannot calculate. Those who cheaply take God, "God might be like me, you," just frog philosophy. The same frog philosophy. The frog is calculating the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean, keeping itself in the well. You see. So similarly, these rascals, they are frogs in the well, and they are calculating the estimation of the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean and claiming themselves as God.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1970:

God will be revealed unto you. You cannot see God or understand God by your own endeavor. You have to surrender to the process by which God can be known. Then He will be revealed. Otherwise not. He is supreme controller. You are being controlled. So how you can control God? "Oh, God, please come here. I will see You." No, no. God is not so cheap thing that by your order God will come and become seen by you. No. That is not possible. You must always know that "He's the supreme controller and I am also controlled. So if I can please God by my service, then He'll reveal to me." That is the process of knowing God.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Try to understand. Arjuna knew it very well that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Why he wanted to examine Kṛṣṇa? Not for himself, but for others. Because Arjuna knew it very well that in future so many false Gods would appear: "I am God." So before accepting anyone as God, imitating Kṛṣṇa, one should inquire from him "Whether you can lift a hill? Whether you can show the universal form? Whether you can kill such and such demons? Then I shall accept." That is intelligence. Don't accept a foolish man, declaring himself as God, and you accept also God. God is not so cheap. You should know what is God. These descriptions are there. No more, no man, no living entity is greater than God. Therefore God is said: "God is great." Great means nobody can be greater than Him, nobody can be equal to Him. That is greatness. Six opulences. That is analytical study what is God.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

Nobody can become God. God is God, and living entity's living entity. He's supreme, He's infinite; we are infinitesimal. Our position is to serve God. That is our perfect position. That will make us happy. Not otherwise. Not by imitating how to become God. That is impossible. How you can become God? Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). There are innumerable universes, and within the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu so many universes are coming out by exhaling. And when He inhales, so many universes are dissolved within His body. So how we can become God? God is not so cheap.

General Lectures

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

Bhaga, these opulences... So you have to find out. You do not accept any cheap God. You just try to find out whether this man claiming as God has no greater than him and no equal to him. Then he is God. This simple test. Don't accept any bogus, so-called God. Just try to put him to the test whether he is actually God. This is the test, that nobody should be greater than him; nobody shall be equal to him. Then he is God.

Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

People are after becoming religious person or economically very well situated person or desiring all facilities for sense gratification. And when one is frustrated in all these attempts, he wants to become God. You see? By meditation, he wants to become God. You see? God is not so cheap thing that simply by meditation one can become God. People do not know what is God; therefore they accept.

Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

Bhagavān means... Bhaga means fortune. So Bhagavān. Vān means possessing fortune. So these are the symptoms of becoming fortunate: wealthy, strong, wise, beautiful, reputed, and at the same time, renouncer, without any attachment. These things are to be tested. So don't accept cheap God, or don't try to imitate God, "I am God." This is a great, what is called, standard of ignorance. Anyone falsely claiming that "I am God," that is the last snare of māyā, that one is falsely claiming God. So our students in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, wherever it is possible, try to preach this principle. God is not so cheap that any rascal can come and claim that "I am God," or anyone can claim as God. This is most foolish claim.

Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

Bhagavān. Bhagavān means... Bhaga means fortune. So Bhagavān. Vān means possessing fortune. So these are the symptoms of becoming fortunate: wealthy, strong, wise, beautiful, reputed, and at the same time, renouncer, without any attachment. These things are to be tested. So don't accept cheap God, or don't try to imitate God, "I am God." This is a great, what is called, standard of ignorance. Anyone falsely claiming that "I am God," that is the last snare of māyā, that one is falsely claiming God.

Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

In this way, there are different description of God, how great He is. That greatness cannot be had by any nonsense rascal. You see. So don't be misled in that way. Even you don't take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, don't be misled by cheap Gods. That is our request. God is great, and try to understand how great He is. That description you'll get in Vedic literature sufficiently, how great He is. Don't be satisfied simply by understanding that God is great. That's nice, but as far as possible try to understand how great He is. Then you will not accept any cheap God. Otherwise you'll simply speculate on frog philosophy. You know that frog philosophy? He's calculating the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean from the small well. Somebody's saying there is Atlantic Ocean, very great, and the frog has never seen the Atlantic Ocean. He is always in the well. He says, "How great? It is three feet? It may be ten feet?" "No, sir, it is very great." "All right. Hundred feet." "No, it is very great." "All right. Thousand feet." So go on. Where is the comparison of Atlantic Ocean within the well? (chuckling) So these rascals are calculating, speculating about God, how great He is by three feet, six feet, or ten feet, or hundred feet, thousand feet, like that. But He is greater than all your calculation, all your measurement. Avāṅ-mānasa-gocaraḥ. You cannot calculate how He's great. Simply you accept His greatness and surrender. That's your business. You just calculate yourself. Your infinitesimal identity is very small. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadha kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). Just divide the tip of your hair (in) ten thousand parts, and that one part is your identification, spiritual measurement.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

So these are the potencies of God. Not that I can show some magic and immediately I become God. Just see the magic, real magic of God. Don't accept cheap God. God must show godly magic. Just like we are showing little magic, floating some airplane or sputnik or jet in the sky. We are taking so much credit, so much credit that scientists are declaring, "There is no God. I am God, because I have made this airplane." And what is your airplane in comparison to these planets? So intelligent person, they will give more credit to God than to these scientists or philosophers. Because he can see the potencies, how much potency is there. So He has many potencies. In the Vedic literature we can understand, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). In the Vedas, Upaniṣad: na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. God has nothing to do personally. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Na tat-samas cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. Nobody is found equal to him or greater than Him. Nobody. That is God. If somebody is competitor, one God competitor, another God competitor... Just like nowadays it has become a fashion to become God, and there are competitions between one "God" and another. But actually, nobody can compete with God. That is God.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Prabhupada Comments on Prahlada Maharaja Slides - August 25, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: Demonic nature means they do not believe in God. "Oh, what nonsense, God. I am God." Although he's a dog, he thinks himself, "I am God." That is demonic nature. He is being kicked every minute by the laws of nature, and still, he is superficially thinking that "I am God." God is not so cheap, but they have made to become God is very cheap. If you pay thirty-five dollars to a person, he'll give you a mantra and you become within six months God. This is very nice statement and people will follow. Thousands and thousands will follow. But if you say, "Oh, you have to undergo much austerity, penance, regulation and tapasya," "Oh, this is botheration. We shall enjoy material life, and the same time become God." So these cheap things are exhibited by the demons.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- September 2, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Therefore this varṇāśrama-dharma. Hindu dharma or Vedic dharma means varṇāśrama-dharma. One must first of all accept the principles of varṇas and āśramas. Then there is question of understanding God. God is not so cheap thing, "What is God?" and you understand immediately. You must become first of all brāhmaṇa.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: God has all the qualities that you can conceive. It is generally not... Bhaga(?), it is taken as six, six opulences. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means possessing. Bhagavat. Bhagavat-śabda. Bhaga means opulence, and vat means one who possesses. And the first word in bhagavat-śabda is bhagavān. This bhaga means six kinds of opulences: riches, then fame, then bodily strength, influence, knowledge, beauty, and renunciation. These are opulences. If one is very rich, people are attracted. If one is very reputed, people are attracted. If one is very strong, people are attracted. Influential-attracted. If one is very beautiful, man or woman, he is also attractive. If one is very wise, he's attractive. And one who is renounced, he's also attra... So Kṛṣṇa has got all these qualification in full. That is the definition of God. Anyone who possesses all these qualities in fullness, not partially, that is God. This is the definition of God. Not that "I can produce one ounce of gold," but if he can produce all the mines of gold, he is God. Not cheap God. In that way everyone is God.

Morning Walk -- November 8, 1975, Bombay:

Bhāgavata: ...leaving the four sinful activities. Then one can develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: No, this is practicing. This is practicing. Unless one is... Yeṣam tu anta-gataṁ pāpam. Unless one is free from sinful activities, one cannot understand God. It is not possible. God is not so cheap.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially distributing knowledge about God. So why do they not come here and inquire? First thing is, unless one is inquisitive to understand God, or Absolute Truth, he has no necessity of guru. But if he is actually serious, then he must go to a person where the dealing is only God, that's all. Just like ordinarily, if anyone wants to purchase some share of company, he goes to the share market and he sees the price of different shares, and he selects. So everything requires little intelligence, then it is all right. Otherwise, you may be cheated. Whatever business you do, you must do it intelligently. But if you are foolishly doing something, you may be cheated. Why we are opening so many centers all over the world? We are giving opportunity people to come and understand about God. Why do they not come here? Then he can make his judgment that "Here is the genuine party." And if one accepts some cheap God, that means he has no understanding about God. He's a rascal. If I say I'm God and somebody accepts me as God, then he's a foolish man. They do not know what is meaning of God. If one wants God, he must know at least what is meant by God. Every scripture, just like in Bible it is said "God has created this universe." So if you come to me and accept me as God, why don't you test whether I have created another universe like this? Why you accept a cheap God who hasn't done anything? Simply he's bluff, and he says that "I am God." So why do you accept such God? Hmm? Why should we accept a cheap God? Everything requires intelligence. If you are not intelligent, then every transaction you may be cheated. Everyone has heard God is great. So great means there should be nobody equal to Him and nobody greater than Him. That is greatness. So test that man whether he has no competitor, another God. Nowadays there are so many Gods. So God is great, why there is another competitor? This is intelligence.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya: the breathing period. We have got idea, breathing period. Within second we are having two, three breathing. So within the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu innumerable universes are coming out. This is greatness. How great is God, it is same idea, that within the breathing period innumerable universes are coming. We cannot conceive of one universe, but we get the information that innumerable universes are coming out during the breathing period. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). That Mahā-Viṣṇu, yasya kalā-viśeṣa, part and plenary portion, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So when we speak all these things, they'll take it mythology. And a cheap god comes, we'll accept, "Here is God." This is the position. They do not try to understand that actually God is great, how great He is. That is called kūpa-maṇḍūka-nyāya, Dr. Frog's philosophy. Dr. Frog is within the well, three feet length and breadth. He's thinking, "This is the ultimate reservoir of water." And when he's informed there is Atlantic Ocean, he simply calculates, "All right, this is three feet. It may be six feet or it may be seven feet; all right, come on, ten feet." He's going like that. So God is not like that, within our calculation. In the Bhagavad-gītā when Kṛṣṇa was speaking about the vibhūti-yoga, He was speaking "I am this amongst this." Find out this vibhūti-yoga, Twelfth Chapter I think it is.

Room Conversation -- September 17, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...one horse within the mouth—that is God. One hill. One Pūtanā, sucking the breast, her life goes. That is God. Why shall I take some cheap God? We are not so foolish. Here is the... So many great saintly persons hearing about God. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). They are fools, hearing about Kṛṣṇa? Such great, great personalities? And Śukadeva Gosvāmī is speaking. Are they fools? All of them fools? One, two may be fool. They were wholesale fool? All the great personalities, they're all fools? Asita, Devala, Vyāsa, Nārada—all big personalities. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu—they're all fools? I may be fool. They are not fools. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Why shall I accept a rascal God? Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1). "Oh, you want to hear about Kṛṣṇa?" Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ. Śukadeva was praising: "Oh, glorious, you have taken... Yes." Here is God. Breathing, and innumerable universes are coming. Here is God. Sleeping and breathing is not unnatural. He is also. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaḥ-like us. But like not us. He can breathe and... That is the difference. Breathing is common. I breathe, He breathes. That's all right.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya, that one who is in possession of all the wealth, vīryasya all strength, all faith yaśasaḥ, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation, that is God. Now so far Kṛṣṇa is concerned, He showed all these things. Aiśvaryasya... For example Kṛṣṇa married sixteen thousand wives and for each wife a different palace. And for each wife ten sons. Woman requires very nice accommodation, sons, husband, that is their ambition that He fulfilled, although he married sixteen thousand one hundred and eight wives. This is aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya. This so-called rascal Bhagavān, who has shown this? Why shall I accept this cheap god? Show me something that you are God. Seven years old Kṛṣṇa, He lifted the Govardhana hill. (Hindi) There is, but they have no knowledge to compare with the idea of God. So far knowledge is concerned, Bhagavad-gītā, left by Kṛṣṇa, it is adored all over the world. Especially nowadays we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and millions of copies we are selling. Now we are advertising, where is that picture? Million, 1.5 million.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: That means he's failed as a guru. He hasn't...

Prabhupāda: He could not give them right knowledge. Phalena paricīyate. The paricīya is to be understood by the result. The disciple is the result. If they are so fool, then what is the guru?

Dr. Patel: Vaiṣṇava-paramparā, Vallabhācārya, the whole lot is now. I have seen it.

Prabhupāda: They are criticizing us.

Dr. Patel: This thing is the God has to reincarnate Himself again to reestablish bhāgavata-dharma.

Prabhupāda: That is everywhere. If you don't mind, your Swami Nārāyaṇa is also like that.

Dr. Patel: All of them. They are. That is why, I mean, liberation is created by God again by incarnation.

Prabhupāda: They create a cheap God. Real God they reject. That is going on.

Dr. Patel: Swami Nārāyaṇa said that (Sanskrit). Only to worship Kṛṣṇa. Nobody else. Unfortunately the disciples... Suppose disciples...

Prabhupāda: That the same thing. If the disciples are rascals, then what is the guru?

Dr. Patel: The disciple is being called guru-Kṛṣṇa again. That is what happens in all the other Vaiṣṇava. They say Vallabhācārya Mahāprabhu in place of Kṛṣṇa. That is wrong. Yathā. Yathā deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā...

Prabhupāda: Gurau.

Dr. Patel: Gurau. That is fact. Then you can get the real, I mean, kṛpā of guru and realize God. But they're...

Prabhupāda: These things happened by Vallabhācārya. That's a long history generally. They call him Mahāprabhu to make competition with real Mahāprabhu, Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Evening Darsana -- May 11, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: No bona fide person will say that "I am God." As soon as one says that "I am God," he's a rascal immediately. God is not so cheap. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never said. He said, "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of servant of God." Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). Hundred times down. And that is real identification. And as soon as a person says, "I am God," then he's a madman. He's part of God. That is all right. But not the Supreme God.