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In this life (Lectures, Other)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

Devotee (1): If one makes arrangement in this lifetime for others to render service to Kṛṣṇa, but if the whole purpose of his arrangement is to simply maintain his family and if he's still attached to sense gratification, at the time of death, even though he has attraction for sense gratification, will he attain a higher birth in a family of Vaiṣṇavas in his next life or anything like this?

Prabhupāda: No. Those who are engaged in devotional service, if they cannot finish their business in this life, they are given chance next life to get birth in a Vaiṣṇava family. Not all. Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjayate. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41). Those who could not finish, yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ, bhakti-yoga, if he falls down while executing, he has no loss because, even if he falls down, his life, next life is guaranteed in a nice family. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe. Either in rich family or in a devotee's family. So both ways, he gets the chance of having a human form of life, and if he's born in a Vaiṣṇava family, naturally he becomes Vaiṣṇava. And if he takes his birth in a rich family, he has no problem for his bread. So he can exclusively engage himself in devotional service. Provided he gets the assistance of a bona fide spiritual master. So your answer... Is that question, question is answered?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Now, in our material dealings, the rasas are temporary. They'll be finished. As soon as this body is finished, the rasa is also finished. Just like we love somebody, any way, either as friend or as child or as husband or as lover, friend, so many ways. But these rasa will be finished as soon as this body's finished. I have got some affectionate dealings with my sons. But as soon as the son dies, or I die, the rasa is finished. But if you deal in the same way with Kṛṣṇa, who is the reservoir of all rasas, it will continue. If you love Kṛṣṇa as a friend in this life, if you develop your consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as friend of Kṛṣṇa's, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9), when you go to Kṛṣṇa, tyaktvā deham, giving up this body, then you go there as Kṛṣṇa's friend.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Just like Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī's described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: itthaṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena, māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). The boys who were playing with Kṛṣṇa, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that after many, many births accumulation of pious activities... Because you cannot develop devotional service without pious life. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. If you want to become associate with Kṛṣṇa, then you cannot act as a sinful man. Just like a criminal is not allowed to come out of the jail. He has no freedom. Similarly, if we act sinfully in this life, then we'll have to remain within this material world, one body after another. So we, we have to give up sinful activities. Therefore we forbid our students, no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. Because these are the pillars of sinful life. So we have to give up these things to accelerate our promotion to devotional service.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Yes. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). Our next life means according to the karma, activities, in this life. They're judged at the point of death. The, our activities are judged and then we are given opportunity by the laws of nature to be carried in another mother's womb to get another gross body. We have got two kinds of bodies, the gross body and the subtle body. When this gross body is stopped working, the subtle body works. We have got experience every night. When you are lying down on bed, you are dreaming. You have gone somewhere else from your room and you are acting. That means the subtle body is acting. Similarly, when this body's stopped, nobody works, no more working, or the machine is broken, then, at that time, the subtle body carries you to another machine. This body is machine. Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is yantra. So just like your car, you are driving one car, the car is stopped for some reason. It is no more working. Then what do you do? You get down. You get another car. Similarly, when this body's not working, then you give up this body; you take another body.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Māyā creates a car for you, a carrying conveyance, this body. So that conveyance is according to karma. So if you act piously in this life, then next life you get good body. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). Sattva-sthā. If you are in goodness, then, in the modes of goodness, then you are promoted to higher standard of life. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. And if you are in passion, then you remain here. And adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. And if you are ignorant, then you go to animal life or lower grade of life. This is the law of karma. But instead of improving your karma, karma-kāṇḍīya-vicāra, fruitive activities, if you take to devotional service and simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then you are no longer within the influence of this good work or bad work. You are transcendental.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 27, 1972:

Yes, this is very important. Whatever we are doing in this life, everything will be finished with the end of the body. My position, my wealth, my family, my this or that—everything will be finished, because I'll have to accept another body. Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa jantor deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). This gross body will be finished. I'll have to accept another gross body. But if you begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it will not be finished, because it is the business of the soul. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means the original consciousness, "I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am God's, part and parcel of God," this consciousness. At the present moment, being illusioned by different material designations, we are thinking in different way: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am this," "I am that." These are all designations. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness means "I am Kṛṣṇa's."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

But in this life, if we develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness by association of devotees... As Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa. One's aim of life should be to serve the ācāryas. Ācārya upāsanam. So our ācārya in the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya, the śrī-rūpa sanātana bhaṭṭa-raghunātha, śrī-jīva gopāla-bhaṭṭa dāsa-raghunātha, the Six Gosvāmīns, and if we associate with them... this book, Nectar of Devotion, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, if you read regularly, try to understand, this means you are associating with Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī directly. And if you act accordingly, then you are serving their lotus feet. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa. And unless you are associated with devotees, you will not be able to understand the import of the writings of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

Try to understand this. Because this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the consciousness of the spirit soul. That is reality. Therefore as the soul is eternally, his advancement in that consciousness, that also becomes an eternal asset. That will never be lost. Even if (he) falls down in this life, he could not execute cent percent the duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even he falls down, so whatever he has done in this life, that becomes a permanent asset. So that, from next life, he'll be given chance. In... In ordinary karmi's life, there is no guarantee that he'll get next life a human body. According to his karma he'll get a body. Maybe animal body or maybe demigod's body. But there is no certainty that he'll get a human body. But this man, who out of sentiment joined in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and immaturely falls down, he's guaranteed to get a very nice human body.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

That we'll have to accept another body according to your karma. Suppose as business man, I've done very nicely. I have given in charity. That's nice. You get better life. But for business sake, I have earned money by hook and crook, my mentality's just like crocodile or dog; then I have to become a crocodile. That's all. Because after death you are in the hands of nature. You cannot dictate that "Give me this and that body." No. That you have to prepare in this life. If you prepare yourself in this life to go back to home, back to Godhead, you go back to home, back to Godhead. If you prepare your, this life as a crocodile, then you become a crocodile. So God is very kind. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). So it is your business to what kind of body you are going to get next. Just like the example I was giving last night. That we are staying in this room, and suppose after a month we have to give it up. So we must find out another apartment. It may be better or it may be lower. There is no guarantee. But if we can arrange, we can better apartment than this. And if we cannot, we may go to hellish apartment. This is the way. But for the devotee, at least it is guaranteed that he gets next life as a human being. Not only human being, but in the family of a devotee, or in the family of rich man. These alternatives are there.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

Prabhupāda: From your birth till today, do you remember everything?

Woman (2): No.

Prabhupāda: Then why do you forget in this life? Things which have happened in this life, in your childhood, so many things happened, but do you remember all of them? So that, does it mean that you did not do so?

Woman (2): No.

Prabhupāda: Therefore you, you remember or not remember, it doesn't matter.

Woman (2): But if I'm, if I'm...

Prabhupāda: That is your nature: you forget. So you do not remember even the incidences of this life. How you can remember the incidents of your past life? Because you are forgetful. You are so imperfect that you forget after two hours everything. That is your nature. That does not mean that you had, you did not do anything. And, besides that, the... You remember or not remember. Suppose your guardian remembers, "My dear child, when you were a small baby, you did it." But you remember no... Similarly Kṛṣṇa is there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Anumantā upadraṣṭā. He knows everything. You may forget. But Kṛṣṇa knows. "You wanted this thing. All right. Take it. You worked for this. Now I give you the opportunity. You take this. You wanted to eat everything and anything, without any discrimination. All right. Now you become a hog." That is Kṛṣṇa's favor.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Read it.

Pradyumna: "As far as material necessities are concerned, the human civilization at the present moment is very much advanced in living comfortably, but still we are not happy because we are missing the point. The material comforts of life alone are not sufficient to make us happy. The vivid example is America: the richest nation of the world, having all facilities for material comfort, is producing a class of men completely confused and frustrated in life. I am appealing herewith to such confused men to learn the art of devotional service as directed in The Nectar of Devotion, and I am sure that the fire of material existence burning within their hearts will be immediately extinguished. The root cause of our dissatisfaction is that our dormant loving propensity has not been fulfilled despite our great advancement in the materialistic way of life. The Nectar of Devotion will give us practical hints how we can live in this material world perfectly engaged in devotional service and thus fulfill all our desires in this life and in the next."

Prabhupāda: So, people are misled. They are thinking that by material comfort they will be happy. And practically we are seeing, this competition of material comfort... The capitalist and the labor class, worker class, they are fighting—strike. Actually, the propensity is that... That is explained in Marshall's theory of economics. We were student of economics. So in that book Mr. Marshall explained that the family affection is the origin of economic impetus. That's a fact. These hippies, they have no family affection. They are not married, and therefore there is no economic impetus. They can live in any way, any wretched condition of life. And one who is married, responsible man, he has got some responsibility to see that..., provided he has got affection for the family. Otherwise, practically, so-called family life, there is no affection.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

Pradyumna: "The vivid example is America: the richest nation of the world, having all facilities for material comfort, is producing a class of men completely confused and frustrated in life. I am appealing herewith to such confused men..." Oh. "The root cause of our dissatisfaction is that our dormant loving propensity has not been fulfilled despite our great advancement in the materialistic way of life. The Nectar of Devotion will give us practical hints how we can live in this material world perfectly engaged in devotional service and thus fulfill all our desires in this life and the next. The Nectar of Devotion is not presented to condemn..."

Prabhupāda: If you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all your desires will be fulfilled. That is also fact.

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā
mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhiḥ
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa
(SB 2.3.10)

It is not that... Sometimes we think like that, that "If we become devotee of God, then I'll become poor." Because Vaiṣṇavas are generally appear to be poor, so those who are after material happiness, they do not like to become Vaiṣṇavas. They become devotee of Lord Śiva, because by the grace of Lord Śiva they get all material facilities. Therefore generally people are very much fond of becoming devotee of Lord Śiva. This question was discussed between Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja..., not, Parīkṣit Mahārāja and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired this, that "Lord Viṣṇu is the master of goddess of fortune, but generally we find the Vaiṣṇavas are poor.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

As I am transferring my body from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, youthhood to old body, similarly, as I have changed so many bodies, where is the difficulty to understand that after giving up this body, I'll get another body? And Kṛṣṇa is confirming. All the Vedic literature confirming: tathā dehāntara-prāptir. Another body. But we must know what kind of body I'm going to get. That is intelligence. Body, you must have to accept. As you have changed, as you accepted so many bodies, even in this life, then you have to accept another body. Now there are 8,400,000's of bodies. That you see. There are aquatic bodies, there are tree's bodies, plant's bodies, insect body, bird's body, beast's body—so many bodies. Eight million, four hun ... So Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptir. He does not say what kind of body you'll get; He says dehāntaram. You'll get another body. So how that body, you'll have to make? That is in your hand in this life. You can prepare your next body in this body, just like you can prepare your future life in your youthhood by education, by culture. Then you can get a very nice post, very nice position, honored in the society. But if you spoil your life in childhood and youthhood, then you have no position in future life. Similarly, if you want to get next body, very nice, valuable body, so you prepare for that. You prepare for that. And how the preparation goes?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

So you can prepare. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, you can worship demigods. The Candra, the Moon planet, you are trying to go there. In this way you cannot go. But if you prepare in this life how to be promoted in the Moon planet or sun planet or heavenly planet, then you prepare yourself. Yānti... Not by force. You cannot go by your teeny sputnik and enter into the sun planet. That is not possible. You have to prepare yourself in this life. Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). This is the injunction. But Kṛṣṇa also says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, the highest planet of this universe, still you have to come back again. Mad dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. Therefore a, a sane person should try in this life how to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the highest perfection of life. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching people how to go back to home, back to Godhead. Take advantage of this movement and be happy.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

You know the story of Yamala-arjuna. So they were given the place in the dhāma, Vṛndāvana-dhāma, as a tree, but they had to waste time for so many hundreds years. Although there is guarantee, anyone who is in dhāma, he'll get the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, but not... Why should we waste your time to become a tree or a monkey or a hog or a dog? Don't waste. You should be very careful. Don't commit any offense in the dhāma. Then one life is sufficient to go back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaun... (BG 4.9). If you actually live in Vṛndāvana carefully, without committing any offense and sinful life, then in this life you are going to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. To live in Vṛndāvana means to know Kṛṣṇa—how He appeared there, how He played here, how He executed His pastimes here. Janma karma divyam. These are all celestial, all transcendental. Jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

So those who are living in Vṛndāvana, they should try to understand Kṛṣṇa tattvataḥ. That is their business. Not that take advantage of Vṛndāvana and make some anyābhilāṣa, jñāna-karma. No. That means we are wasting time. You'll get the chance because you have come to Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana's so powerful. But if we commit offense and sinful activities, it will be delayed. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't waste time. Don't wait for another life. In this life, finish this business, to understand Kṛṣṇa, and go back home, back to Godhead." That is required. If one is businessman... Just like in business they want to execute business free, finish the business very quickly, similarly, because we see that such a devotee like Bhārata Mahārāja, because he was little attached to a calf, a deer calf... What is called?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:

Pradyumna: (reading:) "How Kṛṣṇa becomes attracted by the devotional service of His devotees is described by Nārada in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Seventh Canto, Tenth Chapter, 37th verse. There Nārada addresses King Yudhiṣṭhira while the King is appreciating the glories of the character of Prahlāda Mahārāja. A devotee always appreciates the activities of other devotees. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was appreciating the qualities of Prahlāda, and that is one symptom of a pure devotee. A pure devotee never thinks himself as great; he always thinks that other devotees are greater than himself. The King was thinking, 'Prahlāda Mahārāja is actually a devotee of the Lord, while I am nothing,' and while thinking this, he was addressed by Nārada as follows: 'My dear King Yudhiṣṭhira, in this world you, the Pāṇḍava brothers, are the only fortunate people. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has appeared on this planet and is presenting Himself to you as an ordinary human being. He is always with you in all circumstances. He is living with you and covering Himself from the eyes of others. Others cannot understand that He is the Supreme Lord, but He is still living with you as your cousin, as your friend and even as your messenger. Therefore you must know that nobody in this world is more fortunate than you.'

In the Bhagavad-gītā when Kṛṣṇa appeared in His universal form, Arjuna prayed, 'My dear Kṛṣṇa, I thought of You as my cousin-brother, and so I have shown disrespect to You in so many ways, calling You Kṛṣṇa, or friend, but You are so great that I could not understand.' So that was the position of the Pāṇḍavas; although Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the greatest among all greats, still He remained with those royal brothers, being attracted by their devotion, by their friendship and by their love. That is the proof of how great this process of devotional service is. It can attract even the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is great, but devotional service is greater than God because it attracts Him. People who are not in devotional service can never understand what great value there is in rendering service to the Lord.

'The First Stages of Devotion.' The three categories of devotional service which Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes in Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu are listed as devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in pure love of Godhead. There are many subheadings in each of these categories. Generally, it is understood that in the category of devotional service in practice there are two different qualities; devotional service in ecstasy has four qualities; and devotional service in pure love of Godhead has six qualities. These qualities will be explained by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī later on. In this connection, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī suggest that the person..., that the person eligible for Kṛṣṇa consciousness or devotional service can be classified by his particular taste. He says that devotional service is a continual process from one's previous life. No one can take to devotional service unless he has had some previous connection with it. For example, suppose in this life I practice some devotional service to some extent. Even though it is not one hundred percent perfectly performed, still, whatever I have done will not be lost. In my next life, from the very point where I stopped in this life, I shall begin again. In this way there is always a continuity. But even if there is no continuity, if only by chance a person takes interest in a pure devotee's instruction, he can be accepted and advance in devotional service. Anyway, for persons who have a natural taste for understanding books like the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, devotional service is easier than for those who are simply accustomed to mental speculation and argumentative processes."

Prabhupāda: So Nārada Muni instructed to Vyāsadeva under the verse, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer: (SB 1.5.17) "Even one takes to devotional service, takes shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, some way or other..." Kāmād lobhād bhayāt, as it is stated in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Just like the gopīs, they took shelter of Kṛṣṇa superficially by lusty desire. But it was not lusty desire. It was pure love. But in the material world same thing will be considered as lusty desire. So where is the difference between love of God and lusty desire? Because ordinary men will consider that gopīs were attracted by Kṛṣṇa in lusty desire. So Caitanya-caritāmṛta Kaja, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, he says that there is difference between material lusty desire and love of God. He has compared that love of God is just like gold, and lusty desire is just like iron. So the difference between lusty desire and love of God is: in the material world, which is going on as love, that is lusty desire. Because the party, both the parties are interested in individual sense gratification. But here, the gopīs, or any devotees, they want to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

There is a story, it is very instructive story, that Nārada Muni was passing to go to Vaikuṇṭha, and on the way one very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa, met him, and he inquired from Narada Muni where he was going. Nārada Muni said that "I am going to see Nārāyaṇa, my Lord." So the brāhmaṇa asked him, "Oh, you are going to meet Nārāyaṇa. Will you kindly inquire for me when my..., when I shall be liberated." Nārada Muni said, "Yes, I shall inquire." Similarly, on the way, he met one cobbler. He also inquired Nārada Muni where he was going, and he said, will you kindly inquire from Lord Nārāyaṇa when he would be liberated? So when Nārada Muni met Nārāyaṇa, so he inquired—because he's saintly person; he promised—that "Such and such brāhmaṇa inquired like this, and the, and a cobbler also inquired like this." So Nārāyaṇa said, "The, this cobbler will be liberated in this life, and that brāhmaṇa will take some time, some many births."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

So Nārada Muni became astonished that he, he was a learned scholar and brāhmaṇa, and he would take so much time, and the cobbler would be liberated in this life. "Oh, what is the reason, Sir?" So Nārāyaṇa gave him one needle, and He requested him that "When they inquire what Nārāyaṇa was doing, you can say that Nārāyaṇa was pulling one elephant through the hole of the needle, this side and that side," in this way. So when he came back, the brāhmaṇa said, "Sir, you are... I offer my respectful obeisances unto you and Nārāyaṇa. We cannot believe this, that through the needle or through the hole of a needle, a elephant is being passed, this side and that side." And when it was informed to the cobbler, he began to cry. He said, "Oh, my Nārāyaṇa is so powerful that He can do everything." He believed immediately that "Yes, for Nārāyaṇa it is possible to pull the elephant through the hole of the needle, this side and that." So Nārada Muni inquired, "How do you believe this? The other person, the brāhmaṇa, he's learned person. He did not believe. How do you believe it? What is your conviction?" He said, "Sir, I believe in this way, because I am sitting under this tree.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.8 -- Mayapur, April 1, 1975:

So everyone is anxiety in this material world, māyā. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to take a person or all of them from this māyā to Vaikuṇṭha. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to save the living entity from anxiety and bring him to the platform of no anxiety. That is the difference, from anxiety to no anxiety. That is the greatest gift to the human society. Everyone is full of anxiety because he is in this material world. He must be full of anxiety. So here the information is given, māyātīte vyāpi-vaikuṇṭha-loke: "There is another atmosphere, another nature, where there is no anxiety, no anxiety." Kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayanatam. Here we are keeping cows, but no milk-anxiety. Thousands of rupees' spending, and no milk, powdered milk. You see? This is the position, full of anxiety, always. So you cannot be free from anxiety in this loka. Therefore in this life, in human form of life, you can understand by cultivating knowledge from the śāstra, from guru, from saintly persons, "What is the position? What I want? Why I am full of anxiety? How it can be mitigated?" So therefore this information is given vaikuṇṭha-loka, back to home. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāmaṁ paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

So don't try to repeat your birth again and again in this Kali-yuga. It will be not very happy life. Better sacrifice everything in this life and be fully Kṛṣṇa conscious and go back to home, back to Godhead. Don't wait for the next life. This is very seriously repeated, that "This life I shall finish my Kṛṣṇa consciousness business," and, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that Kṛṣṇa consciousness business means to understand Kṛṣṇa rightly. And He's explaining Himself rightly. Where is the difficulty to finish the Kṛṣṇa consciousness business? If Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself, what He is, then where is your difficulty? Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is sending His representative ācārya to teach you, and Kṛṣṇa is within yourself trying to teach you if you are actually serious. Then where is the difficulty? Inside, outside, always, books, knowledge—He is prepared. So where is the difficulty to make yourself perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? There is no difficulty at all. Provided you are serious, you can become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious in this very life. You are all young men. You are not old man like me. I have no opportunity. (pause) (end)

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975:

So if we take it very seriously, then we become gradually advanced and eligible or fit candidate to go into the spiritual world—dīvyad-vṛndāraṇya-kalpa-drumādhaḥ. We can go there. That is wanted. Be serious. Don't be misled by the allurement of māyā. Remain strong. And then, in this life, you'll be able to become fit candidate to go back to home, back to Godhead. Dīvyad-vṛndāranya-kalpa-drumādhaḥ. You'll also be one of the associates of Kṛṣṇa, as you desire. Kṛṣṇa will give you the opportunity to serve Him as you desire. If you want to serve Him as a gopī, you'll get that position. If you want to serve Him as cowherds boyfriend, you'll get that opportunity. If you want to serve Kṛṣṇa following the footsteps of Mother Yaśodā, accepting Kṛṣṇa as your son, you'll get it. Accepting Kṛṣṇa as your son, Nanda Mahārāja following... We have to follow their principles, not that "I shall become Nanda Mahārāja" or "I shall become Yaśodā," "I shall..." No, that is Māyāvāda. You have to follow how they are loving Kṛṣṇa. You have to learn that. Then you'll get the chance of Kṛṣṇa's association.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

Here Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very, very magnanimous. He is, without asking, He is offering the best benefit, Kṛṣṇa-prema. So best objective... Our objective, of life should be to understand God. If we, in this life, if we simply understand what is God and what is my relationship with, and begin to act like that, then also our life is successful. Even if we cannot finish the whole job or we fall down from the platform of devotional service, still, we are not loser. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer patet tato yadi bhajann apakvaḥ atha (SB 1.5.17). This devotional service is the process. Requires some time to fulfill the whole job and become perfect. But even becoming..., before becoming perfect, one falls down, he is not loser. The service is so transcendental that whatever you have done, that is your asset. And if you stop, so that is not good, but even if you stop, whatever you have done already, that is your permanent asset. This is the benefit of devotional service.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

So to save us from death... That is the first business of humankind. We are teaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement for this purpose only. That should be the purpose of everyone. That is the sastric injunction. Those who are guardians... The government, the father, the teacher, they are guardians of the children. They should know it, how to give protection to the world's... Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta mṛtyum. So where is this philosophy all, over the world? There is no such philosophy. This is the only, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, which is putting forward this philosophy, not whimsically but from authorized śāstra, Vedic literature, authorities. So that is our request. We are opening different centers all over the world for the benefit of the human society that they do not know the aim of life, they do not know that there is next life after death. These things they do not know. So we are trying to educate them that "There is next life undoubtedly, and you can prepare your next life in this life. You can go to the higher planetary system for better comfort, material comfort. You can remain here in a secure position." Secure means this material life.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

So we have to accept the bona fide spiritual master. Who is spiritual master? Now, evam paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). By the paramparā system, one who has got the knowledge, he's a spiritual master, and the proof is—how one is spiritual master—that means paramparā, as Kṛṣṇa says. He does not change the words of Kṛṣṇa, but he follows the words of Kṛṣṇa and preaches the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is the proof of spiritual master. That's all. Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Firm faith, unflinching devotion at the lotus feet of the Lord, and speaking what the Lord spoke. No manufacturing. That is bona fide spiritual master. Otherwise, we shall be misguided, bogus. Bogus are described in the Bhāgavatam: mandāḥ sumanda-matayo. Sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10). They have manufactured their own ideas. That will take time. But if we approach the real spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, then our material disease will be cured even in this life. Then material disease will be cured when we develop our dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

So we have to understand how Kṛṣṇa expands. There are expansion. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta-rūpam. Just like Kṛṣṇa... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna... (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart, innumerable living entities. And not only that. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Aṇḍāntara-stham. Kṛṣṇa, as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, is within this universe. Not only within this universe, but within the atom, every atom. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ-paramāṇu-cayāntara. So Kṛṣṇa is so all-pervasive. But that does not mean everything Kṛṣṇa. (break) The dogs and hogs of Vṛndāvana, they are also fortunate because they are in Vṛndāvana. So one life of dogs and hogs, then they will be liberated. But why should we take the risk of becoming dogs and hogs? Finish this business of understanding Kṛṣṇa in this life by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Remain pure, observing the rules and regulations. Then your life is successful. At the end: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). This is the highest success of life.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.91-2 -- Vrndavana, March 13, 1974:

Immediately Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī warns, na janma-koṭibhiḥ sukṛtibhir labhyate. This eagerness to achieve Kṛṣṇa's mercy, to approach the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa in this life, determination, "I shall do anything. I shall sacrifice anything," this kind of determination is not very easily obtained. Na janma-koṭibhiḥ sukṛtibhiḥ. Sukṛti means pious activities. Without being pious, nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not so cheap. You may show yourself that you have become a great sannyāsī or Vaiṣṇava or whatever it may be, but so long you'll be engaged in sinful activities, there is no question of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That sinful activities means illicit sex and intoxication, gambling, and meat-eating. These are the pillars of sinful activities. So one must be purified. Janma-koṭibhiḥ. These... To purify oneself from the resultant action of sinful activities, it takes many, many births. Janma-koṭibhiḥ sukṛti. By counteracting the sinful activities, to engage oneself only in pious activities. So pious activities means brahmacarya... Śamo damo titikṣa. The brahminical qualifications. But it is very difficult nowadays to practice.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

This is a great opportunity we have got, this human form of life. Once missed, you do not know what is the loss. We do not know what is going to happen in our next life. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is guaranteed that you get another human form of life. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sanjāyate (BG 6.41). Not only human form of life, you get in a very good family. That is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā.

So my Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't take the risk of waiting for another life. In this life." Because there is no certainty. So our propaganda, "Take to this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't risk. Take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." What is that Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). That's all. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. Is it very difficult job?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

He says that "Your desire is to get perfection; therefore you are so much humble." So he quotes one verse from Nāradīya Purāṇa, that anyone who is very serious, one who is serious about knowing himself perfectly, and if he seeks in that way, then his perfection is guaranteed. The only thing is that one should be very serious. The purport, purport of this verse is sad-dharmasyāvabodhāya yeṣāṁ nirbandhinī matiḥ. Nirbandhinī matiḥ means he has already determined that "In this life I shall make my life perfect." Then, for him, perfection is guaranteed. If he thinks, "Oh, let me try. Let me test also this department of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at the same time test other departments. Let us go this way..." No. One should be very much serious to make complete perfection in this life. So a man should be serious like Sanātana Gosvāmī. And for that purpose he sacrificed everything, he became a beggar. So we should be prepared to sacrifice anything for perfection of this human form of life. Then perfection is guaranteed. Simply we should be very serious, that's all.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101 -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

This is giving the best example, typical example. Everyone. We are attached to the love of this material world, but we are all disappointed. From everyone's experience, you'll find. Everyone is disappointed. Both sides, the lover and the beloved, both sides. You have got very good experience in this country. They marry, again they are divorced, because disappointed. So this is going on. Therefore our love has to be reposed to Kṛṣṇa. That is the recommendation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, premā pumartho mahān. Pumartho, we want some achievement in this life. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Achieve love of Godhead. That is the best." Premā pumartho mahān. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose, how we can develop our love for Kṛṣṇa. The love is already there, but it is misplaced, misplaced. Somebody is loving somebody, somebody is loving somebody, but it is misplaced. Real love, if it is executed for the service of the Lord, then our life is successful.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.106 -- New York, July 12, 1976:

So long it has to do something with the body, that is called māyā. He's sat, but he is absorbed in the thought of asat. That is called māyā, what he is not. He is absorbed in thoughts of the bodily comforts of life. That is asad-dharma. The karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, they are all asad-dharmī because there is reference to the body. Karmī, in gross ignorance he knows that "Everything is this body, so let me enjoy bodily comforts, sense enjoyment, as far as possible." Not only in this life, next life... Even if he believes in the next life, but still, he's after these bodily comforts. "I shall be promoted in the higher planetary system. I shall go to moon planet, I shall go to the Mars planet," and so on, so on. These are karmīs' plan. Anything within this material world, that is all asat.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.106 -- New York, July 12, 1976:

Therefore guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). So he becomes more and more inquisitive to understand what is sad-dharma. So sad-dharmasyāvabodhāya. If one is actually serious, nirbandhinī matiḥ... Nirbandhinī matiḥ means with firm conviction that "In this life I shall be fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, I shall understand fully Kṛṣṇa." In this way if we have got firm determination, then Kṛṣṇa will help. That is, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, sidhyaty eṣām abhīpsitaḥ. If one is actually eager to understand his position and his goal of life, then Kṛṣṇa will help. We require determination. That is wanted. Laulyam ekaṁ mūlyam. Laulyam, to advance in spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the value is only strong eagerness, laulyam, that "I must finish this business in this life, to understand Kṛṣṇa." There are many śāstric references. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ yena mām upayānti te. Simply we should be very seriously eager. Then very soon, acirād eva sidhyaty abhīpsitaḥ, immediately... If not immediately... We should patiently. Simply we should be very, very eager. Tatra laulyam ekaṁ mūlyam. Laulyam means very greediness or... We can say, "How I shall approach Kṛṣṇa?" This greediness required, not greediness for sense gratification. Then we shall be implicated more and more.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.113 -- London, July 23, 1976:

They know how to steal, how to cheat. It is not unintelligent. They are intelligent. But their intelligence, merit, is used for bad purposes. They are called duṣkṛtina. And mūḍha-purposefully they are trying to avoid. Every step they are being baffled, and still, they are trying to avoid the supreme controller. Therefore mūḍha. And narādhama, narādhama means the lowest of the mankind. In the animal life they could not understand Kṛṣṇa or God—that is not possible—and they have got this human form of life... In this life one can understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. Just like we are trying. That is possible. But if we do not take advantage of this human form of life to understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa, then you are lowest of the mankind. So na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamaḥ māyayāpahṛta-jñānā (BG 7.15). And if we say that "There are so many doctors of philosophy, doctors of science, they are also hovering under this darkness, how is that? Then what about their education?" Yes, their education, certainly, but māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. The result of education, knowledge, that is taken away by māyā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

So by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu one can learn how to become liberated in one second, one second. It doesn't require many births. Of course, to come to this position, as Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19), after many, many births, that is very difficult job. We do not know. Suppose in this life I am living for hundred years or fifty years or ninety years. Then again another eighty years, ninety years, another hundred, four, five hundred years, or five thousand years... Because according to the body... The trees are standing for hundreds of years, five thousand years. So bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19) is not very easy thing. It may be millions of years. So after millions of years, if one actually becomes wise, jñānavān, he understands this simple truth, that jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa, this simple truth, that every living entity is eternally the servant of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-142 -- New York, November 29, 1966:

So in this life, while we are in the material world, so we have our material body. So this devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, doing everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is just like, what is called, apprenticeship to reach that highest stage. The same thing will be there in your liberated stage in the spiritual kingdom. But here, by the order of the śāstra, by the guidance of the spiritual master, you are being trained up as apprentice. This is called abhidheya, abhidheya, practice, practice. But even in practice you will feel that "I am making progress." It is such a thing. 'Abhidheya' bali' tāre sarva-śāstre gāya. And,

dhana pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala pāya
sukha-bhoga haite duḥkha āpani palāya
taiche bhakti-phale kṛṣṇe prema upajaya
prema kṛṣṇāsvāda haile bhava nāśa pāya

Very important passage. Just note it carefully. Now, by apprenticeship, by practice, if one sincerely follows this practice, then what is the result? Dhana pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala pāya. Just like a poor man, if he gets sufficient money, then at once his all distress is over, at once, immediately. Simultaneously, as soon as the sun is in the sky, at once the darkness is gone.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 8 -- Los Angeles, May 12, 1970:

You don't remember even that you have got this body. Every day, every night, this is being experienced. Because this body, I'm not body. The body becomes tired. It sleeps or it is inactive. But as I am, I work, I dream, I go somewhere, I fly, or I go, I create another kingdom, another body, another environment. This we experience every day, every night. It is not difficult to understand. Similarly, in every life, we create a different environment. In this life I may think I am Indian. You may think you are American. Or next life, a different position. Next life, I may not be American, or I may not be Indian. And if I, even I, I become American, I may not be a man. I may be a cow or bull. Then I am sent to the slaughterhouse. You see? This is going on. This is the problem. Always changing bodies. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It is serious position. We should very..., take this life very seriously, that "I'm changing my body life after life. I have no fixed position. I do not know where I am put within these 8,400,000 species of life. So I must make a solution." And that solution is... Kṛṣṇa says, yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ: (BG 8.15) "If anyone, some way or other, by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he comes to Me, he hasn't got any more to go back and accept a material body." He gets the same body as Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

Festival Lectures

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

The same thing, what Kṛṣṇa taught in the Bhagavad-gītā, Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught also in His, this Bhāgavata-dharma teaching, and practically He showed how to do it. That is His special. Lord Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all your material engagements. Simply just surrender unto Me. I shall give you all protection from all reaction of your past sinful activities." Because we are creating our next body in this life. So if we become sinful or if we act only sinful activities, then we get next body, a very lower class of body, even as the germ in the stool. You see? There are so many varieties of bodies. And if we act nicely, piously, then we get better body. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. Those who are acting, those who are situated on the platform of goodness, they are promoting their existentional status in higher planets. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasaḥ (BG 14.18). And those who are in the modes of passion, they will remain here. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. And those who are very addicted to all abominable habits, they are clearing their way to hellish life. So to abominable life is these four principles. That we are trying to avoid.

Ratha-yatra Lecture at The Family Dog Auditorium -- San Francisco, July 27, 1969:

The Supreme Absolute, He is also a living entity like us, just like your father, this material father from whom you have got this body, he is also a person, and you are also a person. You are son of your father. Similarly, although you cannot see God, we can understand from the version of the Vedas and authoritative scriptures if God is father, then He must be a person. He must be a person because I am person. We have to study by analogy, by our reason, our intelligence. Just like you have got experience in this life that "My father is a person. I am also a person." Although the relation is "I am his son; he is my father," but both of us are persons. None of us is imperson. That is nonsense. How my father can become imperson if I am person? This is nonsense.

Ratha-yatra -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1971:

So we have to study Vedas through authoritative sources. We have to follow the rules and regulations. Then, in this life, we shall be able to understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, you are liberated immediately. There is no doubt about it. Because without being liberated, nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad anantaram. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that first of all you have to become liberated. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ, identification with Brahman. That is liberation. Now we are identifying with this matter, material elements. Everyone is illusioned. "I am this body; therefore I am American." "Therefore I am Indian." "Therefore I am this." "Therefore I am that." Everyone. This is called jīva-bhūtaḥ, ignorance. And as soon as one becomes brahma-bhūtaḥ, he understands. Prasannātmā. "Oh, I am neither American nor this, nor that. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is brahma-bhūtaḥ, simply to change the consciousness. At the present moment our consciousness is material. I am identifying with matter. The same thing, consciousness, when changed, you identify with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's interest, then you are liberated.

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

So I am very glad that you have taken so much trouble to come here. Now will you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra along with the devotees and take part in honoring the prasādam? The prasādam is also one of the programs. Our Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is standing on three principal things: chanting, dancing, and eating prasādam. It is not very difficult. It is very enjoyable to chant, dance, and take prasādam. And if you like, you can hear a little philosophy of this movement. Or even if you do not understand the philosophy, even you do not read the books, simply if you take part in these three things, chanting, dancing, and taking part in eating the prasādam, your life will gradually progress in spiritual advancement of life. And if you continue this, then some day will come, even in this life it may come, that you will understand what is Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, then after leaving this body you go back to home, back to Godhead, directly (?). This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Varaha-dvadasi, Lord Varaha's Appearance Day Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 31, 1977:

The enjoyment is eating, sleeping, sex, and defense. So either you become one little insect or you become Brahmā, the same enjoyment in different forms. Therefore punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), repeating the same process-eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. But there is a life eternal which is not this eating-sleeping but another enjoyment, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. We can get it. So therefore in this life we should understand, we should be little sober, that this is our diseased condition. I am eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Why I am put into this condition of birth, death, old age, and disease. This is my disease. This is not healthy condition. So one who is sober, dhīra, he understands that "This is my tuberculosis disease state." We should restrict all the so-called material happiness and prepare for the spiritual life, eternal life That is a human consciousness. Otherwise you are in darkness, mūḍha. Duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama. Life is lost. So Kṛṣṇa has so many līlās, activities. Kṛṣṇa is not different from His activities, He is absolute.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

The human life is meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection of life. Any other so-called understanding, that is simply waste of time because we are under the grip of the material nature. You may be very learned scholar. You may be a fool. It doesn't matter. You are under the laws of material nature. So before finishing this small span of life... We have got this human form of life. It will be finished, as the cats' and dogs' life also finished. But if we try through the guru and Vaiṣṇava, then, we can achieve in this life the full success, not failure like cats' and dogs' life. That is the opportunity. So as far as possible, we are trying to lead you in this line, and you kindly follow. Then your life will be successful. That is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He wanted to deliver these fallen souls, the conditioned souls rotting in this material world. So Kṛṣṇa Himself... Kṛṣṇa comes Himself, Kṛṣṇa sends His devotees, Kṛṣṇa comes as devotee—just to execute this mission to reclaim the fallen souls from the clutches of illusory energy, material world.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

So he was blessed that "You die immediately." Because by his pious activities he has elevated himself so high that as soon as he dies, he goes to Vaikuṇṭha, kingdom of God. Therefore the sooner he dies is better. So muni-putra, ma jīva muni-putraka. And so far saintly person, sādhu, he said, jīva vā mara vā. A saintly person, "Either you live or die, the same thing. Because you are serving Kṛṣṇa in this life, and as soon as you die, you will serve Kṛṣṇa directly. So it is all the same." And so far the butcher is concerned, he said, mā jīva mā mara: "You don't die, don't live." "Don't live" means, "You are living in such a wretched condition, killing every day. Horrible life. Your living is horrible, and if you die, you are going to the darkest region of the hellish condition. So both life, living or dying, it is very horrible for you. So you don't live, don't die." (laughs)

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971:

So I'm very glad that you are so many boys and girls taking interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So please come here. You have got a very nice place. Discuss about Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa through philosophy, through science, through your intelligence—not that blindly—and you will be surely understanding what is Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa your life is successful. You become happy in this life, and if you execute properly Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then next life you'll go immediately to Kṛṣṇa for eternal blissful life of knowledge, sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvataḥ: "Anyone who knows Me in fact, in truth, the result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). That person, after giving up this body, he never comes again to this material world." This material world, so long we have got desire to enjoy this material world, Kṛṣṇa will give you different bodies, as you like. You can have your body in America, you can have your body in China, you can have your body in Russia, or in the moon planet—wherever you like.

Arrival Address -- New York, April 5, 1973:

So this life is not very congenial to the human society. The chaotic situation of the present human society is due to that there is no intelligent class of men. This is our challenge. The so-called scientists, so-called philosophers, they have no intelligence. Therefore the whole society (is) in the chaotic condition. So these boys and girls, American boys and girls, they're being taught, instructed to become first-class, intelligent man. This is the movement. But without intelligence... Just like your brain, if he, if brain is crazy, your body may be very strong, but that is useless because there is no brain. So at the present moment, especially in this Kali-yuga, there is lack of intelligent class of men, and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is creating some intelligent class of men. And if other class of men follow their instruction, then the whole society (will be) peaceful, and they'll be happy in this life and they'll be happy in the next life. This is the sum and substance of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Those who are interested will kindly come to our temple here in... We have got so many temples, and we have got our temple here also, New York. And there are preachers also. We have got good preachers. And educated boys and girls. We have got books. So my only request is that you take some interest, active interest in this movement, try to understand it, and if you cooperate, the whole human society will be happy.

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, April 13, 1973:

So our, this movement is to join Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma, punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Simply if you try to understand Kṛṣṇa... That is not very difficult. Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, what is Kṛṣṇa. And further explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So if you simply read our books, follow the rules and regulations, chant sixteen rounds, it will be not very difficult. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). Things will reveal to you. So if you, in this life, simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. What is that success? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). After giving up this material body, no more acceptance of material body; we remain in our spiritual body. We have got our spiritual body. That is now covered by the material dress, subtle dress and gross dress. So if we give up the propensity for material sense gratification, that is mukti. So long we have a pinch, a drop of desire to enjoy material happiness, we'll have to accept a body, different types of body, out of the 8,400,000. But if we become satisfied with service of Kṛṣṇa, then we have no more interest with this material happiness. That is mukti.

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, July 8, 1974:

So do not be slackened. And it is not difficult. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). This devotional service is so nice. It is... To execute the devotional is also very pleasing. Su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam. And whatever you do, that is your permanent asset. It will never be lost. In the material world, suppose you have got some money. So that is not permanent. But anything, material possession, that is not permanent. Especially after death, everything is finished—another new chapter. That we do not know. But devotional service, it is guaranteed. It is permanent asset, even you cannot finish in this life. But that does not mean you should be neglectful. Try to finish the completely to become Kṛṣṇa conscious in this life. Do not keep in abeyance. That is not intelligence. But even if it is not finished, then the next life a human life is guaranteed, and you begin where you ended. These are the sastric... So execute this devotional service very sincerely, seriously. Even there is little inconvenience, tolerate it. There is no inconvenience. But if you think it is inconvenience—that is our mental concoction—still, you should not be neglectful in the discharging your duties in devotional service.

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1975:

This process... I am very glad that you are following despite all impediments. The Deity is nicely decorated, and the Deity is worshiped, and He's pleased upon you. Be blessed. Continue this process, don't deviate, strictly follow the regulative principle, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa at least sixteen rounds, and you'll be happy. There is no doubt about it. You can experience. It is not an imposition. Don't leave this process. Then, in this life, you will be able to understand Kṛṣṇa. It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

To understand Kṛṣṇa is very, very difficult, even for the siddhas, those who have attained perfection of life. Kṛṣṇa said, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). First of all, out of many, many millions of person, one endeavors to become siddha, perfect. That is also not very easy, siddha. Siddha means perfectly self-realized. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is siddhi. That is the siddhi of human life. The dogs', cats' life, they cannot understand that "I am Brahman," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. They think, "I am dog."

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1975:

So you have to understand these things, and if you understand properly what is Kṛṣṇa, this much qualification will make you fit for being liberated even in this life.

janma karma me divyaṁ
yo jānāti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti kaunteya
(BG 4.9)

It is all stated there. So Kṛṣṇa can be understood only by devotional service, by no other. You cannot speculate, "Kṛṣṇa may be like this." Just like Māyāvādīs, they imagine. The imagination will not help you. You cannot imagine God. That is foolishness. God is not subjected to your imagination. Then He is not God. Why He should be subjected to your imagination? So these things are to be understood properly, and one can understand properly when he's pure devotee. Otherwise not. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtāḥ: (BG 7.25) "I am not exposed to everyone." Why He should be exposed to everyone? When He's pleased, He will reveal Himself to you. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). You cannot ask the sun to appear immediately. When he is pleased, he will appear in the morning. Similarly, you have to please Kṛṣṇa so that He will appear before you and talk with you and bless you.

Initiation Lectures

Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968:

If you meditate, so-called meditation, you do not know how far you are making progress. You see. You are in oblivion. You do not know. But here, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you'll directly feel, directly feel. I have got so many students, so many letters, how they are feeling directly. It is so nice. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). And very nice to perform. Chant and dance and eat. What do you want more? (laughter) Simply chanting, dancing, and eating nice sweetballs, kachori. So su-sukham and kartum avyayam. While performing, while practicing this process, it is very pleasurable, and avyayam. Avyayam means whatever you do, even if you execute one percent of this movement, that is your permanent asset. Permanent asset. If you do two percent, three percent, four percent... But don't wait for next life. Finish, cent percent. It is not very easy to execute; therefore finish. Don't wait, that "Let me finish in this life a certain percentage of self-realization, and next life I shall do." And what is the test of realization, finishing full percentage? The test is how much you have learned to love God, Kṛṣṇa, that's all. You have got your love, you love somebody, but if you divide your love, that "I shall love this country and my society, my girlfriend and this and that, or boyfriend, and I shall try to love Kṛṣṇa also..." No. That is also nice, but if you give predominance, all predominance, simply to love Kṛṣṇa, you'll automatically love other things, and your life will be perfect.

Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968:

So take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and be happy in this life and next life. If you can finish your loving affairs to Kṛṣṇa in this life, then you have done cent percent. If not, whatever percentage you have executed in this life, that will remain with you. It will not go. That is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā, that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga bhraṣṭo sañjāyate (BG 6.41). One who cannot execute this yoga process completely cent per cent, he is given next birth a chance to take birth in a rich family or to get birth in a very pure family. Two alternatives. So either you take birth in pure family or in rich family, at least your birth as a human being is guaranteed. But if you don't take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you do not know what is your next birth. There are 8,400,000 different species of life, and you can be transferred to any one of them. If you are transferred to become a tree... Just like I've seen in San Francisco.

Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968:

So either you take birth in pure family or in rich family, at least your birth as a human being is guaranteed. But if you don't take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you do not know what is your next birth. There are 8,400,000 different species of life, and you can be transferred to any one of them. If you are transferred to become a tree... Just like I've seen in San Francisco. They said that "This tree is standing for seven thousand years." They stand up on the bench for seven thousand years. The boys are sometimes punished by the teachers in the school, "Stand up on the bench." So these trees are punished, "Stand up," by nature's law. So there is chance of becoming a tree, there is chance of becoming a dog, a cat, or even a rat. So many lives there are. Don't miss this opportunity of human form of life. Perfect your love of Kṛṣṇa and be happy in this life and next life.

Initiation of Lokanatha dasa -- New Vrindaban, May 21, 1969:

So Vedic literature, Vedas' meaning, when it is said, arthadam, "In this life you can achieve the substance," that substance means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, taking it substance means multimillionaire or millions of dollars, that is also artha but anityam. That is anityam. That substance will not be carried by you. You have come here empty-handed from the womb of your mother, and when you leave this place, you will also go empty-handed. Not that because you have earned millions of dollars, Mr. Rockefeller or Ford, you can carry this. No. The Rockefeller Center will remain there, where it is. You have to go empty-handed. So now, when it is said arthadam, "You can achieve the substance," that does not mean this artha, temporary, which will not be carried by me. It will be left behind. That is going on. I create something in this life. As much as this body is created by the father and mother, similarly, I also create. That creative energy is there in me because I am part and parcel of God.

Initiation Lecture and Bhagavan dasa's Marriage Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, June 4, 1969:

So our, this new bride and bridegroom should always remember that in any condition of life they should remain together. And that will be possible if they concentrate their ideas to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then it will be possible. Otherwise māyā will attack in so many ways and cause disruption in so many ways. So our... We are taking part in this marriage ceremony not like ordinary marriage. It is for making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You should always remember that this marriage has no separation, no divorce. Lifetime. The husband will help the wife, the wife will help. There are so many things, duties of the wife. There are so many things, duty of the husband. And if they properly execute their respective duties and engage themselves simply in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the life will be very happy, and not only in this life, next life also. So take this opportunity, be happy. I want to see... Sarve sukhino bhavantu. That is the Vedic mission. Let everyone become happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. Let everyone be happy. And without being happy, nobody can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Initiation Lecture -- Boston, December 26, 1969:

So it is so nice. Always remember this, that "We have taken the best in the whole creation of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Do not try to adulterate it. Keep it pure, and your life will be successful. This is an opportunity, this human form of life, this particular type of tongue which you can use. In other type of tongues you can chew, you can taste the blood and the flesh, and so many things. But you cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. But here is a tongue given by God. You can utilize it for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Don't miss this opportunity. That chewing facility, tasting facility, you'll get even in cat's life, dog's life. But this chanting facility you'll not get. This is in this life, human form of life. So don't misuse it. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa regularly and be happy.

Initiation Lecture -- London, August 22, 1971:

These six principles, one must be very much enthusiastic: "Yes, in this life I shall complete my Kṛṣṇa consciousness business. I'll not wait for the next life. This life I shall finish." This is called utsāhān. And dhairya. Dhairya means patience. Not that "Sometimes I do not find that I'm making much improvement." But still, you should have patience. And niścayāt, with confidence. "Because we are following the standard rules and regulation, success is sure." That confidence must be there. Just like two plus two equal to four. That is a fact. Similarly, if you follow the principles as laid down in the śāstras, then success is sure. But if you don't follow, Kṛṣṇa says, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na siddhiṁ savāpnoti (BG 16.23). Anyone who does not follow rigid principle, then he cannot have success.

Initiation Lecture and Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

Dṛḍha-vratāḥ: "firm determination." That kinds of devotional life is possible only when one is completely free from the resultant action of sinful activity, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataḥ. Anta-gataḥ: "one who has finished." We are suffering and enjoying in this life. So, what we are enjoying, that is due to our pious activities in the past. Just like in our daily business, if you have to take some money from somebody, that is your income. And if you have to pay somebody that is your expenditure. Two things are going on. You cannot expect here in this material world simply income. There must be expenditure. So two things, they are known as sukha and duḥkha Sukha means "happiness" and duḥkha means "distress." So, as Prahlāda Mahārāja says, that this sukha and duḥkha-happiness and distress—is already destined. And soon as I get a certain type of body, my life's happiness and distresses are fixed up. That's all—you cannot change it.

Initiation Talk Excerpt -- Vrndavana, April 4, 1976:

This human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth. So everyone should be interested to understand the Absolute Truth. But this is Kali-yuga. Practically nobody is interested. The symptoms of Kali-yuga is mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are very slow or all bad, mandāḥ. And even if one is little anxious, he is victimized by some false way. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo. And manda-bhāgyā. Therefore preaching is required to awaken them to spiritual consciousness. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to awaken the victimized soul to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa personally comes to awaken this consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's servants, they also try to do the same business on behalf of Kṛṣṇa; therefore Kṛṣṇa recognizes such preachers as very, very dear to Him. Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ. So the whole world is suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So those who are initiated, they should decide that "In this life we shall simply serve Kṛṣṇa." That should be the... Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Bhajanti māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ.

Wedding Ceremonies

Paramananda & Satyabhama's Wedding -- Montreal, July 22, 1968:

Otherwise don't produce. Remain separate. Separate means there is no separation, but don't produce children. That is my request. Putrārthe... Pitā na sa syāj jananī sā syāt. The Bhāgavata says, "One should not become a father, one should not become a mother, unless they are able to protect the children from the imminent danger of death." What is that? The cycle of birth and death. If you can train your children to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your child will go back to Godhead in this life. That should be the aim. As you will try to go back to Godhead in this life, similarly, you shall take charge of your children that he can also go in this life back to Godhead. The mother's and father's duty should be that "This child is born out of my womb, and this is the last phase of his life, to come into this womb of any animal or man—no more material body." That should be the responsibility of father and mother. That is the direction of Bhāgavata.

So my dear children, boys and girls, I request you that live happily. There is no restriction. We don't restrict eating, sleeping, or mating, or defending. But do it in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, pure life, and be happy in this life and next life.

Wedding of Syama dasi and Hayagriva -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1968:

So today's wedding ceremony between Śrīman Hayagrīva brahmacārī and Śrīmatī Śyāma dāsī is practically negotiated by me. I am the marriage maker and I am the negotiator also. How? Because I have started this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in this country to make people happy: happy in this life, happy in next life. This is not temporary sense happiness. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that,

mām upetya kaunteya
duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ
(BG 8.15)

"Anyone who comes back to Me," Kṛṣṇa says, "anyone who goes back to Godhead, then he does not require to come back again to this place, which is full of miseries." Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Duḥkhālayam means it is a place of misery, this material world. And aśāśvatam. Aśāśvatam means temporary. Even if I agree, "All right, it is a miserable place. Let me live here perpetually," no. That also will not be allowed. As soon as there will be order, "Please get out," you have no power to remain.

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

So this facility is given in this human form of life. Now it is our choice, where shall I go? Shall I go down to hell, or shall I go up to heaven, or I shall go back to Godhead, back to home? Everything we can do. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is directly approaching the spiritual sky, back to home, back to Godhead. No more evolutionary process. That is the advantage of this Kṛṣṇa conscious... If you make your consciousness completely absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, if you understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is your relationship, how you have to act in that relationship, simply if you learn this science in this life, then it is assured by the Lord Himself, Kṛṣṇa, in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya: (BG 4.9) "After leaving this body, one does not come again back to this material world to accept one of the 8,400,000's of species of body, but he goes directly unto Me." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). "And if one can go back there, then he does not come back again in this material world to accept this material body." And material body means three kinds of miseries, threefold miseries always. And at least threefold miseries are exhibited in four kinds of distresses, namely birth, death, old age, and disease.

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

Student (1): Do you imagine in this life an attainment of a follower...?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. There are many followers. You can ask how they have changed. We have got many letters. And here there are my students. You can ask directly how they have changed. This is practical. Yes.

Student (2): I want to make sure I understood—that chanting this over a long time will also help affect where our body will go after we die, what form we'll come back in?

Prabhupāda: First thing is by chanting your misconception of life will be cleared. At the present moment I am thinking that "I am this body," and therefore, because my body is born in this land, therefore I am thinking, "I am American." And because I happened to take my birth in a certain family, so I am thinking, "I am Christian" or "Hindu." But all these things are designations. When we clear the misconception of my life, then I can understand that I am pure soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. The Vedic language says that "I am spirit soul." And as soon as you understand, then brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). As soon as you realize yourself as soul, then you become immediately free from all anxieties, prasannātmā. Prasannātmā means jolly. Spiritual life means natural joyful. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). The Vedānta-sūtra says that spirit is by nature joyful. So because we are spirit, we are always hankering after joyous life. But because our expression is through this material mind and body, it is not being fulfilled. So as soon as you stand on the spiritual platform, you actually stand on the platform of joyous life. That is the immediate gain. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). Immediately.

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, June 29, 1968:

Indian man: Bhagavad-gītā explains that every devotee is protected by the Lord, and Prahlāda Mahārāja, in this life as Prahlāda Mahārāja, his father becomes a demon, demon, and he has to fight Nṛsiṁha. That means it is the karma of a previous life, and he's praying, he has to pray to the Lord to protect him. Or is it understood that he'll get the protection? So why this prayer?

Prabhupāda: He was protected. Devotees are not under the karma. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured by his father in so many ways, but he was not affected. He was not affected. Superficially... Just like in the Christian Bible also, that Lord Jesus Christ was tortured, but he was not affected. This is the difference between ordinary man and the devotees or transcendentalists. Apparently it is seen that a devotee is being tortured, but he is not tortured. There is one example, nice example. Just like the cat. The cat carries the kitties in the mouth, and it carries a mouse also in the mouth. So apparently it is seen that a cat is carrying its kitties in the mouth means it is in pain. But it is not in pain. That is a fact. Rather, she feels very comfortable. You see? But when the cat, the same cat, catches one mouse, his life is gone. But you see that she is carrying in the mouth both of them. Similarly, whenever you'll find that a great devotee is placed into torturing condition, he does not feel. But the demon thinks that "I am torturing him."

Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:

Of course, we do not expect that everyone will accept this philosophy, but even one percent population of the whole world accepts this... Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭha lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). The Bhagavad-gītā explains that if some principal man accepts some theory and some philosophy, others follow. So we have got our center here. I request you all student to try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and purify yourself. And the purificatory process is very simple. We are simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So my request, my fervent request to you all, that you are very nicely placed. Please try to understand this philosophy. Make your life very happy in this life or in the next life so that people of the world will be happy by following your example.

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to let people know how much valuable life is his, and utilize it in that way. Our movement is sarve sukhino bhavantu: everyone become, be happy. Not only human society, even animal society. We want to see everyone happy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is practical; it is not dream. You can become happy. Don't be disappointed, don't be confused. Your life has value. You, in this life, you can realize your eternal life, eternal blissful life of knowledge. It is possible; it is not impossible. So we are simply transmitting this message to the world, that "Your life is very valuable. Don't waste it just like cats and dogs. Try to utilize it fully." That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. We have published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Try to read it. In that Bhagavad-gītā in the Fourth Chapter it is said, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: if simply tries to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is His business, what is His life, where does He live, what does He do...., janma karma. Janma means appearance and disappearance; karma means activities; divyam—transcendental. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. One who knows the appearance and activities of Kṛṣṇa in fact, in truth—not by sentiment but by scientific study—then the result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, you'll no more have to come back to this miserable condition of material existence. This is fact. Even in your life, in this life, you'll understand, you'll be happy.

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

So our, at present moment, our business is simply to change bodies, change body. So we do not know what kind of body I am going to take next. There is a vast science about it, so one should know, one should prepare. Just like you are preparing yourself by education to be well situated in your future life, in this life; similarly, you should prepare yourself to get the best body in you next life. What is that next body? That is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā:

mām upetya kaunteya
duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ
(BG 8.15)

"The highest perfection of life is to come back to Me, and you get this spiritual body, eternal body, blissful life, full of pleasure." Dance with Kṛṣṇa, mām upetya duḥkha, without any miserable condition. That is the highest... Saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ. That is the highest perfection of life. You are trying to go to the moon planet, you are trying to go to the sun planet or you can go any other planet. There are millions of planets. And the highest planet is called Brahmaloka.

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

So our proposal is that in this life you have got this opportunity, the informations are there, the scientific methods are there—take advantage. Fully utilize your, this valuable life by changing simply your ordinary consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the greatest boon offered to the human society by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If you take advantage of it, then sarve sukhino bhavantu—then you'll become happy. It is not a mental concoction; it is very authorized. It is accepted by great stalwart scholars and ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, those who practically guided the whole destiny of Indian civilization—even Lord Buddha, he was Indian—but all of them accepted these authorized scriptural... Don't try to manufacture. There are so many things in store, in Vedic knowledge, and they're all summarized in the Bhagavad-gītā. Try to understand. It is not very expensive or very difficult, but you have to understand it with full brain, then your life will be successful.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

So the birth is there, and wherever there is birth and death, there is disease and old age. But I am, as spirit soul, I am free from... Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. I have nothing to do with birth, death and disease and old age. I am spirit soul. Na jāyate na mriyate na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇaḥ. It is always, although it is the oldest, it is always fresh. Just like I have become. Now, amongst you, I am the oldest man. You are fresh. But the propensities of you and when the..., of me, it is the same. I want to enjoy life. The same propensities which I had in my youthful life, I've got still. But because my body has become old, I cannot enjoy like that. So it is the bodily impediments that is hampering my real happiness. So problem is how to get out of this entanglement of repetition of taking one body after another, one body after another, as we are taking in this life also. That is the solution. That solution is yad gatvā na nivartante. Kṛṣṇa says, tad dhāma paramaṁ mama: (BG 15.6) "If you go to My planet, you have no more (to) come back again." You get your eternal life, eternal, blissful life, full of knowledge and remain, enjoy like Kṛṣṇa with Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest perfection.

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

In the Garga Upaniṣad it is said, etad viditvā ya prayāti sa brāhmaṇa. Etad aviditvā ya prayāti sa kṛpaṇa. Brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇa means broadminded, liberal. So one who... Everyone will die. The cats and dogs and human being, everyone will die. But the Garga Upaniṣad says that if one dies after understanding the science of God, then he is perfect. He is brāhmaṇa. His life is broader, mahātmā. And if one dies without understanding this, he is kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. Miser means... Suppose if you have got millions of dollars. If you cannot utilize it, if you simply waste it, then you are kṛpaṇa, miser. You do not know how to spend money. Similarly, we have got this body which is worth..., not millions-trillions and more than that, because we can realize in this life what is our relationship with God, what is God. We can understand. But if we don't do that, simply we waste our time in sense gratification, then we are kṛpaṇa, miser. We are losing our opportunity. So these things are there. So in whatever way you like, either this evangelistic way or this way or that way, try to understand what is God and what is your relationship with God and try to invoke your dormant love of God. Then your life will be perfect. That is our mission. If you have got your own method, that's all right. You take it. Otherwise we are giving this method, very simple. You take it. Your life will be sublime. That is our request.

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971:

Ten years, twenty years, fifty years, hundred years, then finished. Your skyscraper building, your nice wife, your apartment, your friends, everything that you have made(?), you do not know where you are going. That you do not know. There is risk. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty (BG 8.6), at the time of death everything will be examined. What are you going to be next? You have to accept another body. So that body will be created in this life. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi and that bodily structure will be formed at the time of your death. Just like if you leave this apartment, you'll have to go another apartment. So you have to select another apartment, good or bad. That will depend on your capacity, how much rent you are able to pay. Then you leave this apartment. Similarly, at the time of death by the superior arrangement, another apartment will be given to you, and immediately that is settled up, you leave this body and enter into that body. Daiva-netreṇa, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1).

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

Similarly, when we are out of the atmosphere, we are out of Kṛṣṇa atmosphere... There are many examples. Just like a fire and the sparks of the fire. They are of the same quality. If the sparks of the fire falls on your cloth, it will immediately burn. But the sparks of the fire and the whole fire is different in quantity. But in quality the sparks of the fire is as good as the fire. There are many examples. You can understand what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa or God. We are small. We are atomic small, and Kṛṣṇa is unlimitedly great. That is the difference. Otherwise, so far quality is concerned, Kṛṣṇa and ourself, the same. As the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, if we live always with Kṛṣṇa, then we are in spiritual life. If we always live in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then in spite of our living in this material world we are called jīvan mukta, "liberated in this material condition." Jīvan mukta. He has got to die and take liberation. Even in this life he is liberated.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

If you actually..., if you are actually serious to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you must be very much energetic, utsāhān: "Yes, I shall learn this art verily in this life." You must be fixed up, dṛḍha-vratāḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is called dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Bhajanti māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. That determination should be "Yes." Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, five-years-old boy. Nārada Mahārāja said, "My dear boy, you are king's son. You cannot undergo so much severe austerity. Why you are feeling so much insulted by your stepmother? Please go home." And Dhruva Mahārāja replied, "My dear sir, what you are saying is all right. But I am a son of kṣatriya. I am unpolite. I cannot accept your advice. I must see God. Please show me the way how I can get Him." That is determination, a five-years-old boy saying, "I must see God in this life. If you know something, how to do it, please explain that. Don't try to deviate me." That is determination.

Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

This Bhāgavata-dharma should be taught to our children. There is no use of calling ourself that we are secular. What does it mean? Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If you have no dharma, then what is the difference between you and the animal? You must have. That is the advice of Prahlāda Mahārāja also. Prahlāda Mahārāja appeared some millions of years ago, and he was a five-years-old boy, Vaiṣṇava. He says, kaumāra ācaret prājñaḥ. Prājñaḥ means one who knows very perfectly things, prājñaḥ. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). There are different types of dharma, but he specifically mentioned dharmān bhāgavatān iha. Iha means in this life, in his human form of life. Why in this life? Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This life, this human form of life, is very difficult to obtain again. You do not know what life you are going to accept next. There is no certainty, because when you die, then you cannot be puffed up that "I don't care for God, I am God." Then you are under the grip of the material nature.

Lecture -- Delhi, December 13, 1971:

So these occupational duties they are not permanent. But I am eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). By the destruction of this body, I am not destroyed. I remain, I simply enter another body. I, as spiritual soul, I remain. Just like I'm entering different bodies in this life. I was a child, I enter another body. Just like this small child, Sarasvatī. According to the body, she is acting. She's acting sometimes nonsense, but we take it delight, because she is child. But the same nonsense if I do in another body, grown up body, that will be ridiculous. In this child body, she is naked, but people enjoy it. But when she is grown up and she is lady-like, she is young girl, if she becomes naked, oh that is ridiculous. So, here in this life also we see according to the change of the body, the duty is changed. The activities are changing. So, this body is changing, that's a fact. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Just like in this life we are changing different types of bodies, similarly dehāntara-prāptiḥ, another body. These rascals, they do not understand the simple reasoning. Simple logic they cannot understand, still they argue, "What is the proof there is transmigration of the soul?" Here is the proof. That this child, Sarasvatī, when she is a grown-up lady she'll not act like that. But everyone will accept her, Sarasvatī, the same character (?). Her father, mother, relatives, everything is there, Sarasvatī has got another body. So what is the difficulty to understand this logic? That the soul is immortal and the body is changing. What is the difficulty? Just try to understand, you have to preach immortality of the soul, transmigration of the soul. What is the difficulty? Simple logic. What is the difficulty? Can anyone say? No difficulty? Will you be able to convince others?

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

Oh, yes. Certainly. This is experienced in this life also. Just like you had a body of a child. That body is finished, but you are existing. You can remember that you had a body of a child, you had a body of a boy, but that body of the child, body of the boy is no longer existing. You are in a different body, but you know that you are existing. That is the proof that after this body, you will have another body. This is the proof. There is no difficulty to understand. As I am still living in spite of my changing childhood body, babyhood body, boyhood body, youthhood body, so naturally it should be concluded when I give up this body... Actually, I don't give up. The body... There are two kinds of bodies. This is gross body made of the five elements: earth, water, fire air and... And there is subtle body: mind, intelligence and ego. Just like we have got shirt and coat. So when we give up this gross body, we are carried by the subtle body to another gross body. So I am not giving up. Actually, I am not giving up this body. I am giving up this... Just like sometimes you give up the coat, but your underwear remains, and you take another coat or..., similarly, my, the subtle body will remain with me so long I am not emancipated or liberated from material condition. So presently when I give up this body, so I am carried by the subtle mind. And at the time of death, the condition of my mind will carry me to a particular type of body.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

If you believe in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if you are not successful to finish the business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life, next life your birth is guaranteed as human being, either in a very rich family or in a very pure family. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sanjāyate (BG 6.41). Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ. Just like every one of us, we are trying to be successful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Suppose that due to some reason we fall down. There is possibility because māyā, illusory nature, is very, very strong. So we may become victim. So there is no... This question was raised by Arjuna, and it was replied by Kṛṣṇa. So there is no question of wrong. A person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Everyone should try to finish this business. Why one should wait for another life? We have got this opportunity. Let us finish. And what is the difficulty to remain always thinking of Kṛṣṇa? Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). And the process is very simple. That I already explained: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So adopt this process. Then your... In this life you get Kṛṣṇa. But even if you are not successful, then a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is guaranteed next life human form of life, and that is also either in very rich family or... Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41).

Lecture -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

Otherwise police is not enemy. Similarly, māyā is not our enemy, but she has got a thankless task with that trident. So Kṛṣṇa is giving us the knowledge that "You surrender unto Me, and māyā will not trouble you." Māyām etāṁ taranti te. So we are giving this information, that "You rascal, you are trying to be happy by your material plan. You will never be happy. Don't be fooled. You have been befooled so many lifetimes. Now just make an experiment in this life. Take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and see whether you are becoming happy or not. Why not make...?" This is our method. That's all. It is very simple thing. You have tasted your life for so many years. Now why not taste this also? In this way, peacefully we have to execute our devotional service. And the more you do, more you become strong, more Kṛṣṇa is pleased upon you.

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

If by practicing this, at the time of death, if we can remember Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. Then our life is successful, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ, if you can remember simply Nārāyaṇa at the time of death. Because next life means the mental position of your life at the time of death. Whatever mental position you put yourself, that is your next life. That is your next life. Yad yad... What is that? Yad yad bhāvam. I forget that verse. At the time of death, whatever you think, that is your next life. I prepare my next life in this life. That is in the hands of the material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). As we associate, guṇeṣu... It is also described in this Bhāgavatam, ramamāṇaḥ asyā guṇeṣu. We are now enjoying in the company of different modes of material nature. Some is enjoying life in company with the modes of material nature, goodness, and some is enjoying the modes of passion, and some is enjoying the modes of ignorance. There are three qualities: sattva, rājaḥ, tamaḥ. Sattva is translated as goodness, rājaḥ as passion and tamaḥ as ignorance.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

The death and birth is of the body, not of the soul. Therefore when we are actually intelligent, cultured, advanced, then we should be inquisitive that "If I am eternal, then why I am subject to these tribulations of birth, death, old age, and disease?" That is intelligence. It is not intelligence that "The cats and dogs are eating on the footpath; I am eating (in) a very nice plate, nice hotel or nice table." You are eating, that's all. It is not advancement of civilization when you think that you have got good apartment, good house, and sleeping in a nice bedstead, and the cat and dog is lying on the floor or in the street. No. She sleeping; when you sleep, the enjoyment is as good as of the cats and dogs. Similarly, sex life also. They also enjoy, you also enjoy. Then what is your special prerogative? The special prerogative is that you can understand in this life that you are eternal, you are Brahman. Therefore the, in the human form of life, if one is not so advanced as to inquire about the Brahman, athāto brahma jijñāsā... This human form of life is meant for inquiring about Brahman, or spirit soul. So long this inquiry is not there, one is animal. That's all.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

I am changing, you are changing, everyone is changing. Every second, every moment, we are changing bodies. So similarly, changing of this body, accepting another body. After leaving this body, I'll accept another body. That body is not in my hands. What kind of body I am going to accept next, that depends on my work here, in this body. I am preparing my next body in this life. Just like a child is being, a boy is being educated to prepare his next life. If he is nicely educated, his next life is very bright. If he's not nicely educated, that will be very dark. Similarly, this chance, this human form of body, is a junction. From animal forms of life, by gradual process of evolution, I have come to this human form of life. Now I have to make out next what life. You can promote yourself to the higher planetary systems. You can promote yourself to the spiritual world. You can get your eternal life. That is called arthadam. That achievement you can do in this human form of life. So anyone who is attempting to get eternal, blissful life of knowledge, he is intelligent man. Otherwise, one who is spoiling his life simply for animal propensities, eating, sleeping, mating, he's no better than animal. That's all. Cats and dog. Polished cat, polished dog maybe, but he is animal. This bhāgavata-dharma means that, how to get out of these four defects of material life, or four miserable condition of material life—birth, death, old age and disease—and get eternal, blissful life of knowledge. That is called bhāgavata-dharma.

Speech -- New Vrindaban, August 31, 1972:

Then he says that vrajendra-nandana yei śacī-suta haila sei. "In this age, the same Supreme Personality of Godhead who appeared five thousand years ago as the son of Nanda Mahārāja, vrajendra-nandana..." Nanda Mahārāja was the king of Vraja, vrajendra, and his nandana, his son, that means Kṛṣṇa. Vrajendra-nandana yei śacī-suta haila sei. "That Kṛṣṇa has appeared in this age as the son of mother Śacī." Lord Caitanya's mother's name was Śacī-devī. Balarāma haila nitāi. "Balarāma, the same Balarāma who appeared as Kṛṣṇa's elder brother, he has appeared as Nityānanda, Gaura-Nitāi." So what is Their business? Pāpī-tāpī yāta chila harināme uddhārila. Their business is... There are two kinds of people within this material world. Another one is committing sin and the other is suffering the sinful reaction. Pāpī-tāpī. That is our business. In this life, I am suffering the resultant action of my past impious activities, and I'm creating another set of impious activities so that I shall suffer next life. This is our position. Pāpī-tāpī yāta chila. Therefore there are two kinds of activities. Pāpī-tāpī yāta chila, harināme uddhārila. But all these people can be delivered simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

Just like we have got different types of body in this life. I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man, I..., I was a something else. Now I have got this old body. So as I am existing after changing so many different phases of body, therefore the conclusion should be that after annihilation of this body, I shall exist, and, which is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre. After destruction of this body, actually we are not going to die. Our subtle body—the mind, intelligence and ego—that is, that is working. As it, the subtle body, works during my sleeping position, similarly, this body may be, gross body may be annihilated, but my subtle body carries me to another gross body as I desire. Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, is very kind. As we desire, He gives us opportunity. Any kind of body, any kind of enjoyment we want, He gives us the opportunity: "All right, you take this body. And you wanted to enjoy like this. All right, you enjoy." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ. He is sitting in everyone's heart as the Supersoul, and even if we forget, He reminds: "My dear living entity, you wanted to do this; now you do it."

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

We are eternal part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God, but we are struggling here, manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhāni indriyānī prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Why this struggle for existence? We must know... We have got eternal life. This temporary... Suppose in this temporary life I become Birla or some big businessman for, say, twenty years or fifty years, utmost, hundred years. Next life there is no guarantee that I'm going to be Birla or this man, Tata. No. There is no such guarantee. That we do not take care. We are taking care of the small span of life, but we are not taking care of our life eternal. That is mistake. Suppose in this life I am a very great businessman. Next life, by my karma, if I become something else... There are 8,400,000 species of life, forms of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Nine lakhs of forms of life in the water. Then there are insects. Sthāvarā lakṣa... There are trees, plants, two million forms of trees and plants. Kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Eleven lakhs' species of insects, reptiles. Then birds. Pakṣiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam. In this way, we fulfill eight millions of different forms of life. Then we come to the form of human life. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma (SB 7.6.1). This mānuṣaṁ janma is very, very rare. We should not be satisfied only becoming a very big businessman. We must know what is next life, what I am going to be.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

So there are different kinds of men. Some of them are called the karmīs, and some of them are called the jñānīs, and some of them are called the yogis, and some of them are called the bhaktas. The karmīs, they are after material happiness. In this life, also, they want the highest, the best comfort of material life, and after death also they want to be elevated to the heavenly planets. Similarly jñānīs, they also want, they being fed up of this material way of life, they want to, they want to merge into the existence of Brahman. That is jñānī. The yogis, they also want mystic power. And the bhaktas, they want simply service of the Lord. So unless one understands what is Lord, how he can render service to the Lord? This culture is the highest culture. The karmīs' culture, the jñānīs' culture, the yogis' culture and the bhaktas' culture—there are different cultures. So all of them are called yogis if they are doing sincerely their duty. Karma-yogī, jñāna-yogī, dhyāna-yogī, bhakta-yogī.

Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:

So if there is any difference of East and West, this difference. (In) the Eastern part of the world, especially India, the people know that "I am not this body." And the Western part of the world, they do not know that "I am not this body." That is the difference. That is the difference. That is the distinction between East and West. In India, go to a village and you ask him that "What you are?" He will say: "Sir, I am suffering or enjoying according to my past karma." Means: "I was living in the past. So according to my action, I am suffering or enjoying the reaction in this life." He believes in the transmigration of the soul. He believes in the future life also. He is very cautious to commit sin because he knows that "If I commit sin in this life, I'll have to suffer next life." This is Eastern life. And in the Western country, I talked with so many big, big professors, especially in Moscow. I talked with Professor Kotovsky. He said: "Swamijī, after death, then everything finished. After death, everything finished." This is the difference, East and West. In the Eastern country, especially in India, a common man will understand the existence of soul. And in the Western countries, a topmost man, professor, he does not know what is soul. That is the difference.

Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:

So we have to accept another body. Therefore, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving intelligence to the person that "Here is your ultimate goal of life, Kṛṣṇa. Come here. Be trained up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa." This is our movement. That is the ultimate goal. (break) ...go somewhere. Because you are eternal. Simply by finishing your body, you will not finish. You have to go. But where you shall go? That you can plan in this life. And if you make this plan, that "I want to go back to home, back to Godhead..." The Bhagavad-gītā is there. You study. You cultivate this knowledge. And Kṛṣṇa says: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). "My dear Arjuna, such persons who have developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness perfectly, after giving up this body, he does not accept any more material body." Tyaktvā deham. "After giving up this body..." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Janma means birth, means accepting another material body. Otherwise, the soul has no birth, no death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. The soul never takes birth or never dies. It is the body only. It takes birth and dies according to my karma. So if one becomes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa conscious, the ultimate goal of life, then after giving up this body, he does not accept any more any material body. Then what does he do? Mām eti, "He comes to Me." This is the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the ultimate goal of life.

Lecture What is a Guru? -- London, August 22, 1973:

So śāstra says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto. Abodha-jāto. Everyone is born rascal, fool. He has to be enlightened, he has to be given knowledge, and he has to receive knowledge to make his life perfect. Therefore parābhavaḥ means one who does not make his life perfect, he's being defeated. What is the defeat? Struggle for existence. We are trying to get better life. Here also, in this life also, we are struggling hard for getting better position. So real better position we do not know. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: saḥ amṛtatvāya kalpate. Here in this material world there is no better position because there is death. You may possess a very good better position, but you'll have to give it up. Either the better position will give up you, or ultimately you have to give up that better position. You cannot stay. Suppose you have earned millions of dollars, millions of pounds: "Now we have got good bank balance." You think, "Now I am in the better position." A little dysentery, or cholera, dysentery—finished, better position.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

There are many who worship demigods. So they will go to the planet where demigods reside. There are innumerable planets. This, according to Vedic literature, this moon planet is also a place where demigods reside. The sun planet also like that, and many other planets. The Bhagavad-gītā says, yānti deva-vratāḥ devān. If you want to go to the moon planet, sun planet, Venus planet or any other planet, you just prepare yourself in this life, and at the time of death, you'll be transferred to such and such condition of life. Similarly, pitṛ-vratāḥ, there are Pitṛ-lokas, bhūtejyā, bhūtejyam ghost worshiper. They will also go to such planet. And mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām, Kṛṣṇa says. "Those who want to go to Me, back to home, back to Godhead, they can also go there. They can also go there."

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Therefore our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that if I have to prepare myself in this life... Actually this life is preparation for the next life. That is a fact. So here is a chance, this human form of life. Either you go back to home, back to Godhead, or again you go to the cycle of different species of life. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). You accept one type of body, live there for some time, then give it up, then accept another type of body, live for some time, then accept another type of body. In this way... But we are so much illusioned that although this is botheration, to accept one type of body, again give it up, again accept another type of body, we are not disgusted with this business. Because actually we are eternal. Why should we accept one type of body, live there for some time and again change it? That we have experienced. Just like any one of us, we desire that my youthful body may remain.

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

Just like if you get millions of dollars, if you do not utilize it, if you simply see in the treasury that you have got so much money, then you are kṛpaṇa. It is practical. But if you utilize that money and instead of one crore you make ten crores, then you are called intelligent. Similarly, if we think that "I have got this human form of life, better standard of eating, sleeping and mating," then you remain kṛpaṇa. You could not utilize it. But if you know in this life, which is possible, "What is the value of this life? What is Brahman? What I am? What is my connection with Brahman? Why I have come here? Where I shall go again? Why I am put into the miserable condition of life? I do not wish to die. Why death is enforced upon me?" this is called brahma-jijñāsā, inquiry, "Why?" Therefore there is a Kena Upaniṣad, "Why?" Unless this "why" inquiry comes in the human body, then he is failure. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Whatever we are doing, we are being defeated, because we are doing everything in ignorance. "I am this body." "This is my country." "This is my kinsmen." And in this way I die like cats and dogs.

Public Lecture -- Konigstein, Germany, June 19, 1974:

And actually that is happening. All over the world, these young boys and girls, because they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and because they are eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam, now they are developing their Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are not Vedantist. They have not studied all the Vedas. But how they are understanding? If they are not understanding Kṛṣṇa, how they are sticking to this life? In this life everything is forbidden: no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication. Everything no. Material life finished. Why they are sticking unless they are understanding Kṛṣṇa? This is the proof. The more you stick to these principle, sevonmukhe jihvādau, engage your tongue in two business—chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda—your life will be perfect.

Thank you very much. (break) Any question?

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

So therefore we have to first of all establish our relationship with God. Your establish..., is already

established. Just like the father and the son—the relationship is already there. It is not... But still, sometimes the son goes out of home and may be forgetting his father. Similarly, we are out of home. We have come from the spiritual world in this material world. We have forgotten our father. So we have to revive this relationship with our father, or God, or Kṛṣṇa. That is the main business of human life. In other species of life lower than the human being it is not possible to revive our old relationship with God. But in this life... Therefore this is the greatest opportunity. After all, we are under the grip of material nature's law. That is explained in there. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). According to our desire, we are creating a different type of body, and after death, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Just like the child is become a boy, the boy is becoming young man, the young man is becoming middle-aged man, and the middle-aged man is becoming old man.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

So therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement. We request everyone to study this movement very seriously and make one's life successful. And what is that success? Simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa... And Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, everyone should know that Kṛṣṇa means God. So if we try to understand simply Kṛṣṇa, or God, in this life, then we become liberated. We become free from this material bondage. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). This is the assurance given in the Bhagavad-gītā. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa... Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Now, in truth you should understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. And there is no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture -- Nellore, January 4, 1976:

The first-class position is to become a qualified brāhmaṇa. Śamo damo satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣa ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So that is the best quality. And next the kṣatriya quality, next the vaiśya quality... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). So according to the infection of different qualities, we are preparing the next body, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). This is karma. You work as a brāhmaṇa, you work as a kṣatriya, svakarma, according to your capacity, quality. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā, guṇa. These guṇa... As we are associating with the qualities and acting, then we are creating a body next life. So next life, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ... (BG 2.13). As we pass from one form of body even in this life, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youth-hood, youth-hood to old age... Kṛṣṇa begins His instruction with this point, that we must know what we are. We are not this body. If we remain in the bodily concept of life, then we are no better than cats and dogs.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- Caracas, February 25, 1975:

So I thank you very much for your kindly receiving me in this temple, and I was very happy. So my request is that you continue your devotional service very faithfully and rigidly, then in this life you will be able to see Kṛṣṇa face to face. That is a fact. So you follow the advice, as given by Rūpa Gosvāmī, utsāhāt. The first thing is enthusiasm, that "I must see Kṛṣṇa." You are seeing Kṛṣṇa. The Deity of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is not different. But even personally we can see. Simply we have to continue the enthusiasm. Enthusiasm means to take things very seriously, utsāhād dhairyāt, and patiently. Although we are determined to go back to home, back to Godhead, so we should patiently follow the rules and regulations. So these are the six principles: enthusiasm and firm determination and patience and executing the regulative principles, tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, and sato vṛtteḥ, means behavior must be very honest, no duplicity, and utsāhād dhairyāt niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, and sato vṛtteḥ, dealing must be very honestly, no hypocrisy, tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, sādhu-saṅga, and in the association of devotees. If you follow these six principles, namely enthusiasm, determination, patience, and executing the regulative principles and keep yourself honest and in the association of devotee, if you follow these six principle, then your success is sure.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:
Prabhupāda: Yes, therefore when one is killing an animal, he should be prepared for being killed. That will be justice. That is Manu's... Manu-saṁhitā says that when a man, murderer is hanged, that is complete justice, complete justice. That is to save him, because without being hanged in this life, he if he escapes justice, then he will have to suffer next life very severely. So to save him from so many troubles in the next life, if he is killed, I mean to say, hanged, in this life, then he is saved. Therefore the king who is hanging him is doing him justice. Life for life. If this is the justice, then why one should not be prepared of being killed because he is killing an animal? That is justice. That is Vedic philosophy. In Vedic philosophy, when an animal is killed, it is said that "You are animal, you are being sacrificed before goddess Kālī, so you get next chance to become a human being." That means he is given a lift from the evolutionary process to come to the human being because he is giving his life innocent, and one man wants to kill him, he will be killed. So because you are being killed before the deity, you get next chance human being and you have got the right to kill him. This is kālī-da, mantra. So any sane man will understand that "I am going to be killed by him so why shall I take the risk."
Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: Ruin.

Prabhupāda: Yes, ruination. Yes. Because he is taking all the sins. Tax means it is sinfully earned, and he's taking the money.

Śyāmasundara: So he gets it worse than anyone.

Prabhupāda: Yes, he'll be the worst sufferer, in this life and next life. These things I have discussed in Mahārāja Prthu's. You cannot, if you keep the, just like I am accepting disciples so I am taking responsibility of the sinful reactions. So similarly a king levying taxes, that means that he will take the share, the sinful or pious life of the citizens. Therefore if he keeps the citizens pious life, then he will be profited and citizens will be profited. Otherwise he will go to hell and the citizens will go to hell. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānā. One blind man leading another blind man. So this is nice philosophy, that this is not the right philosophy, that the state head, the president or the king or whatever his name is, he is the representative of God. Therefore his duty is to train the citizens to become God conscious, pious, without any sinful life. But these big, big state head, just like in our country, Dr. Radhakrishnan is supposed to be a very great philosopher, and what he was doing? He was sanctioning to keep slaughterhouse. So he is philosopher and he had no sense that "I am the state head. I am sanctioning slaughterhouse. And I am passing as a philosopher." And now he is suffering, you have seen?

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: So he got the reaction.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is his opportunity, he's finishing his sinful life in this life.

Śyāmasundara: Oh, you said, that's right, you said it was good for him that he was suffering.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is good for him. Because he is fortunate that his sinful reactions are being finished in this life. Otherwise he would have to drag it, he would have to continue, and he might have been a dog or cat, like that. So it is good for him. I said that. It is good for him.

Śyāmasundara: So he says that we rise up to the level of the state but then each state is independent and not subordinate to other states.

Prabhupāda: Independent, no. Independ..., that is also another contradictory philosophy. If the state is representative of God, then how he's independent? That is less intelligent. He's speaking contradiction. That's all.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Śyāmasundara: Like instinct?

Prabhupāda: That is instinct, or intuition, or whatever you call it.

Devotee: Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it explains that a yogi in this life means that in his last life (sic), but in this life it may look like he has intuition towards yoga, but actually...

Prabhupāda: Because he has got experience.

Śyāmasundara: Just like in mathematics they use the concept of intuition a lot, that...

Prabhupāda: A big mathametician, suppose there is a big addition, sum, and one experienced mathematician, he can simply... Sometimes there is some difference. You know that? Generally we have some (indistinct). Is it not? But there are many experienced (indistinct) immediately (indistinct). That is experience.

Devotee: The concept of intuition...

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: This is not intuition, this is experience.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Hayagrīva: ...into a new body... If that's the case, isn't it possible for the mind to actually remember its past lives?

Prabhupāda: Sometimes he remembers. There are many instances, just like Bhārata Mahārāja. He got the body of an animal, but by the grace of Kṛṣṇa that he remembered everything of his past life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanam, "That I am." Bhārata Mahārāja's remembrance, it is due to Kṛṣṇa's mercy. He was a devotee, but he neglected his devotional service on account for being too much attached to a small deer. So at the time of death he was thinking of the deer, he got the body of a deer. But Kṛṣṇa, out of His great mercy, He reminded him that "You are in such a position now. You have become a deer. So don't forget Me, My service." So he did that. He was always staying with devotees, that "By my fault I have got this body, so let me remain in this life with the devotees." So next life he took birth in a nice brāhmaṇa's family, but due to his past experience, that "I fell down," he remained just like a dull brain, not associating with anyone, that "I cannot fall again." So even in the next birth Kṛṣṇa can remind him of his past birth and guide him.

Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger:

Śyāmasundara: He doesn't make a judgment if there is life after death or not, he's simply like a psychologist examines what motivates people's behavior or...

Prabhupāda: No. If you do not know whether he exist in the future or not... Just like a child, if he knows that "I shall exist as an old man," then there is question of what I shall become. If he does not know whether he'll exist or not, then what is the idea of becoming a teacher, or I can become (indistinct). First of all you should know that I exist only for this duration of life or I exist forever. That is real philosophy. Real philosophy is, "I exist forever." That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Just like I existed as a small baby, I existed as a boy, I existed as a young man. I remember all those existences, although the body is finished. Therefore the conclusion is that I shall exist when this body is finished. That is real knowledge. And it is common sense. If I existed as this child, I existed as a baby, I existed as a boy, I existed as a young man, and I am existing as old man, so why not I shall exist when this body is finished? In this life I experience so many bodies, they have left, they are no longer existing, but I see that I am existing; therefore why shall I not see that I will exist after the death. What do you think?

Devotee: What do I think?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You are understanding what I am speaking?

Devotee: Hm. Actually I am sort of in awe of (indistinct), but I enjoy listening. (indistinct)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said he was being in awe of being with you, but he wasn't listening to the words.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. All right. Then, this is the idea of existence. Therefore the philosophy is that I shall not be very much interested what I am going to become in this life. My philosophy should be that as I am eternally existing, what is my eternal occupation. That is philosophy.

Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:

Devotee: By following the regulative principles, we develop a Kṛṣṇa conscious conscience.

Prabhupāda: No. Regulative principle is good—he may be, one may be moral, ethical—but that does not mean he is a Kṛṣṇa conscious. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, even without moral principles, he is higher than the person without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply sticking to the moral and ethical principles, he has no... Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Anyone who is not a devotee of Hari, Kṛṣṇa, he has no good qualification. He may be good morally, good about following rules and regulations, but that does not mean that he is good. We have many instances in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Those who are strictly following their religious principles but has no idea of devotional service, he does not gain anything in this life. And a person who has engaged himself in the devotional service of the Lord, even if he falls down due to immaturity, he has gained so many things.

Śyāmasundara: It would seem like this idea of pure actuality would also..., could also be called devotional service, because everything that I'm acting is for Kṛṣṇa, for the pure actual.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: How it can be? If he is, if he is not developed...

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: ...to spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is very horrible for him. But in this life he became very proud, "I don't care for God, I am independent," and so on, so on, so on, talking like a crazy fellow. But after death he has to accept a body as dictated by nature: "My dear sir, you have worked like a dog, you become a dog. You liked this surfing in the sea, now you become a fish." That will be given by the superior order. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). You have worked in a certain way. Now, by superior, super, superior dictation you will accept a type of body naturally. If you have infected some disease, when you are attacked by the disease you cannot protest because you have got already infected. Similarly, we are creating our next body, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). We are keeping ourself in touch with a certain type of modes of material nature. That means we are creating our next body. How we..., can you stop it? That is nature's way. The same, if you have infected some disease you must get that disease. Similarly, there are three modes of material nature, tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, sattva-guṇa, and transcendental. As you have kept your association in this life you get the similar body, paurva-dehikam. So even if you fail to achieve the highest goal in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, still, because you have kept yourself in the association of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so you are going to get the chance to take birth śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41), either in the family of pure, purity, brāhmaṇa, or in the aristocratic family. In both the families, you get the chance of reviving your spiritual consciousness. But we forget that, or we do not get superior guidance, then we again fall. But there is chance. One who is born in rich family, one who is born in high-grade family, he has got the chance, and (indistinct) to take lessons from Bhagavad-gītā that "I have become..., I am born in rich family or in a brāhmaṇa family, so I am well situated. Now I must take where I left my, developed my spiritual consciousness." So if he tries, he gets the chance. So human form in general is a chance for making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, especially when one is born in aristocratic family or a brāhmaṇa family or a Vaisnava family.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: That, in others words, he has good deeds and...

Prabhupāda: No, not only good deeds, that is our aspiration. We don't want emptiness.

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Because these materialistic persons, they do not want emptiness, they think that "After finishing this life everything will be empty. So let me enjoy as much as possible in this life." That is their view, that "I am going to be empty. Now before becoming empty, let me enjoy as far..." And the sense enjoyment is the center of material life. Therefore these materialistic person(s) are so much after sense enjoyment. Propriety is one of them. Because their life is empty after death, so because, be..., "Before it becomes empty, let me enjoy as far as possible."

Hayagrīva: He believes that karma brings rebirth. He says, "If a karma still remains to be disposed of, then the soul relapses again into desires and returns to life once more..."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Henry Huxley:

Hayagrīva: Huxley did appear to have..., to adhere to the doctrine of transmigration. He says, "The doctrine of transmigration constructs a plausible indication of the ways of the cosmos to man. Every sentient being is reaping as it has sown, if not in this life then in one or other of the infinite series of antecedent existences of which it is the latest turn." In Evolution and Ethics he writes about brahman and ātmān and liberation. He says, "The earlier forms of Indian philosophy agreed with those prevalent in our times, and supposing the existence of a permanent reality or substance beneath the shifting series of phenomena, whether of matter or of mind, the substance of the cosmos was brahman, that of individual man ātmān, and the latter, that is ātmān, was separated from brahman only by its..."

Prabhupāda: That is also not. He is not separated. He is, brahman and ātmān, they are existing, co-existing, and that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in the chapter "Kṣetra and Kṣetrajña." The body is the field, and the ātmā, individual soul, is the owner of the field or the worker in the field. So it is also said there is another owner, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ vidhi. As the individual is working in the body, similarly, there is another soul working in the body. So what is the difference between the two? The two is different that the individual soul knows only about his own body, but the other soul, Supersoul, He knows everything of every body. That is the difference. I know the pains and pleasure of my body. I do not know the pains and pleasure of your body. But this Supersoul, He knows the pains and pleasure of this body, of that body, of millions and millions of bodies. That is the difference between the two souls. But the two souls are there. One is called Supersoul, paramātmā, and the individual soul is called ātmā. So ātmā and paramātmā are there. The difference between them is that ātmā knows about his own body and the paramātmā knows everything of all bodies. That is the difference.

Page Title:In this life (Lectures, Other)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:25 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=105, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:105