I am not perfect

Expressions researched:
"I am not becoming perfect" |"I am not perfect" |"not that I am perfect"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Suppose in this life I perform work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, say twenty-five percent. I am not perfect. My next life will begin from twenty-sixth point.

Lecture on BG 8.28-9.2 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

So therefore anything, whatever you are doing in this material world, that is not avyayam. That is not eternal. Temporary. Temporary. So this knowledge is not like that. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: "The Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge is so perfect that even if you do one percent, two percent execute, then it can help you to..., help you protection from the greatest danger." Svalpam apy asya dharmasya. And besides that, suppose in this life I perform work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, say twenty-five percent. I am not perfect. My next life will begin from twenty-sixth point. So much, what I have acquired in this life, that is not lost.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Our knowledge is perfect because we are receiving knowledge from the perfect as it is. It is not that I am perfect. I may not be perfect; I may be perfect. But because I am accepting the perfect knowledge, therefore whatever I speak on that basis, that is perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.3.24 -- Los Angeles, September 29, 1972:

So we accept knowledge from such person who knows past, present, and future. Persons who do not know even present, what is going on, how we can accept knowledge from him? This is not our process. Our process is to receive knowledge from a person who knows past, present and future. Just like Kṛṣṇa and the ācāryas. They know. So our knowledge is perfect because we are receiving knowledge from the perfect as it is. Therefore our knowledge... It is not that I am perfect. I may not be perfect; I may be perfect. But because I am accepting the perfect knowledge, therefore whatever I speak on that basis, that is perfect. This is our process. You don't require to research. What research you will make? You are yourself insufficient. What research you can make? Your senses are insufficient. You try to see the cosmic manifestation with your microscope or telescope, but that is also manufactured by you. You are imperfect, so whatever you have done, that is all imperfect.

I am not perfect; that's a fact. But because I am speaking of the words coming from the perfect, therefore it is perfect. It is not speculation.

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

At the present moment his name is Vivasvān. People do not know what is the sun planet, but we know the president of the sun planet. His name is Vivasvān. How do you know? We understand from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore our knowledge is perfect. You can say, "Have you gone to the sun planet?" No, there is no need of going there. Here is the authority. Kṛṣṇa says, so we accept it, that's all. Our business is finished. Kṛṣṇa is perfect. Whatever He says, it is perfect. Therefore... I am not perfect; that's a fact. But because I am speaking of the words coming from the perfect, therefore it is perfect. It is not speculation. It is very easy for us—because we accept the words of the perfect. Therefore, whatever we say, it is perfect. You may challenge, "Are you perfect?" I am not perfect. Because I am not speaking my words, I am speaking the words of the perfect, therefore, whatever I speak, it is perfect.

You are already on the perfectional platform, but if you become impatient that "Why I am not becoming perfect? Sometimes why māyā is kicking me?" Yes. That is habitual.

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says, "Worship Me," so we should be very much enthusiastic to worship Kṛṣṇa, offer maṅgala-ārātrika, rise early in the morning. These are all enthusiasm, utsāha. Those who are not enthusiastic, lazy, lethargetic, they cannot advance in spiritual life. Simply sleeping, they cannot make. One must be very, very enthusiastic, positive. Utsāhād dhairyāt. Dhairya means patience, not that "Because I have begun devotional service with great enthusiasm..." So you are already on the perfectional platform, but if you become impatient that "Why I am not becoming perfect? Sometimes why māyā is kicking me?" Yes. That is habitual. That will go on. It will stop. Niścayāt. Dhairyāt, niścayāt, that "When Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), now I have given up everything. I have no other occupational duties. Simply to serve Kṛṣṇa. So when I have taken to it, then niścaya, Kṛṣṇa will surely give me protection." That is called niścaya. Don't be disappointed. Kṛṣṇa is not a false speaker. He says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi.

Festival Lectures

We don't manufacture knowledge, because how we can manufacture? Perfect knowledge means I must be perfect. But I am not perfect.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- New Vrindaban, September 2, 1972:

We don't manufacture knowledge, because how we can manufacture? Perfect knowledge means I must be perfect. But I am not perfect. Every one of us, when I was speaking, because... We are not perfect because in our conditional life we have got four defects. The first defect is that we commit mistake. Any one of us who are sitting here, nobody can vouchsafe that he has not committed any mistake in life. No, that is natural. "To err is human." In our country, even a personality like Mahātmā Gandhi, he committed so many mistakes. So to commit mistake is not unusual. It is usual for any man. Then again, one is illusioned. Illusioned means accepting something for something. Just like every one of us, we accept this body as ourself, but actually we are not, everyone. On this bodily concept of life the whole trouble is there in the whole trouble is there in the world. I am thinking "Indian"; you are thinking "American"; he is thinking "dog"; he is thinking "cat"; because on this bodily concept of life. So this is illusion because I am not this body, you are not this body.

General Lectures

We are not perfect, but our knowledge is perfect. Because we receive knowledge from the perfect. The same example, that I am not perfect to understand who is my father, but my mother is perfect, and because I accept the perfect knowledge of my mother, therefore my knowledge of father is perfect.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

Similarly, transcendental knowledge... Just like I was speaking that there is a spiritual world. It is not the subject matter of our speculation. But when God says, "Yes, there is a spiritual world, that is My headquarters," that is all right. That is all right. Yes. So we receive knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, the best authority. Therefore our knowledge is perfect. We are not perfect, but our knowledge is perfect. Because we receive knowledge from the perfect. The same example, that I am not perfect to understand who is my father, but my mother is perfect, and because I accept the perfect knowledge of my mother, therefore my knowledge of father is perfect. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for giving perfect knowledge to the human society: what He is, what is God, what is this material world, why you have come here, why you have to undergo so much tribulation, miserable condition of life, why I die. I do not like to die, but death is compulsory. I do not like to be old man, but still, it is compulsory. I do not like to suffer from disease, but it is compulsory. These, these are to be solved. That is really problems of human life.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

I am not perfect, but I am following the perfect.

Room Conversation with Krishna Tiwari -- May 22, 1973, New York:

Prabhupāda: You said, you said... No. You are happy with your imperfect education of an animal.

Krishna Tiwari: Everybody is.

Prabhupāda: Imperfect knowledge and happiness.

Krishna Tiwari: Only perfect can be then your superpower, which you're talking about. You cannot be perfect either.

Prabhupāda: No. no. I am not perfect, but I am following the perfect. That is...

Krishna Tiwari: Yeah, well, superpower, everybody is following a superpower, everybody else...

Prabhupāda: That is... No. You have no such power. You have no such superpower.

Krishna Tiwari: Well, I have no such superpower, but...

Prabhupāda: You say that you do not know anything beyond this material knowledge. That you do not know. Therefore you do not know what is that superpower, which is controlling. But I know the superpower.

I am not perfect, but because I am receiving knowledge from the supreme perfect, therefore whatever I say, it is perfect. And that is guru.

Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Guru means who has the perfect knowledge. So you cannot independently get perfect knowledge, intellectual. That will remain always imperfect. So intellectually, how you can conceive about God, who is unlimited, beyond your sense perception? We cannot know even ordinary material things, how great the sun is, how this universe is. We have imperfect knowledge. So our process is to receive knowledge from the perfect. Therefore, we are receiving knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, the supreme perfect. I am not perfect, but because I am receiving knowledge from the supreme perfect, therefore whatever I say, it is perfect. And that is guru. Guru does not say anything of his own manufacture or research. He says only what he has heard from the Supreme. That's all. So it is easier. It is easier. If the child says, "A watch, a watch," the child may be imperfect, but he has heard from his father, Here is a watch." That knowledge is perfect. This is our process. And Veda, Veda means knowledge, perfect knowledge. Veda, this word, Sanskrit word, it means perfect knowledge. Otherwise, there is no way to have perfect knowledge. There must be some source of perfect knowledge. That is Veda.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

We should always keep ourself as fool number one, that "I am not perfect. I am fool number one." But whatever I am doing I am carrying the orders of the perfect. That is my credit.

Room Conversation -- March 16, 1974, Vrndavana:

Harikeśa: Preaching must be perfect.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Perfect means as you have heard from your spiritual master. (indistinct) We are not perfect, none of us, but if you perfectly follow the orders of the perfect, then you are perfect. You should not think that "I have become perfect." Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said, guru more mūrkha dekhi (CC Adi 7.71). He presented Himself as fool number one. So we should always keep ourself as fool number one, that "I am not perfect. I am fool number one." But whatever I am doing I am carrying the orders of the perfect. That is my credit. I am not perfect. Suppose I give you, (indistinct), five thousand dollars. That is not my money. I am not rich man. But the money is paid by somebody else and I deliver, that's all. That is my perfection. If I don't touch it, I do not take from five hundred dollars a paise even, and I deliver it, that is my perfection. I may not be rich man, but if I deliver this amount to you, in perfect order, that is my perfection.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

I am not perfect, but what I say, that is perfect.

Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:

Professor: Are you perfect master?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, because I am heard from the perfect. I am not perfect, but what I say, that is perfect. Just like a child does not know what is this dictaphone, but he has learned from the father, "This is dictaphone," so when he says, "This is dictaphone," it is perfect. The child is not perfect, but because he has heard from his father perfect, so the knowledge is perfect.

We know from the perfect. Therefore my knowledge is perfect. I am not perfect; that's a fact. But my knowledge is perfect.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: Because I have approached the Supreme, the supreme brain, Kṛṣṇa. He is the perfect person in knowledge. Aiśvaryasya, jñāna. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He knows everything. He is conducting nature. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ suyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kālacakro. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So we know from the perfect. Therefore my knowledge is perfect. I am not perfect; that's a fact. But my knowledge is perfect. Just like I am not an electrician. But the electrician has told me that "You push this button. There will be light." So I am doing that. What is the use of becoming electrician? I want light, and the electrician told me, "Just push this button." I am doing that, and light is there. That's all. You cannot say, "You are not a electrician. How you can say the light...?" And I know from the perfect person, and it is acting. This is our position. It doesn't require that I will have to become electrician. The electrician has told that "You push this button," and there is light. That's all. Does it require that I will have to become a electrician to conduct this light?

In the preliminary stage, when I am not perfect, I am worshiping some imaginary form of God. But when I become perfect there is no need of worshiping, I become one with God. This is impersonal.

Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: The impersonalist theory is that I am now devotee. As soon as I become perfect I become one."

Prof. Hopkins: Oh.

Prabhupāda: That is their theory. Then there is no more difference. In the preliminary stage, when I am not perfect, I am worshiping some imaginary form of God. But when I become perfect there is no need of worshiping, I become one with God. This is impersonal. Now, actually, the Supreme has no form so they recommend whichever form you like to worship you can select out of these five. But their destination is the same. So somebody likes "I worship Śiva," somebody says "I worship Gaṇeśa," somebody says, "I worship Durgā," and Sūrya, or somebody says, "I worship Viṣṇu." So this Vaiṣṇava is impersonalist. You'll find amongst smārta brāhmaṇas there are also some of them Vaiṣṇavas, but they are impersonalists.

Our position is that we are not perfect. But we are perfect so long we follow Kṛṣṇa, that's all. Just like I am blind man. I am not perfect. But if you have got eyes, if you take me I follow you.

Morning Walk -- September 13, 1975, Vrndavana:

Dhṛṣṭaketu: So although we can't see it with our material eyes, their position is very precarious.

Prabhupāda: We have no eyes to see. We see through Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa sees, we see. This is Kṛṣṇa conscious. We are not perfect. Our position is that we are not perfect. But we are perfect so long we follow Kṛṣṇa, that's all. Just like I am blind man. I am not perfect. But if you have got eyes, if you take me I follow you. Then I am perfect. Kṛṣṇa assures that "You surrender to Me and I will make you free from all dangers," and we accept Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Our method is very easy. The child is walking, unable to walk, falling down. The parents say, father says, "My dear child, just catch my hand." Then he's safe. These Māyāvādīs, they go against the verdict of God. God says that "The living entities are My part and parcel," and they say, "I am God." So that is their foolishness. Part and parcel... Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivaṁso jīva-bhutaḥ (BG 15.7). Otherwise why God says, "Surrender unto Me," if you are equal with Him? Why God is asking, "Surrender unto Me"? You are not equal. You are rascal.