Headed by (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"headed by"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

There are so many societies all over the world, so many religious systems, but they cannot give exact idea of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Some has got some idea, others have got other idea, but so far we are concerned, we are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. And that is rightly. Because Kṛṣṇa is supported not only by the Vedas and by the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and authorities like Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala. And Arjuna, who heard Bhagavad-gītā personally from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he also admits. All the ācāryas. Even Śaṅkarācārya, although he was impersonalist, he admits, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. Nārāyaṇa... He also admits that "Nārāyaṇa is not a person of this created material world," nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. And he admits also, kṛṣṇas tu..., sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ, "He has appeared as the son of Devakī and Vasudeva." He admits.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973:

Pradyumna: "Ṛṣayaḥ—the sages; śaunaka-ādayaḥ—headed by the sage Śaunaka; satram—sacrifice; svargāya—the Lord who is glorified in heaven; lokāya—and for the devotees who are always in touch with the Lord; sahasra—one thousand; samam—years; āsata—performed." Translation...

Prabhupāda: So samam āsata, they were performing the sacrifice for one thousand years. How they were able to do? Because in those days, in the Tretā-yuga... Tretā-yuga... In the Satya-yuga they used to live for one hundred thousands of years; in Tretā-yuga, ten thousands of years; and in the Dvāpara-yuga, one thousands of years. And now in this Kali-yuga, one hundred years. That also not complete. Nobody can complete one hundred years, and it is reducing. Maybe our forefathers or grandfathers might have lived for hundred years, but we are not living so much. And gradually, our children, our grandchildren, they will gradually reduce that span of life so much so that at the end of Kali-yuga, if a man would live for twenty to thirty years, he'll be considered a grand old man. Yes.

Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Once in a holy place in the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya, great sages, headed by the sage Śaunaka, assembled to perform a great thousand-year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The... Anything sacrificed... Yajña. Yajña means Lord Viṣṇu. Yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). So whatever we do, it must be done for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. You do whatever you like, but do it for Kṛṣṇa. Then there is perfection. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a fighter, expert in killing. So he was considering, "Why shall I kill my own family members? Better stop." But Kṛṣṇa encouraged him, that "You must kill." So that is yajña. Kṛṣṇa... Under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna was engaged in killing art, but that is yajña, because it is for Kṛṣṇa, not for himself. For himself he was denying to fight. But when he agreed to fight and kill on account of Kṛṣṇa, it is called yajña. This secret people do not know. They think that killing is very... Killing is very bad, that's all right. Killing, why killing? Even if you give charity, if you become munificent, merciful, that is also not good unless you do it for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on SB 1.7.12 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1976:

Pradyumna:

parīkṣito 'tha rājarṣer

janma-karma-vilāpanam

saṁsthāṁ ca pāṇḍu-putrāṇāṁ

vakṣye kṛṣṇa-kathodayam

(SB 1.7.12)

"Sūta Gosvāmī thus addressed the ṛṣis headed by Śaunaka: Now I shall begin the transcendental narration of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and topics of the birth, activities and deliverance of King Parīkṣit, the sage amongst kings, as well as topics of the renunciation of the worldly order by the sons of Pāṇḍu."

Prabhupāda: (aside:) The flies are disturbing, how we are...

parīkṣito 'tha rājarṣer

janma-karma-vilāpanam

saṁsthāṁ ca pāṇḍu-putrāṇāṁ

vakṣye kṛṣṇa-kathodayam

(SB 1.7.12)

This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is another Purāṇa, history. We have already explained. So sometimes a class of devotees known as sahajiyā, they say that "What we have got to do with the narration of Kurukṣetra battle?" They immediately jump to the kṛṣṇa-līlā, directly with the gopīs. And Kṛṣṇa's activities in other field, they think it is useless. But that is not the fact. Anywhere Kṛṣṇa is acting, that is transcendental—the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, historical references, description, so superficially it appears that what a devotee has got to do with this battlefield? But battlefield or no battlefield, wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, that is transcendental. This has to be understood. Otherwise, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, why he should indulge in describing how Uttarā's pregnancy was saved by Kṛṣṇa, how the brahmāstra was thrown by Aśvatthāmā? So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is liberated person.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

"I can understand this, that Kṛṣṇa is not satisfied by the prayers of a brāhmaṇa who is qualified with twelve nice qualities. Kṛṣṇa is satisfied simply by devotion. I can understand. Because all these big, big demigods headed by Brahmā, they could not... They are asking me. That means Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied simply by bhakti."

That's the fact. That is the fact. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā: yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa says that "A little flower, little water, little fruit, that's all, if somebody offers Me with devotion and love, then I eat." Kṛṣṇa is not hungry. Kṛṣṇa is not hungry. He is self-satisfied, pūrṇa. But if His devotee offers Him something with love and affection, then He accepts. So do not think that "We have made such nice, sumptuous plate for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa must eat." No. There is no such thing, "must." You cannot make Kṛṣṇa must. That is not possible. So Kṛṣṇa will see how much you have love for Him. Then He will accept. Otherwise He'll reject. Therefore, it is forbidden, those who are nondevotee, those who are not initiated, those who are not chanting regularly, their offering to Kṛṣṇa will not be accepted.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

vyāsādyair īśvarehājñaiḥ

kṛṣṇenādbhuta-karmaṇā

prabodhito 'pītihāsair

nābudhyata śucārpitaḥ

(SB 1.8.46)

Translation: "King Yudhiṣṭhira, who was much aggrieved, could not be convinced, despite instructions by great sages headed by Vyāsa and the Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, the performer of superhuman feats, and despite all historical evidence."

Prabhupāda: So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was very much aggrieved. He was thinking, Vaiṣṇava, that "I am a petty king, and for giving me the throne, so many people have been killed." That is the greatest war within the recollection of five thousand years, Kurukṣetra, battle of Kurukṣetra. What is this figures? Six million, four hundred thousand people died in that battle. What is the statistics of the last war? How many people died? Is there any statistics?

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974:

Pradyumna: "King Yudhiṣṭhira, who was much aggrieved, could not be convinced, despite instructions by great sages headed by Vyāsa and the Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, the performer of superhuman feats, and despite all historical evidence."

Prabhupāda:

vyāsādyair īśvarehājñaiḥ

kṛṣṇenādbhuta-karmaṇā

prabodhito 'pītihāsair

nābudhyata śucārpitaḥ

(SB 1.8.46)

After the Battle of Kurukṣetra, when everything was settled, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, who is well known as Dharmarāja, very pious king, he was very much aggrieved. It is said that sixty-four crores of men were dead within eighteen days in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is very much pious, he did not like the idea of so many persons being killed simply for the sake of enthroning him on the throne of the kingdom. He was very much aggrieved that "For me so many men have died. How much sinful I have become, although I am going to be the king."

Lecture on SB 1.16.2 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1973:

Pradyumna: Should be "produced."

Prabhupāda: "Begotten." It should be "begotten." Who has corrected?

Pradyumna: Translation: "King Parīkṣit married the daughter of King Uttara and begot four sons, headed by Mahārāja Janamejaya." (SB 1.16.2)

Prabhupāda: Sa uttarasya tanayām. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, his mother's name was Uttarā, Uttarā. Means King Virāṭa, he had two issues, one son, one daughter. The son's name was Uttara and the daughter's name was Uttarā. This Uttarā was taught dancing by Arjuna. When Arjuna was staying at Mahārāja Virāṭa's house as an ordinary dancing master, they did not know that he is Arjuna. Because the promise was for one year, they should remain incognito. If they are detected, then again for twelve years they will be banished.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Los Angeles, June 16, 1972:

"Oh, I have got taste. Don't supply it." Or, "I wish to live without eating-zero." This is Māyāvāda philosophy. Try to understand, impersonal, making everything zero, without any varieties. Nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi. Nirviśeṣa means without any varieties, and śūnyavādi means zero, voidist. The two kinds of Māyāvādīs, generally headed by Saṅkara philosophy and Buddha philosophy. But our position is transcendental, above. Karmīs ... Karmīs, they are on the material field. They are trying to enjoy on the material platform. Jñānīs, they are trying to make it varietyless, and the Buddhists, they are trying to make it zero. Our philosophy is substance. This is difference, substance, reality. Vāstava-vastu, real reality, not the false thing. So these people, the voidists and impersonalists, because they have no information of the Supreme Lord and His activities ...

Lecture on SB 2.9.16 -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The four Vedas, namely Ṛk, Sāma, Yajur and Atharva, are present there personally to advise the Lord. The sixteen energies headed by Caṇḍa are all present there. Caṇḍa and Kumuda are the two first doorkeepers, and at the middle door there are the doorkeepers named Bhadra and Subhadra, and at the last door there are Jaya and Vijaya. There are other doorkeepers also, named Kumuda, Kumudākṣa, Puṇḍarīka, Vāmana, Śaṅkukarṇa, Sarvanetra, Sumukha, etc. The palace is well decorated and protected by the above-mentioned doorkeepers."

Prabhupāda: So everything in detail you'll find, the kingdom of God, the nature of that atmosphere, the devotees, the inhabitants. Everything is there clearly. So the festival today is murdered.(?) The festival? (sound of heavy rain in background?)

Sudāmā: I don't think it will take place because it is supposed to be held in a large park.

Śyāmasundara: It is very wet. Shall we go to Hawaii today?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? (laughter)

Lecture on SB 5.5.10-13 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1976:

Transportation is required, but we see from Kṛṣṇa books that the inhabitants of Gokula... There was a meeting headed by Nanda Mahārāja's young brother, Upananda, and all the villagers, they assembled together. They discussed that "Our Kṛṣṇa is being repeatedly attacked by the asuras, and it has become very troublesome. So let us leave this place." They are villagers. They thought it wise that "Because we are in this village, some of the demons, they are coming and disturbing." So they are villagers... Immediately Nanda Mahārāja agreed, "All right, let us leave this place." So immediately, they transferred the whole village with their possessions, cloth or something, everything, within one hour. And they transported by the bullock cart to Nandagrāma. That means, the idea is the whole village was transferred from one village to another within very short time. So the transport is required, the transport by bullock carts. The bulls are there. They can be used for transport. Or the asses, they can be used for transport. But... And the camels can be used for transport. There are so many animals. So advancement, and big, big kings, royal families, they have got their transport service by keeping elephants and horses.

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

When people become mlecchas... Mleccha means not following the Vedic principles. Those who are following the Vedic principles, they are classified guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), in four divisions. And beyond these four divisions, who are less than śūdras, they are called mlecchas and yavanas and caṇḍālas. Their behavior is so abominable that they cannot be accepted as civilized man. Civilized man, not by so-called material advancement. Civilized man is this four division of society—brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras. That is civilized society. Where there is no such division, everyone is a śūdra, that is not a civilized form of society. At the present moment the whole world is... (break)

Drakṣye tan-nabhita-susta-māyā sattva-pradhāna api kim tato me. Anye ca ye vrsyasi yo maresa bhrgradayaḥ spṛṣṭa-rajas-tamasya sapta-pradhāna..., drakṣye hi tam na viduḥ spṛṣṭa-māyā sattva-pradhāna api kim tato 'smi.(?) Bhṛgv-ādayaḥ. There are seven ṛṣis headed by Bhṛgu: Bhṛgu, Vasiṣṭha, Ātreya, like that. There are seven great ṛṣis. The seven planets you see on the northern side, they are supposed to be their abodes, bhṛgv-ādayaḥ, centering Dhruvaloka, the polestar. You have seen the seven stars?

Lecture on SB 6.3.25-26 -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

That is explained by Śrīdhara Svāmī. Mṛta-saṁyamani viṣam ajānanta auṣadham ajānanta vaidya roga-nirharaṇāya tri-kaṭu nimva dini smaran, tatha svayambhūḥ sanmukha-pramukhat dvādaśa, dvādaśa vyatire kenayam mahājana api guhyam idam ajñāta-dvādaśādhikaṁ smaranti.(?)

So the great compiler of religious scripture, headed by Manu and others, without knowing the simple method, they prescribe gorgeous ritualistic ceremonies. Kim ca māyayā divyalam vimohitam matir ayam jana madhu, madhunam yatha bhavati evam puspitayam puṣpa-sthaniya ratavadi mano-harayam trayyam jadi-kṛta abhinivista-matir yasya ata eva mahaty eva karmany agni-stomadau śraddhayā yujyamānaḥ.(?) So being bewildered by the material or external energy, they take to these gorgeous ceremonies or sacrificial performances. Actually there is no need. The whole thing is that Śrīdhara Svāmī is giving stress very strongly that you can simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without undergoing any ritualistic ceremonies.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1968:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Lecture on SB 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 8, 1976:

This is not devotee's view. Devotee will take that "This so-called suffering is also Kṛṣṇa's favor." Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ. So those who are going forward with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not be, I mean, a debtor to any condition of life.

So surādayaḥ. Surādayaḥ means demigods headed by Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva. Yaṁ brahmā-varuṇendra-rudra stunvanti divyaiḥ stavaiḥ. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped even by Brahma. Yaṁ brahmā-varuṇendra: Indra, Varuna and Indra... There are big, big stalwart demigods. They also offer their respect. They think themselves as subordinate, humble servants of Kṛṣṇa. Śiva-viriñci-nutam (SB 11.5.33). Kṛṣṇa is offered obeisances even by demigods like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā. Śiva-viriñci-nutam.

Lecture on SB 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1977:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

śrī-nārada uvāca

evaṁ surādayaḥ sarve

brahma-rudra-puraḥ sarāḥ

nopaitum aśakan manyu-

saṁrambhaṁ sudurāsadam

(SB 7.9.1)

Translation. "The great saint Nārada Muni continued: The demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and other great demigods, dared not come forward before the Lord, who at that time was extremely angry."

Prabhupāda: Anymore? Translation? Oh, you have done. Read the purport. Purport.

Pradyumna: Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung in his prema-bhakti-candrikā, 'krodha' bhakta-dveṣi jane: anger should be used to punish a demon who is envious of devotees. Kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and mātsarya—lust, anger, greed, illusion, pride and envy—all have their proper use for the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotee. A devotee of the Lord cannot tolerate blasphemy of the Lord or His other devotees, and the Lord also cannot tolerate blasphemy of a devotee. Thus Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva was so very angry that the great demigods like Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva and even the goddess of fortune, who is the Lord's constant companion, could not pacify Him, even after offering prayers of glorification and praise.

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

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 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 1, 1968:

They have got eight kinds of siddhas, perfection, material perfection. So out of that, this perfection is called laghimā. They can become so light that they can fly in the air. They are called Siddhas. Those Siddhas were also present. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "Here in this meeting the demigods are there, headed by Lord Brahmā, and great sages are there, and the Siddhas are there, and they tried to pacify the Lord by prayers with very fine language." Sattvaika: very selected words. Just like anyone offers prayer to the Lord, they are all selected words. Therefore Lord's name is, another name is Uttama-loka. Uttama. Uttama-śloka means choicest words, "one who is worshiped by the choicest words." So they presented the choicest words, very learned scholars. I mean to say, grammatical, metaphorical, everything very nice. Sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ. And they presented their prayers just like flow of the water. They were very learned. So there was no impediment. They could say fluently, pravāhaiḥ.

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

You see? Eating nonsense, and keeping nonsense, habits nonsense. Just like little more than the animals, that's all. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. They are going down, down, down, down. These things are explained there.

Here, these brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā, the demigods headed by Lord Brahmā and the siddhas and the great saintly persons and elevated yogis, how they have become? Sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ. They fluently explain in very nice words, just like prayer. Whenever the Lord's name... Kṛṣṇa's name is Uttamaśloka. Uttama, uttama means selected, high class. Actually, not high class. It is transcendental. Ut means "trans," and tama, tama means "darkness," and śloka means "verses." So uttamaśloka means verses which are not of this material world. When Brahma-saṁhitā we read, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **, these words, these vibrations are not of this material world.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and all the saintly persons could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified."

Prabhupāda:

śrī prahlāda uvāca

brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munaya 'tha siddhāḥ

sattvaikatāna-gatāyo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ

nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ

kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ

(SB 7.9.8)

So ugra-jāteḥ means demonic family, passionate. Ugra. There are three qualities within this material world. Therefore it is said guṇa-mayī. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14). Guṇa-mayī means three guṇas, three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. So our mind is jumping. Everyone knows the nature of the mind, sometimes accepting one thing, again rejecting it, saṅkalpa-vikalpa. This is the quality of the mind or nature of the mind. Sometimes the mind is jumping over sattva-guṇa, sometimes on the rajo-guṇa, and sometime on the tamo-guṇa. In this way we are getting different types of mentality.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

Prahlāda Mahārāja is submitting his humbleness, because he has practically experienced that all great personalities present in that meeting, headed by Brahmā, the original person, original created person, as well as all other demigods, they are all highly qualified, but they could not satisfy the Lord. Therefore he says, "I think that any kind of material qualification, such as tejaḥ, prabhāva, influence, strength, bodily beauty, tejaḥ, prabhāva, pauruṣa, capacity, buddhi, intelligence, yoga, mystic power, and all similar qualifications"—they are divided into six opulences: strength, influence, fame, and beauty, knowledge, renunciation—"these six kinds of opulences are fully present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So how you can conquer over the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all these material qualifications?" Suppose if you are going to see some gentleman who is very rich, just like Rockefeller, and suppose you are drawing, say, one thousand dollars per month, or say five thousand dollars. So how we can become proud of your opulence before a very rich man? So Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, means that nobody can excel Him in richness, in fame, in strength, in beauty, in wisdom, and renunciation. However you may exhibit or manifest your opulences, still it is very insignificant.

Lecture on SB 7.9.11-13 -- Hawaii, March 24, 1969:

These things are discussed.

Now, Prahlāda Mahārāja begins his prayer, according to his capacity. So he first of all begins, brahmādayo vayam iva īśa na, na ca udvijantaḥ. He says, "My dear Lord, here all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, they are very nice people. They are not disturbing elements like us. Because we, I am born of the demon family." The demons are always disturbing. Their business is to nullify the existence of God. Therefore they're always disturbing. If there is a certain class of citizens, if they are simply after agitation that "This government is useless," that means they are disturbing. There are so many parties. They make agitation: "Oh, this government is nothing. We require a new government." Therefore in your country the communist movement has been statewise declared, "It is illegal." But in other countries the communist group will always decrying, "Oh, this government is nonsense.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:

So similarly, the whole gigantic material cosmic manifestation is being moved by the spiritual touch, and there are different departments, and they are called vidhi-karāḥ. Vidhi means regulative, and karāḥ means the performers. So he says, sarve hy amī vidhi-karās tava sattva-dhāmno brahmādayo. And he specifically mentions now, brahmādayo, headed by Lord Brahmā.

Brahmā is considered to be the head of all demigods. So brahmādayo vayam iveśa na codvijantaḥ. Vayam iva. He is taking the part of his father. He's born of a father, a first-class atheist. So he is taking the side of his father, although he's more than Brahmā. Because Brahmā could not pacify the Lord. Brahmā requested Prahlāda, "My dear boy, the Lord has appeared to mitigate your trouble; so you try to pacify Him. We have failed." But just see. This is the behavior of Vaiṣṇava. He is the prominent personality in that assembly. Still, he says that "All these demigods, they are not like us, disturbing. I am born of atheistic father.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:

They're not disturbing. Whenever we'll find disturbance, you must know there is atheistic population. And peaceful country or a godly persons, they are never disturbing. So Prahlāda Mahārāja takes the side of the atheistic population because he was born of atheistic father, and he recommends that "These brahmādayo, these demigods headed by Brahmā," he īśa, "my dear Lord," vayam iva, "just like us," na ca udvijantaḥ, "they are not disturbing. They are very peaceful."

So they do not know the peace formula. They are creating atheistic population and they want peace. How it is possible? Just like I remember, I read in a paper that Archbishop of Canterbury, he said in a lecture that "You want kingdom of God without God." So similarly, the world is after peace. There are so many associations, societies, United Nations. They are after peace, but they are all groups of atheistic people.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Mayapur, February 20, 1976:

Dayānanda: "O my Lordship, all the demigods headed by Lord Brahma, they are all Your sincere servants, situated in transcendental position, and they are not like us, my father, the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu, the demon. Your appearance in this fearful form is Your pastime for Your own personal pleasure, and such incarnation is always for the good and protection of the universe."

Prabhupāda: "Like my father"? Udvijantaḥ is not described here, the meaning of udvijantaḥ?

Dayānanda: "Udvijantaḥ—on account of Your fearful appearance they are all afraid."

Prabhupāda: Udvijantaḥ, (Bengali) "disturbing," huh? It has to be corrected.

sarve hy amī vidhi-karās tava sattva-dhāmno

brahmādayo vayam iveśa na codvijantaḥ

ksemāya bhūtaya utātma-sukhāya cāsya

vikrīḍitaṁ bhagavato rucirāvatāraiḥ

(SB 7.9.13)

So, distinction between deva and asura. Brahmādayaḥ, beginning from Brahmā... Lord Brahmā is the supreme prajā-pati. From him, marīcy-ādi, ṛṣayaḥ, all great ṛṣis, they were born. Then, from them, other demigods—Indra, Candra, Varuṇa... So these devas, they are not like the asuras, disturbing elements. That is the difference between the asura and deva. The asura will create a situation which is very, very disturbing to the whole human society. And when there are so many asuras, disturbing elements, at that time the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes down, descends, in His incarnation. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8).

Lecture on SB 7.9.13-14 -- Montreal, August 22, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My dear Lord, now the, my father who was atheist and always disturbing... These demigods, they are Your devotees. They are not disturbing elements." Brahmādayo vayam iveśa. Brahmādayo. "All these demigods standing here, headed by Brahmā, they are not like us, like demonic persons like my father and his associates. So You can now be peaceful. Don't show Your anger."

tad yaccha manyum asuraś ca hatas tvayādya

modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā

lokāś ca nirvṛtim itāḥ pratiyānti sarve

rūpaṁ nṛsiṁha vibhayāya janāḥ smaranti

(SB 7.9.14)

So there may be a question that "Then was Prahlāda Mahārāja very glad that his father was killed?" This question may be raised, that "What kind of devotee he is? He's such a great devotee of Lord, and before him his father was killed, and he is requesting the Lord, 'My dear Lord, the disturbing element is already finished.' That means he's glad that his father was killed." So from social conventional point of view, if a son is glad on the death of his father, do you think it is very nice? No. These points are to be considered.

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

We are talking of Prahlāda Mahārāja's prayer. He was thinking himself unfit for offering prayers to the Lord. But still, because he was requested by the great demigods headed by Lord Brahmā and others, he thought that material qualification, namely high parentage, riches, beauty, bodily strength, yogic power, all of them are not qualification for becoming a devotee or qualified to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-

tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ

These things I have already explained. Dhana means riches; abhijana means aristocratic family; bala means bodily strength; buddhi, intelligence; pauruṣa, power in endeavor, industrious. These are material qualification. And the yoga, aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga, that is also material. By exercising the body to concentrate the mind, that is also material. Because mind is material, subtle form of matter. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). Mind, intelligence, ego, ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. So they are subtle form of matter.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality, or passive adoration, servitorship, friendship, parenthood, conjugal love, comedy, compassion, fear, chivalry, ghastliness, wonder and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features, He has captivated all the gopīs, headed by Tārakā, Pālikā, Śyāmā, Lalitā, and ultimately, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Let His Lordship's grace be on us so that there may not be any hindrance in the execution of this duty of writing The Nectar of Devotion, impelled by His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda."

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa is described as akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. So there are different rasas, five primary rasas. Rasa means the mellow or the taste which we enjoy in every activity. That is called rasa. Everything is done with some taste. Whatever you do, you must enjoy some taste out of it. So there are twelve rasas, out of which five rasas are primary and seven rasas are secondary. They are described here.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

Pradyumna: (reading:) "Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality, or passive adoration; servitorship; friendship; parenthood; conjugal love; comedy; compassion; fear; chivalry; ghastliness; wonder; and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features, He has captivated all the gopīs, headed by Tārakā, Pālikā, Śyāmā, Lalitā and, ultimately, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Let His Lordship's grace be on us..."

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all rasas. Rasa is a very peculiar word. Rasa, it may be translated into English as "taste," as "mellow," or as "humor." So our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, there is some taste. Without taste, we cannot continue our relationship with anyone. There must be some taste. So these rasas, or tastes, are twelve kinds. Primary rasa is the relationship between inert things and our... Just like I am sitting on this chair. So the comfort I am feeling, that is the rasa, taste. We want very nice cushion, sitting position. So that tasting, that "I am now comfortably seated," this is called śānta-rasa. Then above the śānta-rasa, there is dāsya-rasa. Dāsya-rasa... Just like my students, my disciples, they want to serve me, and I want to take service from them. This is also an exchange of rasa, a taste. Śānta, dāsya.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Similarly Sanaka, Sanātana, Sananda and Sanat-kumāra were all in the category of wise, saintly persons, and they were also attracted by devotional service. A similar thing happened to the assembly in the Naimiṣāraṇya Forest, headed by the sage Śaunaka. They were inquisitive and were always asking Sūta Gosvāmī about Kṛṣṇa. Thus they achieved the association of a pure devotee and became pure devotees themselves. So that is the way of elevating oneself. In whatever condition one may be, if he is fortunate enough to associate with pure devotees, then very quickly he is elevated to the second-class or first-class platform.

"These four types of devotees have been described in the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, and they, they have all been accepted as pious. Without becoming pious, no one can come to devotional service. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that only one who has completely executed pious activities and whose sinful reactions of life have completely stopped can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Others cannot. The neophyte devotees are classified into four groups: the distressed, those who are in need of money, the inquisitive and the wise—according to their gradations of pious activities. Without pious activities, if a man is in a distressed condition, he becomes an agnostic, communist, or something like that.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Oh, I see. So this was a part of the prayer offered by Brahmājī when he offended on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. The incident... Perhaps you know that Kṛṣṇa was a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana. (speaks in Hindi with some Indians) Why you are back side? You can come this side. So Brahmājī is praising the fortune of the residents of Vṛndāvana, vrajaukasām, headed by... Vrajaukasām means the residents of the Vrajabhūmi, headed by Nanda Mahārāja. Aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyaṁ nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām, yan mitraṁ paramānandaṁ brahma. Kṛṣṇa was there.

So Brahmā is admitting that this Kṛṣṇa is parabrahman sanātanam. So we have to take evidence from the authorities. There are twelve authorities according to śāstra. Brahmā is one of the authorities.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

So here the Absolute Truth, when He is realized as the Supreme Person, as Brahmā is realizing, yan-mitram... He is realizing that Kṛṣṇa, who is playing as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana, and He has become the most intimate friend of the residents of Vṛndāvana, headed by Nanda Mahārāja... Nanda Mahārāja was the zamindar rāja. He was vaiśya. He had 900,000's of cows, and he was the head of Vṛndāvana. All other cowherds men were his tenants or friends or family members. So Kṛṣṇa automatically became their very, very dear friend. That is the significance of the residents of Vṛndāvana. They... Their love for Kṛṣṇa was so ecstatic that they did not know anything except Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Brahmā says, aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyam: "How fortunate these residents of Vṛndāvana are that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has become their friend." And Kṛṣṇa is pūrṇa-brahma sanātanam, not that He has assumed a body like a human being and He is imperson.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

The subject matter is so nice that the devotees who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the transcendental loving service, they like. And in the association of pure devotees these topics become palatable. There are many instances in the Bhāgavata also. When Śaunakādi Ṛṣi, sages headed by Śaunaka Muni, was hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by Sūta Gosvāmī, they also uttered this, vayaṁ tu na vitṛpyāma. "You are reciting about the glories of the Supreme Lord, His activities, so please continue. We are not yet satisfied. The subject matter is so nice that we want to more and more..." Svādu svādu pade pade. As you go on hearing and as you become purified... There is a very practical example: the sugar candy. Sugar candy is, by nature it is very sweet. But if you give it to a patient who is jaundiced, if you give, he will taste it, that he'll say that it is bitter. It is bitter. You will have practical exam... If you ask him what is the taste, he'll say bitter.

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.)

Purports to Songs

Spelling of Arati Song -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Pradyumna: Ārati koren.

Prabhupāda: Ārati means the arati, reception. Koren, doing. Brahma, Lord Brahma. Ādi, headed by. Deva-gaṇe, all the demigods. that means "To offer ārati reception to Lord Caitanya, all the demigods have come down, headed by Lord Brahma." Ārati koren brahmā-ādi deva-gaṇe.

Pradyumna: Kibā, hello. Dakṣine?

Prabhupāda: Dakṣine, on the right side.

Pradyumna: Nitai.

Prabhupāda: Lord Nityānanda.

Pradyumna: Cand? Cand.