Harassed (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"harass" |"harassed" |"harasser" |"harasses" |"harassing" |"harassment" |"harassments"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

Just like in darkness you are finding your things, your watch, you cannot find it out. Sometimes you are touching this, sometimes touching this, sometimes touching this, but the real thing you are not touching. So you are bewildered, you are harassed. And now you, if you touch Kṛṣṇa consciousness, these harassments will be stopped. It is so nice thing. We are giving you your lost relationship, which you are searching out life after life. And you are confused. Take this! You will be happy. You will find your relationship, eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

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

So there is always fight between deva and asura. Now at the present moment, the number of asuras have increased. Formerly the number of devatās were greater. So Arjuna is devatā because he is Viṣṇu-bhakta. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke ('smin) daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6). There are two classes of men within this creation. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daivaḥ. Those who are devotees of Lord Viṣṇu, they are called devatā. Just like the demigods like Indra, Candra, Sūrya, and many others. There are thirty-three krores of devatās in the higher planetary system. They are all Viṣṇu-bhakta. They will abide by the orders of Viṣṇu and Vaiṣṇava. Just like Indra. He is devatā. There was fight between Hiraṇyakaśipu and the Indra's party. So when Hiraṇyakaśipu was defeated, naturally the... Afterward, if the other party is defeated, the victorious party makes some, so many aggression, especially aggression of women. That is still current. Innocent women, they are very much harassed after the war by the victorious party. You know, the soldiers are given freedom to rape the women. And plunder the property. So many things they have. So when Hiraṇyakaśipu was defeated, all the devatās, they did not make such aggression, but the wife of Hiraṇyakaśipu—Kāyadhu, I think—she was arrested by Indra and was taken. She was crying, just usual, woman. But she was being dragged by Indra. So Nārada was passing. Now, he said, "What are you doing this?" "No, there is no question of harassing this woman. But I am taking her in my custody because she is pregnant and the child is begotten by asura, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Therefore I shall wait for the birth of the child, and as soon as she gives birth, I will kill that child." Yes. So Nārada said, "No, no. That child is not asura child. He is coming, a great devotee, mahā-bhāgavata of Kṛṣṇa." Because Nārada knew that when... Not before. After all, he knew. But before also, he knew. Because they are saintly persons, they can understand that here is a child is coming who will be a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So mahā-bhāgavata.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

Kārpaṇya-doṣa. Kārpaṇya-doṣa means a miserly man, miserly man. He was conscious of the fact that he was a great hero, he was a great fighter, and, at the same time, the enemies were there. So his actual duty was to fight with the enemy. They were offering fight. For a kṣatriya there are some obligations. If somebody challenges that "I want to fight with you," a kṣatriya cannot deny. If somebody challenges, "Yes, I want to bet with you, gambling," a kṣatriya cannot deny. And for that reason, the Pāṇḍavas lost their kingdom. The other side, his cousins, offered them, that "All right, let us come to betting." So betting, the bid was they offered the kingdom. "Now, if you, if you," I mean to say, "defeated, if you are defeated, then you lose your kingdom." So they lost their kingdom. Then the next, next offer was that "If you are defeated, you lost your wife." So they lost their wife. And similarly, they were put: "Now, this time, if you are defeated, you have to go to the forest for twelve years." So there was a great plan behind them, and the Pāṇḍavas were defeated in so many ways, and they were harassed, embarrassed for not less than twenty years. And now they were to fight, face to face. Now he is not prepared to fight. That means he has become miserly, mean he is deviating from his duty. Now. So he is conscious that "Practically, I am deviating from my duty." Kārpaṇya-doṣa: "This is my miserly behavior." Doṣa. Doṣa means "It is a fault on my part. I should not have deviated from this fighting, but my sentiment does not allow me to fight with my kinsmen."

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa does not personally punish. He has got many agents. Just like in the government, the president does not punish directly, but there are many departments. Similarly, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). His potencies are manyfold. One of the potency is this material nature. It is called māyā. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very difficult to surpass the jurisdiction of māyā, duratyayā. But punishment will not be excused. Ignorance of law is no excuse. Similarly, this māyā, this material nature, is very, very strong. If you eat little more... Your nature is to eat, say, two ounce. If you eat three ounce immediately you'll be punished. There will be indigestion. The nature is so strong. Therefore it is called daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. So in this way you cannot surpass the stringent laws of māyā, but if you want to avoid punishment, then you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness is essential. If we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if we follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no question of being harassed by the stringent laws of māyā. This is the version.

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

Whatever form may be, (it is) force. We shall see form later on. You just... Just like a police sends a warrant, arrest. You do not ask what is the form of the police, but here is warrant, you have to go. Force, that's all. Similarly, don't try to understand what is māyā's form, but you just feel her force, how she is acting. How she is putting you in difficulty. You see? There are so many things. Māyā puts into this difficulty and you are encumbered. That we have to understand, how I have become encumbered. In my childhood I was free. There was no encumbrances. Now I am encumbered. I am harassed. This is māyā's action. So if you want to get out of this māyā's influence, then you have to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other alternative. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

So in this age it is very difficult to satisfy all the demigods differently. People are so much harassed. The best thing is to satisfy directly the Supreme Lord. And what is that simple method? Just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Because we are so fallen in this age, the simple chanting of glorification of the Lord will be equal to performances of all kinds of sacrifices.

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

Just like take for example this finger. The finger is the part and parcel of this body. So when the finger can understand that "I am part and parcel of this whole body and my duty is to serve the whole body," that is self-realization. So long one is not understanding this point, he is illusioned. What is the position of this finger? Suppose this finger is a person. Any individual spirit is a person. That we have discussed in the second chapter. Everyone. Every one of us individual person. So as individual person what is my position? My position is... Just like you are individual citizen of the state. What is your position? To serve the state. That is your position. That is good citizenship. What does it mean, a good citizen? One who is trying to serve the state. Take, for example, in Russia, in China. They have made the state as worshipable. Any component part of the state, citizen, is to sacrifice everything for the state. In your country also, the draftboard is calling, "Come on. You have to go to the fight." But you cannot say "No," because you are component part of the state. If you deny, then you are not a good citizen. You'll be arrested, you'll be harassed by the government. Similarly, we are component parts of the whole, supreme whole.

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

Yes. I told that "You do not know bhakti-yoga. The two greatest fights in India, Rāmāyaṇa fight and Mahābhārata fight, was conducted by Vaiṣṇavas, Arjuna and Hanumān. Therefore you do not know what is bhakti-yoga," I told him. The bhakta, for Kṛṣṇa's sake, he can do anything. But by nature, he's perfect. He does not commit any violence. Just like see Arjuna's character. He was so much harassed by the opposite party, his wife was insulted, his kingdom was, I mean to say, by unlawful means taken away, he was sent to forest for thirteen years. After so many troubles, he never tried to retaliate. He said, "All right, Kṛṣṇa, I don't want my kingdom. I cannot fight with my kinsmen." This is Vaiṣṇava nature. But as soon as he understood that "This fight is liked by Kṛṣṇa, oh, then I'll continue, stay. I must fight..." It is not his cowardice. He was quite competent to fight, but out of his Vaiṣṇava compassion he was avoiding it in the beginning. But when he understood that "My master, Kṛṣṇa, He wants it," he gave up his decision. So Vaiṣṇava... That is Vaiṣṇavism. Devotee means he can act anything and everything for the Lord. That is bhakti-yoga. But under the direction. Not whimsically. Yes. Either Arjuna or Hanumān, he did not set fire to the Rāvaṇa's house whimsically. Under the direction of Rāma. Arjuna also fought under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, we have to take the direction of Kṛṣṇa or His representative. Then it will be nice.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

Now, it is stated in that chapter that in the Kali-yuga the mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇo bhakṣayiṣyanti prajās te. The government will be all mlecchas, not the kṣatriyas. Mlecchas. Mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ. They'll take the post of government post, government service. And their business will be bhakṣayiṣyanti prajās te, they'll devour all the prajās. And in this way the prajās will be so much, I mean to say, distressed that gacchanti giri-kānanam. Gacchanti giri-kānanam. They will be so much, I mean to say, harassed that they will give up their home and hearth and go to the forest. That time is coming. That time is coming. It is no more that brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. Therefore human civilization, there is no human civilization if there is no such division as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. That is not human... That is animal civilization.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 24, 1973:

Just like if you become criminal, the police department is there. The police department will give you pains, chastisement. Similarly, the more we become Godless, the more we become careless to fulfill the mission of human life, the more nature will give us trouble. There will be no rain. Anāvṛṣṭi, anāvṛṣṭi and durbhikṣa, scarcity of foodstuff, and taxation by the government. These are the symptoms of Kali-yuga mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And people will become so much harassed by these three things that they will voluntarily give up their hearth and home and go to the forest.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 3, 1973:

Even Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu. The relationship was father and son, but because the son was a devotee, the father was prepared to kill him. This is the system all over the world. Jesus Christ, because he was preaching God consciousness, he was crucified. Although Jesus Christ preached, "Thou shall not kill," unfortunately he was preaching in such a society that he was killed. So these things are there always. The demons, they are always after the devotees, how to harass him, how to give him trouble. Therefore one has to learn humility, otherwise one cannot make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

There are so many examples. We can cite some of them. Just like the gopīs. The gopīs at dead of night, when Kṛṣṇa's flute was being played... The gopīs were young girls. So immediately they give up their all engagement. Some of them were taking care of the children, some of them were cooking, some of them giving food to the husband. So many engagement. But they gave up any, everything and immediately went to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa advised them, "Oh, at dead of night you have come here?" Those who have read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, these things are there. Now, for young woman to leave family and, I mean to say, home and go to the forest for another person, it is most abominable, sinful, in the ordinary eyes. Sinful. But because it was done for Kṛṣṇa, even Lord Caitanya says, ramya kecid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-vargeṇa ya kalpita(?): "What can be the best type of worship than what was comprehended by the gopīs?" So in the ordinary way, if a young man, young woman, goes to another person for dancing or some other purpose, that is most sinful. But this is to be understood.

Another example can be given. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja was so much harassed by his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, and Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared. And in the presence of Prahlāda Mahārāja, the father was killed.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

The status is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. In every human society these natural division of the society are already there. The intelligent class of men, they should study all the śāstras, all these Vedic literatures, thoroughly, and they should advise the politicians, "My dear Mr. Minister, you get rule, make the rulings like this, on this principle." They will advise, the brāhmaṇas, intelligent class of men. And the kṣatriyas, they will administer and see that the people are executing actually religious life. That is the duty of the state. The police is there not for harassing you if you take a twig from the tree and he'll come, "Why you have taken?" You have got that experience? Because they have no other business than trifle things, they are very busy: "Oh, come on with me," arrested. They have built up their empire by exploiting the whole world, and if somebody takes a twig from the St. James Park, he's arrested. You see? Because there is no religious life. Fools, rascals, they do not know how to rule over. On trifle things they will, "Come on." And when there is a pickpocket, they will go away. You ask police, they will pass by.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

Prabhupāda: They do not know that there is escape. They think this is all. This is their education. They have no knowledge. Although they are suffering in every step, they are making plan in their own way within this material world. Just like the UNESCO and so many others, all nation attempts are there. They are planning within this... That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as carvita-carvaṇānām. Carvita means chewing the chewed. They see that our previous leaders, they also did like this; it was not successful. Still they are going on in different way. That is not the way. Actually, if you are really anxious to become free from the conditional life, then you have to take to adhyātma-śāstra. You have to take knowledge from spiritual sources. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Therefore they are compared to the camel who relishes thorny twigs because he likes the taste of the twigs mixed with blood. He does not realize that it is his own blood and that his tongue is being cut by the thorns. Similarly, to the materialist his own blood is as sweet as honey. And although he is always harassed by his own material creations, he does not wish to escape. Such materialists are called karmīs. Only a few may feel tired of material engagement and desire to get out of the labyrinth. Such intelligent persons..."

Prabhupāda: Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births they come to realize that "This is not the way of solution. I must take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:

So ataḥ, therefore, in the previous verse it was decided who is qualified to see God. God is there within yourself. He is not far away. Not that you have to go many miles away to see God. Paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. Just like you are searching out something, you do not know what the thing is like, you are harassed. But if somebody knows what the thing is like, "Why you are harassing yourself? Here is the thing. Take it," you can get it immediately. Similarly, God is not far away, God is very near to him, side by side, jīvātmā and Paramātmā. You are sitting with God, you simply do not know how to see. But that qualification, we have explained yesterday, is the eagerness, "Yes, I want to see."

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

Goodness means intelligence, prakāśa. And ignorance means darkness. In darkness, we cannot see what is what. So goodness means light. Anyone can see that there are 8,400,000 species of life or forms of life. They are getting their food. They are getting their shelter. They are satisfying their sex. They are also defending without any extra endeavor. By nature, they are doing their own way. So why human being, so-called civilized human being, is so much harassed for these four things? We have got better intelligence. We shall be, rather, more comfortable without struggling for existence than the animals. But our struggle for existence is greater than their struggle of existence. What is this civilization? This is not civilization. Everyone wants peaceful, calm life. Even those who are struggling so hard, big business magnate. Still, at the weekend, they find out some secluded place, nice place, without trouble. That is the nature.

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Los Angeles, August 24, 1972:

We are being harassed by getting these different types of body and engagement according to the body. That we can understand. We are not happy. One after another. Because our main business is sense gratification. So we cannot enjoy all these senses fully in one kind of body. There is some defect. Just like we are trying to gratify our senses by flying to another planet, moon planet. This is another sense gratification. We are meant for this planet. We are bound up by conditions. Artificially we are trying to go there. And making plans, so many plans: "There will be intermediate station, and the petrol will be carried from here," and this and that. So many things. Simply spending money. Just like childish. The child, they spoil their time and energy in certain playing. Similarly, this is going on. Because it is a sense gratification. That's all. Simply mere sense gratification: "Let us go, how it is, moon planet." You have no business there. You cannot do there anything. You cannot live there, but still, "Let us go, let us go. And spend all the money, taxpayers' money, spend like water." This is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

You have to take shelter of the form of the Lord who is representing sattva-guṇa, goodness. Not the rajo-guṇa not the tamo-guṇa. If you take to rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, then tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19), then you will be influenced by two qualities, namely greediness and lust. That's all. You'll never come to your senses. You'll be carried away by these two modes of material nature. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore said, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese' Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. "My dear brother, you are being carried away by the waves of this material nature, two modes of material nature, and you are being harassed. Sometimes you are drowned, sometimes you are up."

So, jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśvās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. If you simply believe that you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no more carrying out, no more carried away by these two things, lusty, lust and greediness. Therefore it is advised here that śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ. Our ultimate benefit rests when you take shelter of the sattva-tanoḥ.

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

So there was such a time because Pṛthu Mahārāja's father was a demon. He stopped all religious activities. Therefore people became demonic, and there was restriction of food supply. Then Pṛthu Mahārāja made arrangement, and there was sufficient foodstuff. Dugdhemām oṣadhīr viprās tenāyaṁ sa uśattamaḥ. Since Pṛthu Mahārāja arranged the whole society to be religious, to be God conscious, everything become beautiful. This can be done even now. If people become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the whole world will become beautiful, Vaikuṇṭha, without any anxiety. That is possible. Because that is nature's law. Just like if you become criminal, the state police force will always harass you. You cannot get out of it. He'll harass you. But that is expensive job for the government. Because it requires extra police, extra management, extra everything. But if the people become honest, God conscious, so many expenditure will be reduced. And money will be saved for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness or for Kṛṣṇa's service. Then the whole world will become exactly as it was in the Pṛthu Mahārāja's day.

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

When people become, the inhabitants of all different planets, they become very much perturbed on account of these demonic... In this Kali-yuga especially, the demons are so large in number that people are actually in harassment. Every year, they are presenting taxation bill. And wherefrom the taxation will come? The taxation will come from your pocket and my pocket. They will charge income tax, and the storekeepers will increase the value of commodity. So you have to pay. So you are, we are complaining, "Oh, the things are going high price." But why? Because the demons are levying taxes. The... It is not the scarcity of goods. There is sufficient commodity, sufficient. But they have made a economic plan.

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

So indrāri-vyākulam... Indra. Indra is demigod. He's the king of the demigods. So indrāri-vyākulam. When people become very much disturbed by this demonic government and demons... So dharmasya glāniḥ. Dharmasya glāniḥ means discrepancies in the matter of executing religious principles. In Kaṁsa's time... Just like in Russia, you cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. What to speak of chanting in the street, you cannot chant even in private. That is their law. So that law is coming gradually everywhere, godless. In China, I've heard, anyone teaching about God, next life, he'll be shot. Is it not? Somebody said me. Anyone teaching "Next life and God," he'll be shot down. So your country is still very nice because you are not shooting Kṛṣṇa conscious people, but there is possibility. Demons are increasing. Demons are increasing. But don't be afraid. Kṛṣṇa is there. Just like Kṛṣṇa's mother and father were so much, I mean to say, harassed by Kaṁsa. But at the end, Kaṁsa was killed by Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

So we may be harassed for the time being, but Kṛṣṇa will save. This is śaraṇāgati. Avaśya rakhibe kṛṣṇa viśvāsa pālana. The śaraṇāgati means, surrender means that "Kṛṣṇa will save me. I, I'll not do anything against the devotional service. Even there is torture..." Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was tortured by his father. He had... Kṛṣṇa's mother was tortured by his brother. Not outsider. So the demons are so rascal, they don't care for son, sister, mother. No. "As soon as it is against my personal sense gratification, I must finish this." But be sure that Kṛṣṇa will save. We have got so many instances. As Prahlāda Mahārāja was saved by Hiraṇyaka..., by Narasiṁhadeva from the hands of his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu; Devakī was saved, Vasudeva was saved from the hands of Kaṁsa; so you will be also saved. Because there is promise in the Bhagavad-gītā: kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Kṛṣṇa says, "Make it a declaration throughout the whole world that anyone who is My devotee, he'll never be annihilated. He'll be protected. I'll give him protection."

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

So bhagavān svayam, the Absolute Truth is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means person, with six opulences. And why He comes? Indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge. People are harassed by these demons. Therefore, He comes to give protection. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). He comes to give protection to the sādhu. They are very much anxious to be... When they are in danger, they pray for Kṛṣṇa. So just to satisfy them, Kṛṣṇa comes. Not even for killing the demons. But when He comes, He also executes this service also, to kill all these demons. Otherwise, for killing demons, He does not require to come. He, He has got many agents. So many demons can be killed within a second. For this purpose, killing purpose, Kṛṣṇa does not come. He comes especially for the devotee. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. For give darśana personally to Prahlāda Mahārāja—he has suffered in the hands of his father—He appeared. Otherwise, to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu, oh, it is not very big business. Indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti. When a devotee is very much harassed, so He comes in, as incarnation. So you stick to remain a pure devotee, and Kṛṣṇa will give you all protection.

Lecture on SB 1.7.18 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1976:

So here is one reference that Lord Brahmā was pursued by Lord Śiva when Brahmā was running after his beautiful daughter. So similarly, here, Aśvatthāmā, he knew that Arjuna is coming to kill him, so he was running very swiftly. Āpatantaṁ sa vilakṣya dūrāt. From distant place, when he saw that Arjuna was coming... So dehātma-buddhi. This is the distinction between person in bodily concept of life and person who is liberated from the bodily concept of life. So when Durvāsā Muni cursed or wanted to kill... What is the king? Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. So Ambarīṣa Mahārāja was a devotee. Unnecessarily he was harassed by Durvāsā Muni, but because Ambarīṣa Mahārāja was a pure devotee, advanced, he was not afraid of being killed. He was not afraid. There are many instances. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was attempted to be killed by his father so many times, but he was never afraid. Although he was five-years-old boy, but he was not afraid.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

When Pṛthu Mahārāja was the king, there was no production food production Because his father was a great sinful king, so on account of that there was no production. And Pṛthu Mahārāja wanted... He was a very good king. He is incarnation also. He asked the earth, "Why you are not producing? If you do not produce, I shall kill you." This is mentioned in the Fourth Canto. And mother earth said, "My dear King, why you are angry upon me? It is my duty. When the people become rākṣasas, I'll restrict my supply. Let them starve and die. I shall do that. This is my duty. Why you are angry with me?" The more people will be godless, there will be starvation, no supply. You cannot make by machine. Just like last time when I was in Europe, everything is now drying. It is yellow. What scientific method you have got? Bring water. Now they are thinking bringing, importing water. Is it possible to import water? That's not possible. So this will be punishment. In the Kali-yuga, the more people will be godless, and this punishment will be there: no water, no food supply. And over and above that, government taxation. You'll be harassed. Three things will go on.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

Five thousand years ago this Bhāgavata was written, and he has given, Vyāsadeva has given the symptoms of Kali-yuga. One of the symptoms is this, that in the Kali-yuga people will be so much embarrassed by three things. One thing there will be no rain, scarcity of rain. And naturally there will be scarcity of... Durbhikṣa. Durbhikṣa means you will not be able to get anything by begging also. Bhikṣa, bhikṣa means if I have no subsistence, I have no means to eat, I go to... (break) Even if I beg, I become a beggar, there will be no supplies. Especially these things will be no supply: rice, wheat, sugar, and other things, there are mentioned. It is all particularly mentioned. And we are experiencing. You were telling that rice is not available. Where it is? Huh? Poland. I have seen in Moscow, you cannot get any fruit, you cannot get rice, you cannot get wheat. You can get only flesh, meat. And milk is available. These things. So now already it has begun, and ultimately as the Kali-yuga advances and people become very much advanced in denying the existence of God, nirākāra, these things will come. Wait for that punishment. Durbhikṣa, anāvṛṣṭyā durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). And as soon as there will be scarcity of food, the government men will take advantage of it: "Now we have to supply food." "Where is food?" "No, you give me money, we shall purchase from importer." The taxation. One side, I am suffering—no food; another side—whatever money I have got, it will be taken by taxation. Now see what is your position. The position will be people will become mad, so much troubled. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti giri-kānanam. People will be so much harassed that voluntarily they'll give up their family, home, and go to the forest, hopeless. This will be done. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a joke, is a jugglery. It is the only remedy if you want to save yourself. Otherwise, you are doomed. Don't take it, I mean to say, as a joke. It is a fact.

Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:

This is Kali-yuga. Mūḍha. Generally, we are mūḍha, especially in the Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Here it is said, prajopadravam. So many upadravas. Actually, we are very much harassed on account of the time, place, circumstances, so on, so on. It is a very hopeless condition. Therefore śāstra has recommended that "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." It is very hopeless condition. Harer nāma. Harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Three. Three times. When you speak three times anything, it means I am giving stress, "You do this, you do this, you do this." So it is like that, that in order to stop so many inconveniences of the present day life, Kali-yuga... Kali means quarrel, simply creating quarrel, misunderstanding. This is Kali. So śāstra has given us... Kali-yuga is very dangerous to... One cannot make his life's mission fulfilled. One is not very happy.

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

Prahlāda Mahārāja was so much harassed by his father, and his father was killed. And still, when he was offered benediction by the Lord, Nṛsiṁha-deva, he did not accept it. He said, sa vai vaṇik. My Lord, we are born in the family of rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Asuras, they are influenced by the two lower qualities, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. And those who are devatās, they are influenced by the sattva-guṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973:

So if you simply think only one verse, as it is explained here, and the paṅkaja, lotus, in reference with Kṛṣṇa's body, you can meditate the whole life how Kṛṣṇa is beautiful, how Kṛṣṇa is wise, how Kṛṣṇa's creation, how... This is meditation. Thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ means... Yogi means he's always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Mat-paraḥ. That is yogi. These rascals are not yogi, thinking something impersonal and being harassed. Kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). They are simply, they are simply laboring, adhikataraḥ, more and more. They cannot get anything substantial. Therefore after meditation: "Come on, give me cigarette. Come on. My throat is now dried up. Give me cigarette." That is not meditation. Meditation means, this is: namaḥ paṅkaja-netrāya.

Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

So what God is giving as law? The law is that "You give up all nonsense religion, simply surrender unto Me." This is religion. So a religious person, it does not mean whether he is Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Buddhist. He must accept God and surrender unto Him. This is religion. This is religion. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7), that means when religion becomes polluted, at that time Kṛṣṇa comes as bhū-bhāraḥ. Because as soon as... Religion means to abide by the laws of, to abide by the laws of God. So dharmasya glānir bhavati means when people do not abide by the laws of God. That is dharmasya glāniḥ, discrepancy in the matter of discharging religion. Just like when you begin to break laws, everyone, then government becomes very furious, arrest, punish, hang—these things are going on. But if you are abiding by the laws of government, there is no such question to harass you. There is no... You live peacefully. This is the process going on. And bhū-bhāraḥ, when people become irreligious, not abiding by the laws of God, then it becomes burdensome. How one can say that "To cut throat is my religion"? Nobody can say like that. That is not religion. That means he has no sense of God consciousness. He's a rascal.

Lecture on SB 1.15.45 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1973:

So, so many enemies, so much troubles is being created. Who has created? The nature. You haven't go to create, but nature will create to give you disturbances. This is your position. And you are thinking, "We are very happy. We are very happy in this material life." Just...How mūḍha, nonsense rascals. So in the beginning I said, "All these rascals." So are they not rascals? They are harassed in so many ways; still, they are thinking, "We are making advance and we are happy." Just see. So are the whole situation is not full of rascals? They do not know. They are accepting unhappiness as happiness. This is called māyā. This is called māyā. Māyā-mohita-jīva. And you cannot get out of this illusion and mistakes unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.45 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1973:

Suppose you are being harassed by the police. You are put into the prisonhouse. And in so many ways you are being harassed by the criminal department. How you can get out? You simply file a petition, "Sir I am now experienced. I will never commit this criminal act. Kindly excuse me and get me released." That is the only way. Similarly, you can be very proud that "I don't care for God. There is no God. I am God. You are God." You can go on talking nonsense like that, but the māyā will give you so much trouble. But if you are sane man, then you will admit that "This was a wrong thing. Please excuse me." And then it will be possible. But that is not possible. Especially in this age, in Kali-yuga, the age is very strong and deteriorated that in spite of our daily class, daily instruction, the Kali is so strong that capturing, "Please come under my control and be killed. Please come under my... Be killed." "Yes, I will go." This is going on.

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

Now, these classes of men, who goes to the government post by votes, mostly they are, their qualification is lubdhai rājanya, greedy government men. Nirghṛṇair dasyu-dhar... Their business is plundering. Their business is plundering you. We actually see that they are, every year they are exacting heavy tax, and whatever money is received, they divide amongst themselves, and the citizens' condition remain the same. In every government we can see like that. Prajā dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. In this way, gradually, all people will be so much harassed, ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā, that they will like to give up their family. Ācchinna. Dāra. Dāra means wife, and draviṇā means money. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā yāsyanti giri-kānanam. They will in the forest. Then these symptoms are also there.

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

This Ajāmila, in the beginning of his life, he executed some service to the Lord under the instruction of his father. That was in his credit. So when he became first-class sinful man and was dying, so somehow or other, he chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa, and he became saved. He became saved. Even though it is taken as a chance, but the chance also gives him the benefit. So as soon as he uttered the name of Nārāyaṇa, he became eligible to be transported to Vaikuṇṭha, and immediately Nārāyaṇa sent his men, Nārāyaṇa-dūta, "Just go and save this man. He is being harassed by the Yamadūta." So Yamadūta, they were taking away him. In the meantime the messenger from Vaikuṇṭha, Nārāyaṇa-dūta came, stopped, "No, you cannot take this." So they were surprised. "Oh, who are these, so good-looking?" Because they were very odd-looking, and they did not see any good-looking men, especially from Vaikuṇṭha. They were coming with four hands, very nice. In the Vaikuṇṭha, the people are also exactly looking like Nārāyaṇa. Just like in this planet, the president is there. So far bodily features are concerned, there is no difference. The president has also two hands; we have also got two hands. Similarly, in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the president is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So He has got four hands, so the devotees or the inhabitants there, they have also the similar feature of the body, four hands. So these Yamadūta were surprised, that "You are looking so gentle, so nice. Why you are stopping in our duty? This man is sinful. It is our duty to take to Yamarāja, Mṛtyu."

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Los Angeles, July 11, 1974:

"I shall get you released." This is one side. And... From spiritual angle of vision. But from material angle of vision ṛṇa, debts, you can become insolvent. "I cannot pay." If you apply to the court... I do not know whether this act is there in your country. In India there is insolvency act. If one is debtor, then his assets, then he submits to the court that "I have got so much asset and I have got so much debt. So people may not harass me, the court may divide amongst my creditors whatever I have got." This is called insolvency. So court decides that he has got thousand dollars' debt, but he has got only hundred dollars, so that hundred dollars is divided: "You take this and be satisfied." He is not... That is called insolvency. That is in terms of debts.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa descends, and He leaves behind Him so many activities. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. Sādhūnām. Paritrāṇāya means to give protection; sādhu, those who are devotees. To give protection to the devotees. And vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: and to annihilate the demons. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya (BG 4.8). Yuge yuge sambhavām. So God comes. So far destruction or annihilation of the demons is concerned, God is not required to come down, because His agents Take, for example, this material energy. It is sufficient. If God wants, this whole city of Los Angeles can be, within a second, overpowered by this water of the Pacific Ocean. Within a second. It does not take much time. Therefore for annihilating purpose God does not require to come down. But He comes down for His devotee. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared not He, He There was no necessity of His coming for killing Hiraṇyakaśipu; there were many agencies or implements to kill him. But He came to solace Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was so much harassed by his father that He came down just to put His hands, lotus hands, palms on the head of Prahlāda Mahārāja. So He comes. But the benefit, for both the demons and the devotees, are the same. That is God's mercy. Because He's absolute, if He kills somebody, he also gets the same result and as His devotee. This is absolute. Just like Pūtanā. Pūtanā was killed by Kṛṣṇa. Pūtanā planned to smear some poison on the nipples of her breast with a plan to kill Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa took it otherwise, that "She acted as My mother; therefore she should be elevated to the position, as Mother Yaśodā is also be elevated." This is God's mercy.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu prescribes this. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this, that you must know what is your relationship with God. It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Buddhist. A civilized man must have some religious process. That is all over the world. Now we are giving up. We are giving up. Everyone is giving up. Therefore dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ... When we give up the religious principle... Religious principle means to abide by the law of God. That is religion. But we do not know what is God and what is His order. We forget it. So at the present moment, dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ, it is a civilization of cats and dogs, not human beings, because they have given up dharma.

But the śāstra says that this human life is meant for understanding God, nothing else. Other things are already arranged. You are harassed by the problems of eating, sleeping, mating, but there is no such question. Eating arrangement is there. Even the birds and bees, they are confident. They have no office-going, they are not lawyers, engineers, politicians, to earn their bread, but the bread is ready for them. Even for the beast, birds, so they are confident. So this is not problem. Real problem is to understand God. And what will the benefit by understanding God? Then the problem of your birth, death, old age and disease will be solved. That is the real problem. We are undergoing repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. These problems can be solved simply by understanding what is God. This is the solution.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

So here Śukadeva Gosvāmī advises, this is very important work, kim ajito na avati upasannān. Ajita the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, He's maintaining everyone: yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). And He'll not maintain a person who has fully surrendered to Him? No. How it can be. Suppose a gentleman is maintaining so many other children. And he does not maintain his own children? Surely he does. Therefore our principle should be we should not think about our personal maintenance. We should dedicate our life for Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa will take care. That should be the principle. Don't be harassed, thinking always "How I shall be maintained?" That is not the problem. Maintenance is no problem. Real problem is "How we shall be fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa?" That is wanted.

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

India's mission is para-upakāra, not to exploit others but to do good to others. And what is the best thing to do? Because a human being also, he has got the opportunity to understand his position. He's kept into darkness that he is like animal and his only business is how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate. This kind of ignorance, at least in India, we should not desire. Let us combine together. That is my request. Take it very seriously. In America they are now taking it seriously. Perhaps you know. Recently there is a judgment by the Supreme Court in New York. They admitted that Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is genuine religious movement. There was a great opposition against this movement. Our students were being kidnapped, and so many harassments was going on, but by the grace of Kṛṣṇa I went to America in 1965, and now it is '77. After eleven, twelve years of struggle I was loitering in the street, who cared for me? But it is now being recognized, that "Here is a movement." Now we have to utilize it. I always put this logic to my students, andha-paṅgu-nyāya, that for the benefit of the whole world, American money and Indian culture should combine. (applause) That will bring benefit to the whole world.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

It is no longer possible to revive the perfect system, varṇāśrama. Although we are trying to revive, it is not possible. It is very difficult. People are so fallen. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are so disturbed, manda-bhāgyāḥ, unfortunate, and upadrutāḥ, always disturbed. Especially anāvṛṣṭi, durbhikṣa and kara-pīḍita. The people of the Kali-yuga will be very much, I mean to say, harassed by these three things. There will be no rainfall, and... There will be no rainfall, and there, food scarcity and taxation by government, income tax. Income tax is to plunder. If you have got some money, this is the means. So this is all stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. People will be so much harassed that ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti giri-kānanam. They'll be disgusted so much, they will give up their family all of a sudden... Dāra-draviṇāḥ. Dāra means wife, children and bank balance, everything, "Let them go to..." Recently we have seen one big industrialist, he has committed suicide. So people will do that. They'll be so much harassed. This is Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

So in this position of harassment, how the peaceful varṇāśrama can be revived? It is very difficult. It is almost impossible. Therefore this system should be taken. What is this system? Saṅkīrtanair yajñair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. Those who have got brain, they will worship Viṣṇu. Yajña means to satisfy Viṣṇu. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ. Viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa... The whole aim is to satisfy Viṣṇu. Therefore Viṣṇu comes Himself, Kṛṣṇa. Viṣṇu comes Himself as Caitanya Mahāprabhu and teaches. There is no difference between Viṣṇu's teachings... Other bogus teachers, they can teach something else, but Viṣṇu's teachings... Just like Kṛṣṇa. Whatever Kṛṣṇa... Of course, Kṛṣṇa incarnation was after Kapila's incarnation. Before that, there were other Viṣṇu incarnations. So here it is said, tam imaṁ te pravakṣyāmi yam avocaṁ purā anaghe. Purā, "Formerly. I am not manufacturing." Nowadays it has become a fashion to manufacture a new system of religion.

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

There are so many faults in this age. Some of them are described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. As I was describing yesterday that durbhikṣa, anāvṛṣṭyā durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ, ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti giri-kānanam (SB 12.2.9). The Kali-yuga will be so much disturbing that people will be harassed especially by three things. Anāvṛṣṭi: there will be practically no rainfall. It is stated that there will be cloud in the sky. When there is no rainfall, people will be hankering after. Just like sometimes we hanker after rain in summer season, looking after, "When rainfall will come?" The people will be disappointed. There will be cloud, there will be thundering bolt, but there will be no rain. This time will be like that. Anāvṛṣṭi. Anāvṛṣṭi and durbhikṣa. And if there is anāvṛṣṭi, scarcity of rain, certainly there will be no food grain production, as it is now, we are feeling. Food grain production-eight rupees kilo, rice. So why? The food grain is shortage. So anāvṛṣṭi durbhikṣa and taxation, kara-pīḍitāḥ. Government will... Dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. It is said, "The government means a gang of rogues and thieves." That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They'll plunder. The rogues and thieves, they seek opportunity secretly, and government, by law, they will plunder. And still, they will go on as big minister. This is all stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

So people will be so harassed in this age that out of disgust they will give up their family life. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti giri-kānanam. Svīkāra eva codvāhe. There will be no marriage. This is also Vedic culture, to get married. But there will be no marriage. One woman, one man will live together by agreement. And as soon as the agreement is finished, they'll be separated. That is now very prominent in Western countries.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Bombay, December 25, 1976:

So the cause is godlessness. If we become godless, the prakṛti will restrict supply—so much so there will be anāvṛṣṭi. How can control? Because you may be very great scientist, you may deny the existence of God, but when there is anāvṛṣṭi you are looking up in the sky, "When there will be cloud? When there will be rain?" Then taking this plea, our government will tax for relief fund. That is all mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Anāvṛṣṭi karo-pīḍita. People will be so much harassed. And ācchina-dāra-draviṇā giri-kānanam. They will be so much harassed by these three principles—no rainfall, scarcity of grains, and taxed heavily by the government... They will be so much harassed that ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā giri-kānanam, they will be forced to leave home, that "Now it is hopeless. I cannot manage. Let me go to the forest." And there will be... Now we are getting rice or wheat or sugar. But these things will be completely stopped. Now we are getting milk powder, but there will be no milk. It is not my imagination. They are described in the symptoms of Kali-yuga, that the end of Kali-yuga these things will happen. That means more and more suffering. More and more become godless, more and more suffering will be inflicted by the laws of nature.

Lecture on SB 5.6.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1976:

So here it is stated that people who are lowest amongst men and bewildered by the illusory energy... This is bewildered. What is that bewilderment? They are trying to be happy by material adjustment. Just this morning we were discussing of the air crash. It is very good to fly in the air, but at any moment the whole plane may be crashed and all of them finished. So this kind of material adjustment will not help us. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is illusory, or māyā sukha. Prahlāda Mahārāja regrets, tato vimukha-cetasā māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Any moment everything will be crushed. This is called māyā-sukha. And still they are wasting time, that for māyā-sukhāya, illusion. They'll not be happy. Any moment everything can be crushed, and they are busy.

Therefore this modern civilization is most dangerous civilization, soul-killing civilization. The human being got the chance of understanding God, but they are being refused by the authorities to understand God. Rather, if somebody wants to understand, he is checked, he is harassed by the name of brain-washing and mind control. This is Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

So Yamarāja is explaining that "He is above me, the supreme controller, and He is the..., He is such controller that He creates, He maintains, and He annihilates also." We become so much harassed even for creating a family and maintaining them. We have become so much harassed. And foolishly we claim that we are the Supreme Personality of Godhead who creates the whole cosmic manifestation. And Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, the directors of creation department, maintenance department, and annihilation department... Annihilation also required. That annihilation is one of the business of Kṛṣṇa, or God, for this material world. Not in the spiritual world. There is no annihilation. Here it is required. Sometimes, because everyone has come here to lord it over the material nature, so there must be an ultimate situation when it becomes intolerable, and therefore Kṛṣṇa has to annihilate, finish. That is kalki-avatāra.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

Out of four hundred crores of years, Kṛṣṇa appears in one universe. In this universe, when He comes, He appears in this land of Vṛndāvana. Therefore Vṛndāvana is so valuable. This is Kṛṣṇa's place. When He comes here. Just like when the governor goes to a city he has got his own resting house, similarly, when Kṛṣṇa comes to teach us dharma... Dharmasya glānir bhava... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). So what is that dharma? This Bhāgavata-dharma. When the rascals forget what is the relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what is the relationship with God, he becomes entangled in this material affair, māyā. He is harassed, harassed in this way, that he has to take birth one after another, beginning from Brahmā down to the small ant. There are so many varieties of life. So according to karma, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1), by superior arrangement one has to accept a type of body. That we are forgetting. We are thinking that we shall remain free like this. That is not possible. Your every inch of activity is being recorded and at the end of life these things will be taken into account, karmaṇā. And by the superior arrangement you have to accept one type of body. Today you may become a prime minister but your activities will be recorded and tomorrow after your death you may have to accept the body of a dog. That is the law of nature.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- Vrndavana, December 10, 1975:

The position of the people of the present age, Kali-yuga, they're all bad; nobody is good. Mandāḥ, all very slow. They do not know what is the aim of life, how to fulfill the goal of life, mandāḥ. And manda-matayo: and if somebody is interested, they will manufacture some rascaldom. Manda-matayo. And everyone is manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate. Unfortunate means that they got this opportunity, human life, to end all the problems of life, but they'll not take care of it. Manda-bhāgyā. And besides that, upadrutāḥ, embarrassed by so many difficulties, especially these men in Kali-yuga will be harassed by insufficient supply of foodstuff, and taxation by the government.

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 11, 1976:

So, Prahlāda Mahārāja, mahā-bhāgavata, uttama-adhikārī. There are three stages of devotional platform. First stage is called kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, second stage is called madhyama-adhikārī, and third stage, or topmost stage, is called uttama-adhikārī. So, he was only five years old, how he became uttama-adhikārī, on the topmost stage? He had no training. Still, he is addressed here by Narada Muni—Narada Muni was his guru—and still, he is describing Prahlāda Mahārāja as mahā-bhāgavata. That means even one is mahā-bhāgavata, he has to accept a guru. Narada Muni, his guru, he knows that "Prahlāda is my disciple, but he is mahā-bhāgavata." Not only that, before his birth, when he was within the womb of his mother...

His mother was attacked by the demigods, headed by Indra, and they were dragging her to their palace. Narada Muni met, said "What are you doing this? You are harassing one woman?" "No sir, we are not harassing, only we are taking her in our place to wait for the deliverance of the child. Then we shall kill him. Because he is born of atheist father, so he is another demon." Narada Muni said, "No, no, no, you are mistaken. He is not demon, he is mahā-bhāgavata." So in the beginning he was mahā-bhāgavata, since he was in within the womb of his mother. And later on he is mahā-bhāgavata. This is called nitya-siddha, eternally mahā-bhāgavata. Eternally mahā-bhāgavata never forgets Kṛṣṇa, in any circumstance. That is the sign of mahā-bhāgavata, nitya-siddha. Prahlāda Mahārāja was put into so many trials when he was only a child, still he never forgot Kṛṣṇa. That is the sign of mahā-bhāgavata. In any circumstances.

Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1977:

Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja is not afraid, although Brahmā and others, all demigods, became afraid to approach the Lord. He simply as an innocent child came and offered his obeisances. Tam arbhakaṁ vilokya. So, so God is not impersonal. Immediately he could understand, "Oh, here is an innocent child. He has been harassed by his father so much and now he's offering his obeisances unto me." Vilokya devaḥ kṛpayā pariplutaḥ. He became very much, I mean to say, melted with mercy. So thing, everything is there. Don't think that God has no feeling, thinking, feeling. No. Everything is there. Unless He has got sympathetic feeling in Him, where we have got it? Because everything is coming from God.

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

So Bhagavad-gītā and the Teachings of Lord Caitanya and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Whatever we have already printed, you study them very nicely. And I think those who are harassed by this military board, today I have got hint from one paper addressed to Kārttikeya that if one boy is certified that he's engaged in studying spiritual consciousness or theological..., then he's not called. So we shall issue certificate, bona fide. Now I am admitted in your country as bona fide, ordained minister of religion. So I think I can issue certificate. So this will be nice.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

The present society is just like animals. They have no faith, what to speak of this faith or that faith. That is the position. They are simply after sense enjoyment. That's all. Don't you see? The Pope says that it is not good, it is not God's law, that you should use contraceptive method. But they are so mad after sense enjoyment, they say, "Oh, we don't care for your instruction." Just see how much they have lost their faith. So at the present moment it is very difficult position, no faith at all. (break) ...have no good qualification. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇa (SB 5.18.12). Oh, their education, their scientific advancement, their so-called civilization... Don't you see? The everyone is expected to have national feeling, but the postal strike, mail strike went on for twenty days. The whole nation became disturbed and harassed. Why? They wanted money. "What is this? Go to... Your national feeling go to hell! You pay us. Then we work." So nobody has any faith. Simply he has faith in sense gratification. That's all. "You satisfy my senses. Then you are very good. Otherwise, go to hell." That's all. This is the position. And therefore they are denying the topmost head of Catholic Church, "We don't care for your instruction," because they have become faithless.

Lecture on SB 7.12.5 -- Bombay, April 16, 1976:

So in the Kali-yuga there is durbhikṣa. Nobody can give even little rice. That is called durbhikṣa. Anāvṛṣṭya durbhikṣa kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). People in this age will be harassed by three things. One thing is anāvṛṣṭi. There will be scarcity of rainfall or no rainfall. When I first went to Hyderabad they said that for three, four years there was no rain. Is it not? But since Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is being chanted, there is rainfall. So they do not know the secret of rainfall. Yajñād bhavanti parjanyaḥ. If you perform yajña, then there will be cloud. Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ (BG 3.14). This prescription is there. As soon as you stop performing yajña—you take pleasure in sporting, no yajña...

Lecture on SB 7.12.5 -- Bombay, April 16, 1976:

Now big, big cities, they have got big, big Olympian sporting, but no yajña performance. So why there shall not be scarcity of rain? And as soon as there is scarcity of rain, there is scarcity of food grains. And as soon as there is scarcity of food grain, so many so-called associations will come out, "Give us grain. We have to feed such and such person, such and such village." So it is not going to the village. It is collected, and they use at their own. And government also raise tax. There will be constant durbhikṣa. So to stop durbhikṣa, government will tax the people. These are all stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Anāvṛṣṭi durbhikṣa kara-pīditāḥ, acchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti giri-kānanam (SB 12.2.9). In this Kali-yuga people will be very, very much harassed. First of all there is scarcity of rain, then scarcity of food grain, and then taxation by the government. These things we are expecting. It is already begun.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's blessings, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. So go anywhere and everywhere, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and you'll become victorious. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's blessings. It is not our invention. And practically we are getting result. All over the world, our only means is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Recently we have become victorious, very recently in Melbourne. You know, our men were being arrested and prosecuted. But one, the chief clergyman, archbishop, he has recommended that "These people are very nice people, God conscious. Don't give them trouble." Yes. And the government has stopped harassing. Now we are free to move on the street and go anywhere. This recent news we have got from Melbourne. Madhudviṣa Mahārāja has sent this news. Similarly, we were harassed in London also, and other places. In USA also. San Francisco. I do not know whether we were harassed in New York, but more or less... And in Japan also, they are talking that "You become bona fide religious organization. Otherwise you cannot come on the street." So although there is harassment by the governing agents, still we are coming out successful. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. All glories to the Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Saṅkīrtana! Practically. So you stick to this principle, go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra anywhere it is possible, and you'll be victorious. That is the blessings of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Believe in it and you'll be successful.

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

We are living entities. We have come here in this material world for sense enjoyment, and we are therefore mad after it, prammattaḥ. So nūnaṁ prammattaḥ kurute vikarma. Vikarma means which is against the laws. Just like karma, akarma, vikarma. These are explained. So vikarma means against the law. The Vedic version, they give us that "You should work in this way." But if we do not act according to the Vedic injunctions, that is called vikarma. And we become subjected to sufferings, impious activities. But we do it because we are mad after sense gratification. We do not care. Just like a thief, he knows that by stealing he'll be punished, but still, because he's mad after stealing, he'll do it, taking the risk of being arrested and being harassed. Nūnaṁ prammattaḥ vikarma, nūnaṁ prammattaḥ kurute, yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti. And they are mad after doing all this nonsense only for sense gratification. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, na sādhu manye, "This is not good." Yata ātmano 'yam. "As we have got this body, material body miserable..." Because as soon as you get a material body, you are put into the miserable condition of material nature. So we should not create another body so that we shall be put into, under tribulation again. That is intelligence.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

So there is always impediments in this process. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the atheist class of men, they cannot tolerate. In... Nowadays also, we are being harassed. In Australia, the Melbourne city authorities, they brought a civil suit against us not to chant on the street. And our men were being taken to the police custody. So this harassment was going on, and our men asked my permission, "What to do? The lawyers want two thousand dollars for defending." So I advised them that "Why you should defend? Better go to jail and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa there." That's all. So they followed this instruction. Later on, the Archbishop of Melbourne city, he advised the authorities, "Don't harass these men. They are actually devotees of God." So now there is no disturbance. So similar disturbance is to happen to everywhere. Therefore, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave us instruction that you should be tolerant. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. Because there will be so much impediments. Amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). We must chant, we must always do our business, despite all objection, obstacles. That is our business.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:

So Sanātana Gosvāmī's first question was, ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya āpani kaha prabhu kisera hita haya. Tāpa-traya, we have explained several times that there are three kinds of miserable conditions: pertaining to the body; pertaining to the mind; on account of harassment by other living entities and by natural disturbances. There are three kinds of miserable conditions within this material world. But when one takes shelter of spiritual master and seriously engages himself in devotional service, he has no more any miserable condition. The miserable condition means... It is a question of understanding. The beginning of spiritual life is to understand that "I am not this body." That is the beginning.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 35 -- New York, July 31, 1971:

Actually there is no problem. Exactly the same example, just like at night in dream we create so many problems, but actually there is no problem. But dreaming, that I am in such and such position, I am being harassed, somebody is taking my money, somebody is pinching me, so many things. I am in the front of tiger, there is ghost, there is so many things. So these problems, actually there is no problem, but by dreaming he is creating, mental. Asaṅgo hy ayaṁ puruṣaḥ, Veda says that this puruṣa, the ātmā, the soul has no connection with all these things. So we have created, by material concoction, so many problems. So the whole process is how to cleanse this dreaming condition of life.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

We send street saṅkīrtana even the most busiest quarter of New York, Fifth Avenue. And they go. The American boys, they are very daring. Sometimes police arrest them. And police is not harassing. The public and police, both, they are now sympathetic, that "Here is a movement which is actually genuine and very beneficial to our people." They are sympathetic. And even some of the Christian priests, they are also very sympathetic. They say that "These boys, American boys, they are our boys. They're so nice that they're mad after God, but we could not give them. Swamijī has given them." So they appreciate. Actually, these boys, they come from Christian family, Jewish family. There are many churches in America. I was surprised. When I first went to Butler, that's a small county, but I saw there about dozen of churches. So I thought the American people are very religiously-minded. And actually so. The history of the American people, mostly they came from England for this religious purpose. So they migrated in America for being religiously advanced.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

So this movement is increasing, and our branches are increasing, practically, every month one branch. And these boys are doing very enthusiastically. So why not spread this movement in India? It is India's culture. Why Indians are lacking? That is my... I have brought them to show you example. This is a genuine movement, Kṛṣṇa. People are harassed, "Where is God?" Kṛṣṇa, here is God. Why don't you take Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). And Kṛṣṇa's order is there in the Bhagavad-gītā: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām... (BG 18.65). Why you are misusing this Bhagavad-gītā? You take it very seriously, and let there be a successful world movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And people will be happy. Actually, that is the peace formula.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

Prabhupāda: And what about the N.O.C.? No-Objection Certificate?

Brahmānanda: I don't know the details, but Pālikā said that they are..., the holes have been dug and they're expecting to put the foundation in before the monsoon. And that there was some attempt to stop the some digging. but that has been defeated. When I was there there was question about getting the No-Objection Certificate for the already-existing temple.

Prabhupāda: Existing temple?

Brahmānanda: Well, the little temple we have there now.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Every year it has to be renewed.

Brahmānanda: Yeah. So this year they have by some trick they have made it that the police must give their No-Objection Certificate. Usually that is not required each year.

Prabhupāda: They are harassing us in so many ways. Only in Bombay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That means if we become successful finally, it will be a tremendous success, I think.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

The tax is distributed—the education department, municipal department, this department, that department. Therefore the people are missing the center. They are trying to satisfy one another, but nobody is satisfied. And by illusion they cannot understand this mistake. Everyone is very much proud: "Oh, I am serving my country." And he does not know what somebody, his countrymen, will come and kill him. You see? He does not know that. This is māyā. So one should be intelligent to serve Kṛṣṇa. This prayer Hare Kṛṣṇa means "Kṛṣṇa, I am so much harassed by this service of this māyā. Now please engage me in Your service." This is our prayer. And as soon as I am engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, then I will be satisfied, Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied, and the whole world will be satisfied. So nobody should interpret any other way. This is direct meaning. Nāmna artha-vādaḥ. Or to imagine some meaning. No imagination. It is all direct interpretation or direct meaning.

Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968:

"For self-realization simply you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and see the result." No. They'll not accept. Therefore unfortunate. If you are canvassing the best thing, the easiest process, but they'll not accept, they want to be cheated... You see? Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). And harassed by so many things—this Draft Board, this board, that board, this, that, so many things. This is their position. Short life, very slow, no understanding, and if they want to understand, they want to be cheated, they are unfortunate, and disturbed. This is the position of the present days. It doesn't matter whether you are born in America or in India, this is the whole position.

Detroit Initiations -- Detroit, July 18, 1971:

The more you become free from material harassment, the more you make advance in spiritual life, or the more you make advance in spiritual life, the more you become detached to the material life. These are the tests. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti, devotional life, spiritual life, the test is that viraktir anyatra. Anyatra means beyond, without Kṛṣṇa, everything becomes detestful. The example is given just like a hungry man, when he's eating, as he's eating so he's feeling satisfaction and no hunger, proportionately. And at one time it will come, he'll say, "No, I don't want any more. I am completely satisfied."

General Lectures

Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:

Śuciḥ means cleansed. Therefore we prescribe so many things just to keep you cleansed—cleansed within, cleansed outside. Then there is no affection of māyā. Otherwise, you will be harassed by three kinds of miserable condition: adhyātmika, adhibhautika... I have seen many persons in India, within two or three days, by perspiration, within their coat, they germinate so many germs. Do not take bath, unclean. You see? So cleanliness is the protection from infection. And water is very disinfectant, natural disinfectant. This is the medical opinion, water. Therefore God has supplied unlimited quantity of water. You can spend it as much as you like.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

Oh, people are harassed with so many problems. The politicians and the humanists, the socialists, the ambassadors, the presidents, they're all harassed with the problems. And a Kṛṣṇa conscious person has no problems. (laughter) Has no problems. Viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate. The whole universe becomes happy to them. And vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate. What to speak of this man or that big man, that big man, a devotee doesn't care a fig even for the great demigods. Otherwise, they don't care for any big demigod. They simply care for Kṛṣṇa. So vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate. Kīṭāyate means they consider just like ordinary worm. "What is this? He's also a living entity. That's all." Yat-kāruṇya-kaṭākṣa-vaibhavavatāṁ gauram eva stumaḥ. Oh, Lord Caitanya's mercy is so valuable, so great, that one can be posted in this position.

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

So we should know when to be angry. Not that for our personal interest we shall be. Generally, those who are devotees, they are not angry. Just like see the example of Arjuna. Arjuna was so much harassed, all the five brothers, by the opposite party, his cousin-brothers. They insulted their wife, Draupadī. They wanted to make naked Draupadī because they lost Draupadī in the gambling. Therefore gambling is so sinful, you see. The kṣatriyas are allowed to gamble. So the bet was... They made a trick: "Now bet your wife." So if a kṣatriya is challenged to bet something, they cannot deny it. "Yes, I am betting my wife." And they lost in the game. So the wife became the property of the other party. So they wanted to retaliate only. So then, in the assembly they said, "Well, Draupadī has now become our property. Whatever we like, we can do. So we want to see her naked beauty." You see. This was the demand. So one of the brothers of Duryodhana was asked, "Make her naked. Let us see naked." So she became the property.

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

The others, they did not protest. But Kṛṣṇa supplied clothing as much as required. You have seen the Draupadī's vastra-haraṇa. So these Pāṇḍavas, they were so much harassed. They were by trick taken away their kingdom; they were put into a house which was set into fire; their wife was insulted; they were driven to the forest for twelve years. So many things harassed. But still, when there was fighting in front, when he saw his brothers are standing, he said, "Oh, I will have to fight with my, these cousin-brothers. Kṛṣṇa, I am not going to fight." Just see how much tolerant. Not at all angry. This is the position. In order to make him angry, the whole Bhagavad-gītā was taught to him. Just see. This is the position, that for personal interest, a devotee or a mahātmā is never angry. Never angry. Just see the case of Arjuna. But when Kṛṣṇa, he understood that Kṛṣṇa wanted this fight, it is for Kṛṣṇa's desire, oh, he became immediately prepared: "Yes." Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: (BG 18.73) "Yes, I shall fight. That's all right. I shall fight." And he fought and killed everyone. So generally, the devotees are not cruel, angry. But they can be the foremost angry person for Kṛṣṇa's sake. So generally, we should not be angry. A mahātmā is never angered.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972 'The Present Need of Human Society':

If you go to the court, court of justice, if you have no money, then you cannot get. Suppose you have to claim from somebody, say, some few thousands of rupees, first of all you have to deposit the stamp fee, five percent, and the pleader's fee. So you have to push good money after bad money. So these are the symptoms. There are many symptoms. In this way, the conclusion is... This is the description given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit. There are many other symptoms. Our time is short. The king, the government, that is also stated. Government will be simply taxing. And people, being harassed in famine and taxation, they'll give up their hearth and home, will go to the forest and hills. And gradually, time will come when the ages will be reduced so much that a person twenty to thirty years old will be considered as great, grand old man. These are the symptoms of Kali-yuga.

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

So as far as possible... Now, as gradually this godless civilization will go on—that is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata—there will be problems. Anāvṛṣṭi. Anāvṛṣṭi: there will be no rain. And durbhikṣa. As there will be anāvṛṣṭi, no sufficient rain, there will be no sufficient production. Actually, these things are already begun. Anāvṛṣṭi. And on the other side, taxation, the government taxation. In this way, people will be so much disturbed that they will give up their hearth and home and go to the forest. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇāṁ gacchanti giri-kānanam. They will be so much harassed because there will be no... There will be scarcity of rainfall, there will be scarcity of food, and there will be taxation. Then how one can keep the brain equilibrium? He will be mad. So unless we take the instruction of the śāstras... Immediately, we should take this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavam, yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14).

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

In the śāstra there are great personalities. They have been mentioned. Just like Lord Brahmā, Nārada Muni, Lord Śiva, then Kumāras, then Kapila, Manu, and Prahlāda. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmo. Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the great personalities who knows what is religion. So he practiced it. Unfortunately, he was born of a atheist father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. But by the grace of Nārada Muni he knew what is religion. You have seen in the play that when his mother was pregnant, the demigods were taking her to the prison just to keep her observation, that the child which is born of a atheist father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, may not be missed. They wanted to kill him also. But although he was born of an atheist father, demoniac father, he became a great devotee by the instruction of Nārada Muni. Nārada Muni took his poor mother. He asked the demigods, "Why you are harassing this lady? After all, she is woman. She is dependent." So by the order of Nārada Muni they let her go, and her husband was engaged in tapasya, so she had no protection. Therefore Nārada Muni took her at his āśrama and instructed her about God consciousness. That is the duty of saintly person. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, while he was within the womb of his mother, he heard all those instructions. His mother in due course of time—that is the nature of woman—she forgot the instruction. But Prahlāda Mahārāja remembered; therefore he became a great devotee. This is the history of Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. When he was put into danger, then Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva came personally to give him protection. That is the special duty of God. That is not unnatural. If somebody says, "God is partial, that He takes special care of His devotee," no, that is not partiality. Just like a gentleman—in the neighborhood, he loves all children, but when his own child is in danger, he takes special care. That is not unnatural. You cannot blame him that "Why you are taking special care of your own child?" No. That is natural. Nobody will blame him. Similarly, everyone is God's sons, but His devotee is special. That is God's special attention. Ye tu bhajanti māṁ prītyā teṣu te mayi. So God is giving protection to every living entity, but if you become devotee of the Lord, pure devotee, without any motive, then God will take special care of you. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are being harassed by māyā, the material energy, and if we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa then we will be specially protected. Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.

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

This is the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja to his class friend. Prahlāda Mahārāja was born of Hiraṇyakaśipu, great demon. He is described as demon because he was interested only in material comforts. Hiraṇya means gold, gold and very comfortable situation of material life. He was interested in that, and he wanted to teach his son about this economic development. But Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was in the womb of his mother... There was fight between the demons and the demigods, so the demons—sometimes when there is fight, sometimes one party is victorious, sometimes the other party is victorious—so the demigods' party became victorious, and they were harassing the demons like anything.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. So His fighting with the demons is, actually it is play. It doesn't affect His energy. Just like a small child is fighting with his strong father. So one slap by the strong father is sufficient to the small child. Similarly the fighting of the demons with God is like that. He gives some chance to play fighting but one strong slap to the demon is sufficient. So there is no question of fighting with God. He is omni-powerful, omni-competent, omni... But the demons are there disobeying. When the living being becomes too much disobedient and harassing to the obedient persons or devotees, then it is necessary that God kills them. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). That two business is going on, to chastise severely the demons, non-devotees, and to give protection to the devotees. That is the idea of fighting with the demons and the demigods. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām, whenever there is such fight, God takes side of the demigods.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Jaya Radha-Madhava -- New York, July 20, 1971:

So this is the-sit down-original nature of Kṛṣṇa, original nature of Kṛṣṇa. He is Rādhā-Mādhava. He is the lover of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. And kuñja-vihārī, always enjoying the company of the gopīs within the bushes of Vrdavana forest. Rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī. So He's not only lover of Rādhārāṇī, but braja-jana-vallabha. The whole residents of Vṛndāvana, they love Kṛṣṇa. They do not know anything else. They do not know whether Kṛṣṇa is God, or not; neither they are very much harassed, that "I shall love Kṛṣṇa if He is God." "He may be God or He may be whatever He is. It doesn't matter, but we love God, Kṛṣṇa." That's all. That is called unnalloyed love. "If Kṛṣṇa is God, then I shall love Him"—this is conditional love. This is not pure love. Kṛṣṇa may be God or whatever He may be, but by His wonderful acts, the Vrajavāsī, they are thinking, "Oh Kṛṣṇa, He is very wonderful child, maybe some demigod. Maybe some demigod." Because people are generally under impression that the demigods are all-powerful. They're powerful within this material world. But they do not know that Kṛṣṇa is above all of them. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). The highest demigod, Brahmā, is giving his opinion, "The supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa."