Identification with the body (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"bodily" |"body" |"identification" |"identifies" |"identify" |"identifying"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "identif* bod*"@8

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

There is another verse in this chapter:

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt satām

(SB 1.2.17)

Our heart is filled up with dirty things. The dirty things is misunderstanding. The first misunderstanding is accepting, identifying oneself with this body: "I am this body," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am this," "I am that." This identification is one of the greatest misunderstanding, and when Kṛṣṇa began His teaching in the Bhagavad-gītā, He first...

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). One who thinks this body as himself, as self, and bodily relations, sva-dhīḥ, "They are my own, my brother, my family, my nation, my community, my society," so many things, my, I and mine Misconception of "I" as this body and misconception of "my" in relationship with body. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). Bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, bhūmi, bhūmi means land. Ijya-dhīḥ, ijya means worshipable. So at the present moment it is very strong, the conceit that "I am this body," and "I am American," and "I am Indian," "I am European," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am śūdra," "I am this, those...," so many. This is very strong and bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, that because I am identifying to a certain type of body, and wherefrom the body has come out, the land is worshipable. That is nationalism. So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13), yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile, and tīrtha, place of pilgrimage.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

So at the present moment it is very strong, the conceit that "I am this body," and "I am American," and "I am Indian," "I am European," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am śūdra," "I am this, those...," so many. This is very strong and bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, that because I am identifying to a certain type of body, and wherefrom the body has come out, the land is worshipable. That is nationalism. So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13), yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile, and tīrtha, place of pilgrimage.

We go, we take bath in the river, like the Christians, they take bath in the Jordan River, or Hindus, they go to Hardwar, take bath in the Ganges, or Vṛndāvana, they take bath. But they think by taking bath in that water, his job is finished. No. Actually the job is to go to such pilgrimages, holy places, to find out experience spiritual advancement.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

We are in three status of life. Actually, we are the spirit soul covered by two kinds of dresses. Just like you gentlemen, you are also covered by two kinds of dresses-underwear and coat, shirt and coat. Similarly... Actually "I am" means I am not this shirt and coat. I am within the shirt and coat. Similarly, I, the soul, I am covered by two kinds of layers—mind, intelligence, and false ego. False ego means I am considering, "I am this American dress," "I am this Indian dress." Because I am identifying with this body. If I ask somebody, "What you are, sir?" "I am American." "What you are, sir?" "I am Indian." "I am brāhmaṇa." "I am kṣatriya." But these are the designations. This is not my real identification. The Vedic information is, when I understand I am ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am Brahman, or the spirit soul. That is my beginning of identification.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975:

Artificially you have opened this United Nation, but your conception is, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." So how it can be, there can be unity? It is not possible. That is not brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. That is prakṛta stage, identifying with this body. So long you identify with this body when you are in the material conception of life, there is no question of spiritual understanding, there is no question of joyfulness, there is no question of freedom from lamentation and hankering and there is no question of equality. It is all false show.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

Hṛdy antaḥ sthaḥ. Hṛdy antaḥ sthaḥ means the contaminations which we have accumulated within our heart, that will be washed off. That will be washed off so that your heart will be cleansed of all rubbish things. And, as soon as all rubbish things are cleared off, then we are situated in pure consciousness. Because it is very difficult to understand, to eradicate oneself from all the designation. Suppose I am Indian. Is it very easy...? It is not very easy to take it for granted immediately that I am not Indian, I am pure soul? Similarly, anyone, to not identify with this bodily designation, it is not very easy task. But still, if we go on hearing the kṛṣṇa-kathā, as we have begun here, it will be very easy. It will be very easy.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

What is that intelligence? That "I am the part and parcel of the supreme consciousness, pure soul. I am not this body." This is called intelligence. If you identify yourself, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this or that," then you are material placed.(?) If you identify yourself that "I am neither American, nor Indian, but I am pure consciousness, I am subordinate consciousness of the supreme consciousness, or, in other words, I am servant of God...

Lecture on SB 1.2.31 -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

Whatever was done in the past, what will happen in the future, and what is happening, everything is known to Kṛṣṇa. Vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ. But we have lost our consciousness. We have lost our memory that we have past, that we are parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa, and we are identifying with this material world in different capacities. Somebody's identifying with this body; somebody's identifying with the society or community or nation or country. But Kṛṣṇa does not become such materially affected. Vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ. He's always conscious.

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:

Pārāśarya mahā-bhāga bhavataḥ kaccid ātmanā parituṣyati. "Do you think that you'll be satisfied identifying yourself with this material body or mind? That is not possible." Parituṣyati śārīra ātmā mānasa eva vā. Śārīraḥ śarīrābhimāny ātmā, ātmanā tena śarīreṇa kaccit kiṁ parituṣyati(?). One who is... "You have compiled so many books on this concept of life, that the living entities are, some of them are considering that 'I am this body,' and some of them are considering 'I am this mind,' and some of them are considering 'I am this intelligence,' but he is none of them. He's above this. He's transcendental." Unless he comes to that position, there is no question of paritoṣa, or satisfaction.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

Now, if somebody goes and chews the chewed sugar cane, what relish, what taste he will get? Similarly, because we have no information of spiritual life, we are simply chewing the chewed. That's all. In a different way. This way or that way, this way or that way. And that is sex life. That's all.

So that will not give us happiness. This is the purport of the question of Nārada Muni. Pārāśarya mahā-bhāga bhavataḥ kaccid ātmanā. "Do you think that the soul can be pacified, the soul can be in peace by identifying himself with the body and the mind?" No. That cannot be. "And you are the first-class example." Why?

Lecture on SB 1.7.5-6 -- Johannesburg, October 15, 1975:

This is called sammohita, bewildered. If you are running on a car, if you think, "I am the car," as it is foolishness, similarly, I have got this yantra, machine, body, and it is running on on account of my presence, or I am driving, or Kṛṣṇa is giving me intelligence how to drive, but if I identify myself with this body, exactly like a foolish man—he is driving the car, and if he identifies himself with the car, he is a foolish man—so this is called sammohita. Yayā sammohito jīva. Therefore the example, as I was citing last night, that we do not see the driver, and when the driver goes away, then we see that the car is not moving, and then I can understand, "Oh, the driver, my father, or my son, has gone away." We sometimes cry, "My father has gone away," or "My son has gone away," but because we are sammohita, we actually never saw the father or the son. We accepted this coat-pant body as father and son. This is called sammoha, bewildered.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 23, 1975:

This is our life. But this is not our life—eating, sleeping, mating and bhayam. These things are required only dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt, when we identify with the dvitīya, means the second. Second means I am not this body, but the body is the second feature. So when I identify myself with this body, that is called dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ. And on account of our thoughts being absorbed in the secondary body, we are suffering.

Lecture on SB 1.7.26 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1976:

Similarly the whole material world is nothing but an imitation of the spiritual world by intermixture of earth, water, and fire—and nothing else.

But because we are not beyond this material existence, we are in the material..., I am identifying with this body, therefore I am thinking that after the finish of this body everything is finished. This is rascaldom, atheism. No. But Kṛṣṇa gives information, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is right information. Kṛṣṇa, the supreme authority, gives you the information that don't think that this body is finished, therefore everything is finished. No. Not everything finished. The soul is being carried by the subtle body." The example is given just like when the air passes through the rose garden and you smell very nice fragrance. You cannot see what is that fragrance, but you experience that there is some fragrance. Wherefrom?

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

The first instruction. The so-called spiritual institution, spiritual system, but they do not know that what he is, what they are. The bodily identification. Anyone who is bodily identified, there is no question of spiritual instruction. He is an ass. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). The first spiritual instruction is, one must be convinced thoroughly, vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ, that he is not this body. "I am not this body. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi." This realization, "I am spirit soul. I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman." Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Brahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Lecture on SB 1.15.21 -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1973:

"You are talking like a very learned scholar." Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). "You are talking just like you know..." Just like our so-called scientists, they speak as if they know everything, but real thing they do not know. That is zero. What is spirit, they do not know. They are thinking this body. And according to Vedic knowledge, if one is misguided on the bodily identification of ourself, he is animal. He is animal. He may be Ph.D., D.H.C. or something, but he is animal. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Because he does not know how the body is moving. And neither they can discover anything. When the body is dead... It is dead from the very beginning, but it was moving. Just like so long petrol is there, the motorcar moves. But as soon as there is... Now there is crisis. So how their motorcars will move? They are concerned. So why their crisis? Because the petrol is the life of the movement of the motorcar. Similarly, that spiritual spark, or spirit soul, is the petrol of this body.

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975:

Tama means darkness. They do not know what they are. Ask any scientist, any philosopher, "What you are?" He will say, "I am this body. I am Indian. I am American. I am white. I am black. I am this. I am that. I am Christian. I am Hindu." He will say. But all these designation is outward, external. Eho bāhya, āge kaha āra. But everyone is going on, big, big man, identifying himself with this body. So they are all fools, tama, in darkness.

Lecture on SB 1.15.31 -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1973:

Pradyumna: "The most part of our ignorance is our identifying this material body with the self. Everything in relation with the body is ignorantly accepted as our own. Doubts due to misconceptions of 'myself' and 'mine,' in other words, 'my body,' 'my relatives,' 'my property,' 'my wife,' 'my wealth,' 'my country,' 'my community' and hundreds of thousands of similar illusory contemplations, cause bewilderment for the conditioned soul."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is our ignorance. Just like this example is given in the śāstra that the river waves are flowing, water is flowing, and by the combination of the waves many straws come together at one time, and, after some time, again they are distributed, thrown here and there. We have got everyone experience. Similarly, in this material world everyone of us we have gathered together like the straws. Actually we are under the waves of the material nature. So, when we gather together, we make a community that "We are Americans," that "We are Indians," that "We are this," "We are that," "We are family..."

Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:

This family is mine. This wife is mine. The children is mine. Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine." So you have to become nirmama, without "mine." And why we are accepting this "mine," ahaṅkāra? Ahaṅkāra. Ahaṅkāra means false ahaṅkāra, false identification. So everyone is fighting because the false identification, "I am this body." He does not know. In this way we are so much in ignorance. Therefore the word used, mūḍha, is the appropriate word. Mūḍha, "rascal." We call everyone rascal. That is a harsh word. But actually that is the fact. They do now know what is what.

So if you actually are serious about stopping this rascaldom and wish to go back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, you become fully qualified. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra... (SB 5.18.12).

Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

First business is to become free from the designation. If you think yourself that "I am American," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Indian," "I am black," "I am white," these are all designation. So sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam, when you become transcendental to all designation, when you come to the platform to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), then you become happy.

So long we are with designations, we are not happy. To become designationless means feeling complete happiness. That is the test. If you simply artificially say that "I am not identifying with this body," that is fact. But real identification with..., identification with the body will be realized when you don't feel pains and pleasure. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam, hṛṣīkeṇa. When your senses will be purified in that way, without any designation, then you can begin devotional service.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Melbourne, June 26, 1974:

Devotee (2): One was to identify with the body as the self like the animals. And then you mentioned... You said there were three altogether.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Bodily conception, mental conception and spiritual conception. When one is ignorant, he is like animal. When he is farther advanced, he is a philosopher. And when he is farther advanced, he is a devotee. These are three different stages: like animal, like philosopher and like devotee. So when you think like devotee, that is perfection. And you think that "I am American," "I am Indian"—that is animal. So it is according to the advancement of one's life. There are three stages: animal conception, mental conception and spiritual conception. So spiritual conception is perfect, all perfect. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Tyaktvā deham. Everyone has to give up this body, material body. You cannot remain permanently Indian or this party or that party. You have to change your body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). So why should you waste your time in this way, that "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am horse," "I am cat," "I am dog"? There is no difference. If a dog is thinking that "I am dog," and if I am thinking "I am Indian," where is the difference? The mentality is the same: I'm identifying with the body. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Go-khara. Go means cow, and khara means ass. Anyone who's identifying with this body as self, he's go-khara, animal. So this animal civilization is not meant for India's culture. India's culture is different. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). This is India's culture. Why should we identify ourself as animal—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this"? It is wrong type of civilization, go-khara civilization.

Lecture on SB 2.3.23 -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1972:

As soon as the spirit soul is out of this body, out of this bag of flesh and bone ... We are so much attached to this bag of flesh and bones, but those who are learned, they know that this body is nothing but flesh and bones. The real person, the real force, is the soul. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). A bag of bones and fleshes. This is not our identification. I am not this body. Do you think if you take some bones and flesh and accumulate them and bundle them, will they produce any intelligence? If I am this body, then this body means a bundle of flesh and bones. So the flesh and bones can be had outside. The scientists can take them and bind them together and then see that it is coming, a scientist, another scientist, Professor Einstein is coming from the bones and flesh. Is it possible? It is not possible.

Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

Actually, hari-nāma... Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). It is especially meant for cleansing the heart. That every... All misconception is within our heart, beginning from the wrong identification, that "I am this body." That is the beginning of all misconception. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). So as you go on chanting, gradually the heart will be cleansed, and you'll be able to understand that you are not this body.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

You require it for movement. But you should, you know very well that "I am not this car. I am taking service from the car. The car should be maintained to give me regular service, not that I shall identify with this car." Similarly, this body is just like car, mechanical car. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61).

Māyā has given us this car for satisfying our desires. Sometimes it is called field. Kṣetra. We want to work on this, just like agriculturist work on his field and produce some results. Similarly, we are working on this field, we are moving by this car, but I am not this field, I am not this car.

Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

Try to understand. Have questions and answer. It is very important thing. Ātma-māyām ṛte rājan. Except ātma-māyā, the illusory energy... It is the maneuver or handling of the illusory energy of Kṛṣṇa. This illusory energy develops when we forget Kṛṣṇa. That's all. It is... In other words, this illusory identification of me with the body is simply due to my forgetfulness. We wanted to forget, we wanted to give up Kṛṣṇa and wanted to enjoy this material world. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is giving us...

Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Mamāham iti manyate. Now, because we are identified with this body, therefore we are so much attached to this material world, "my" and "I." "I am this body, and I have got some bodily relation with somebody, so he is mine, she is mine." There are thousands of women, but because I have got one bodily relation with one woman, "Oh, she is my wife." There are thousands of children and because one child is bodily related, that is my child. There are many houses, but the house in which I take rest, that is my house. There are many cars, but which car I use, that is my car. So this mamāham iti manyate. The body is not mine, and in bodily relation, anything, that is also not mine. That is the conclusion. But due to the influence of māyā I am thinking, "I am this body, and anything in relation to my body, that is mine." So "My wife, my children, my house, my family, my society, my country, my nation."

Lecture on SB 2.9.4 -- Japan, April 22, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Generally people have many wrong conceptions about both of them. The wrong conception of the jīvātmā is to identify the material body with the pure soul. And the wrong conception of Paramātmā is to think Him on an equal level with the living entity. But both misconceptions can be removed by one stroke of bhakti-yoga, just as in the sunlight both the sun and the world and everything within the sunlight are properly seen. In the darkness no one can see the sun, nor himself, nor the world. But in the sunlight one can see the sun, himself, and the world around him. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī therefore says that for purification of both wrong conceptions, the Lord presented His eternal form before Brahmājī, being fully satisfied by Brahmā's nondeceptive vow of discharging bhakti-yoga."

Prabhupāda: Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). That is clearly said in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, "If you want to know Me, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga. No other means will...," because without full surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, nobody can know Him. Even a very important man in this world, you cannot know him by challenge. But if you surrender, it is possible to know him. Then? (break)

Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:

Nitāi: "When one is completely cleansed of the impurities of lust and greed produced from false identification of the body as 'I' and bodily possessions as 'mine,' one's mind becomes purified. In that pure state he transcends the stage of so-called material happiness and distress."

Prabhupāda:

ahaṁ mamābhimānotthaiḥ

kāma-lobhādibhir malaiḥ

vītaṁ yadā manaḥ śuddham

aduḥkham asukhaṁ samam

(SB 3.25.16)

In the previous verse it has been advised, guṇeṣu saktaṁ bandhāya rataṁ vā puṁsi muktaye. The process is that... (loud sound of firecrackers in background) The process is the mind has to be cleansed of all dirty things. Mind is the friend; mind is the enemy of everyone. If it is cleansed, then it is friends, and if it is dirty... Just like if you keep yourself unclean, then you contaminate some disease. And if you keep yourself clean, then you don't contaminate. If you take action, remaining...

Lecture on SB 3.25.17 -- Bombay, November 17, 1974:

You see just a like a full stop. So within that there is the soul. And within the elephant or big animal there is also the soul. The soul is there. Asmin dehe, dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). That is there.

So when we actually realize what we are, brahmānubhūti, then our life is successful. Now we are identifying with this body. So long we are identifying with this body, we are no better than the cats and dogs. Whatever knowledge you may have scientific knowledge, if you do not know yourself, then you are nothing but the animal. The animal does not know. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). If somebody considers that "This body, I am self," identifies... "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am man," "I am woman," "I am elephant," and so on...

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

"I am this body," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." In this way we are conscious of the designation. So we have to get out of the designation, and when we shall understand our real identity, not this bodily identity but spiritual soul identity, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Otherwise we are jīva-bhūtaḥ. So long we are identifying with this body, we are still sleeping. Kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole. Just like a child sleeps on the lap of the mother, similarly, we are sleeping on the lap of mother material nature. This is our position.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

I am not brahmacārī. I am not sannyāsī." "Not, not," neti, neti. "Then what you are?" Gopī-bhartuḥ pāda-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). This is self-realization. When we shall deny all this designation and we shall realize that I'm part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, that is self-realization. And so long we identify with this body and mind and do not know what I am, that is go-kharaḥ civilization, cows and asses civilization.

So especially in India we should be very careful not to follow the go-kharaḥ civilization. We must follow real civilization, Brahman civilization. This is the land of brahma-jñāna. This is the land of brāhmaṇas, brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. We are losing that.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- London, September 3, 1971:

That is real intelligence, "What I am? Am I this body? If I am not this body, then I am not American, I am not Indian, I am not black, I am not white, I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not śūdra." So many things become "I am not." And when you understand what you are, if you work on that basis, then there is no crisis. You are working on the wrong basis of understanding, identifying with this body yourself. You are not this body. Therefore unless one comes to the standard of inquiring, "What I am? Why I am forced to suffer? I do not like to suffer. I do not like to die. Why there is death? I do not like to become old man. Why I become old man? I do not want any disease. Why there is disease?" they are not making solution of these problems. They are after these temporary problems. Therefore they are working hard. Working hard means simply contaminating another kind of infection, and therefore the śarīra-bandha. Śarīra-bandha, different types of bodies I am transmigrating from one body to another.

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

Chant about and glorify the Supreme Lord, and look upon everyone equally on the spiritual platform. Give up enmity and subdue anger and lamentation. Abandon identifying the self with the body and the home, and practice reading the revealed scriptures. Live in a secluded place and practice the process by which you can completely control your life air, mind and senses. Have full faith in the revealed scriptures, the Vedic literatures, and always observe celibacy. Perform your prescribed duties and avoid unnecessary talks. Always thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, acquire knowledge from the right source. Thus practicing bhakti-yoga, you will patiently and enthusiastically be elevated in knowledge and will be able to give up the false ego."

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Honolulu, May 10, 1976:

The injunction is that tad viddhi, if you want to understand transcendental subject matter, not material, spiritual... Spiritual is completely unknown to us because we do not know what is spiritual. We are identifying with this body. You do not know even that "I am spirit soul." So where is the possibility of spiritual understanding? One cannot see himself, what he is. He is thinking, "I am this body," exactly like the dog. The dog is thinking, "I am dog." So if I think, "I am American," "I am Indian," where is the difference? There is no difference. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). If one thinks that "I am this body," then he's no better than sa eva go-kharaḥ. The animals, they also think like that, "I am this body."

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

So in the modern education there is no department for inquiring about ātma-tattvam. And they are proud of advancement of learning. But Bhāgavata says, parābhava: "These are all defeat." They do not know what is ātmā, what is ātma-tattva. They are identifying, "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Gujarati," "I am Bengali," "I am this," "I am that." Yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who identifies himself with this body, he is nothing but ass and cow. And that is going on. We are fighting, nations and nations, community and community, religious party and religious party—because due to the misidentification of body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins when one is above this bodily concept of life. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170).

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- New Orleans Farm, August 1, 1975:

Harikeśa (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "As a person in a dream while sleeping acts according to the body manifested in his dream, or accepts the body as himself, similarly, he identifies the present body as himself, which was acquired on account of past religious or irreligious life, and is not able to know of his past or future life."

Prabhupāda:

yathājñas tamasā (yukta)

upāste vyaktam eva hi

na veda pūrvam aparaṁ

naṣṭa-janma-smṛtis tathā

(SB 6.1.49)

This is our position. This is our advancement of science, that we do not know "What I was before this life and what I shall become after this life?" Life is continuation. That is spiritual knowledge. But they do not know also even that life is continuation. They think, "By chance, I have got this life, and it will be finished after death. There is no question of past, present or future. Let us enjoy." This is called ignorance, tamasā, irresponsible life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- Detroit, June 15, 1976:

Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "As a sleeping person acts according to the body manifested in his dreams and accepts it to be himself, so one identifies with his present body, which he acquired because of his past religious or irreligious actions, and is unable to know his past or future lives."

Prabhupāda:

yathājñas tamasā yukta

upāste vyaktam eva hi

na veda pūrvam aparaṁ

naṣṭa-janma-smṛtis tathā

(SB 6.1.49)

So ignorance, a very good example is given here, that in dream we forget everything, that I am Mr. such and such, I am inhabitant of such and such place—everything forgotten. And again when we are awakened, we forget about the dream. This is our daily experience. But in my awakening stage or dreaming stage, I am seeing both the activities. In the dream, I am the seer, and so-called awake, I am the seer. So I, the spirit soul, experiencing, I remain the same, but circumstances change.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

They cannot distinguish the characteristics of the soul. Simply they see superficially and, identifying with the body, there is always trouble. "I am this nation", "I am Englishman," "I am German," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brāhmaṇa", "I am this," "I am that," designation. So, one has to become free from this designation before one can understand what is spiritual life. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Sarvopādhi... These are designations, superficial.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that etair dvādaśabhir vidvān ātmano lakṣaṇaiḥ paraiḥ. Paraiḥ means superior. You have to distinguish ātmā by superior characteristics, not by inferior characteristics. And by understanding the ātmā's real position, ahaṁ mamety asad-bhāvaṁ dehādau mohajaṁ tyajet. You should give up the bodily identification which is a production of illusion, mohajaṁ. Production of illusion. As soon as I think I am American, "Why American money should go to India?" Immediately he becomes disqualified to become a member of the (indistinct), immediately. Because the same demoniac principle—"I am this." Mohajaṁ. Mohajaṁ—this is the production of illusion. Prahlāda Mahārāja says tyajet, "You should give up these demonic principles," tyajet. Tyajet, this is (indistinct)—must, must. There are different forms of verbs in Sanskrit. This form of verb means must. There is no argument, you must.

Lecture on SB 7.7.32-35 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1967, (incomplete lecture):

Because he is not seeing on the material platform; he is seeing on the spiritual platform. In the spiritual platform, there is no distinction. The all distinction is due to our material conception of life. Varieties, the bodies, there are 8,400,000 varieties of bodies, and because we are under the concept of this bodily, I mean to say, identification, therefore we see so many varieties.

So a person who is actually in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that if he prosecutes the devotional service under the guidance of bona fide spiritual master... That is the beginning of this verse: guru-śuśrūṣayā bhaktyā, beginning with serving the bona fide spiritual master.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 1, 1968:

So hitvātmā-ghāṭam andha-kūpaṁ. This material world is just like that blind well. If somebody falls down in it, it is very difficult to get out of it. Therefore it is ātmā-ghāṭam. Ātma-ghāṭam means killing the soul. How we are killing the soul? We forget that "I am spirit soul." Therefore almost every one of us is forgetful that "I am spirit soul. I am identifying with this body." And Prahlāda Mahārāja says, because we have identified with this body, therefore we are always anxious, full of anxieties. And that is the fact.

Lecture on SB 7.9.17 -- Mayapur, February 24, 1976:

Duḥkhauṣadhaṁ tad api duḥkham atad-dhiyāham. Atat. Atat means untruth, flickering, not... Atad-dhiyāham. We do not know what is our identification. Misunderstanding. Dehātma-buddhi. Asad-grahāt. Atat, asat, the same thing. We have accepted this body, identifying this body, on account of this. If you are on the spiritual platform, then there is no trouble, there is no misunderstanding. If we understand properly by education or knowledge that "You are also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I am also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Our real position is to serve the Lord," so if we serve that, then there is no misunderstanding. If we be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, there cannot be any misunderstanding. Otherwise, if we work on the platform of this body, material body, there must be misunderstanding.

Lecture on SB 7.9.33 -- Mayapur, March 11, 1976:

That is the beginning of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching.

When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was approached by Sanātana Gosvāmī, his first question was ke āmi: "Who am I?" This is the first education, spiritual education. And the same thing is taught in the Bhagavad-gītā because Arjuna was too much identifying himself in the bodily conception of life: "I belong to this Kurus' family, so if I kill them, then family will be ruined. The women will be widows, and they'll be corrupted. Then there will be unwanted children, varṇa-saṅkara, and in this way the whole world will be hellish," and so on, so on, so many, but beginning with the bodily conception of life. All, what was, Arjuna was explaining to Kṛṣṇa, that was... From material point of view, it is very nice. He wanted to become nonviolent. He did not like to kill his family members. He, rather, liked to forego his claim, that "I don't want. Let them enjoy."

Lecture on SB 7.9.33 -- Mayapur, March 11, 1976:

So if you study this point only, you'll see the whole world is full of fools and rascals, that's all, because everyone is identifying with his body. There is fight, the United Nation. What is this United Nation nonsense? Assembly of rascals and fools, that's all. (laughter) Because they have got this bodily concept of life we can say, freely. There is no—what is called?—defaming. Everyone, fools and rascals. How we can say? On the strength of Vedic knowledge. This is our power. Otherwise how we can challenge the United Nation that "You are all assembly of fools and rascals"? This is Vedic knowledge. We can say and prove it, that they are all fools and rascals from the spiritual point of view because they do not know their identification.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

We are not this deha, this body. We are dehī, only accepting. Just like I am not this shirt. I am different from this shirt. This is called self-realization. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am spirit soul. That is jñāna. So long I am identifying with this body, then my..., I am in ignorance, I am a go-kharaḥ. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). But unfortunately, these people are going under the identification of this body. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am white," "I am black," "I am learned," " I am fool," " I am rich," "I am poor." All these designations are our ignorance. Therefore, Prahlāda Mahārāja says dehinām. Anyone who has accepted this body, tat sādhu manye 'sura-vārya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyam. Because the living entity, although spirit soul, he has accepted this material body, asat. Asat means which will not exist.

Lecture on SB 7.9.49 -- Vrndavana, April 4, 1976:

Now, after being brahma-bhūtaḥ, realizing oneself that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul," he becomes relieved from all these anxieties. Because here in the material world it is full of anxieties because we are identifying with this body. This is the cause of anxiety. But as soon as I realize myself that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," then all my anxiety is gone. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). I am always very much anxious to give protection to my body. But we understand that na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Even your body is annihilated, you are not annihilated. That understanding is lacking. One who understands-na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then there is no fight between one nation to one nation, one animal to one animal, one man to one... There is no more. Samaḥ sarveṣu.

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

There is no beginning of spiritual life. Spiritual life begins when one understands that he is not this body. Brahma-bhūtaḥ, brahma-bhūtḥ. So long one identifies with the body, he is jīva-bhūtaḥ. Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). And when one realizes ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am Brahman..." But unfortunately Māyāvādī philosophers, they take it ahaṁ brahmāsmi means "I am the Supreme Brahman." No. Brahmāsmi means "I am spirit soul." Spirit soul is Brahman, and the Supreme Brahman is different. Supreme Brahman, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12), that is Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu-tattva. So unfortunately these Māyāvādī philosophers, they accept brahmāsmi means "I am the Supreme." We are not the Supreme.

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

Bodily exercises can help me little, but that is not spiritual platform. The (indistinct), kuṇḍalinī, these are to the bodily concept of life. Actually, to tell the truth, those who are too much bodily absorbed, that "I am this body," for them this yoga practice is recommended. Not for the intelligent man. Because one who identifies himself with this body, he is not very intelligent. But because such persons are not very intelligent, for them this bodily exercise of yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, is recommended. Not for the intelligent person. Intelligent person, they take immediately to the devotional service, immediate. Just like Kṛṣṇa..., Lord Caitanya begins immediately spiritual life, and He instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is spiritual life. You... From the very beginning, you take it for granted that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.

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

Lord Caitanya begins immediately spiritual life, and He instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is spiritual life. You... From the very beginning, you take it for granted that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. I am not this body. Neither I have anything to do in relationship with this body." Because as soon as I identify with my body, then the family relation, the society relation, the national relation, the country relation, so many things in relationship with the body we accept as truth. But that is not truth. As soon as the body finishes, everything finishes. Therefore, Prahlāda Mahārāja says, yoga is also not helpful for approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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

Therefore, first of all, one has to come to the standard of varṇāśrama-dharma. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu's position can be obtained by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu by this saṅkīrtana movement. He is giving that. That means we have to come to that position when we don't identify with this body. This varṇāśrama-dharma is identification with this body: "I am a brāhmaṇa." "I am a brāhmaṇa," what does it mean? This is bodily qualification, but I have got little more knowledge than others. I know what is Brahman. But still, I am not a Vaiṣṇava. Unless I become a Vaiṣṇava, I come to the position of a brāhmaṇa and then I engage himself in the Brahman's service, that is Vaiṣṇava. That is required. Simply... But in order to raise oneself to the highest standard of life, these principles of varṇāśrama-dharma should be followed. You cannot become M.A. without becoming a student in the school and college.

Lecture on SB 11.3.21 -- New York, April 13, 1969:

Because if the finger is cut off, that I am not dead, therefore I am not finger. It is very easy to understand. So you meditate on every part of your body. You'll come to the conclusion, if you are sane, that "I am not this body. The body is mine. I am not this dress. The dress is mine." That is the conclusion. Then what I am? At the present moment I am identifying with this body, with this dress. (child disturbing) That is illusion. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Bhāgavata says anyone who is identifying himself with this body, he's an ass. He's not even a human being. Actually it is so, because I am not this body. And the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā is with this proposition, that you are not this body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). The body is growing because I am sitting within this body.