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Immortal (BG and SB Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"immortal" |"immortality" |"immortalized" |"immortalizes" |"immortally"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

This Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to become immortal. Then, when he was refused by Lord Brahmā that "You cannot become immortal, that is not possible," then, in a roundabout way, he took benediction from Lord Brahmā that he would not die on land, on water, on the sky, no weapon can kill him, no demigod can kill him. In this way, roundabout way, he thought now he has become immortal. So to keep the words of Brahmā as it is, the Lord assumed a form which is not within his description. And instead of killing him with a weapon He killed him by the nails. Nail is not considered as a weapon. So He killed him between day and night, because he also took benediction that "I shall not die during daytime or nighttime." So God, Kṛṣṇa, is so intelligent that we may try to become immortal by so many scientific brain, but there will be some flaw and he wants, must be killed. This is God's intelligence.

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

Just like you have heard the name of Socrates. Soc..., a great philosopher, Greek philosopher. He believed in the immortality of soul. So he was punished in the court. Hemlock. Hemlock was offered to him, that "All right, if you believe the immortality of soul, then you drink this hemlock poison." So he drunk because he was firmly convinced that "Even if I drink this poison... My body will be destroyed, but by destruction of my body, I am not going to be destroyed." He was convinced. So he did not lament. So a paṇḍita, learned man, must know that this body and soul, the distinction, the difference between body and soul... The body is not soul, and the soul is not body, and one who knows, he is learned man. This instruction is given first. So for spiritual advancement this first knowledge, that the body and the soul is different... This body cannot be identified with the soul. You see? The soul is there, but body is not soul. Body is not soul. So every learned man knows it, and we should be...

I think we can stop here. (end)
Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

Yes. Let them talk all nonsense. But we have got information that this moon planet is a very nice planet, and the inhabitants there, they are very intelligent and the people who perform pious work here in this planet, they are promoted, promoted to the moon planet. And it is very cold also. Just like your European countries and American countries because, due to... You have come from America. America, European countries, people are accustomed to drink because due to the cold climate. Indians are not accustomed. But your drinking is necessary thing in Europe. Similarly, this moon planet is so cold that they live by drinking soma-rasa. There is a kind of liquor which is called soma-rasa. Yes. Soma-rasa. Soma-rasa. Soma-rasa, here, it is described in Āyur-veda. That soma-rasa preparation is there. If anyone can prepare that soma-rasa, and anyone can drink that soma-rasa, he becomes immortal. That means his duration of life increases. Increases. So anyway, these descriptions are there. So there are intelligent living beings there also.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

There is another example. Kṛṣṇa says... Because the soul is immortal, eternal, so if somebody kills somebody, the body is destroyed, but the soul is not destroyed. So if one thinks that "I have killed him, he's finished," he's also foolish. And one who thinks that "If I have died in the fight, then I will be finished." No. Ubhau tau na vijānītaḥ. Both of them are ignorant. Ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate. The living soul is never killed, neither he can kill others. For duty's sake... Of course, when there is fight... That is called dharma-yuddha. Dharma-yuddha, by the order of the Supreme. Just like Arjuna was fighting by the order of the Supreme. That is dharma-yuddha. If there is no sanction by the dharma, there is śāstra injunction, "In this case fighting should be there, in case, in this case, there should be no fighting..." So one who follows the principles of regulation in the Vedas, that is called dharma-yuddha. Even there is fight, there is religion, there is piety. Even by killing and being killed. Two kṣatriyas are fighting.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa is addressing Arjuna, puruṣarṣabha, the best of the men. "O the best of the men." Certainly, Arjuna is the best of the mankind. Because he is directly friend of Kṛṣṇa, who can be better man than him? The best of the men. So the best of the men, why he's distressed in executing his duty? Therefore, this very word is used, that "You are the best of the men." Actually, the best of the men should not be disturbed by any material condition. He should discharge his duties. And what is the duty? Duty is to become immortal. This is the duty. The lowest of the men does not know how to become immortal, amṛta. Mṛta means death and amṛta means no death. The modern rascal civilization cannot understand that there is possibility of becoming immortal. They have taken it, accepted it; "Well, who can stop?" They are simply scientifically calculating that "Some day will come, by science, we shall be immortal, there will be no death." The formula is given here by Kṛṣṇa how to become immortal. That means you should be callous of this so-called happiness and distress of this material world. That is the first qualification. One who doesn't care what is the distress and happiness of this body, he must execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the qualification. "Oh, I cannot execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness because there are so many inconveniences," he's not fit for becoming immortal.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

People do not know that there can, we can become immortal. Immortal we are, but we have been embodied in this material body. Therefore we have to accept mortality, birth and death. These things stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, this is the beginning of spiritual life. Spiritual life means how to become immortal. They come to ask me, "Sir, do you know some spiritual magic? Kuṇḍalinī, yoga? This? That?" All for material benefit. Spiritualist means something magic so that you can get some material benefit. If by stretching your hand you can get some little quantity of gold, then you are spiritualist: "Oh, here is a man, wonderful spiritualist. He can create gold. He can cure disease by simply..." What is called? Fooing.(?) Like that. They want to see magic only for material benefit. What is called? Miracles. That is spiritualist. (aside:) Not in that way; let him sit backside this. Spiritual life means how to become immortal. Amṛtatvāya. So 'mṛtatvāya kalpate. Kṛṣṇa has explained,

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya
śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ
āgamāpāyino 'nityās
tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata
(BG 2.14)

Tāṁs titikṣasva. Don't be disturbed by the sensuous disturbance of the body. Become dhīra. Dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Become dhīra.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

So one who has practiced to become dhīra, not to become disturbed by the sensuous or bodily sensations, he's supposed to be kalpate, he's supposed to be, to become immortal at the end. And the Bhāgavata says also that you do not become a spiritual master, you do not become a father, you do not become a mother, you do not become a friend, a relative, in this way, if you cannot make your subordinate immortal. Pitā na sa syāt, gurur na sa syāt, gurur na sa syāt, jananī na sā syāt pitā na sa syāt. In this way, there is a list. You become father of hundreds of children. That's all right. No restriction. You beget children. But you must make your children immortal. That is the injunction. You have become guru. That's all right, Guruji Mahārāja. That's all right. But make your disciples immortal. Otherwise, don't, don't cheat others. Cheaters. Illicit father, illicit mother. As we say, illicit sex. Similarly illicit father, illicit mother. Who is illicit father, illicit mother? Who cannot make his children immortal. That is the aim of human life. How to become immortal. How... Not to become, we are immortal. Just like a person, he's diseased, attacked by fever. Fever is not his natural condition, but somehow or other, he has got fever. Similarly, we are immortal. That will be explained. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. The living entity never takes birth, never dies. Therefore immortal. Immortal means no birth, no death. That is immortal. Whenever there is birth, there is death. If there is no birth, there is no death. That is immortality.

So the whole scheme is Vedic scheme, not otherwise: how to become immortal.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

So when Viśvāmitra Muni came to Mahārāja Daśaratha, as we ask, "How are you?" so Daśaratha, Mahārāja Daśaratha inquired from Viśvāmitra Muni, aihistam yad punar janmajaya: (?)"My dear sir, if there is anything disturbance in your occupation? Because you are trying to conquer over death." All the great ṛṣis and saintly persons, all spiritual realization means to conquer over death. So this was the question. ihistam yad tam punar janmajaya.(?) Punar janma, you are trying to own over repetition of birth. The modern civilization, they do not know that it is possible. It is possible to become immortal, to have eternal blissful life of knowledge. That is called immortality. Sac-cid-ānanda. Sat means eternity and cit means knowledge and ānanda means pleasure, bliss. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda vigraha (Bs. 5.1). His transcendental body is eternal, blissful and complete knowledge, His body. Therefore He's speaking Bhagavad-gītā. If He's an ordinary man, what is the use of hearing Him? Ordinary man will commit mistake, will cheat, will be illusioned. His senses are imperfect; how he can give complete knowledge? That is not possible. Therefore we are not concerned to hear any rascal.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

Therefore, we have to select guru. Guru means Kṛṣṇa. As Arjuna has selected guru, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I am, I become Your śiṣya, disciple, and I surrender unto You." So to get perfect knowledge, we have to find out Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's bona fide representative. Then there is perfect knowledge. Then we can become immortal. Unless we get perfect knowledge. So Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), immortal. Kṛṣṇa is full of bliss, full of knowledge, and we are also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So we have also the same quality, sac-cid-ānanda, the spiritual body. But because we have contacted this material nature, our blissfulness, our eternity, our knowledge, everything is now disturbed. Everything is now disturbed. We cannot be completely blissful. Anything you take, any pleasurable thing you take, it cannot give you always pleasure. It is not possible. This is not possible in this material world. However you may try scientifically to prolong your duration of life, live forever, it is not possible. And however you may pose yourself, cheat others, that you are the best man in knowledge, philosopher, scientist, you are a fool. That is not possible. Sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ is Kṛṣṇa only (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

When these rascals forget that unless he goes back to home, goes back to Kṛṣṇa he'll never be happy, that is the discrepancy of occupational duty. They have come here, kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare (Prema-vivarta), he has come here to enjoy, to lord it over the material nature, and has become entangled. So Kṛṣṇa comes, descends, to save us, to give us shelter at His lotus feet so that we may also become immortal like Kṛṣṇa, full of bliss and full of knowledge. That is called amṛtatva.

So unless we have got our aim, target of life, then what is the value of life? This is amṛtatvāya. Is there any institution, is there educational institution or university or college where this teaching is given, that how you can become immortal? Is there any institution in the world? Throughout the whole world? No. They are simply teaching that you live like animal and die like animal. That's all. You live like cats and dog and you die like cats and dogs and again become cats and dogs.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

So, but we do not know. We want to become powerful here by so-called science, so-called yoga, kuṇḍalinī and what other nonsense they are think... They are trying to be immortal, powerful. No, sir, that is not possible. It is not possible. Therefore, people do not know. Na te viduḥ. They do not know. Svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum. Our aim should be how to approach Viṣṇu. How to go back to home, back to Godhead. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31). They're hoping, very durāśayā, means very badly, wrongly, that they want to be happy by adjustment of this material world. The yogic process is also another material gymnastic. We have not heard any yogi has become successful to get immortality. No, that is not possible. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Those who are trying to adjust this material world by science or yoga, without caring for Viṣṇu, what they are? Andha. They are blind. Andha. And their leaders? They are also blind. Andhā yathā upanīyamānāḥ andhena. One blind man is trying to lead another blind man. So what is the wrong there? Te 'pīśa-tantryāṁ baddhāḥ: They are bound up by the laws of nature, hand and legs tight. How they can become free and happy by such endeavor? That is not possible. So, so simply by taking Kṛṣṇa consciousness it will be nice? Yes.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

And some party which has no bona fide contribution, they will accept that: "Oh it is very nice." So first of all they're all bad, and if they accept something, that will also be very bad. Why? Unfortunate. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Manda-bhāgyāḥ means unfortunate. And above that, upadrutāḥ. Always disturbed by taxes, no rains, no sufficient food. So many things. This is the position of Kali-yuga. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said... Caitanya Mahāprabhu not. It is in the Vedic literature, that you cannot do the yoga practice, meditation or offering big, big sacrifices or construct big, big temples for worshiping the Deity. It is very, very difficult nowadays. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and gradually you'll realize how to become immortal.

Thank you very much. (end)
Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

So we have been discussing for the last four days about the constitutional position of the soul. First thing, we have discussed that the living being... This body is not the living being, but the living being is within the body. Just like the motorcar is not the driver; the driver is within the motorcar. Now, that driver, or the soul, within the body is immortal. And it is transmigrating from one body to another. So this transmigration from one body to another is not very good business. Just like if you are living in some apartment and you have to change immediately for another, immediately for another, do you not get disgusted? Naturally we desire that "If I get some permanent apartment, it is very good." Actually we want that. Nobody wants to die. Even a person or living being in the most wretched condition of life, if you propose that "Let me kill you," he'll not agree. Therefore the psychology is that every living being does not want to die. So, but actually we are not subject to death or birth. That will be discussed. We have somehow or other, by chance or by coincidence, we have acquired this material body. Actually it is not by chance, but we wanted to lord it over the material world, therefore we have got this material body.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

That is called dhīra. Dhīra means the cause of agitation or disturbance is present there, but one is not disturbed. So in order to advance in spiritual life we have to become dhīra. And that is said here, sama-duḥkha-sukhaṁ dhīram. As soon as one become dhīra, sober, these so-called material pains and pleasure does not disturb me (him). Then he is fit for becoming immortal. Everyone is immortal, but he is fallen in such material condition that he thinks himself as mortal. Because I am spirit soul, therefore the Vedic injunction that feel:(?) ahaṁ brahmāsmi, so 'ham, means "I am as good as the Supreme Being," means "He is eternal; I am also eternal. He is also living being; I am also living being." That means qualitatively we are one, God and me. But quantitatively, He is great; we are small.

So we have to realize this, that we can become eternal, immortal, all qualified like God, if we get out of these material clutches. And for this, we have to become dhīra. Dhīra means, I have already explained, not to be disturbed, even the cause of disturbance is there. So that is the qualification of becoming immortal.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

In the previous verse, yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha, Kṛṣṇa says: "Those who are not disturbed by the material changes..." Sama-duḥkha-sukhaṁ dhīraṁ so 'mṛtatvāya kalpate. Our mission, human mission, is to come to the platform of amṛtatvam, immortality. We have discussed this point. Amṛtatvam, immortality. The modern civilization, the so-called scientists, philosophers, they cannot imagine even that there is possibility of becoming immortal. They cannot imagine. Their brain is so dull that they cannot think of, that we can become immortal. Then how Kṛṣṇa is speaking about immortality? Is He speaking something nonsense, utopian? No, He is speaking the fact. Otherwise, if Kṛṣṇa speaks something nonsense, utopian, then nobody would be interested to read Bhagavad-gītā. We may be third-class men, that we indulge in Bhagavad-gītā, and Kṛṣṇa is speaking something utopian, nonsense. But there are big, big ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya. Why they are giving attention to the reading of Bhagavad-gītā? Kṛṣṇa does not speak anything nonsense. It is fact. So if it is the fact that there is possibility of becoming immortal... That is sat.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

So sat... Our business should be to be engaged in the sat platform, not in the asat platform. Asat platform, nonpermanent, or according to somebody's opinion, false. So false or nonpermanent, whatever it may be, the real human civilization should be based on the purpose of becoming immortal, sat, not asat. That is the distinction between India and other countries. Now I am not speaking of India of today, but India as it is. Big, big ācāryas, just like Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is the original ācārya. Therefore the birthday of guru is called vyāsa-pūjā. Vyāsa-pūjā means original guru. Guru is the representative of Vyāsadeva. This throne is called vyāsāsana, sitting place of Vyāsadeva. So one who is representative of Vyāsadeva, he can sit on this throne. So guru, by paramparā system, guru is seated on the vyāsāsana because he is the representative. Just like in the high-court, the bench, it is called bench. Actually, the bench is to be used by the head of the executive power, the king or the president. But the high-court judge is the representative of the head executive; therefore, he sits on that bench.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

So the (purport) (?) purpose is that the East and West difference is that the Eastern people, Eastern people means India, they stressed on this sat portion, the permanent portion, the spiritual civilization. Their aim was "How to make this life perfect so that I can become immortal." As I explained the other day, aihistam yat punar janmejaya, yat tat punar janmajayaya.(?) The whole effort was how to conquer over birth and death. So modern people they do not understand that birth and death can be conquered. They can imagine it. Sometimes they say that "By scientific advancement, someday we shall become immortal." They also expect to become immortal. But, expect or not expect, here is the information from Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says; He's not speaking something nonsense or utopian. It is fact that we should be interested in the permanent, permanent life, not temporary life.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

A brāhmaṇa, if he thinks that "Now I have brahminical qualifications, I am now educated, I am very cleansed, I am very controlled"—these things are brāhmaṇa qualification—"I know what is what," jñānaṁ vijñānam, but he does not try for becoming immortal, then that kind of thinking is also bondage, that "I am this, I am that." Even though he is very learned, sattva śamo damas titikṣā śuci, all these good qualities are there. But if he does not try to be, go further ahead, how to become immortal, so this type of fine entanglement is also entanglement. And those who are passionate, they are thinking, "I am so rich, I am so powerful, I have got so many nice business, bank balance, I have got my big family, nice wife." These are passion conception of life. So they are certainly bound up.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

Unfortunately, the people at the present moment, they do not know, neither they can imagine even that there is possibility of becoming immortal. This is very important point. There is not possibility, there is fact. And kṛṣṇa-kīrtana is so important. In the śāstra, many places, it is said. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). That param is, means spiritual. There are two kinds of, parā and aparā-prakṛti. Aparā-prakṛti, parā-prakṛti. Apareyam. I am, this material world is aparā, inferior energy. Itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. Besides this, there is another prakṛti, another nature, which is parā. Parā means spiritual. So we should be interested with the parā, not with the aparā. Why? Now that is real life. That is real life. Here it is said ubhayor api. Considering both this parā and aparā, the superior and inferior. Tattva-darśibhiḥ. Who will study? Tattva-darśibhiḥ. Tattva-darśī means those who have realized the truth, tattva-darśī. And we find this word tattva in various places.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973:

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended that if you want to save yourself, if you at all desire to take the position of amṛta, if you are interested... Nobody is interested. Kṛṣṇa says sa amṛtatvāya kalpate. That is the aim of life: How I shall become immortal. How I shall not become subjected to the four principles of distressed condition—birth, death, disease and old age. Nobody is serious. They are so dull. Therefore they have been described, manda. Manda means so bad, so rascal that they have no ambition of life. They do not know what is the goal of life. Manda. Manda means "bad." And sumanda-matayaḥ. And if some of them, just to become little recognized as very religious, he will accept some rascal as guru, magician, and eat everything, do everything, and become spiritualist, and his rascal guru will say, "Yes, you can eat anything. You can do anything. Religion has nothing to do with eating." It is going on. The Christian people, it is explicitly, clearly said, "Thou shall not kill." But they are killing. Still, they are very much proud, "I am Christian." And what kind of Christian you are? You are regularly disobeying the order of Christ, and still you are Christian?

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 17, 1975:

Now Kṛṣṇa is giving a practical way of understanding the presence of soul. He says, yena sarvam idaṁ tatam: "One thing, which is spread all over the body, that is avināśi." That means immortal. So what is that which is spread all over the body? It is not the skin, not the... This is also spread over the body. The skin, the bone, the marrow, the blood—they are also spread over the body, but Kṛṣṇa is not meaning this material things. The actual active principle within this body is the spirit soul. Now, in medical science, bones are being replaced; flesh also being replaced; blood is also being replaced by injection. So everything can be replaced materially by scientific improvement. But when that things which is immortal, that is gone, it cannot be replaced. Even nowadays the heart is being replaced, but no medical science or any science has ever been able to replace the life. So he's giving the example that that presence of the soul is perceived by consciousness. So the flesh is there, the bone is there, the blood is also there, but when the consciousness is not there, that means it is finished.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 17, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa points out that this consciousness is immortal, avyaya. Avyaya means which is never annihilated, avyaya. Vyaya means there is whole thing, and you can take out part of it, but avyaya means you cannot take a part of it also; it is always wholesome. So this consciousness is avyaya, means never annihilated, and avināśi means immortal. So when this consciousness is transferred from this body to another body, that is called transmigration of the soul. But one thing we must know it, that as there is consciousness in my body, as there is consciousness in your body, similarly, there is consciousness in the whole universe. So long the consciousness is there in my body and the consciousness is there in your body or everyone's body, the body is very nice, very fresh, everything is going nicely. So as soon as the consciousness is gone, immediately this lump of matter begins to decompose.

Lecture on BG 2.19 -- London, August 25, 1973:

So, in different ways, Kṛṣṇa is trying to convince us how the soul is immortal. Different ways. Ya enaṁ vetti hantāram (BG 2.19). When there is fight, so if one is killed or... So Kṛṣṇa says that if one thinks that "This man has killed this man," so, or "This man can kill this man," this kind of knowledge is not perfect. Nobody kills nobody. Then the butchers, they may say that "Then why do you complain that we are killing?" They're killing the body, but you cannot kill when there is injunction "Thou shall not kill." That means you cannot kill the body even without sanction. You cannot kill. Although the soul is not killed, the body is killed, still you cannot kill the body without sanction. That is sinful. For example, that a man is living in some apartment. So some way or other you drive him away from that, illegally, you drive him away. So the man will go out and will take shelter somewhere. That's a fact. But because you have driven him away from his bona fide position, you are criminal. You cannot say, "Although I have driven away, he'll get some place." No. That's all right, but you have no power to drive him away. He was in his legal position to live in that apartment, and because you have forcibly driven him away you are criminal, you should be punished.

Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:

So this is another way, negative way. In the previous verse Kṛṣṇa says: nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi. And now, negatively or passively, it is said that acchedyo 'yam. In every way, Kṛṣṇa is suggesting the immortality of the soul. There are five elements: earth, water, fire, air. So none of these elements can act on the soul. You can prepare sword, cutting sword from earth, from metal, but it does not mean that you can cut anything material with your sword. But you cannot cut the spirit soul with your sword or with your other material weapons. Neither... Acchedyo 'yam adāhyaḥ. Neither you can burn with fire, neither you can moisten it with water, neither you can dry. In every respect Kṛṣṇa explains how soul is immutable.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

So in so many different ways, Kṛṣṇa is convincing how the spirit soul is immortal. In different ways. Avyakto 'yam. It is not manifest to the blunt material eyes. We cannot see, Because as we have explained several times, the magnitude of the soul is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair, very small. I think, smaller than the atom. That spirit soul is everywhere. Sarva-ga. Sarva-gata. Everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). And wherever the spirit soul is there within this material world, he has got a body and there is heart, and within that heart, Kṛṣṇa is also there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Both of them, living there. Therefore aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. Kṛṣṇa can become greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest. This is God.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa began this teaching to Arjuna first of all, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). "You are talking like learned scholar, but you are lamenting on the body, which is not at all important." Nānuśocanti. Here also the same thing. Tasmād evaṁ viditvainam, this body, na anuśocitum arhasi. Do not be very much serious about this body. The soul is the subject matter to be considered. But the modern civilization, they are concerned with this body. Just the opposite. Kṛṣṇa says: Because the soul is immortal, therefore tasmād evaṁ viditvā, understanding of this principle, enam, this body, na anuśocitum arhasi. The real factor is the soul. We have to take care of the soul, not of the body. So far body is concerned, there are pains and pleasure like climatic changes. Āgamāpāyinaḥ anityāḥ, such bodily pains and pleasures come and go; they are not permanent. Tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. So you have to learn how to tolerate these bodily pains and pleasures, but you have to take care of the soul. But the modern civilization, they have no knowledge of the soul, what to speak of taking care of it, and, like animals, they are in the bodily concept of life, taking much care of the body, but they have no information of the soul, and what to speak of taking care of it.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:

Your problem is how to be reestablished again as eternal. Because we are eternal. Some way or other, we have fallen in this material world. Therefore, we have to accept birth and death. So our problem is how to again be eternal. That is amṛtatva. But these rascals, they do not know that there is possibility of becoming eternal. Simply by trying to understand Kṛṣṇa, one can become immortal. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. Then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, even you don't serve Kṛṣṇa. If you serve, then you are already liberated. If you simply philosophically try to understand the position of Kṛṣṇa. But no, the mūḍhas, the rascals, they'll say: "We accept Kṛṣṇa as a great man. We don't accept Kṛṣṇa as God." The Arya-samajis say. All right if you accept a great man, great personality, why don't you accept his teaching, huh? Then what kind of accepting a great personality? If you actually accept Kṛṣṇa as a great personality, at least you must follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. And know.(?) That also they'll not do. And still they are Arya-samaj.

Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa has described in sāṅkhya-yoga that "This is your duty. You are kṣatriya. You have... Why you are rejecting fighting?" In this way, in so many ways... "The soul is immortal, the body is perishable, so your grandfather or your kinsmen, they'll not die." So this is analytical study from the material point of view. And as soon as one comes to the point of serving Kṛṣṇa with love, without any understanding... Just like fire. Fire, you accept it. Without studying fire, analytical, if you touch fire, it will act. It will act. It doesn't require to study fire, how, what is the composition of fire. This is knowledge, of course. But if you... Just like gopīs in Vṛndāvana. They did not study what is Kṛṣṇa. They did not care even to study. But they wanted to love Kṛṣṇa. That is their only qualification. They were ordinary village girls. Similarly, the cowherds boy. They were tending cows. They had no Vedānta knowledge or any higher education, not very nicely cultured gentlemen, village cowherds boy, cowherds girl, but they did not know any other business than to love Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. Jñāna-śūnya, without any knowledge.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

So in spite of all this, he's aloof from all these things. That will make him completely happy. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ sthita-dhīr munir ucyate (BG 2.56). And because such consciousness prevails, so he has neither attachment, rāga-rāga means attachment—and bhaya. Bhaya means fear, being afraid of. Now suppose somebody says: "Oh, I shall kill you! I shall kill you!" Somebody becomes very much afraid. But a person who is situated in pure consciousness, he's not afraid. We have got very practical example in the life of a great philosopher, Greek philosopher, Socrates. He believed in the immortality of the soul, and he was offered hemlock, poison, that "If you believe in immortality, immortality of the soul, then you drink this poison." "Yes, I shall drink it." So he drunk it, and he, his body, of course, stopped functioning because poison will act. But he was not afraid of drinking poison because he, he was completely situated in that platform. So there is no fear. So long bodily conception of life is there, oh, fearfulness will be always there in proportionately. As much I get rid of this bodily conception of life, then my fearfulness also decreases. And so long I am absorbed in bodily conception of life, my fearfulness is greater.

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

That Bhagavad-gītā... I have already told you that avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. That portion which is spread all over your body, that you are. That is avināśi, that is immortal. Now what is that? My consciousness. And what is that consciousness? That is the symptom of my presence. I am a soul present in this body, and the consciousness is the symptom. Means as soon as this consciousness is removed, the body has no value. That we are experiencing every day. As soon as from the body the consciousness is out, oh, it is dead body. We are crying, "Oh, my son is gone," "My husband is gone," "My brother..." Why your son is gone? It is lying there in the floor. Why you are crying? "No, no." That gone means that consciousness gone. Gone means that... Therefore the consciousness is the real thing.

So we misunderstand. We misunderstand. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says the misunderstanding of this body identification is at once removed by performing this yajña,

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- New York, April 8, 1973:

We are trying to mitigate all our miserable conditions of life. That is struggle for existence. We are scientists. We are discovering many counteracting processes to get out of distresed condition. But the difficult position, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, we are avoiding. Because we cannot do anything. We cannot even... The so-called science, they cannot solve this problem. Although sometimes they falsely become proud that (indistinct) By science we shall be come immortal and so on. (indistinct) These things were tried before also by atheistic class of men like Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu. But it is not possible to become successful, to stop birth, death, old age and disease. That is not possible. If there is any possible process, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

And another process is the descending process. Just like in darkness, if you try to understand what is sun by ascending process, by flying your very powerful airplane or sputniks, just go round over the sky, you cannot see. But the descending process, when the sun rises, you understand immediately. Ascending process—my endeavor, what is called inductive process. Inductive process. Just like my father says that man is mortal. I accept it. Now if you want to study whether man is mortal, you study, you see many thousands of men, whether he is immortal or mortal. That will take so much time. But if you take the knowledge from the superior authority, that man is mortal, your knowledge is complete.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

Tapasvī means those who are seeking after eternal happiness. Karmīs, yogis, there are many tapasvīs. But real tapasvī... Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). That is... Divyam means transcendental. Just perform tapasya for realizing Kṛṣṇa. Tapo divyam. Otherwise, Hiraṇyakaśipu, he also performed tapasya. What was that tapasya? He performed severe tapasya, so much so that the whole universe became perturbed and Brahmājī came to see, "What do you want?" "No, I am performing tapasya for becoming immortal. So if you make me immortal, it will be very kind of you." He said, "I am myself not immortal. How can I make you immortal? That is not possible." So the idea is he also performed tapasya, but that tapasya was for material gain. But that is not tapasya.

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

So if you actually require perfect knowledge, then we have to accept knowledge this, like this way. It is called avaroha-panthā. Avaroha-panthā means a descendence or deductive process. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we claim that we have got perfect knowledge of everything because we are taking knowledge from the perfect person—Kṛṣṇa. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). And that is the real process. If you simply speculate to arrive at the conclusion, inductive process... Just like if you want to study whether man is mortal or immortal, there are two processes. Deductive process, you take the idea from superior person that man is mortal. If you accept, then your knowledge is perfect. But if you want to approach the knowledge by inductive process, by studying each man, whether he is mortal or immortal, you may study thousand, two thousand, five thousand, but you cannot study all the men. Therefore your conclusion remains always defective. You cannot do that. Therefore the best process is knowledge is to receive from the person who is authorized. Actually, you do that. We go to a school, we go to college, to receive knowledge from the superior person. That is our process. That is perfect knowledge. You cannot manufacture knowledge.

Lecture on BG 7.15-18 -- New York, October 9, 1966:

That is his vision. He does not... He's not disturbed. Tulyārthāpamānayoḥ(?). A person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he doesn't care for all this material distress or insult or honor, because he is aloof from this. He doesn't... He knows very well that "This designation, this honor, or this insult, they are pertaining to my body, but I am not this body." Just like Socrates. Socrates was condemned to death because he believed in the..., an immortality of the soul. So he was condemned to death, and he was asked to take hemlock or something like that, poison. And the judge wanted: "Well, Socrates, how do you want to be put into the grave?" He replied, "First of all, you catch me. Then you put me into the grave. (laughter) You are dealing with my body, nonsense. I am out of this. So you kill me or you put me into the grave or whatever you like, I don't mind. First of all, you catch me. Then you put me into the grave."

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. He says, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "On My order, every one of My devotees, become a spiritual master." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). "You become a spiritual master and deliver all the people." By kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, you can deliver. People are suffering. Here also, the same thing is said. Jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvā 'mṛtam aśnute. Amṛtam. People are suffering. They do not know what is amṛtatva. So 'mṛtatvāya kalpate. This is the aim of life, to become immortal. That is wanted. One has to come to that platform of knowledge when one can achieve the perfection of life, amṛtatva, immortality.

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa says here that jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi: "The ultimate goal of knowledge I will explain to you. Yaj jñātvā: "If you can understand that knowledge, then," amṛtam aśnute, "if anyone can understand that knowledge, he becomes immortal." That is the problem. The process of knowledge... In that chapter it is already said that janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). The subject matter should be how to understand or how to get relief from the repetition of birth and death, old age and disease. This is knowledge. And here also Kṛṣṇa says again, anyone who comes to the ultimate goal of knowledge, then he becomes immortal.

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

And Kṛṣṇa proved it when He was a child. When He was a boy of seven years old He proved how heavy, that He lifted the Govardhana Hill, and it rested on Kṛṣṇa's finger continually for seven days. Just imagine how heavy He is. So in this way we have to understand Kṛṣṇa. And if we understand Kṛṣṇa from that spirit, from that angle of vision, then we become perfect. As it is said here, jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvā 'mṛtam aśnute. You become immortal. This is confirmed in the Fourth Chapter. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not superficially, but in fact, then what is the result? The result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Punar janma, punar janma, next, again if I take a material body, then again I'll have to die. Anyone who has got this material body, he has to die. Janma-mṛtyu. One who is born, he must die. But here Kṛṣṇa says, punar janma naiti. "No more birth." Then there is no more death. Because if there is birth, there is death, and if there is no birth, there is no death.

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says, jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi "I shall speak to you what is the object of knowledge, ultimate objective of knowledge." Yaj jñātvā 'mṛtam aśnute. If one can understand Kṛṣṇa he gets eternal life. That is our aim of life. Not to remain within this material world, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), take birth once and again die. This is done by the cats and dogs. Any animal, they do not know anything. They take birth and again die. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to accept. So if in ignorance I take birth and again die, what is this life? Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). That is no knowledge. Spoiling. This human form of life is the boon where you can make a solution simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). This is knowledge, how to become immortal, how to understand Kṛṣṇa, how to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

When Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, was asked by Hiraṇyakaśipu to make him immortal... He was undergoing severe penances to become immortal. So Lord Brahmā immediately said, "I am not immortal. How can I give you the benediction of immortality? That is not possible." Then, indirectly... He was very cunning. Then he... Indirectly he thought that "If I get benediction like this, I'll automatically become immortal." What is that? "Now, no man can kill me." "All right, that's all right." "No demigod can kill me." "That's all right." But he forgot God. Because he is godless, he did not say, "Even God cannot kill me." That he forgot. In this way he took benediction that "I shall not die on the land." "Yes." "I shall not die on the water." "Yes." "I shall not die in the air." "Yes." "I shall not be killed by any animal." "Yes." In this way, whatever intelligence he got, but he forgot one thing, that "God cannot also kill me." Because māyā is there, he forgot it. He took so many benediction, but he did not take this benediction, that "Even God cannot kill me." That he forgot. Therefore, ultimately, with all his intelligence, he failed to become immortal.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

Brahmā, when he was approached by Hiraṇyakaśipu to have the benediction to become immortal, Brahmā said, "Oh, I am not immortal. How can I give you the benediction?" So any planet within this material world, you may go, you may try to become happy, but there is no such thing as immortality. That is not possible within this material world. Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. Kṛṣṇa says, "But if you come to My planet..." There is Kṛṣṇa's planet. As there is Brahmā's planet, similarly there is Kṛṣṇa's planet. That planet is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). So anyone can go. That is not very difficult. But we do have no information. Although the informations are all there, in the Bhagavad-gītā or all Vedic literature, we do not take care of it. We are surprised only by the movement of the sputnik going to the so-called moon planet, coming back, taking some dust. So we are very much surprised with this movement, but we, we do not care to know that "I am a spirit soul.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- New Vrindaban, September 6, 1972:

Brahmā you will be not allowed. Brahmā has got his one day millions of years. He will also not be allowed. The ant will not be allowed, a cat will not be allowed, an elephant will not be allowed, a man will not be allowed, a demigod will not be allowed—to live forever. Hiraṇyakaśipu tried to live forever. He underwent severe penances to become immortal. It was not possible. That is not. Of course, the lunatic scientist says that "By scientific advancement we shall become immortal." They are lunatic. It is not possible. Because in the past there is no such incident, so in the present there is no such incident, how you can expect in the future such incident? That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:

But Kṛṣṇa says that any one of the planets you can go, but the material disease will not be relieved, the material disease, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). We cannot understand. This is our real disease, repetition of birth, janma, and repetition of death. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. And repetition of becoming old. And vyādhi, repetition of being affected by various types of disease. So therefore intelligent man should see that "Even if I go to the Brahmaloka..." When Brahmā was asked by Hiraṇyakaśipu, "Give me immortality, sir," he said, "I am myself not immortal. How can I give you immortality?" So ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, you, if you go to the Brahmaloka, many millions of years duration of life, still, you have to die."

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

So here it is said, mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān hitvā bhūta-patīn atha. Bhūta-patīn atha. So those who are actually desiring liberation from this entanglement of material life, transmigration from one body to another... We can get different types of sense pleasure in different bodies. That's all right. But this is not a very good business. Sometimes I become a demigod, and sometimes I become a eucalyptus tree, standing for three hundred years. So why should we waste our time in that way? That is intelligence. But they do not know that "This time I am very nice American. I have got my skyscraper building and motorcar and very good bank balance. I am very happy." They don't care. But he does not know that next life he may become a cats or dog. That he does not know. There is risk. This science is not taught in any university. They are so fools and rascals. It is a great science, transmigration of the soul, immortality of the soul, how to elevate the soul to the highest perfection; these things are... They do not know, the rascals, they do not know. Neither do they teach. Mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān. A so unfortunate time it is.

Lecture on SB 1.3.18 -- Los Angeles, September 23, 1972:

He is even within the atom. So He can come out from anywhere provided He is called by a pure devotee. And He is all-powerful. He can come out from anywhere and everywhere. He is everywhere. And this word is nara—from human being—but He is not nara, He is nara, meaning He is appearing like human being, half human being, and siṁha, half-lion. And the nails of the hands, and this great giant atheist was killed within a second. And keeping Brahmā's promise, he took benediction that he would not be killed by any man, any demigod, any animal, by any weapon, in daytime, in night, so many things, definition by negation. First of all he wanted directly, "Kindly make me immortal." So Brahmā said that "I am not immortal. How can I make you immortal? You can ask something else?" So he thought, "Let me become immortal indirectly. I shall not die in daytime, nighttime," because he has no idea that beyond day and night there is also another time. That he forgot.

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

Hiraṇyakaśipu executed very severe austerity, so Lord Brahmā came to him: "So what do you want? You are executing so severe austerities. What is your desire?" "I want to become immortal." So Brahmā said, "That is not possible. Nobody is immortal within this material world. I am not immortal. How can I give you the benediction of immortality? That is not possible." So nobody... Everyone is under the laws of nature. It may be... The duration of time may be little more or less, but everyone must die. This is... And if we want to stop this business of material existence, then here is the recommendation, anarthopaśamam... Anartha. "Why we shall die?" This question does not arise. If I am immortal, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā...

na jāyate mriyate vā kadācin
nāyaṁ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ
ajo nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo
na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre
(BG 2.20)

So this question does not strike us, that "If I am immortal—I have no birth, I have no death..." na jāyate mriyate vā kadācit "...at any time. Not that sometimes I was dying. No, never

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

Even big, big empires like the Roman Empire, the Carthagian Empire, the Moghul Empire, and so many empires—they came, and they were annihilated. This is the nature. Therefore Vidyāpati has sung, kata caturānanam, mari mari yavat, na tuyā ādi avasana. Caturānana means the Brahmā. Brahmā, his life, duration of life, is very, very long. We know from Bhagavad-gītā that sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). He's not also immortal. He's mortal. Although his one day is equal to our forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by one thousand, but still, he's not immortal. When Hiraṇyakaśipu pleased Brahmā and he wanted to give him the benediction, so Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted that "Please make me immortal." So Brahmā said, "That is not possible because I am, myself, is not immortal."

So nobody is immortal within this material world. And still, we are attached. We want to be immortal. That is the psychology. Just like last night, when the snake... We became disturbed. Why this psychology?

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

So the, our real business is how to attain that eternal life. That is real business. Other business, they are not important. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (1.5.18). This is the instruction, that we should try how to become again immortal. We are immortal by nature, but we have covered by another nature, external nature, bahiraṅga-śakti And because we have been entangled with this material body, we have to die. Otherwise there is no death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. The living entity does not take birth, neither it dies. Then why we are taking birth and dying? The..., this question does not arise to the fools and rascals of this materialist world. I was talking with one very big man in London, Lord Fenner-Brockway. He came to see me. So I asked him this question. He was old man. He was a, I think, older than me. He was eighty-four. So he said, "Yes, I'll die peacefully." You see?

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

Otherwise, if you simply undergo austerities, penances, hardship, for some material gain, then it is waste of time, defeat, parābhava. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Because he's a fool, rascal, he does not know what for hardship should be taken. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He also underwent tapasya. The whole universe became trembled. Brahmā came: "Why you are undergoing such severe tapasya?" On one finger he stood up, and undergoing tapasya. Brahmā came: "What is your purpose of this tapasya?" "Sir, I want to be immortal." "So that is not possible. You cannot become immortal." Then in so many ways he wanted to become immortal. What is the purpose of becoming immortal? There are many trees standing for ten thousands of years. That is very successful life, to stand in a place for ten thousands of years without any movement? Or prolonging life for many thousands of years? Brahmā lives also for many millions of years.

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

So if you are devotee of the demigods, you can become powerful for some time. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu became. He took benediction from Lord Brahmā that "I shall not die at daytime, at nighttime, on land, on sea, on the sky. I shall not be killed by any animal, by any demigod, by any man, by any..." So many ways, definition by negation. "Not this, not this, not this." First of all he wanted, "Make me immortal." Brahmā said, "I am not immortal. How can I make you immortal? That is not possible." Then he thought, "I am intelligent enough. I shall indirectly become mortal. I shall not be killed in this way, I shall not be killed in this way. No animal can kill me, no man can kill me, no demigod can kill me. I shall not die at night, I shall not die in daytime, not on the land, not on the sea, not in the sky." In this way, whatever imagination he could manufacture, he settled up, "Now I am immortal." But Kṛṣṇa is so cunning and intelligent that He kept all the promises of Brahmā; still, he was killed, Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was not killed at daytime. He was not killed at night. He was not killed in the sky, not on the land, not on the sea-on the lap. Hiraṇyakaśipu, he did not think that "I will have to die on the lap of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That was his fortune. Anyway...

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

So she pleased the Yamarāja. After the death... The husband died, but she pleased the Yamarāja so much so that Yamarāja was ready to give her some benediction. So Yamarāja said, "What benediction you want?" "Now, as woman, I wish that may be a son of mine, from me." "All right, you will get a son." Then again she said that "If you are taking away my husband, how I will get my son?" So her husband was made alive. So indirectly... So kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. If you actually want to be eternally blissful, take to kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. Or there is no need of praying for "Make me immortal." No. If you accept kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ, then automatically... Just like the benediction was that "You... Yes, you will get a son." Automatically her husband was made alive. So kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ.

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

This is our charge against this so-called advancement of life. And they are forgetting real thing. They do not understand what is soul. They do not understand. They do not understand that the soul is transmigrating from one body to another. Soul is immortal. Soul is eternal. These things are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. In the beginning, this is the beginning lesson: dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram (BG 2.13). This is the beginning of spiritual understanding. But they do not understand this beginning lesson, and still they are advanced. This is going on. Simply cheating. So this cheating process is going on under the misconception that "I am this body." The basic principle is cheating. Wrong. And on the wrong platform they are building phantasmagoria, big, big ideas.

Lecture on SB 1.15.32 -- Los Angeles, December 10, 1973:

This is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. This body is antavat. It will be finished. But that thing which is spreading all over the body, avināśi, that will not be annihilated. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. That consciousness, the consciousness is spread all over the body, and Kṛṣṇa says that that thing which is spread all over the body, consciousness, that is immortal.

So now our consciousness is immortal consciousness or mortal consciousness, that is to be seen. I am absorbed in thought of this mortal consciousness, "This is my country, this is my body, this is my family, this is my community, this is my nation..." They are all mortal. But immortal consciousness is that "I am Kṛṣṇa's." That is immortal consciousness. "Kṛṣṇa is mine, and I am Kṛṣṇa's." This is immortal consciousness. When you come to this consciousness—that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness—then you are saved. Immortal consciousness. So long you have got temporary consciousness, then... Just like our mind changes. I accept something now; I reject something again. So this body is being manufactured according to the acceptance and rejection of my mind. The body is formed. Otherwise why we have different body? We are sitting here, so many boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen. Nobody's body will exactly tally with others' body. No. Because the face is the index of mind. You have got different types of mind; therefore you have got different types of body, not every one.

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

You may live in one planet. Just like we are allowed to live on this planet utmost hundred years, not more than that. Or the ant is allowed to live for six hours. Or another fly is allowed one moment. There are different varieties of... Or Brahmā is allowed to live for millions of years. So according to the different types of body, we are allowed to live under certain duration of life. But nobody can be immortal here. That is not possible. That is possible when you transfer yourself to the spiritual world, Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). That is possible. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching, educating people in such a way not only he goes to the spiritual world, but he goes to the highest planet of the spiritual world, Goloka Vṛndāvana, where Kṛṣṇa is there. Where Kṛṣṇa is there.

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

So actually, everything is existing. We have to simply take the knowledge. The modern method is ascending process. The knowledge is there, but still, they are trying to understand it by āroha-panthā, ascending process. It is called inductive knowledge. Inductive knowledge means that... Suppose a man is mortal. So the so-called scientists, they are trying to discover the law, why man is mortal. They are studying, "This man is mortal, this man is mortal, this man is mortal. Therefore it is concluded that all men are mortal. Nobody is immortal." But another man will argue that "You have not studied all the human society. How you can conclude? Therefore we must study." So this study will go on for life after life. They will never come to a person who is immortal. But they will protest that "We cannot accept." But our process is deductive. We say that man is mortal, first of all. Therefore John is a man. He is also mortal. This is deductive process. First of all we accept, man is mortal. The inductive process is that "Why shall I accept man is mortal? I may not have seen a person who is immortal." So that argument can be given.

But we accept this Vedic knowledge, the first premises, accept, accepted. Just like we accept that God is the source of everything.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972:

As He says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). He asked Arjuna to declare, "My dear Arjuna, you declare that My devotee will never be vanquished." So therefore He comes. So these are the understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in toto. So if we discuss about kṛṣṇa-kathā, the words of Kṛṣṇa... There are two books, words of Kṛṣṇa. One, Bhagavad-gītā. Every Vedic literature is kṛṣṇa-kathā, but these two books especially, kṛṣṇa-kathā. Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is directly speaking, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, directly speaking about Kṛṣṇa. Both of them are kṛṣṇa-kathā. So therefore here it is said that uttama-śloka-vārtayā. Vārtā means message, words. So if we pass our time simply by reading and talking about Kṛṣṇa, then the sun will not be able to take away our life. This is the secret. If you want to become immortal, then you always be engaged in kṛṣṇa-kathā. Always, twenty-four hours, always think of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972:

So if you constantly read, then where is the opportunity of sun's taking your life? That means you are becoming immortal. People are very much anxious to become immortal. Nobody wants to die. Everyone knows that "I shall die." But if there is immediately some danger, fire, immediately you go away from this room. Why? I do not wish to die. I do not wish to die. Although I know I must have to die. Still, why do I go away? I know that... "Oh, let there be fire. I have to die today or tomorrow. Let me die." No. I do not wish to die. Therefore I go away. This is psychology. So everyone wants to live forever. That's a fact. So if you want to live forever, then you have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so important and nice. Everyone wants to live. So actually, if you want to live, then you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This verse confirms it. Āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ ca yann asau. The sun is rising early in the morning. As it is rising, gradually it is taking your life.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972:

So this is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have to hear about Kṛṣṇa, we have to chant about Kṛṣṇa, we have to memorize about Kṛṣṇa, we have to worship Kṛṣṇa. This is our movement. We are worshiping Kṛṣṇa in the temple. We are thinking of Him. We are talking about Him, and we are hearing about Him. So if we live in this way, it does not require any monetary exchange or any high education. Everyone can hear about Kṛṣṇa. Anyone... After hearing, everyone can talk about Kṛṣṇa. And while hearing and talking, he can remember about Kṛṣṇa.

And everyone can worship in the temple. Where is the difficulty? By prosecuting these four principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you become immortal. No austerity. No austerity, no penance, no education, no riches. Simply by following these four principles, you become immortal. So this verse is very important. Āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ ca yann asau, tasyarte yat-kṣaṇo nītaḥ. Tasya ṛte, one who is passing time in this way, simply with kṛṣṇa-kathā, chanting also... If you have no time... If you have spare time, don't sit idly. If there is no facility for reading books or talking about Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. If you have got... Next moment, you can interchange, read something. Always be busy with Kṛṣṇa. Then sun will not be able to kill you. You are going to live forever. This is the process.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

So this is the situation. We have discussed in the previous verse that we are decreasing the span of life. The scientists will say, "No, we are making arrangement so that by science we shall make man immortal." Vikatate(?). When a man becomes mad, he speaks so many nonsense. Like a child. A child also speaks so many nonsense things, and the parents enjoy it. Similarly, the so-called scientist, when he says that "By scientific method, we shall stop death," so there is no evidence in the history of the human society that a man has not died. That cannot be. Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was also atheist and materialistic. He also tried to become immortal. And he made a plan, negative plan, to cheat Lord Brahmā that "I shall not die in this way, in this way, in that way, in this way, in that way." But still he was killed. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am death, and at the time of death I take away everything." Sarva-haraś ca. So we cannot cheat God or His law.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

Formerly all rich men like kings and rich merchants constructed such temples under the direction of expert devotees of the Lord, like the six Gosvāmīs, and it is the duty of the common man to take advantage of these temples and festivals observed in the holy places of pilgrimage by following in the footsteps of great devotees (anuvraja). One should not visit all these sanctified pilgrimage places and temples with sightseeing in mind, but one must go to such temples and sanctified places immortalized by the transcendental pastimes of the Lord and be guided by proper men who know the science. This is called anuvraja. Anu means to follow. It is therefore best to follow the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master, even in visiting temples and the holy places of pilgrimage. One who does not move in that way is as good as a standing tree condemned by the Lord not to move. The moving tendency of the human being is misused by visiting places for sightseeing. The best purpose of such traveling tendencies could be fulfilled by visiting the holy places established by great ācāryas and thereby not being misled by the atheistic propaganda of moneymaking men who have no knowledge of spiritual matters.

Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

There are the bees, there are goddess of fortune, and followed by her associate, and there is service and so many things, all opulences, śrī. Śrīr yasya. Aiśvaryasya ṣriyaḥ yaśasaḥ. The definition of the Lord is given that He's full of beauties. In the Brahma-saṁhitā also, Lakṣmī. And not only one, all of them are lakṣmīs. The associates of Lakṣmī, the maidservants of Lakṣmī, they are also lakṣmīs. They are not ordinary women, just like Rādhārāṇī is the chief gopī and all Her young girl friends, they are also gopīs. They are of the same category. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). They are all expansion of Kṛṣṇa, pleasure potency. So this is the information of the Vaikuṇṭhaloka or Goloka Vṛndāvana. So one should take advantage of this life. What we are gaining here by attachment? What we shall get here? The all rascaldom. There is nothing substantial. Therefore one should little risk, that "If there is some chance of entering such a immortal, eternal kingdom of God, why should I not take chance?" You should take chance at all risk in this life to enter into the nitya-līlā, nitya-līlā, eternal pastimes of the Lord.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

They may think themselves as very advanced in knowledge, but they are rascal number one because their so-called knowledge, the effect of knowledge, is taken away by māyā. They are called Māyāvādīs. They are very much proud of their knowledge. But Kṛṣṇa says, "These rascals, these atheist class demons, their actual knowledge is taken away." Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He devised means that "Indirectly I shall be immortal. I shall not die in daytime. I shall not die in night. I shall not die in water. I shall not die in land. I shall not die in the sky. No animal can kill me. No demigod can kill me. No weapon can kill me." So on, so many... Brahmā says, "All right." But he never agreed to give him immortality. But he wanted to cheat Brahmā that "Indirectly, by the negative way, I have taken everything. So I am immortal." This is called mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). He does not know that Kṛṣṇa's intelligence is always, at least, one inch greater than him, anyone. (laughs)

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

"He's the first-class yogi who is always thinking of Me.' And who always thinks of Kṛṣṇa unless he is a devotee? Therefore you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without becoming a devotee. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā He says to Arjuna, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: (BG 4.3) "I am talking to you the same old system of yoga, Bhagavad-gītā, because you are My devotee." So if you actually want liberation or fearlessness, no more fear, and if you want actually to become immortal, no more birth, death, old age, and disease, then you have to accept the words of Kṛṣṇa. As He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is bhakti. That is bhakti. So you have to take.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Amṛtatva, amṛtatva means no more births, no more death. No more birth, no more death, no more disease, no more old age. That is called amṛtatva. Amṛta means eternity or immortality. Hiraṇyakaśipu tried. Hiraṇyakaśipu, you know Prahlāda Mahārāja's father, he was defeated by the demigods. Therefore he left home and went for tapasya, to become immortal. So he was a demon, so he was undergoing tapasya, other demigods, not Kṛṣṇa, because he was against Kṛṣṇa. Demons means against God. They'll never go to God. They'll go to somebody else for power. So Hiraṇyakaśipu, when Brahmā visited, that, "Why you are undergoing so serious tapasya that the whole world is trembling by your tapasya? What do you want?" So he said, "I want to become immortal." Lord Brahmā said, "That is not in my power because myself is not also immortal? How can I give immortality?"

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

So he was a demon, he thought by cheating Brahmā, indirect way, he took all the benediction, that "I shall not die by any, killed by any man, any demigod, any animal, or any living being. I shall not die in daytime, I shall not die at night, I shall not die in the sky, I shall not die on the land, I shall not die in water." In this way, as much as possible, by the definition of negation, no this, not this, not this, he thought, "Now I have become immortal." But he was also killed by Nṛsiṁha-deva, keeping all the promises of Brahmā. He was not killed daytime, neither at night. He was not killed on water, he was not killed in the sky. He was killed on the lap of the Lord. So in this way... Actually even the demons in those days they were thinking that "Why should we be subjected to these laws of birth, death and disease. We must rescue (?)." But the demons cannot. But there is possibility. But who knows? Ask anybody, ask any scientist, philosopher that, "Have you any process by which we can become immortal?" What they will answer? "Up to date we have no such process, but we are trying. In future." They will say like that. But no question of future. Immediately, you can have.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). How Kṛṣṇa expands Himself, how He appears, what is the nature of His body, these things if you simply understand, then you become immortal. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Just to give the people a chance to understand Kṛṣṇa then he becomes immortal. That is the mission of life. Not that to enjoy sense gratification in a polished way, but the business is the same as the dogs and hogs enjoy. That is being instructed here. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Viḍ-bhujām means the pigs who eat stool. They're also enjoying like that. They have got very free sex enjoyment. They do not care who is mother, who is sister, with anyone. We have seen, that is, nature has got example, everything, you can study. You'll find in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that by studying nature you can get so many instruction, perfect. So one devotee made the nature his spiritual master, and studying nature and getting so much information.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

The real aim is spiritual realization. But for realizing perfect spiritual life one has to undergo some training. Just like if one is serious of being cured of a certain type of disease he has to undergo certain type of training or regulation as prescribed by the physician. Then he gets cured. Similarly, we are all materially diseased at the present time. So spiritual life means completely freed from material disease. The material diseases are birth, death, old age, and bodily diseases. They are material disease. Because I am spirit soul, I am eternal. I have no death. I have no birth. But because I am contaminated with this material body, therefore with the birth and death of this body I am thinking that I am taking birth and dying. That is my material condition of life. Actually I am not subjected to birth and death. These things are very nicely described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So the immortality of the soul, transmigration of the soul, everything is described there. So there are books of authority. If we learn, if we'll be trained, then our spiritual liberation is open. Therefore it is recommended here that one should associate with great souls. Without associating with great souls we don't get all this information.

Lecture on SB 5.5.18 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1976:

The proper way is that you should know the problem of life, and Kṛṣṇa personally says, "This is the real problem of your life." What is that? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is problems. But they do not know. All rascals. Kṛṣṇa says, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. And don't they read? "I am reading Bhagavad-gītā, I am great politician and great leader. I am reading Bhagavad-gītā." What do you understand? Do you understand that the soul is immortal and it is transmigrating, tathā dehāntara-prāptir? Do you know all this problem? Then why you have become national leader? Today I am a Indian; tomorrow I may become a Chinaman. Then where is my nationality? Today I am human being; tomorrow I may be a dog. Then where is my society? Where is my friendship? Where is my love? They do not disclose all these things. Cheat guru. If my soul is transmigrating, tathā dehāntara prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), is it guarantee? Is there any guarantee that today I am Indian, and after my death I shall become Indian? No. There is no guarantee. Today I am American, and after death I shall become a...? No. That is not in your hand.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

So we are becoming so dullheaded by so-called education, we do not know anything of these things, that there is next life and I can become immortal; I can avoid death, birth, death, old age and disease. There is no discussion of these scientific... It is only the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement which is giving all this information. It is very scientific and authorized. So I am very glad, so many devotees here. Try to make your life perfect by accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness and studying the philosophy and practicing the method. Then you will be happy.

Thank you very much. (end)
Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

Saptarṣi-maṇḍala, yes. That saptarṣi-maṇḍala is the abode of great seven ṛṣis. So here it is said, Yamarāja says, "Even the seven ṛṣis..." They are controlling the affairs, like the demigods, and they are brāhmaṇas amongst the demigods, the great sages. The demigods, some of them are brāhmaṇas, some of them are kṣatriyas, exactly in the same way. So this bhṛgv-ādayaḥ ṛṣis, they are brāhmaṇas. Sattva-guṇa-pradhānāḥ. Sattva-pradhānāḥ. They are standing on the modes of goodness. So... And they are viśva-sṛjo 'mareśāḥ. Amara. Amara means the demigods. They are supposed to be amara in our calculation. Just like Brahmā. We cannot calculate his duration of life. His duration of life is so long that it is beyond our calculation. Therefore they are sometimes called amara. Amara means immortal. Although none of them are immortal, but... Just like in comparison to a germ or... What is called in our, in Diwali, during? What is that, that worms? They generate in the night, in the evening, and at the end of the night, finished. During... We call deoyāli-pokā in Bengali. What do you call in Hindi? You have not seen?

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

One hour, twenty-five was all. They circulated three times within one hours, twenty-five minutes. Such a speed. Now actually, in our calculation the whole world can be circumambulated in twenty-four hours. But that is reduced to one hour, twenty-five. That is admitted by Einstein. This is called relative, relativity, according to the speed. Just like when you travel by airplane from here to London it takes, say, about nine hours. That is relative, relative to the force. Similarly, everything is relative. We are thinking that Brahmā's duration of life is so great, but it is also hundred years. But it is... You will understand very nicely. You can explain. According to our calculation they are immortal. Just like according to calculation of the pataṅga, our life is immortal. You see. They will calculate, "Oh, these human beings are immortal." But none of them are immortal. So we call them immortal, the demigods. Amareśāḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.3.20-23 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

So for a devotee only, the door of God is open. For others, there is no possibility. Therefore, He's called durbodham. Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā. But somehow or other, if he can understand the principles of religion and God, then immediately he becomes immortal. Immortal means he's no more going to accept any material body.

Lecture on SB 6.3.20-23 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

Anyone who can understand in truth, not ephemerally, substantially, if one understands what is Kṛṣṇa, how He appears, what are His activities, what is our relation—these things, when one understands, immediately he becomes liberated. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9). Such person, giving up this body, no more comes into this material world. The same thing is herein: jñātvā. If one can understand what is religion and what is Kṛṣṇa, only by this understanding, jñātvā amṛtam aśnute. Amṛtam. Mṛtam means death. A means "none," "not," negation. So amṛtam aśnute: he drinks nectarine. The word nectarine, sudhā. You know there was fight between the demons and the demigods, who will drink the amṛta, the nectarine. Because by drinking nectarine one becomes immortal. So here it is said, amṛtam aśnute. As by drinking nectarine, one can become immortal, similarly, by drinking the nectarine of devotion, one becomes immortal. Therefore we have named the book Nectar of Devotion. You drink it and become immortal. That's all.

Lecture on SB 7.9.2 -- Mayapur, February 12, 1977:

This is all-powerful. Hiraṇyakaśipu took benediction from Lord Brahmā that no god, demigod can kill him, no man can kill him, no animal can kill him, and so on, so on, so on. Indirectly he made a plan that nobody could kill him. And because first of all he wanted to become immortal, so Lord Brahmā said that "I am not immortal. How can I give you the benediction of becoming...? That is not possible." So these rākṣasas, demons, they are very intelligent, duṣkṛtina, intelligent—but for sinful activities. That is the feature of the rākṣasa. So he planned something, that "Indirectly I shall take benediction from Lord Brahmā in such a way that I'll remain immortal." So in order to keep Brahmā's promise, Nārāyaṇa appeared as Nṛsiṁha-deva, half lion and half man. Therefore adṛṣṭāśruta-pūrva. Even Lakṣmī did not see such feature of the Lord, the half man, half lion. This is Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa, all-powerful. He can assume any form. That is... Adṛṣṭā aśruta-purva. Never saw.

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

So from that day, there was misunderstanding between the father and the son. Ultimately the father tortured him in so many ways, and at last, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared in a Nṛsiṁha-deva form. Nṛsiṁha-deva means He appeared just like a lion-half lion and half man. Very big form. The demon was also very stout and strong. So he wanted to be immortal. His purpose was to become immortal and enjoy this material world perpetually, but that was not fulfilled. So when that demon Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed, the Lord was very much in angry mood, and all the demigods present there, they could not pacify the Lord. He was groaning in anger. So they selected Prahlāda Mahārāja, that "My dear boy, it is for you the Lord has appeared, so you kindly try to pacify the Lord. You can do it." So Prahlāda Mahārāja is praying to pacify the Lord.

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

Because this world is full of miseries, and you have to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this condition... Kṛṣṇa advised in the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna, that... Because the topic was on the body, so Arjuna said, "Accepting that the soul is immortal and it never dies, still, if some relative dies, we feel pain. Is it not a fact?" Kṛṣṇa said, "Yes, it is a fact." Even if I know that my son is dead, my son is not dead. The soul of my son is departed from this body to another body. So there is no cause of anxiety. He has got another body, but still, I feel, "Oh, my son...," for the body, because I am accustomed to love my son by the body. So this concession should be allowed. If somebody is crying, that does not mean he is a fool, but it is material affection. So Kṛṣṇa advises that this kṣānti, titikṣa, toleration. How toleration? Śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. Just like we tolerate there is severe cold. There is no use fighting and howling, "Oh, there is so much cold, so much cold, so much." You have to tolerate. You cannot fight.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

In the Bhagavad-gītā this is explained from the very beginning. It is said there, avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. That thing is immortal which is spread all over your body. That thing which is spread all over your body, that is consciousness. If you pinch any part of your body, you'll be conscious that there is some pain. Therefore the Bhagavad-gītā is aiming at this consciousness. And what is this consciousness? This consciousness is the illumination of the soul. Just like the sunshine is the illumination, light, of the sun globe. The sun globe is situated in one of the corners of this universe, but its illumination is distributed all over the universe. Similarly you, as spark of the Supreme soul... The dimension is also mentioned. It is ten-thousandth portion of the tip of your hair. One ten-thousandth portion. That small particle is your identification. The medical science or the material science cannot find out that small particle of soul by any means. Therefore they decline to accept the existence of the soul. But from authoritative Vedic literature we get this information that the soul is there.

Lecture on SB 7.9.23 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1976:

Therefore they want to give some charity, yajña-dāna-ta... Yajña, performing yajña. Yajña-dāna-ta... Tapasya. Hiraṇyakaśipu also underwent severe type of austerity, and he got benediction from Brahmā that "You'll not be killed by any man, any demigod, any animal. You'll not be killed in the sky or the water or the land," so many ways. But Brahmā did not give him the benediction of becoming immortal. He first of all wanted, "Make me immortal." So "That is not possible because I am... Myself is not immortal. How can I give you?" So he took indirectly how to become immortal. And by austerity he got all these powers so that even the demigods were afraid of him.

Lecture on SB 7.9.29 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1976:

So it is not the business of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to come to take this botheration. But why Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared? He appeared... One thing is that mat-prāṇa-rakṣaṇam. This is one business. Another business was this. What is that? Sva-bhṛtya-ṛṣi-vākyam ṛtaṁ vidhātum. Sva-bhṛtya. Brahmā is bhṛtya, servant of Kṛṣṇa. So he did something very, I mean to say, obnoxious by offering all the benediction to Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was a very cunning materialist. First of all he asked for becoming immortal, but when he learned that that is not possible, then he thought, "I am very intelligent diplomat. I can screw out my fulfillment of desire in a indirect way." So all these people in this material world, they have got a cheating propensity. Out of four deficiency, one deficiency is cheating. Every wants... One wants to cheat his fellow man, man or beast, everyone. Even the dog, cats, they are also. You know the story. The dog wanted to take another flesh from the mouth of another dog, reflection, and he lost both. So this cheating, this misuse of intelligence, is going on, but that is never successful. It will never be successful because Kṛṣṇa is always more than you. If you are a cheater, but Kṛṣṇa can cheat you more than what you know. That Kṛṣṇa knows. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa can be...? "God is great." So if you want to cheat Kṛṣṇa, He can cheat you more than what you know. So that is not possible. Therefore this Hiraṇyakaśipu thought himself to be very intelligent and wanted to cheat Kṛṣṇa and His servant, but he was cheated actually.

Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Just like we are changing our body. In mother's womb we had a small body. It grows, and we come out. Again it grows. Grows... It is not actually growing, it is changing. The child is changing his body to baby, the baby is changing his body to boy, and the boy is changing his body to youthhood. Then... in this way you are changing body. That you have got experience. You had a child's body—you remember. Or you had a boy's body—you remember. But the body is no longer existing. But you are existing. Therefore the conclusion is that when this body will be no more fit for existing we shall have to accept another body. This is called tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. So we have to change. That is nature's law. The soul is immortal. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The soul is not finished, simply a particular type of body being finished, no. The people do not know it. And because they are simply engaged in sinful activities, their brain has become so dull that they cannot understand this simple truth that as you are changing body in this life therefore you will change this body to another life. This is very simple truth. But at the advancement of material civilization, we have become so dull and rascal that we cannot understand it.

Page Title:Immortal (BG and SB Lectures)
Compiler:Rishab, Mayapur
Created:23 of Dec, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=80, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:80