So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific and authorized. It is not a bogus thing, something manufactured by concoction of the mind. It is authorized, based on the Vedic instruction, as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So we teach only this philosophy, that you... Kṛṣṇa, here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are searching after God. You cannot understand what is God. Here is God, Kṛṣṇa. His name, His activities, everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. You accept and surrender unto Him. And as Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). So we are speaking the same thing. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. We don't misinterpret. We don't spoil the whole Bhagavad-gītā. We don't do this mischief. Sometimes people, they say, "Swamiji, you have done wonderful." But what wonderful? I am not a magician. My only credit is I have not spoiled the Bhagavad-gītā. I have presented as it is. Therefore it is successful.
I am not a magician
Expressions researched:
"Don't think that I showed them any magic"
|"I am not a magician"
|"I cannot show magic"
|"I did not show you any magic"
|"I do not know any magic"
|"I do not know any magic"
|"I do not know how to play magic"
|"I do not know magic"
|"I had no magic"
|"I have never shown any magic"
|"I have not played any magic"
|"I have not shown them any magic"
|"I have not taught you anything magic"
|"I have told all these boys and girls nothing magic"
|"I'm not a magician"
|"ask them if I did any magic"
|"do not know what is magic"
|"neither I do know anything magic"
|"nor I showed any magic"
|"not that I am playing something magic"
|"there is nothing magic"
|"what was our magic"
|"written that I have done magic"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
People say so much about me, that I have done some wonderful thing. But I say that I am not a magician. I'm not a magician. My only credit is that I am presenting Kṛṣṇa as He is. That's all. I am not diluting Kṛṣṇa. That is not my business. And therefore, because it is pure, pure ghee, therefore everyone accepts. And if you place dalda, mixing with ghee some rascal thing, then nobody will accept. Therefore, so many swamis went before me in the Western countries, and they presented adulterated, and there was not a single person became a kṛṣṇa-bhakta. Now, by thousands they are becoming. Why? Because it is presented pure thing. Pure thing will be accepted everywhere. I give this example. In a, in Delhi, there is... I have seen. One, there is confectioner's shop. He rigidly prepares in pure ghee all the sweetmeats. So you'll find always hundreds of customers there. And there are by the side of that... Dalda manufacture. It is not... People are still prepared to pay sufficiently if you give pure thing. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We have not manufactured anything.
But because one has got some whims, he wants to fulfill his whims on the authority of Bhagavad-gītā, he interprets in a different way. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without nonsensically interpreting. Therefore it is being effective. Before me, many swamis went to the Western countries to preach this Bhagavad-gītā. Not a single person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Not a single person. There is not in the history. And now Bhagavad-gītā is being presented as it is, thousands are becoming devotee of Kṛṣṇa. This is the secret. People give me credit that "Swamiji, you have done wonderful. Nobody could do it." I am not a wonderful man. Neither I do know anything magic. I have presented Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That's all. This is the secret. Anyone can do that. You present the thing as it is. Don't adulterate it. Then it will be accepted. Just like paramānna, kṣīra. Kṣīra is very nice food, but if you adulterate it with some grains of sand, it is spoiled. It is spoiled.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He's personally teaching. That is perform yajña. He's personally chanting, dancing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The picture is in our front. Personally He's teaching us, "Perform this yajña, you rascal, and you'll get everything. You'll get everything." Now, where is the proof? The proof is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and spending crores of rupees. Simply. What we are doing? We are not doing any business. We have not many professional men. But why we are getting...? We are spending eight lakhs of rupees per month. And we have got food, we have got milk. We are, rather, feeding others also, bringing food. So why don't you see practically how these Kṛṣṇa conscious people... They... They know that we are fabulously rich. This question was raised in Parliament also. So how we became fabulously rich? We do not do anything. I have not taught you anything magic. I simply request you, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra sixteen times please!" But you... We are not even following that. This is the only remedy. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32).
So every one of you follow the instruction, as you have received. Chant sixteen rounds regularly, without fail, and follow the regulative principles, and hear about Kṛṣṇa, and preach about Kṛṣṇa. Every one of you become a spiritual master. Simple thing. No education required. Because we are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, so we can speak the same thing. What is the difficulty? If I hear from my spiritual master or from any learned man that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," so if I say by hearing that "Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Personality of Godhead," so I haven't got to search out whether Kṛṣṇa is Personality of Godhead or not, but if I accept the authority, then I speak the real truth. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Therefore sometimes, when people say in India, "Swamiji, you have done wonderful." And yes, I do not know. I'm not a magician. But, so far I am confident that I did not adulterate the words of Kṛṣṇa.
That's all. That's my credit. I did not like to take the position of Kṛṣṇa. I remained a servant of Kṛṣṇa, and I spoke what Kṛṣṇa said. That's all. This is my secret. So everyone can do that. There is nothing magic. The magic will act as soon as you become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The magic will be done by Kṛṣṇa, not by me or you. He will do it.
Just like you are a businessman and anybody goes to canvass for business, to get some order for your business, he is your representative. It is not very difficult to understand. If he is your representative and talks something nonsense then he is not your representative, he is cheating you. He is taking your money and doing something else. No, real representative is he who is canvassing for Kṛṣṇa, not canvassing for himself that "I have become Kṛṣṇa." No, he is not guru, he is cheater.. The representative is he who canvasses business for Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. Kṛṣṇa wants this business. What is that? "You rascal, give up everything and surrender unto Me, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)." Kṛṣṇa wants this business. And Kṛṣṇa's representative also says that you give up everything, simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's representative. Sometimes we are very much eulogized, "I have done a wonderful thing, but I have done as representative of Kṛṣṇa." Same thing. I have told all these boys and girls nothing magic. I never showed any gold-making magic. I simply said to them the "Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you surrender unto Him." That's all. Ask any (indistinct). I never said anything. So that is actually representative.
So if you follow the instruction and if we chant, even though we do not understand in the beginning what is the effect of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but it will show its effect if you go on chanting. Just like I began this movement in America. I did not ask them anything; I simply invited them, "Please come and chant with me." And just see the result. It is practical. I never bribed them, nor I showed any magic. I simply asked them, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." And see the result. It is practical.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Pradyumna: "That should be the attitude of all preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. We should never think of ourselves as great preachers, but should always consider that we are simply instrumental to the previous ācāryas."
Prabhupāda: Yes, we should not be very much proud that "I have created wonderful." Why? What wonderful? What? I am not a magician that I can create wonderful. Sometimes people, they give me so much honor. "Swamijī, you have created wonderful." I do not feel that I have created wonderful. What I have done? I say that I, I do, I'm not a magician. I do not know how to create wonderful. I have simply Bhagavad-gītā, presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that's all. If there is any credit, this is only credit. Anyone can do it. The Bhagavad-gītā is there, and anyone can present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. So it will act wonderful. I am not a magician. I do not know the tricks of magics and the yoga-siddhi, I am creating (visual expression) like this. (laughter) I have no such power. Neither I do it. So I, my only credit is, I do not want to mix with this pure Bhagavad-gītā teaching, any rascaldom, that's all. That is my credit. And whatever little miracle has been done, only on this principle. That's all.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Kṛṣṇa says directly that "You surrender to Me," and Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "You preach this cult," yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128), the same thing. We are not going to teach anything which is not spoken by Kṛṣṇa and which is not supported by Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva. This is our principle. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kṛṣṇa preached Kṛṣṇa Himself, Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached the same principle, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), and we are preaching the same thing. We do not preach anything else. We do not manufacture anything. That is not our business.
So by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, by the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you all European boys and girls joined this movement under my soliciting. I went to your country with this word only. I did not show you any magic, neither I have any knowledge how to play magic. That is not possible. I simply repeat the same thing, that "Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here is Kṛṣṇa Caitanyadeva, the devotional form of Kṛṣṇa. You accept Them. Your life will be successful."
General Lectures
I have traveled all over the world, especially in America. They're the richest country, but there is a confusion now. The younger section, they do not like to live like their father or grandfather. They want a different body, different life. They, they are joining this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement because they are in search of such thing, perfect thing. They are fed up with this materialistic way of life. Therefore... It is not that I am playing something magic; it is the need of the present-day situation, present-day civilization, that people want Kṛṣṇa consciousness, spiritual advancement. So if we can administer the spiritual advancement of life in the proper way, as they are in our Vedic literatures, so we can contribute greatest contribution to the world, and that will glorify India's name. If we simply imitate them, or beg from them, then India's position is always remain as beggar. Because we are already known: "The nation of beggars." Because our ministers go there to ask, "Please give me this. Please give me this. Please give me." Nothing to contribute. Here is a thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We can contribute to the whole world. Please help this movement.
So this education is in India. This Bhagavad-gītā. The beginning of Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says:
- dehino 'smin yathā dehe
- kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
- tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir
- dhīras tatra na muhyati
- (BG 2.13)
This is Eastern gift. So I have gone to the Western countries to give this Eastern gift. And it is being accepted by your children. All these American, European boys, they're accepting it. Not only hundreds, but thousands. People say that "Swamijī, you are doing wonderful." I say I am not doing wonderful. I do not know any magic. I have no mystic power. But I am presenting actually the Eastern culture to the West. That's all. It is not unreasonable. Any child can understand that there is soul.
Bhagavad-gītā says, Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Simple thing. It is not very difficult thing. Kṛṣṇa says, "Always think of Me." Is it very difficult task? No. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you remember Kṛṣṇa immediately. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So always remember Kṛṣṇa, this is Kṛṣṇa's instruction, man-manā, "Always think of Me," mad-bhakta, and naturally you become bhakta. As soon as you go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, just like these European and American boys, they have been instructed to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... Don't think that I showed them any magic, how to manufacture gold, or how to become this or that. No. Simply I have asked them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and they have joined me because they have chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa. Why? Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). By chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the dirty things within the heart will be cleansed. They you will understand what is my position, what to do.
We don't require to be very learned scholar, M.A., Ph.D. If you simply follow what Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā... If you do not go very deep into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam especially, and if you simply read the Bhagavad-gītā... We are presenting, therefore, Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any adulteration. They give me so much credit that "You have done wonderful, miracle," and I do not know how to play any miracle. Our Dipa Mahārāja knows me from the very beginning. I do not know how to play magic. I do not know. But only magic is that I don't adulterate. That's all. I don't adulterate. I say simple thing. Kṛṣṇa said, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, Absolute Truth, that's all. What difficulty you have?
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
To be Kṛṣṇa conscious, that's the best service. Without any distinction of caste, creed, country, color. No. Everyone should have Kṛṣṇa. This is the best service. Go everywhere, every part of the world, and give Kṛṣṇa. That is the best service you can do. And actually, they are now feeling, because they are Indians. Even in India, where there are so many devotees of Kṛṣṇa, but when they saw "These American devotees are so nice," thirty thousand people were coming daily. And what was our magic? This man was asking me, "Swamiji, what magic you have got?" I said, "I have got this magic that I don't tell lie. I don't make 'This rascal is God.' God is Kṛṣṇa. That is my magic. I don't bluff people. Here is God. See God, be with God, serve God. That's my business."
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: I was a gṛhastha, I never lived with the Maṭha, in the temple. It is practical. So many Godbrothers recommended that "He should be in charge in this Bombay temple, this, that, that..." Guru Mahārāja said, "Yes, better he lives outside. That is good, and he will do what is needed in due course of time."
Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!
Prabhupāda: He said like that. I could not understand at that time what does he expect. Of course, I knew that he wanted me to preach.
Yaśodānandana: I think you have done this in grand style.
Devotees: Jaya, Prabhupāda! Haribol!
Prabhupāda: Yes, done grand style because I strictly follow the instruction of my Guru Mahārāja, that's all. Otherwise I have no strength. I have not played any magic. Did I? Any gold manufacturing? (laughter) Still, I have got better disciples than the gold-manufacturing guru.
Yaśodānandana: Before you came, many gurus came, but they did not make any pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: How they can? He is not pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. How he can do? Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nāhe nāma pracāra: "Without being empowered by Kṛṣṇa nobody can turn a person to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." It is not... Artificially, you cannot make. He may make show of gold manufacturing, but he cannot make a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Exactly what Kṛṣṇa has said. Our mission... (Bengali) Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Bas. If you speak what Kṛṣṇa has instructed, you become guru. But if you make your own concoction, own invention, then... (Bengali) I don't speak any nonsense except the instruction given in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is my credit. That's all. People say that I have done wonderful, but I do not know any magic. The wonderful thing I have done is that I don't speak any nonsense thing. (Bengali)
Lalitā: What you say, you act according to that.
Prabhupāda: No, what I learn from Kṛṣṇa I say. I don't say independently. That is not my business. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Interviewer: How did you attract people? You landed in New York...
Prabhupāda: My attraction is this chanting. That's all.
Interviewer: Did you stand on street corners and chant?
Prabhupāda: Yes, I had no magic. Just like others. They say some..., show some magic. I never showed any magic.
Prabhupāda: This is understanding of Kṛṣṇa. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yan māṁ vadasi keśava (BG 10.14). "Keśava, whatever You have spoken, I take it altogether as it is." Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye (BG 10.14). All fact. And they are manufacturing some meaning. How they'll understand Kṛṣṇa? This is going on. And our, this movement has become little successful.... People give me such credit, "Swamiji, you have done wonderful." But I do not know what wonderful. I do not know any magic. I simply say that you accept Kṛṣṇa or Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That's all. That is my magic. And they are accepting it. They are accepting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. They do not make any interpretation, that "Kṛṣṇa means this, Kurukṣetra means this, Pāṇḍavas means this." No. We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is.
Prabhupāda: So this is their manufacturing ideas. They have no sound knowledge, vacant. They are misled themselves, and they will mislead others. This is going on. But if you say that, "You are the only man?" I can say, "Yes, I am the only man" at the present moment. You believe or not believe. And why? Because I am following Kṛṣṇa's instructions. That's all. I do not touch anything. That is our process. What Kṛṣṇa has said, we say, that's all. Therefore there is little success. I don't manufacture. I have no extraordinary power or I cannot show magic or jugglery of words. But I do sincerely to present what Kṛṣṇa has said. So if you do that, you'll be successful. If you do not do that, you'll never be successful.
Guest (7): Can I attain such magical powers?
Prabhupāda: So why? What is the use? We are not using any magical powers.
Guest (7): Just to convince the people.
Prabhupāda: Why this foolishness? We never... Ask my disciples. I have never shown any magic. Why?
Bhāgavata: That is a cheap business.
Prabhupāda: That is cheating business. That is not required. It is meant for the foolish men.
Prabhupāda: If I say that "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," what is the difficulty? But he thinks that "This is insignificant." He thinks like that. What I am teaching these people?
Guest (1): Very simple thing.
Prabhupāda: Very simple thing, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." I have not given them any bribe. I have not shown them any magic of gold manufacturing. From the very beginning I said, "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." But that is becoming fruitful.
Prabhupāda: India, if the whole world can be saved from this chaotic position, India can do. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. But that India leaders first of all make his life perfect. Then it will be all right. Just like our... Of course, I'm not proud, but I am alone. I started this movement alone, without any help. But because I am giving them the perfect information, whole world is taking it. Otherwise, from practical point of view, one man without any help, within ten years he cannot do like this. That's a fact. But I have no difficulty because I am following the Supreme Leader, Kṛṣṇa. People may say that I've done wonderful, but there is nothing magic. Because I am following Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Leader, so far it has become successful. So everyone can do that. Where is the difficulty? Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). If we follow the paramparā system it is not difficult.
Prabhupāda: Before me, so many people went. They misinterpreted Bhagavad-gītā, there was no effect. And we are not misinterpreting. We are simply presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is given. That is the point. Everyone says, "Swamiji, you have done wonderful thing." But I say , "I do not know any magic, jugglery. But wonderful thing is that I have not adulterated." That is wonderful. Otherwise, nothing wonderful. What I am saying? Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. I am creating them bhaktas, that's all. I am starting these temples and ask them that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. You become devotee, you always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That's all. And they are giving up everything. Their father and mother, they are thinking, "They are our lost child." They are now giving the opposition. They have brought so many cases against me. But unless it is effective, how they are feeling the weight?
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
D. D. Desai: But Swamiji, you are just... (Hindi) on Hindu...
Prabhupāda: I'm not (Hindi). My jñāna is Bhagavad-gītā. That's all. Neither (Hindi). But what Kṛṣṇa says, I accept. That's all. They say, "Swamiji, you have done wonderful." I do not know what is magic, wonderful. But one thing wonderful I have done, that I have not adulterated on the words of Kṛṣṇa. That I have not. And therefore the effect is very good. I have not adulterated. I don't say, "Two plus two equal to five" or "three." I say "Four." Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all.
Prabhupāda: So our movement is genuine. Now it is up to you to help this movement. And there is no concoction. From... Sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ (BG 4.3). As Kṛṣṇa said five thousand years ago, yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ, so we are also presenting that purātanaḥ. This philosophy is not new. Purātanaḥ. So we have nothing to tax our brain to manufacture something new. So people give me credit: "Swamiji, you have done wonderful, wonderful." I do not know magic. But I am presenting purātanaḥ, that's all, no adulteration. If there is any credit, the credit is this-yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ.
Prabhupāda: If we speak of God, then we are "primitive." And up-to-date? "I am God; you are God." This is up to date. And if we say, "Now, God is Kṛṣṇa. You worship Him. You become devotee," this is primitive. And these Americans, although they are up to date, they have accepted it, my word. I presented them that Kṛṣṇa is God. They have accepted. This is their qualification.
Guest (10): Supreme Lord.
Prabhupāda: Yes. I have told them that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, and they have accepted. This is my magic, and this is their magic. That's all. You ask them if I did any magic with them.
Guest (10): This is magic itself.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes, it is magic. It is magic undoubtedly. But I never created any gold or some other... And neither I do know it, how to do it, although there is no scarcity of gold in my pocket. I started this business with forty rupees.
Correspondence
1970 Correspondence
I beg to thank you for your kind letter dated 28th May, 1970. I am so glad to receive a letter from a 70 years old young man. Sometimes they say about me "74 years young holy man", and sometimes they say "jet-age parivrajakacarya." They also very kindly have written that I have done magic to the foreigners. So I thank you all for your good wishes, although I am not elegible for these honors. Whatever is being done, it is Lord Krishna's mercy. He is unlimited and His mercy is also unlimited, so by His mercy even a crow can dance like a peacock.
| Page Title: | I am not a magician |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Alakananda |
| Created: | 30 of Nov, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=13, Con=13, Let=1 |
| No. of Quotes: | 27 |