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Incident (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

When Lord Caitanya was traveling in South India in a big temple, Raṅganātha temple, He went to see the Deity, and He saw one brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā. And people were joking him, "Oh, Mr. brāhmaṇa, how you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" Because they were the neighbors, they knew that this brāhmaṇa was illiterate and he was studying Bhagavad-gītā. So they were joking. But the brāhmaṇa did not care them. He was taking the book and in his own way he was reading. Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw this incident, He came to the brāhmaṇa. So He asked the brāhmaṇa, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" So he could understand "This persons is not joking with me; He is serious." So he explained, "My dear sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, I am illiterate. I do not know even the alphabets." "Why you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" So he said that, "My spiritual master knows that I am illiterate, but still, he has asked me to read Bhagavad-gītā. What can I do? Therefore I have taken this book. I am seeing simply. I do not know how to read." "Oh, that's all right. You cannot read. But I see that you are crying.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:

Devotee: "According to the vaibhāṣika philosophy, the so-called soul or ātmā vanishes along with the deterioration of the body. So, in any case, whether Arjuna accepted the Vedic conclusion that there is an atomic soul or whether he did not believe in the existence of the soul, he had no reason for lamenting. According to this theory, since there are so many entities generating out of matter every moment and so many of them are being vanquished at every moment, there is no need to grieve for such an incidence."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Material creation, just like bubbles in the ocean. You have seen standing on the bank of the Pacific Ocean, oh, so many thousands of bubbles created in a second, and again thousands of bubbles gone, in a second. Now, who is crying there? "Oh, so many bubbles were created, and they are gone, they are gone, they are gone." (laughter) It's nonsense. (laughs) So Kṛṣṇa is very nicely giving argument that "If you think there is no soul, it is being manufactured by the interaction of the physical element, so it is just like bubbles in the ocean. So many bubbles are created and destroyed every moment. So what is there cause of lamentation? What is your reason?" Then?

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

Now negation. Negation. "All right. I shall not do this, which will produce reaction." That, I mean to say, forceful negation will not stand. "I shall not do this." Or, for example, take the small incident of our life, eating. Now, because eating has reaction, because whatever I am eating I have to repay for that... Either you eat vegetable or flesh, that doesn't matter. "Then let me... I shall not eat." Oh, that cannot be. How you cannot eat? You cannot do it. If you have to live, then you have to eat. So here the Lord says, viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ. Just like a person is diseased. He is advised by the doctor that "You shall not take such and such things." So he is starving or he is fasting. Suppose in the typhoid fever the doctor has advised him not to take any solid food. So under the instruction of the doctor, he is not taking any solid food. But suppose his brother is eating some bread. Oh, he likes that "If I could eat." But that means within himself... He is, by force, by the instruction of the physician, he is forced not to eat. But within himself he has got the tendency for eating. But out of fear that "If I eat, there will be very bad reaction of taking solid food," therefore, by force, he is not eating. Similarly, there are so many things which you are refrain from doing by force. No. That sort of abstinence will not make you progressive in spiritual life, by force.

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Yes. The difference is that Arjuna, being constant companion of Kṛṣṇa, he was also present when Kṛṣṇa said to sun-god, but he has forgotten. But Kṛṣṇa, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has not forgotten. Just like a, my child. I say, "My dear child, twenty-five years ago you fell down and you were hurt in this way." Although the child has forgotten, but the incident is fact. The father knows. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme father, He knows everything, and Arjuna might have forgotten. Because one has forgotten, one cannot give details. Just like we had many, many births before this form of body, but we have forgotten that. That does not mean that it did not take place. We had to pass through millions and millions of births. The other day I was explaining. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Simply we had to live in the water to pass through 900,000 species of life. Two millions species of life, plant and trees. In this way we have passed through. So we might have forgotten, but that does not mean it did not take place. Go on.

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

Madhudviṣa: "...although His multiforms are understood by the pure unalloyed devotees but not by the simple study of the Vedas. Devotees like Arjuna are constant companions of the Lord, and whenever the Lord incarnates, the associate devotees also incarnate in order to serve the Lord in different capacities. Arjuna is one of these devotees, and in this verse it is understood that when Lord Kṛṣṇa spoke the Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god Vivasvān, Arjuna in a different capacity was also present there some millions of years before. But the difference between the Lord and Arjuna is that the Lord remembered the incident whereas Arjuna could not remember. That is the difference between the part and parcel living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Here is... Nowadays there are many gods. Especially anyone comes from India in the name of so many saintly persons, and they claim that they are gods. Everyone says, "I am God." Or somebody says that "Everyone is God." But here is the difference between God and ordinary living entity. What is that? God does not forget and we forget.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

Our fund of knowledge is very poor. We cannot present history of this present world more than three thousand years. But in the Vedic scripture we find history, millions and millions of years ago. That is the beauty of Vedic literature. So because we cannot find out in the modern day three thousand, more than three thousand years of chronological history, that does not mean that there was no history before and there was no historical incidences. No. That we should not conclude in that way.

Kṛṣṇa says that "I am speaking to you..." Sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya: (BG 4.3) "What I am speaking to you now, today, it is not new. It was spoken long, long before. It is that oldest system of yoga I'm speaking to you." Bhakto 'si. Bhakto 'si: "And why I am speaking to you?" This is the point to be noted, that bhakto 'si. This Bhagavad-gītā yoga is to be understood by a person who is a bhakta, who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can understand it. Bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyam... Because there is a mystery, mystery of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is impossible to be adopted by a person who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the qualification. To understand, to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is rather a difficult job because unless one is a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, it will be a difficult problem. This, this very word, it suggests, bhakto 'si, that one's qualification must be that he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa so that he can understand Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

And madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ: "Those who are in the modes of passion, they remain here in this Bhūrloka." And adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ: "Those who are engrossed with the modes of ignorance, they may be degraded from this planet to another, degraded planet, or another life, or animal life. This is the process, going on. And we forget.

Forgetfulness. There is some incidences that sometimes Brahmā, he was cursed to become a, a hog. He became a hog. Then after... Not Brahmā, Indra, the king of heaven. The king of heaven, he made some offense under, on the feet of his spiritual master, Bṛhaspati, and he cursed him that "You are just like a hog. You take the birth of a hog." So he became a hog. Now, when the throne of the heavenly kingdom was vacant due to the absence of Indra—he has become a hog in this earth—so Brahmā came. Brahmā came that, "Mr. Such-and-such, you have now become hog for your offensive activities. Now I have come to deliver you. Please come with me." Now, the hog said, "Oh, I cannot go with you. I cannot go with you. Oh, I have got so many responsibilities. I have got my children. I have got my wife. I have got my country. I have got my society." The hog, he's... So even you offer the hog to take him to the heaven, he will refuse. "Oh, I have got so much responsibility." This is called forgetfulness. This is called forgetfulness.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

Here it is distinct... If you have to believe Bhagavad-gītā, then the distinction you have to believe, you have to take. You cannot say that "There is no difference between me and Kṛṣṇa." No, there is difference. Here the difference is clearly explained that "That is the difference between you and Me, that you forget. You cannot remember all the incidences of your life, past, present and future, but I can remember." That is the difference.

Now, the next question is that if He does not change His body, why He takes, comes as incarnation? These are very difficult questions. There are some, many difference of opinions amongst the philosophers. Somebody says that Kṛṣṇa assumes the material body when He comes. No. He doesn't assume the material body like us. Then He could not remember. Just, here is a critical point. If He would have accepted material body like us, then He could not remember because we have got this material body, and due to this material body and change, we cannot remember anything. Therefore the natural conclusion is that He does not change His body.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974:

Because money is considered the best thing in the world, but they have enjoyed all these things. Therefore they are no more after money accumulation. They are after Kṛṣṇa. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. They can earn. They have dedicated their life. They're doing everything for me. They could earn in their country thousands of dollars. Thousands of doll... Any man can earn any day twenty-five dollars minimum. And twenty-five dollars means two hundred and fifty rupees per day. So they can get so much money. Why they have sacrificed everything? They have sacrificed their money. They have sacrificed their intoxication habit. They have sacrificed their illicit sex life. They have sacrificed their gambling life. Why? Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Because they have understood little trāyate mahato bhayāt.

Such things, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56). And you become fearless. You fearless. Even so many incidences happened in this spot, why they are fearless? Because they had attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This boy was threatened for life, but still he stood, fearless.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

Just to inform the human society that "If you have no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, just see. I have incarnated. How I am doing, you can see. You can have."

Just like something extraordinary happening in India, and if there is some photograph, cinematograph, and you see in the picture by a scope, cinema, you see the actually, what is happening. But Kṛṣṇa's pastimes is not like that. Just like originally, the incidence which is happening in India, you have got a photograph. You see in cinema. This cinema picture is a shadow of that actual picture. But when Kṛṣṇa comes, because He is absolute, the same picture, which is in the spiritual world, the same picture is represented here. There is no difference. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33).

Kṛṣṇa is described as nava-yauvana. Some of you must have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa. He is always just like a boy of twenty years old, although He is the ādi-puruṣa. Ādi-puruṣa means He is the original person of all emanations. He is the oldest. Advaitam acyutam anādim, ādyaṁ purāṇa-pu... Purāṇa-puruṣam means the oldest. Purāṇa means old. Purāṇa-puruṣam; still, nava-yauvanaṁ ca, just like a young man of twenty years old, full energy, full youthfulness.

Lecture on BG 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966:

So many lives I have passed in that way. Now I have taken a new line of my life. So in the beginning there will be difficulties, but that difficulties can be overcome. Here it is, the suggestion, yato yato niścalati manaś cañcalam asthiram. Because mind is very much agitating, cañcalam, and asthiram, not fixed up, therefore it goes from one kind of thought to another kind of thought.

Sometimes you might have experienced that you are doing some work. All of a sudden you remember. Some forty years before or thirty years before, some years before, some incident took place, and you at once remember. Although there is no cause, but it comes. There is... A subconscious state is there, and we are getting. That means the mind is always being agitated. Due to agitation the things which are stored in the subconscious state, they come out. Just like if you agitate a lake or a pond, all the mud from within, it comes. But we have to settle down. Then the mud will settle down.

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

Prabhupāda: There is a story. In a cowshed there was fire. So after that incidence, the cow, as soon as the cow sees something red, oh, they began to disturb, "Oh, there is fire." Similarly, here, tasting the bitterness of so-called rascaldom, they think that Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is also similar rascaldom. So we shall begin? So when they have sent the file? Did you ask?

Brahmānanda: I think two days ago.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Then they might have received.

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: (starting to play karatālas) Jaya oṁ viṣṇu-pāda paramahaṁsa parivrājakācārya aṣṭottara-śata śrī śrīmad bhaktisiddhānta sarasvatī gosvāmī... (chants gurvaṣṭaka, kīrtana, prema-dhvani)

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

"You are..." So the wife said, "Ācārya, you have become so much cruel nowadays?" "Oh, what is that?" "Two boys, very nice boys, they have brought so many foodstuff. You loaded on their head, and they denied to take it, and you have beaten them, chastised?" He said, "No. I have never done this. Why shall I do it?" Then she described, "Oh, such a nice beautiful boy." Then Arjunācārya understood that "Because I wanted that God does not deliver, so He has delivered these goods, and because I cut these alphabets that He does not give personally, so He has shown that beating mark."

There is an incident in southern India of Yāmunācārya. That story is there. Of course, you may believe or not believe. That's a different thing. But here the Lord says that "I personally deliver." So those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, those who are actually busy in the matter of discharging their duties as a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, they may be assured that so far their living condition is concerned or their comforts of life is concerned, that is assured by the Lord. There will be no hampering. Thank you very much. Any question? (end)

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sañjāyate (BG 6.41). One who is not mature in his performance of yoga, he is given chance, another chance—another chance in a very nice family, śucīnām, very pure brāhmaṇa family; śrīmatām, very rich, royal or very rich mercantile family. These are chances. Nature, under the order of Kṛṣṇa, is giving chances to us, giving chance to us to come out of the entanglement of birth and death: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). One should be intelligent to see the troubles of these four incidences of life: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. That is the whole Vedic system—how to get out of these clutches. But they're given chance that "You do this, you do that, you do that," so regulated life, so that ultimately he can come out.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hawaii, February 3, 1975:

And on the street, Second Avenue, there is always big, big trucks and motor cars going on, heavy sound. Then in your country the garbage carrier sound, the digging sound. So many sound they'll tolerate. And as soon, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," "Oh, it is intolerable." (laughter) This is demonic, the demonic. They'll not hear. Because that will do good to them by hearing, they'll not accept it.

It is practically experienced. I know that the ghost, if you go in a house ghostly haunted, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they'll go away. They cannot tolerate. In my life there was several incidences like that. In my household life, I was doing business in Lucknow. So there was one house, very big house, worth thousands of rupees' rent, but it was ghostly haunted. So nobody would take that house. I took it at two hundred rupees, (laughter) and very big house. And I was... All the servants, they complained, "Sir, there is ghost." So I was chanting. He was living in several spots, especially on the gate side. So I could understand, but I would chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and I was saved. Everyone was saved. There was... And, say, in 1969 I was guest in the house of John Lennon in London. So there was a ghost in... It was a big plot. There was a guest house. So they complained, "Sir, here is ghost." So I advised them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and the ghost went away. Yes. This is fact. When there is Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting, these ghostly, demonic living entities, they'll not be able to stay there. They'll go away.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

Not vanished, it was not visible. Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw one small hole, little water, and He indicated, "This is Rādhā-kuṇḍa." Then Rādhā-kuṇḍa was discovered. So these Gosvāmīs were working very hard. And special business was there, nana-śāstra-vicaraṇaika-nipunau. They were very expert in scrutinizingly studying all the Vedic literatures. Nana-śāstra, śāstra, not ordinary knowledge. They were also reading(?). Nana-śāstra-vicaraṇaika-nipunau. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī has quoted so many verses, so many incidences from different śāstras, how the biography is stated there in compiling Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, which we've translated, Nectar of Devotion. So this Nectar of Devotion, because formerly whatever is given under Vedic evidence it will be accepted always correct. Therefore nana-śāstra-vicaraṇaika. They used to collect all the Vedic references and put into Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu to establish that bhagavad-bhakti, devotional service to the Lord, is the ultimate goal of life. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Sad-dharma. Not asad-dharma. Asad-dharma means referring to the body, karma-kāṇḍīya. Karmīs they are engaged in asad-dharma not sad-dharma. Because the body is asat. antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18). Ime deha. This body is antavat, it is to be perishable, therefore asat.

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

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

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says that "My devotee, when he offers Me something eatable, with faith, love and devotion, I eat." Then is He speaking lies? No, He eats. But the atheist class of men, they do not know. They see that the plate is full. Sometimes, if He's forced, He can eat also, there are some incidences. Anyway, He, simply by seeing, He can eat. Simply by seeing. If you don't believe that He's not eating... But from the Vedic injunction we can understand that you put the food plate before the Lord, and Lord is seeing, and that is His eating. He's not hungry, but He can eat the whole universe at a time. This is God's position. He can devour the whole universe, as you have seen the virāḍ-rūpa.

Lecture on SB 1.3.19 -- Los Angeles, September 24, 1972:

So everything is there. God is there. His name is there. His address is there. His law is there. Everything is there. But the rascals will not accept it. That is the position. Therefore we have to follow the mahājana. So Bali Mahārāja is one of the mahājana. How he became mahājana? Because he's surrendering fully unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Vāmanadeva, incarnation of... Keśava dhṛta-vāmana-rūpa. So the incident is that Bali Mahārāja was very powerful, and he conquered the whole universe, even the demigods all. So Viṣṇu is always in favor of the demigods because demigods, they are also devotees. The difference between sura and asura... Asura means envious of the demigods. That is called asura. Sura-dviṣa. The another name of the asura, "those who are envious of devotees." That is the only business. There, two classes of men are always there. Sometimes one class in more in number, and other class is more in number. But two classes. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke (BG 16.6). "There are two classes of men, living entities." Daiva āsura eva ca. "One is called daiva, demigods, and the other is called āsura." So who is daiva? Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva. "Those who are devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, they are called demigods, or Vaiṣṇava." All Vaiṣṇavas are demigods. And those who are not... Āsuras tad viparyayaḥ. "Anyone opposite number, against Viṣṇu, they are all called asuras."

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

So father could understand that "My son is so great that he wanted to satisfy. I wanted this girl, and he has managed." So he gave him a benediction to Bhīṣmadeva, "My dear son, you are so benevolent, so magnanimous. So I give you one benediction that you'll not die unless you desire to die. Unless you fix up your mind, 'Now I shall die,' you'll never die. You remain a very strong brahmacārī." So Bhīṣma remained very strong brahmacārī. There is another incidence of Bhīṣmadeva's life, that Pāṇḍu-vaṁśa. So one girl was attracted. So she was conquered. So the girl thought that "I will be able to marry Bhīṣmadeva," but when she came at home, Bhīṣmadeva said, "No, you have been conquered to be married with my brother. I am brahmacārī. I cannot marry you." So the girl said that "You have kidnapped me, conquered me. You must marry." So "No, I shall not marry." Then the girl approached to his spiritual master, this Jamadagni, Bhṛgupati, that "This boy he has conquered me. Still, he is not marrying me." So Jamadagni said, "Bhīṣma, you must marry this girl." Bhīṣmadeva said, "No. I have promised to my father never to marry. I cannot marry." Then Jamadagni said, "If you don't marry, then I will force you to marry." So there was fight between Bhīṣmadeva, spiritual master and... (laughter) So the spiritual master became defeated. (laughter) Then he gave his blessings. "All right, you remain brahmacārī." (laughter)

Lecture on SB 1.3.30 -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:

So this is very important verse. Form and formless. When we speak of formless, we speak that God or even living entity, all of us, we have no material form. Just like we have got this form, but this form is temporary and it will never come again. As soon as this form is finished, I will have to take another form. That form may not be exactly like this. So this is the formula for everyone. But for Kṛṣṇa, He has no material form. He has got spiritual form. Therefore His form is eternal. We do not remember our past lives, incidences, because the form has changed. But Kṛṣṇa remembers because His form does not change. The evidence is the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says... When He was questioned by Arjuna, "How can I believe that You spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā 400,000,000's of years ago to the sun-god?" So Kṛṣṇa says that "Yes, you were also present there, because you are My constant companion. But you have forgotten; I remember."

So we do not forget things so long the form continues. But when the form changes, we forget. Every night we have got this experience. Our form is lying on the bed, but I am dreaming in a different form. I am flying in the sky and forgetting that my real form is lying on the bed. You forget.

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

Today I shall speak before you about Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The hero of Śrīmad-Bhāgvatam is King Parīkṣit as the hero of Mahābhārata, the great history of India, Mahābhārata. Now, this Bhārata I have several times explained. Bhārata means this planet, and Mahābhārata means the complete history of the whole world. Nowadays, at the present moment, history means a chronological record, but previously, history means only the important incidences at different times, they were recorded. Therefore, in Mahābhārata or any other Purāṇa also... Purāṇas are also history. We don't find any chronological incidences one after another. But the most important selected incidences, especially in connection with God realization, they are recorded.

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Mahābhārata author is Vyāsadeva. Author means it is not an imaginary story. It is historical fact. History anyone can write. So if you mean by author that something original, just like at the present moment there are so many authors of some fiction, novel, and fictitious, it is not like that. The historical incidences were there, and it was put forward by Vyāsadeva. In that sense he is author.

Guest (2): When was it written, the Bhagavad-gītā?

Prabhupāda: Five thousand years before. It was after the Battle of Kurukṣetra. The Battle of Kurukṣetra was fought about five thousand years ago, and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written after writing Mahābhārata. When Vyāsadeva was not satisfied in his heart even by writing Mahābhārata and Vedānta-sūtra, he was sitting morose, and he was thinking that "I have written so many nice literatures. Why I am not happy?" At that time his spiritual master Nārada came, and he instructed him that "You have written the history of Mahābhārata. It is very nice. But there is some idea of Kṛṣṇa, or God, but not absolute. You write some book in which simply, absolutely about Kṛṣṇa is there." So under his instruction he wrote the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Pradyumna: Did some time lapse between the actual, Vyāsa's conception of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the actual writing down of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Was it passed orally, or was written down by Vyāsa Kṛṣṇa himself?

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

So Śrīdhara Svāmī says, haṁsa jatayo.(?) Jatayo means great sages, saintly persons. Haṁsa jatayo yatra na niramanti karhicid api na nitaram ramante.(?) Just like our students, Kṛṣṇa conscious person, if he is invited, "Come on, there is a nice picture in the cinema," no. He'll never go. He'll never go. (chuckles) Because he has become haṁsa. He is not a crow, that he'll go such places. Why? What is there? So haṁsa, here it is said, tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham uśanti mānasāḥ. They reject, reject. Uśanti mānasā na yatra haṁsā niramanty uśik-kṣayāḥ (SB 1.5.10). There was an incidence in my life. I was, of course, at that time householder. So one my friend, he was going to cinema with his family, and he saw me. I was in the street, and he immediately stopped his car and he asked me that "You come. We are going to cinema." So I refused, that "If you give me one thousand dollars, still I shall not go to cinema." So he dragged me. He took me to the cinema house, but I never entered. I came back. You see? Because it was detestful.

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was informed that "The Chand Kazi has warned us not to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. What shall we do?" Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Don't care. Go on chanting. Go on chanting." So then, when the magistrate saw that they have not stopped, then he sent some constables and government police force, who broke their mṛdaṅgas and dispersed the crowd. So this information was given to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He said, "All right, then we shall, I mean to say, issue this civil disobedience." So He called for many thousands of people. He was very popular. This incidence shows that even He was at that time sixteen-years-old boy, He was so learned, Nimāi Paṇḍita, that He defeated a great scholar, and at the same time, He was very popular because by His simple calling, many hundred thousands of people gathered with mṛdaṅgas, and they began kīrtana in the street and went to the house of that Kazi.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

"Even such Kṛṣṇa consciousness person falls down, he is given chance to take birth in nice brāhmaṇa family or śuci, pure family, and rich family." So Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura was very rich man. He was born in a very rich brāhmaṇa family. And he was addicted to prostitute. By some way or other, he had some inclination like that. So he could not finish Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He fallen down. But at a opportune moment he got again the Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

How is that? The incidence is that he was performing the śrāddha ceremony of his father, but he had a girlfriend, prostitute. So he wanted to go there very quickly. So somehow or other he finished. And he wanted to go there. But on the road he found that it was very heavily raining and he had to cross the river. So he did everything. And he... The prostitute was... She thought that "Bilvamaṅgala is not coming today. It is very..., so much raining." So when she saw that Bilvamaṅgala is at the door, she was astonished. She said, "Bilvamaṅgala, how did you come here in this rainy, torrents of rainy...?" So he disclosed everything that how he catched one dead body in the river, then he crossed the river, then he jumped over the wall.

Lecture on SB 1.5.33 -- Vrndavana, August 14, 1974:

Either cheat somebody, beg, or beg. But begging for gṛhastha is not very good thing, but sometimes they do so. Beg, borrow, or promising, "Give me now money, I shall pay you." And when credit is lost, then steal, pickpocket. This is as theory. Similarly, Carvaka Muni, ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet, never mind. "No, I will have to pay." "No, that we shall see later on, never mind." "No, I will be sinful, I will have to pay next life." This is within the blood of every Indian that if I cheat you or if I take some money from you without your benefit, without repayment, then I will have to suffer. Still in India they believe this. There are some incidences that a man, father took some loan from some gentleman and his father died, and his son came to pay the money to the creditor: "Sir, my father took so much money from you. Now my father died without payment. So I have got money, you kindly take it." He says, "Let me see my book whether your father took it." So he said, "All right, consult." So after consulting the books, he said, "I don't find any item that I gave loan to your father." "No, sir, I know, my father said at the time of death that 'I owe so much money to that gentleman, I could not pay; you pay it.'"

Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:

Silent means they did not like the idea. Because Bhīma had many old grudges against Duryodhana, because when Draupadī was being insulted, they had to sit down silent, no protest. There were so many incidences-rivalry, insult and counterinsult. So they took the opportunity of feeding the old grudge by fighting. Everyone was determined, "I must kill." Duryodhana was determined to kill Bhīma, and Bhīma was determined to kill. So when they did not listen to the instruction of Baladeva, then Baladeva left the place. He went to Dvārakā, back. Of course, Kṛṣṇa was there, because Kṛṣṇa was to give hint to Bhīma how to kill Duryodhana. So Duryodhana, by the blessings of his mother, his whole body became iron-like solid. So by beating by the Bhīma, it was not easy. So the story is that Gāndhārī, the mother of Duryodhana, she was great chaste woman. Because her husband was blind, she used to remain as blind woman covering the eyes. But she had some power. Chaste woman, anyone who sticks to the regulative principles, he gets a power, spiritual or material. He gets power. A brahmacārī gets power if he follows brahmacarya. Everyone, if we follow the prescribed rules and regulations, automatically you become powerful.

Lecture on SB 1.7.22 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1976:

There is heat, but what is that heat? It is called... Radiation and... So many things. So viṣānale. Saṁsāra-dāvānala. Saṁsāra-dāvānala is dāvānala, and at the same time that anala, the fire is coming out of poison. Saṁsāra-viṣānale dibā-niśi hiyā jwale. We are always anxiety, full of anxiety. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Even big, big Vaiṣṇava kings they also retired. Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he was always engaged in devotional service. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha (SB 9.4.18)—still, he retired. Still, he retired. After this incidence with Durvāsā, then he divided the property to his sons and he retired. Although he was the most exalted Vaiṣṇava, such a great Vaiṣṇava that because he was put into difficulty by Durvāsā Muni, Kṛṣṇa showed His brilliance and glories in such a way that Durvāsā Muni was attacked by sudarśana-cakra, and for fear of life... Even there is fear, Durvāsā Muni, a great yogi. There is no comparison of his yogic mystic power. Immediately, for the sake of his life, to protect his life, he went all over the universe for protection. And when he could not get the protection, he went to Lord Brahmā, "Kindly give me protection." He refused. "No, it is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973:

You can go and live there." Vidura informed that "This is the policy: Dhṛtarāṣṭra wants you to burn into ashes by going that house." Duryodhana could understand that Vidura had already informed. Therefore he was very angry. These are politics. So although they knew that "This is the plan of my uncle to send into that house and set fire," but they agreed, "Yes," not disobedient to the order of the superior. In this way the house was set into fire, but they digged a subway within that house, and they escaped.

So that is one incidence. Another incidence is giving them poison cakes when they were at home. That also they escaped. Then puruṣāda-darśanāt. They met one Hiḍimba Rākṣasa, man-eater demon. So Bhīma fought with him and killed him. Similarly, asat-sabhāyāḥ, in the assembly of asat... Asat means those who are not gentle, not gentlemen. In the sabhā, in the assembly, there was Dhṛtarāṣṭra, there was Bhīṣmadeva, Droṇācārya, all elderly persons, and there was trick of playing chess. So somehow or other, Draupadī was taken as bet: "If we lose, then Draupadī is no longer our wife. It is up to you." So lost the game. So immediately Karṇa and Duḥśāsana captured her: "Now you are not your husbands'. You are our property. We can deal with you as we like."

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973:

So these things are there described in the Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means... Mahā means great, greater, and bhārata means India. It is the history, history of greater India, Mahābhārata. They take it as stories, as mythology. That is nonsense. It is history. Mahābhārata is the history. So we take it as history. All these Purāṇas, Mahābhārata, they are history. But not this chronological history. Chronological history, if you keep, then how many pages you have to keep, so many things? Simply selected incidences, they are described there, select, most important incidences. But that is history. So these very important incidents, they are described in the Mahābhārata.

Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:

Therefore Karṇa was, I mean to say, given away, because she could not show, and when Karṇa was floating on the water, that one carpenter picked up and he raised him. So Karṇa was known as the carpenter's son, śūdra's son. Actually, he is Kuntī's son. So when Karṇa was killed, Kuntī began to cry. And Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja inquired, "Mother, why you are crying?" At that time she admitted, "Karṇa was my son." "Oh? Such a secret you did not disclose? We treated Karṇa as our enemy. We could have taken..." There are so many incidences like that.

So there are so many things in the Mahābhārata, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You can learn social, political, economical, philosophical, religious, anything. Veda, veda means knowledge. So these are Vedic literatures. Pañcama-veda. Mahābhārata is pañcama-veda. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the essence of Vedic knowledge. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3). Nigama. Nigama means Vedic literature. And it is kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means desire tree. Whatever knowledge you want, you will get it. Veda means knowledge. Vetti veda vida jñāna(?). So Veda means jñāna, knowledge.

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

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Eternal position.

So for that eternal position, you have to make kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ, Kṛṣṇa as the worshipable Deity. Kṛṣṇa is eternal, and if you fix up your service to Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will accept you as servant. Naturally, you become eternal. There is a very nice story. Nice story not, a fact. Sāvitrī-Satyavān. Sāvitrī-Satyavān. This, I mean to say, incidences are mentioned in the śāstras to give us lesson. Sāvitrī was a very chaste devoted woman. Sāvitrī. In India, to the woman, in order to become very chaste and devoted to husband, they observe the ritualistic ceremony to worship Sāvitrī Satyavān. So Sāvitrī was in love with a boy who was destined to die on the marriage date, but still, she married. She knew that "As soon as I will be married, on the same day, my husband will die." So she pleased the Yamarāja. After the death... The husband died, but she pleased the Yamarāja so much so that Yamarāja was ready to give her some benediction. So Yamarāja said, "What benediction you want?" "Now, as woman, I wish that may be a son of mine, from me." "All right, you will get a son." Then again she said that "If you are taking away my husband, how I will get my son?" So her husband was made alive. So indirectly... So kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. If you actually want to be eternally blissful, take to kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. Or there is no need of praying for "Make me immortal." No. If you accept kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ, then automatically... Just like the benediction was that "You... Yes, you will get a son." Automatically her husband was made alive. So kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974:

Now, to go back means they must meet death after..., because otherwise it is unnatural. So... And who can kill them? Nobody can kill them. That is also another point. The family of Kṛṣṇa, there is no power in the whole world that anybody could kill them. So Kṛṣṇa planned that they should be killed amongst themselves by fighting. So another lesson is that if we fight amongst ourselves, even we belong to the family of Kṛṣṇa, we are ruined. This is the instance of Yadu-kula. Although they belonged to Kṛṣṇa's family directly, still, because they fought amongst themselves, they were all banished, vanquished.

So this was not a very palatable incident. So Vidura, when he was asked by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira about the family members of Yadu-kula, he did not describe it, because they were very thickly related as family members, so it would be a great shock to the Pāṇḍavas that Yadu-kula, descendants of the Yadu-kula, had been annihilated in such an unpalatable way. So he did not describe. Yathānubhūtaṁ kramaśaḥ. Ity ukto dharma-rājena sarvaṁ tat samavarṇayat. He described everything. Vinā yadu-kula-kṣayam. Vinā. Vinā means "without." Without the incidence, how the Yadu-kula was destroyed by fighting amongst themselves.

Lecture on SB 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974:

He did not describe because he did not like also to see that Pāṇḍavas would be sorry. He went back to his home after so many years, and they were receiving them, and at that time Vidura did not like to see them aggrieved on account of this incidence.

kañcit kālam athāvātsīt
sat-kṛto devavat sukham
bhrātur jyeṣṭhasya śreyas-kṛt
sarveṣāṁ sukham āvahan

Vidura left his home for good. It is not that he has again come back to live with his family members. No. His only purpose was that his elder brother Dhṛtarāṣṭra was rotting there. He lost everything. He lost his kingdom, lost his sons, grandsons and everything. Still, he could not give up the so-called material happiness. He was... Of course, these Pāṇḍavas, they were treating Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his wife Gāndhārī very gorgeously as head of the family, but he was not ashamed that he intrigued so much difficulties and plot against the Pāṇḍavas. There was big fight, Kurukṣetra, in which he lost everything. Still, he was living under their care for some material comforts. So this was very shameful affair.

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

So he cultivated spiritual consciousness. Now, after leaving this body, he returned again, pitṛbhiḥ sva-kṣayaṁ yayau. He again returned to his original post. Temporary, he got the life of a śūdra; again he returned back by his pious activities. Similarly, there are many narrations in the Purāṇas. Sometimes Indra, the king of heaven, he was also cursed by Bṛhaspati to become a hog in this planet.

So there are many incidences by cursing, by accident. Even by accident, you have to accept a body which you do not desire. So that is, just like Bharata Mahārāja. Bharata Mahārāja, he was the king of this planet, and at the age of twenty-four years, very young age, young wife, young children, kingdom of the whole planet, he left everything. He went to the forest for cultivating spiritual advancement. But one day he saw that a deer was drinking water in front. In the meantime there was a roaring of a lion, and the deer was pregnant. She gave birth to a calf and she fled away. So Bharata Mahārāja saw the little calf is dying. He picked up and kept and it became..., it began to growing. So he had some little affection, just like we have got affection for cubs of dog and others. So one day, that little calf did not return in the evening, and he went to search out on the hill, and accidentally he fell down, and next life he became a deer. Yes.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

Pradyumna: "Śaunaka Ṛṣi inquired: Why did Mahārāja Parīkṣit simply punish him, since he was the lowest of the śūdras, having dressed as a king and having struck a cow with his leg? Please describe all these incidences as they relate to the topics of Lord Kṛṣṇa." (SB 1.16.5)

Prabhupāda: So here is..., the basic principle is yadi kṛṣṇa-kathāśrayam. Devotees are interested to discuss something if it is helping us how we can become more and more attached to Kṛṣṇa. That is the... Otherwise, we are not interested in the matter of general principles of morality, social culture, ethics. They are required, but because this material world means it is a contaminated world, infected world. So, here in this material world so-called morality or immorality is the same because it is infected. Just try to understand. If there is an epidemic, infection, so in that condition, first of all what is the necessity? First thing is to disinfect the epidemic. In the infected area you cannot derive any benefit by discussing morality or immorality. The man is dying out of infection. So to a immediately dying person, who is sure to die due to infection, what is the use of giving him instruction of morality or immorality? He's going to die.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

So here Kṛṣṇa came, and this incident took place after disappearance of Kṛṣṇa. Kali-yuga entered after disappearance of Kṛṣṇa. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was also very vigilant. The Pāṇḍavas, they left their kingdom because they could understand that Kali-yuga has already entered. So bhūri-bharāvatāra-kṛtāvatārasya. Bhūri-bhara, when people become too much sinful, the earth becomes overburdened by the sinful activities of the people. Therefore it is called bhūri-bharavatāra. And Kṛṣṇa comes to mitigate. Dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. Kṛtāvatārasya harer dharitri. This is the purpose of avatāra. Avatāra, this word is very significant. The tara, tara means movement; and ava, ava means down. Just like avanati. So avatāra. Kṛṣṇa lives in the spiritual sky, beyond this material sky, very high, and Kṛṣṇa-loka, the planet of Kṛṣṇa, is the topmost planet in the spiritual world. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya (Bs. 5.43). The topmost planet is Goloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. You have seen the picture. It is lotuslike. So goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni: "That is His personal abode." Tale ca tasya, "below that," goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya (Bs. 5.43), "below that planet," goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu. Devī. This universe, this material universe, is called devī-dhāma. Devī-dhāma means under the protection, or supervision, of mother nature.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

"O my dear king, you are very fortunate. Your question about Kṛṣṇa is welcome." Varīyān. Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ: "You are inquiring about Kṛṣṇa. So this very question is very important." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa: (SB 2.1.1) "And this is not good for you only; it is good for all the human society because you have questioned and I shall reply." So Kṛṣṇa questions and answers are so important that in future these questions and answers will be discussed in the human society. Actually it is being done so now. We are discussing the same incidents. And he said, ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsām: "And this question is so authorized that ātmavit, those who are interested in self-realization, they have got their approval, 'Yes. This is nice question.' " Ātmavit-sammataḥ. Sammata means approved. It is not bogus question. It is approved. This sort of question should be inquired, Kṛṣṇa, about Kṛṣṇa. And if you speak about Kṛṣṇa... The whole world is full with questions and answers, so these questions and answers are approved by ātmavit, those who are self-realized, not bodily realized, ātmavit. There are two classes of men. Ninety-nine point nine percent, they are bodily realized men, always thinking of the body. And just there is another class; they are called ātmavit, self-realized, Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. Ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. Śrotavya means worth hearing. There are many kinds of subject matter for hearing, but this is the sublime subject matter of hearing, kṛṣṇa-praśna.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

This Bhāgavata is so, I mean to say, exalted transcendental knowledge that there are eighteen thousand verses, and if you analyze each verse, each word, you will get a great transcendental information. There is no comparison with this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. Amalam, spotless. This purāṇam, this old history of the world... This is also history. Just like this incidence, Parīkṣit Mahārāja was cursed by a brāhmaṇa, he was the king, emperor of the world, and how he met his death, these things are described in this history. Is it not? So this is also history. But it is not ordinary history, not history, chronological history, as we generally mean, but it is a history of the most important men in the world. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He is the most important, at least one of the most important kings in the world. His history of death and life is historical fact.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

"You come to Me." If you go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa, then, as Kṛṣṇa has got eternal body never to be destroyed, similarly Kṛṣṇa has got eternal body. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa has got a body like us. Just like Kṛṣṇa, when it was inquired by Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa said that "This Bhagavad-gītā philosophy I spoke first of all to the sun-god." That (I) have calculated. It is about 400,000,000's of years ago He said. How does He remember? That means He does not change His body. We, we forget because just like in our last, past birth... Now I can remember not all, but some of my incidences of my life I remember. But I do not remember anything of my past life. Death means forgetting about the past life. So because I have changed my body, I have forgotten. But anyone who does not change his body, he does not forget. And that is the proof that Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's body is not ordinary body. Anyone who thinks Kṛṣṇa as one of us, He is a mūḍha. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because He comes just like a human being, we consider that He is also a human being.

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

The evidence of death is... Just like in our past life we had some body and we died. We have got another body. Kṛṣṇa does not die means He does not change His body. Sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). If He would have died, then He could not recollect in His mind the incident which happened millions of years ago. He says, vivasvān, proktavān aham avyayam, vivasvān manave prāha. When Arjuna inquired that "You say that You instructed this Bhagavad-gītā, this science, to Vivasvān long, long, millions of years ago. How can I believe it?" Therefore He said, "I remember it. You don't remember. Therefore I do not die. You die." This is it. One who can remember, he does not die. Just like I... So long I can remember of my childhood activities, boyhood activities, I have not died. Is it not? Although the body is gone. This is the evidence that Kṛṣṇa does not die. Try to understand this point. Death means forgetting everything. That is death. But if you can remember, that is not death. It is clear?

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

Oh. Change bodies... Just like you have changed your body from the body of the womb, and at the present moment... But you don't remember all the incidences that have happened. So sometimes we remember; sometimes we do not remember, like that. But generally, if we... We remember during lifetime, but we forget also. Even if we forget, that does not mean I am dead. Forgetfulness is explained, māyā. We forget Kṛṣṇa. We forget that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa" by forgetfulness. That is explained. What is that? Ātma-māyām ṛte rājan. Ātma-māyā. It is a illusion. That forgetful... Actually there is no forgetfulness. I should not forget, but because I am illusioned, therefore I forget. Because... I forget means I am illusioned. Ātma-māyā. Influenced by the modes of material... The one who is most influenced by the modes of material nature, they forget. Just like you are worshiping Kṛṣṇa. But others, they are not worshiping. They are to be awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It does not mean they are actually separate from Kṛṣṇa. But they have to be awakened. They say man is not dead, he is sleeping. But he has to be awakened. As soon as he is awakened, he remembers immediately. This is called svapna-citta-nyāya. I am sleeping, forgetting everything. I am in a different place. But as soon as I am awakened I remember, "Oh, I have to do this, I have to go there." So this forgetfulness is a temporary illusion, that's all. Actually we don't forget. It is temporary.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

When children are grown up, the father retires. He takes sannyāsa, or goes out of home simply for cultivating spiritual life, not that throughout the whole life, rot in this material world, no. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. That is the injunction of the śāstra. We have got eight kinds of āśrama, er, four kinds of āśrama and four kinds of varṇas. So the... Formerly they used to follow very strictly. So Kapiladeva's father, Kardama Muni, after the son was grown up, he left his home, giving in charge of his wife. The wife was given in charge of the grown-up boy, not that the boy was in charge of the..., no. So that incident, that narration, is stated in this part.

So kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā bhagavān. Kapila is Bhagavān. Nowadays Bhagavān is so cheap. They misuses of the word. But here you will find that Bhagavān is not an ordinary man. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Because Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa appeared as human being, so the mūḍhas, rascals and fools, they think of Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being, mūḍha. Mohitaṁ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam, tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ, mohitam (BG 7.13). So still there are devotees who can understand. Just like Arjuna understood that "Kṛṣṇa, although He's my friend, playing the part of my friend, but He is Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Lecture on SB 3.26.21 -- Bombay, December 30, 1974:

So we, of course, we are not so advanced, but we have got many examples of advanced devotees. Still there are in India. You will find in Vṛndāvana and other places. Actually, they have no means—simply depending. They take their bath in the Yamunā and sit down and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There are still such devotees. But everything is going on. So that is śānta, completely depending on God. That is the highest stage of devotional life. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). There are many stories and many incidences. And that's a fact, that, as it is said by Bhagavān,

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām
(BG 5.29)

Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. He is well-wisher, friend, of everyone. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. If we actually believe in Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, that "He is friend of everyone.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

Now we can understand. Either there is no demand for taxi... People cannot pay for it. That is the fact. Or the government arrange such that everyone is poor man. There is no possibility of thriving in taxi business or getting taxi. This is practical, I have seen. And actually in no other city in Europe and America I have seen so many people walking on the street. We can study. Just like there is rice cooking. You take one grain of rice and press it. If it is soft, then you know that now the rice is prepared. So it is intelligence required.

So from this taxi affair, I could understand that these people are not happy. And another incident I saw that... Śyāmasundara was there. Even... He could not collect even nice rice, nice ḍāl, only milk was available. Milk and yogurt, that is very sufficiently available. No vegetable, no fruit, no grain, at least, men like us cannot live there happily. (indistinct) But they'll not get any food. Unless he's meat-eater, he'll have to starve. The whole world is coming to like that. And it is said in the śāstra, gradually this condition of human civilization will deteriorate to such extent that no more rice will be available, no more wheat will be available, no more sugar will be available. Everything will be... No more milk will be available. Finished. Simply you have to eat the seeds of the... There is not fruit, only seed. Just like in the mango, there is one seed and pulp. The pulp will not be available, only seed will be available. These are already foretold. No fruits will be available, no grains will be available, no milk will be available.

Lecture on SB 5.5.16 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1976:

They will also enter within the womb of the mother, and somebody will kill, and again he will enter another mother's womb; again he'll be killed. So as many child he has killed, he has to go to the womb of the mother to another womb, another. He will never see the light of the world. He'll be killed. This is the punishment. This is the punishment. But he does not know. Ananta-duḥkhaṁ ca na veda mūḍhaḥ. He does not know how the laws of nature is working, life for life. You have no right to kill any life. Even an ant you cannot kill even. You cannot kill even. If you kill, then you have to suffer.

These are not stories. These are not stories. There are many incidences in the śāstra. Just like Vidura. He was Yamarāja, incarnation of Yamarāja, but he was cursed by a muni to become a śūdra. Why? Now, one muni was brought in the court of Yamarāja, and he was to be punished by like punishment, sula, piercing the lancet through the rectum and it will come out. So the muni asked Yamarāja that "Why you have put me into this tribulation, this punishment? What is my fault?" The Yamarāja explained that "In your childhood you pierced with a nail through the rectum of an ant. Therefore you must be punished like this."

Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976:

They came here, the Muhammadans and the Christians, to exploit it. But India was very much magnanimous. Anyone who comes—"Yes, come here. Learn Vedic literature." The India's philosophy is gṛhaṁ śatrum api prāptaṁ viśvastam akutobhayam. That is India's philosophy. "Even the enemy comes to your place, you should receive him so nicely that he will forget that he is your enemy." That is India's philosophy. Gṛhaṁ śatrum api prāptam. What to speak of friend, even if you get your enemy, you shall receive him. That is India's hospitality. In the fight...

We have got incidences in the history. There was fight, Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, but in the evening time they were friends. Evening time, there is no animosity. Just like Arjuna went to Duryodhana. Duryodhana criticized as grandfather. Grandfather is sometimes criticized by the grandsons. It is not an offense. You cannot criticize superiors, but between grandfather and grandchildren the relation is different. The grandfather also criticizes the grandchildren. So Duryodhana criticized Bhīṣmadeva, "My dear grandfather, you have got affection for the Pāṇḍavas. Then you are not fighting sincerely. You have been appointed the commander-in-chief, but out of your affection you are neglecting your duty." Indirectly he said. So old grandfather became little angry. "What do you want?" "No, you can finish them in one day.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Nellore, January 7, 1976:

This answer is there in the śāstra: yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ. This means that if one is turned to be a pure devotee, then all the good qualities automatically become manifest in him. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsato dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). Whereas a nondevotee, he has no good qualification because he is acting on the mental platform, as such, he will be always attracted by material things.

In this connection I shall recite one historical incident from the Purāṇas. There was a hunter in Prayāg. Prayāg you know, in Allahabad. So he was hunting in the forest indiscriminately. So Nārada Muni was passing through the jungle and he was very compassionate to see the animals being half-dead and half-killed by the hunter. Nārada Muni, being Vaiṣṇava, he was very kind to all living entities, so he went to the hunter whose name was Mṛgāri. So the Mṛgāri thought that "This saintly person is coming to me for some deerskin," so he said, "Sir, don't disturb in my business. If you want deerskin I shall give you. Please get out of my activities for the present." Nārada Muni said that "I have not come here to ask for deerskin, but I simply ask you that if you want to kill the animals, you kill them total. Why you are killing half?" The hunter said, "What is the difference between killing whole and killing half?"

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 and Room Conversation -- Bombay, November 15, 1970:

Now Śukadeva Gosvāmī is giving an example from the history. Now it is explicitly stated here, itihāsaṁ purāṇam. All the Purāṇas that we have got, they are not legends; they are all history. They are all histories. Just like there is no chronological history one after another, but any incident which has taken actually place, they are reciting. They are not fiction or imaginary stories, all the Purāṇas. Itihāsa, yes. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is giving an instance from the history which is very instructive. Atra codāharantīmam itihāsaṁ purātanam. Purāṇa means old history, actually Purāṇa. Purāṇa means old. So purātaṇam itihāsam. Now he gives that,

kānyakubje dvijaḥ kaścid
dāsī-patir ajāmilaḥ
nāmnā naṣṭa-sadācāro
dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-dūṣitaḥ

He says, "In the city of Kānyakubja..." Kānyakubja is still existing. That is also historical place. That place is now known as Kanauj. Yes. (some discussion in Hindi) "In the city of Kānyakubja, formerly there was a brāhmaṇa." Kānyakubje dvijaḥ kaścit. "There was a brāhmaṇa."

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

Nitāi: Translation. "In this connection, the learned scholars and saintly persons give as an example the description of one very old historical incident, wherein a discussion takes place between the order-carriers of Lord Viṣṇu and the order-carriers of Yamarāja. Please try and understand it as I describe it to you."

Prabhupāda:

atra codāharantīmam
itihāsaṁ purātanam
dūtānāṁ viṣṇu-yamayoḥ
saṁvādas taṁ nibodha me
(SB 6.1.20)

So here is, one example is given, itihāsa. Itihāsa means history. The Vedic system of itihāsa, it is not the modern history. Modern... Itihāsa means some incidence which took place long, long ago, and such incidence is very beneficial to hear so that we can follow. That is called itihāsa. It is not chronological record of all incidences. Only important things. Purātanam. Purātanam means old and important. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is explaining to Parīkṣit Mahārāja how important is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now he is giving one incidence of history—example is better than precept—how Ajāmila was saved simply by chanting once..., not once, many times, Nārāyaṇa. That is the itihāsaṁ purātanam. In the Vedic literatures there are itihāsas, or histories. Just like Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata is the history.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

In serving Him, in offering Him prasādam, in dressing Him, we should always think, "Here is personally Kṛṣṇa." He is personally, but due to our lack of knowledge, we cannot understand it.

So everything in the śāstra we should follow. This is called brahminical culture. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means brahminical culture—the cultural exhibition of the first-class men, first-class men. The brāhmaṇa is to be understood as the first-class man within the human society. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Itihāsa, history, history means to understand the activities of the first-class man. That is history. They pick up the most important incidences. Therefore the example is given here that udāharanti imam itihāsaṁ purātanam. Because it is a first-class incidence... Otherwise, if you record the history of the whole period, then where..., who will read that, and who will appreciate that, and where you will keep that? Daily so many things are happening. Therefore, according to Vedic system, the only important incidences are recorded in the history. Therefore it is called Purāṇa. Purāṇa means old history. Purātanam. Purātanam means very, very old. That are recorded. So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the collection of very old history, historical incidence. Itihāsa purāṇānāṁ sāraṁ sāraṁ samuddhṛtya(?). Sāram means essence. Not that all nonsense records have to be taken. No. Sāraṁ sāram, only the important, essence, that are to be recorded. This is called Indian history. Mahābhārata... Mahā means Greater India. Greater India, there were so many incidences were there, but the most important incidence, the Battle of Kurukṣetra, is there. Not that all the battles should be recorded.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976:

Prabhupāda: "In this regard, learned scholars and saintly persons describe a very old historical incident involving a discussion between the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu and those of Yamarāja. Please hear of this from me."

So Yamarāja is the superintendent or the judge for considering what kind of punishment should be given to a certain sinful person. After death, those who are sinful, they are taken to Yamarāja for judgment, what kind of punishment one has to be given. And those who are pious devotees, they are taken charge by the Viṣṇudūta. I think the Christian doctrine, that in this life either you go to hell or go to heaven. Is it not?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is nice. The same thing. This human form of life is a chance. Actually, in this material world we are all suffering. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). You cannot make it a happy place. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa says, who has created this material world, He says, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Duḥkha means unhappiness; ālayam means place. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. That is also temporary. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, nāpnuvanti mahātmānāṁ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ (BG 8.15). So this is place of duḥkhālayam.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:

And next business was gambling, dice playing, bandy-akṣaiḥ. Everything was there. It was... Of course, these historical incidences, and, some thousands and thousands of years ago happened. But because it is material world, these things were there at that time also. Now it has increased. Kali-yuga means it has increased. The same thieves, cheater, everything were there at that time. It was rare incidences. But now it has become daily affair due to the Kali-yuga. So his business was kaitavaiḥ. Kaitavaiḥ means cheating. Cheating. Now what kind of cheating? The cheaters will round, surround one man, and he says, "Have you seen some gold lump falling down? I have seen. One is lost." Then another man will come, "Sir, I have got this gold lump. If you pay me something, I will give you." But that is not gold, actually, but he creates a situation that "Somebody lost his gold lump. Now he has got. He wants to sell me. All right, I give you ten rupees. Give me." (laughter) This is called kaitavaiḥ. I know some things. (laughter) So bandy-akṣaiḥ kaitavaiś cauryaiḥ, and then direct stealing.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

So gradually the history of Ajāmila. We have already narrated, he was inhabitant of Kānyakubja. It is historical incidence. It is not a fiction, manufactured something. No. History, itihāsa. So in the Vedic literature they are... Everything is itihāsa, history. Just like in the park we were talking of the Milk Ocean. The Milk Ocean is there in some part of the universe, top, near Brahmaloka. So it is not fiction; it is itihāsa, means history. We do not know the universal history. We may know some history of our country or this planet, that's all. But there are millions and trillions of planets.

So that history is recorded in the Vedic literature. There are different varieties of planets, there are different standard of comfort, different standard... It is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā that yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). The brahma-jyotir, the effulgence of Kṛṣṇa's body... Just like effulgence of the sun-god's body is the sunshine. We can very easily understand. This is a material thing. There is sun-god. The sun-god, his name is Vivasvān. Everything is there. Imaṁ vivasvān, imaṁ vivasvān yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam. Kṛṣṇa says that "I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā to Vivasvān." Vivasvān is the name of the person who is predominating in the sun globe.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Honolulu, May 26, 1976:

Just like the gopīs, they used to go to Kṛṣṇa. These gopīs, they were married, because in India twelve years, thirteen years girls are married still. I've told many incidences. So from childhood they are friends, small children, but the girls are married early, so they go to their husband's place, thirteen, fourteen years. But because they had, they prayed to Kātyāyanī when they're not married, they prayed to Kātyāyanī that "Kṛṣṇa is so beautiful. Please give me Kṛṣṇa as my husband." Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, so Kṛṣṇa fulfilled their desire, and that is vastrāṇām. Of course, these things are not to be publicly discussed, but still you are little interested in Kṛṣṇa. So all the gopīs, girls, before their marriage, they prayed to Kātyāyanī that "You give me Kṛṣṇa as my husband." So Kṛṣṇa..., it is not possible socially, but Kṛṣṇa makes such a plan that He accepted every one of them as His wife. That is vastrana-līlā. Vastrana-līlā, the girls were taking bath in the Yamunā, keeping their clothing, garments, on the shore. Still in India, especially in Punjab, the practice is that where the women take bath, strictly no man can go there because they put their clothings on the shore and they dip into the water naked. So this was being done, and Kṛṣṇa took their clothings and got up on the tree. So they begged Kṛṣṇa, their friend, "Kṛṣṇa, this is very bad. Why You have taken away our..."

Lecture on SB 6.1.28-29 -- Honolulu, May 28, 1976:

So when he was too much afraid of this Yamadūta, unconsciously he chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. So somehow or other he remembered Nārāyaṇa. Some commentator says that when he chanted "Nārāyaṇa," then all his reaction of sinful life immediately disappeared and he remembered real Nārāyaṇa. Because he, in his boyhood, was trained up as a Vaiṣṇava by his father, so some... There is big comments on this incidence. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has written three or four pages about this. So his opinion is that as soon as he chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, immediately he remembered real Nārāyaṇa. That this child Nārāyaṇa... "I'm calling my child, how he'll be able to save me from the hands of this Yamadūta." He remembered that "Nārāyaṇa, if He kindly helps me, then I can be saved." Immediately there was response. Immediately there is response. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajanty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that at the time of death, whatever your mental condition is, that will act.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

Strī, woman, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu... Dvija-bandhu means a person who is born in brāhmaṇa family but he is not advanced in spiritual knowledge. He is called dvija-bandhu. He is not called a brāhmaṇa. Strī, śūdra. And they are classified along with strī and śūdra. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocaraḥ. For these persons it is very difficult to understand the Vedic injunctions. Therefore the Vedic injunctions are sometimes made into historical stories. The stories, they are not fiction; they are fact. But some of the... Just like the Battle of Kurukṣetra between the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, this is a fact. But the incidences are so nice that you can derive Vedic knowledge from them. And Bhagavad-gītā is within Mahābhārata.

So this is a fact, that veda-praṇihito dharmaḥ. Dharma... It is to be settled up that dharma means the injunction of the Supreme Nārāyaṇa. And adharma means that you manufacture something out of your own fertile brain. That is adharma. And dharma means the injunction. Dharmāṁ (tu) sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means what is spoke by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is dharma." Therefore we take it for acceptance that Kṛṣṇa says... That is actually the fact.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1976:

The dog has got ear; we have got also ear. But a dog cannot understand śāstra; that is not possible. Or the elephant has got ear, very big ear. (laughter) Does it mean that he can hear more? No. This is rascaldom. One must be quite able to hear to understand śāstra. Therefore śāstra is meant for the human society. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you will find, the Sanātana Gosvāmī's teachings, you will find, anadi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karila. Why these Vedas and Purāṇas are there? Just to remind us. The veda purāṇa karila. Veda, the four Vedas and other literatures abiding by the Vedas... Purāṇa means supplementary Vedas. There are many historical incidences. They say "mythology." No, it is not mythology. It is from selected historical incidences put together, but the same Vedic instruction for common man. In the Vedas the mantras are there. Common man cannot understand. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), athāto brahma jijñāsā. This Veda mantra goes on. But ordinary persons, they cannot understand. Therefore the same Vedas explained with reference to the historical incidences, that is called Purāṇa. Purāṇa means "who is complete." Purāṇa, pūrayati iti purāṇa. So, the Māyāvādī philosopher, they say the Purāṇas are stories. No. The Bhāgavata is Purāṇa. It is full of stories. But what kind of stories? All Vedic instruction.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1976:

This Veda mantra goes on. But ordinary persons, they cannot understand. Therefore the same Vedas explained with reference to the historical incidences, that is called Purāṇa. Purāṇa means "who is complete." Purāṇa, pūrayati iti purāṇa. So, the Māyāvādī philosopher, they say the Purāṇas are stories. No. The Bhāgavata is Purāṇa. It is full of stories. But what kind of stories? All Vedic instruction. Just like Ajāmila. Ajāmila began, itihāsa. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is speaking itihāsa, in the beginning. It is said. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is giving incidences of itihāsa, history, example from the history. So this is actual fact.

So in order to convince Parīkṣit Mahārāja how chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is powerful, he is giving a lesson from the history, how Ajāmila was delivered simply by chanting "Nārāyaṇa." This is the incidence from the history. And it is history. The story begins, kānyakubje. Kānyakubja is still there in India. Perhaps you have heard the name of Kanpur. So that is within the Kānyakubja area. Kānyakubje dvijaḥ: "There was a brāhmaṇa in Kānyakubja." Historical name is all... So it is history. It is not story, mythology. No story. It is historical fact. Anything which is described in the śāstra... The Bhāgavata is Maha-Purāṇa. Don't be misled, "These are mythology." No, these are historical facts. And we have to learn the Vedic knowledge by the description selected from the history so that we can easily understand. This is the purpose.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

So anyway, this is a machine, and the machine is given by God. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). God has nothing to do. He simply orders His maidservant, this material nature. The material nature is God's maidservant, lower-grade maidservant. He has got many maidservants, Lakṣmīs. They are all goddess of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). He has got so many. The gopīs are maidservants. The Lakṣmīs are maidservant. You will find this description in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Kṛṣṇa book, that all the queens of Kṛṣṇa they were discussing with Draupadī, female talk. Draupadī was asking, "How you were married?" So they were narrating the incidence, how (s)he was married to Kṛṣṇa. But the conclusion is there: every queen was speaking, "In this way, I have been maidservant of Kṛṣṇa." Nobody says that "I have become queen," although they were queen. They were also coming from royal family, very good family. Kṛṣṇa had to conquer such queen by fighting. They're not ordinary wife. But still, they say that "In this way I have become maidservant." So everyone is maidservant. We are also maidservant, prakṛti. Prakṛti means female. Jīva-bhūtāḥ, yayedaṁ dhāryate, itas tu prakṛti viddhi me parāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says First of all the material energy, prakṛti... The material energy is also prakṛti, maidservant.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

So anyway, this, this brāhmaṇa, although so much qualified, and because he kept one prostitute it is clearly stated, naṣṭa-sadācāra: "All his good qualities became void." All his good qualities. Naṣṭa-sadācāra. Why naṣṭa-sadācāra? Dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-dūṣitaḥ: "Simply by association with a prostitute." Dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-dūṣitaḥ. This Bhāgavata was written five thousand years ago, and this story... Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "I am speaking an old story." That means this incident of Ajāmila was not less than fifty thousand years ago. At that time, five thousand years ago, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating "a very old story." And very old sto..., at least forty thousand, fifty thousand years old. So just see how Vedic civilization was planned from the very..., time immemorial. Simply by association of illicit sex life so many qualities became null and void.

Now he is describing that,

ekadāsau vanaṁ yātaḥ
pitṛ-sandeśakṛd dvijaḥ
ādāya tata āvṛttaḥ
phala-puṣpa-samit-kuśān
(SB 6.1.58)

For offering daily worship fruits, flowers, and samit, the kuśa, grass, everything is required for... His father ordered him, "Just bring all these things."

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

By seeing once, this Ajāmila, he fell down so much, and our boys and girls are seeing these things every day in the cinema. So what kind of character you can expect from them? These are the instruction to be taken from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But generally people go to hear Bhāgavatam to the professional reciters when the rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa is described, because they think, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is doing this, embracing a nice girl. So this is very nice." Not this part of Bhāgavata is interesting. That part of Bhāgavata is very interesting, and people gather in ten thousands to hear rāsa-līlā. And the reciter will make very monetary profit. This is going on, Bhāgavatam. Nobody is interested to hear the incidences of Ajāmila. They at once go to Kṛṣṇa. Although Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā is not this lusty affair—that is a different thing—but people, because they want such thing, they are very much addicted to Bhāgavata reading, or Bhāgavata recitation when rāsa-līlā is described.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1975:

And if he becomes little, immediately disturbed with little inconvenience, and "What is this nonsense, Kṛṣṇa con...? Give it up. Let me enjoy," then he is again in the clutches of māyā. But if one sticks to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in spite of all difficulties, then his liberation, going back to home, back to Godhead, is guaranteed. Mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk. This is the statement of the śāstra. Dāya-bhāk means nobody can check him.

So we should be very careful to stick to Kṛṣṇa consciousness without being agitated or deviated in any circumstances of life. Then we will not be liable to the punishment of Yamadāta. That is the incident happening here. Slightly he became Kṛṣṇa conscious at the end of life and chanted "Nārāyaṇa"—immediately the Viṣṇu, Bhagavad-dūta came: "Oh, he has chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That's all right. Let him take back home, back to Godhead."

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-8 -- Calcutta, January 10, 1971:

Some professional reciters they hear; therefore they remain in the material existence of lusty affairs and sometimes they turn to be sahajiyā. When Kṛṣṇa had connection with so many women... You know that in Vṛndāvana, the "yugala-bhajana"—one becomes Kṛṣṇa and one becomes Rādhā. That is their theory. And so many things are going on. Therefore we instruct that first of all read the nine chapters very carefully, and then... There are so many nice instructions, but they do not hear about this nice instruction, ajāmila-śraddhā caritra. At least, picked up, some incidences, they should hear.

So,

ayaṁ hi kṛta-nirveśo
janma-koṭy-aṁhasām api
yad vyājahāra vivaśo
nāma svasty-ayanaṁ hareḥ
(SB 6.2.7)

The charge of Viṣṇudūtas for the Yamadūta was that they did not know whom to arrest and whom not to arrest. Therefore he was criticizing. Yamarāja is meant for arresting the criminals, sinful persons.

Lecture on SB 6.2.9-10 -- Allahabad, January 15, 1971:

"This man is Your eternal servant. Somehow or other, he has committed this sin. So You kindly excuse him." Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so much stern in this respect that He immediately replied that "If you like Choṭa Haridāsa, better you remain with him. Let Me go away." So from that moment nobody ventured to request again Caitanya Mahāprabhu to excuse him. So when he was hopeless not to be excused by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he came here in this place, Prayāga, and in the confluence of river Yamunā and Gaṅgā he committed suicide. He drowned himself. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew also this incident. So after some time, when he died, say after some months, He simply inquired, "Where is Choṭa Haridāsa now?" So his other associates replied, "Sir, You did not accept him, so he has committed suicide." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Yes, this is very good. This is very good." So vajrād api kaṭhora. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was sometimes harder than the stone, and sometimes He was softer than the flower.

Lecture on SB 6.2.9-10 -- Allahabad, January 15, 1971:

The Haridāsa Ṭhākura says that offenseless chanting of the holy name of Lord, one not only becomes free, not only he becomes brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), but his love of Godhead manifests. The dormant love of Godhead manifests and automatically he is liberated. So that brāhmaṇa protested that "Don't exaggerate your chanting in this way. One becomes liberated after performing so much austerities, penances, and you say simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? This is too much exaggeration." So there was argument, and the argument increased, and there was cursing also, and Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a little bit agitated, and the brāhmaṇa became offender and he suffered. That incidence is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:

So he then went to Lord Viṣṇu also in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Just see how much powerful he is, that he could go through the whole universe, then enter into the spiritual world, Vaikuṇṭhaloka, and he could see personally Lord Viṣṇu. And Lord Viṣṇu also denied protection, "No, I cannot give you protection. You are Vaiṣṇava aparādhī. You have offended to the Vaiṣṇava, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. You can be protected only if you go and fall down at his feet and if he excuses, then my sudarśana-cakra will not disturb."

So this incidence... This Durvāsā Muni penetrated through the universe, went to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, personally saw Viṣṇu. Still, he was not protected. And this time took about one year. So yogic power... My point was how yogis are powerful, that they cannot..., they can go through the space very swiftly. The modern scientists, they say that to go to the topmost planet within this universe, it will take forty thousands of years. That is their calculation. But this yogi, Durvāsā, could go through the universe—not only universe, other, Vaikuṇṭha—so, within one year. This is called yogic power. But still, he is not as powerful as the devotee. He had to come back and fall down at the lotus feet of Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, and when Ambarīṣa Mahārāja excused him... He was a brāhmaṇa, yogi.

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

And why you did not follow it, that "Why? What we are...?" Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. As soon as he was addressed "Kṛṣṇa," He was doing like this: "Oh, what you are nonsense speaking?" That should be done. He was enjoying: "Yes. I am greater than Kṛṣṇa. Oh." Because he is leader of the fools, so he is a great fool. Because leader—a great man becomes leader—so he is a fool, so he is a great fool. That's all. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by His practical... He was Kṛṣṇa Himself. So as soon as He was addressed that "You are Kṛṣṇa..." When He went to Vṛndāvana... The incident is that people saw at night some light in Yamunā dancing. So people thought that "Kṛṣṇa has again come and He is curbing down the Kāliya." So people gathered. Every night they used to gather on the bank of the Yamunā that "Kṛṣṇa has again come." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu had one personal assistant, Balabhadra. So he asked permission from Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "Can I go and see Kṛṣṇa? So many people are going." And Caitanya..., "Don't be foolish. Where is Kṛṣṇa?" So next morning some people came to see Him, Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked them, "How you have seen Kṛṣṇa?" Then some intelligent person, "No, no. It was all wrong impression. It was not Kṛṣṇa. Some fisherman was fishing at night and there was light. The light was dancing like that, and these people took that Kṛṣṇa is dancing." So actually Kṛṣṇa was present during that time because Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa. But He never said that "I am Kṛṣṇa." He never said. When people addressed Him that "You are Kṛṣṇa..." Sanātana Gosvāmī some..., tactfully addressed Him, "Kṛṣṇa."

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

He was accompanied by very, very learned men, learned brāhmaṇas. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu and both of them embraced and were crying in ecstasy, the brāhmaṇas, the smārta-brāhmaṇas, they could not understand that "Why this great personality, governor...? He is so great and simply by embracing a sannyāsī he is crying. And why this sannyāsī... It is understood that He is coming from a brāhmaṇa family. And He has taken such a great personality. Why He is crying by embracing Rāmānanda?" They could not understand. And as soon as Lord Caitanya saw that the smārtas are puzzled, He stopped. He stopped. Perhaps you know this incidence. So the smārtas, they cannot understand the... Smārta, jāta-gosāi. The smārtas, to pull on their business, so they have become gosvāmīs. But actually they are not devotees. So these gosvāmīs will go to a devotee, and one who is willing to accept a spiritual master. Then they will offer different kinds of mantras: "You want to worship Kṛṣṇa? All right. I will give you Kṛṣṇa mantra. You want to worship Kālī? I will give you kālī-mantra." This way the business is going on.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18 -- Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Why you eat heavily?

Devotee (2): I'm saying that incidentally, I ate heavily, and this morning I am not falling asleep.

Prabhupāda: So anyway, that you have to adjust, all of you, that "How I shall not sleep more than seven hours." Six hours, from ten to four, that is six hours, complete. And one hour during daytime. Then no more sleeping unless you are sick. But why you young boys and girls, why should you fall sick? There is no question of falling sick. You have got your now blood running on. You are not old. Your stomach is working nice. So you should adjust. For a devotee, to reduce this is the process, this āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending, they should be reduced, and come to the point, no sleeping, no eating. That is not possible. But spirit soul, when one... Just like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. He came to that point, no sleeping, no eating. All the Gosvāmīs, they were not sleeping more than two hours. So why about Gosvāmīs? Even big karmīs, like Subash Bose, Gandhi, they were also not sleeping. I heard that Napoleon Bonaparte, he was not sleeping. He was sleeping... When he was passing from one warfield to another, on his horse he slept. That's all. He never went to the bedroom for sleeping. Gandhi used to do that. He would sleep when he was passing from one station, one... In the motorcar he would sleep. Then again he will begin work.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:

So how they have become mahājana, that is also described. Mahājana means one who can sacrifice everything for the sake of the Supreme Lord. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he personally saw that the father is killed before him. But from material point of view, this is the most abominable, I mean to say, incident, that a son is seeing that his father is being killed before him without any protest. Similarly, Bali Mahārāja, he gave up the connection of his spiritual master. To give up the connection with spiritual master, that is also most abominable. So these people became mahājanas because as soon as they saw that "My father or my spiritual master is against the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such person immediately should be given up." Jīva Gosvāmī says... In Indian, according to Indian custom, there is a family spiritual master, family priest, family spiritual master. So Jīva Gosvāmī says that for advancement of spiritual life, one should give up the family spiritual master if he is not competent and accept actually a bona fide spiritual master. Because people are under impression that... Impression... It is a fact that one cannot give up the connection of the spiritual master. That is a great sin. But Jīva Gosvāmī says that if your family spiritual master does not help you in your matter of making progress in spiritual life, then you should give up his connection and accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is their direction. Gurur apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ, parityāgo vidhīyate: "If a spiritual master is not competent to help the disciple to make progress nicely, or if he goes against..."

Lecture on SB 7.9.13-14 -- Montreal, August 22, 1968:

When Prahlāda Mahārāja was offered to take benediction from the Lord, he refused. He said that, "My Lord, I am not a merchant that I am Your devotee for some material gain." This will be explained. So a devotee who is in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is satisfied with that consciousness only. Ahaitukī. He has no other reason, "Oh, I am trying to become Kṛṣṇa conscious because I want such and such thing." He has no demand. Simply that consciousness is sufficient. It is so pleasing. It is so satisfying that yasmin sthite, if one is actually situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then guruṇāpi duhkhena na vicālyate. Just see the Prahlāda Mahārāja. He is... So devastating incidences are taking place, when all the demigods have become afraid and his father is killed and very ghastly appearance and the lion form incarnation of the Lord is groaning. But he is not afraid. He's not at all afraid. Yasmin sthite guruṇāpi duhkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23).

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

So that Parīkṣit Mahārāja was condemned to death within seven days. That is also very nice, interesting. Not interesting very much. It is very sorry plight, that Parīkṣit Mahārāja was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days, bitten by a snake. What was the incident? The incident was that Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the forest, hunting. Hunting is allowed only to the kṣatriya kings. Because they were to rule over, and formerly the rogues and rascals by the order of king or king himself would kill him immediately. So they had to practice how to kill. And that practice was done by hunting some ferocious animal in the forest, not for eating. Nowadays hunting is going on for eating purpose. No, that is not the law. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the hunting excursion and he became very thirsty. So he entered one āśrama of saintly person. He was at that time on meditation. So he entered, and he asked him, "Give me drinking water. I am very thirsty." He thought, "It is āśrama." But the sage who was engaged in meditation could not hear him. So the king became little disgusted that "I am king. I am asking water, and this man is silent." So he became little enraged, and there was a dead snake. So he took that snake and coiled over his neck and went away.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

Not very occasionally. But there is chance because māyā is very strong. One may fall down. Bhāgavata says bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi. He's not mature. In immature stage, by some reason or other, if he falls down, then yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kim. Then what is the loss there? There is no loss. Suppose he joined out of sentiment and executed devotional service for some time under the direction of the spiritual master, according to the regulations of the śāstras, but incidentally, he falls down. He becomes a victim to the māyā. Bhāgavata says still there is no loss. There is no loss. On the other hand, a person who is engaged in his occupational duty very sincerely, he has not become a devotee, Bhāgavata says: "What does he gain?" One who is engaged in his occupational duty very sincerely, doesn't care for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then Bhāgavata says: "What does he gain?" He doesn't gain anything. But the, that man who joined this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement out of sentiment, but immaturely he falls down, he has no loss.

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

Just like a man. A man is suffering from some disease, and you have employed first-class physician, first-class medicine, first-class everything, but is still the man dies. What is the cause? The cause is daiva. That in spite of all your endeavors, because God does not like that he should live, you cannot save him. You cannot save him. The same example, again I want to give. That Titanic. They made the ship very strong, and they were so assured that all the big men, they, they were on board that Titanic ship. There was first journey and immediately Atlantic Ocean, they smashed. That's a great incidence. Therefore this is a fact, that you may arrange everything very nicely, according to your best knowledge, but if God is unfavorable, then you cannot do it. Daiva. Na ca daiva paraṁ balam. Therefore it is said there is no other superior strength than daiva. One has to accept this.

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

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. "And if you wanted Me..."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

Now somebody, some big sannyāsī, very famous in your country, he's explaining Kṛṣṇa, "Something dark within us which we do not know, that is Kṛṣṇa." That is explanation of Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa is not dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara-śyāmasundara; He's something dark which you do not know." This is the explanation of big scholar, big swami. So in this way, we are being misled. Take it, Kṛṣṇa, as He is. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme." Accept it, supreme. Actually He's supreme. Who can be bet..., more supreme than Kṛṣṇa? Prove it by śāstra, by history, by incidences, by action—everything. By votes also. If there are so many rascal Gods, but if you take vote, still in this age, the vote for Kṛṣṇa will be greater. Still. Although we are so fallen. So how we can escape Kṛṣṇa? And śāstra says, confirm, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). If you want the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. So everyone is controller, but nobody's supreme controller. That is not possible. Even the so-called Gods, they also, when there is some toothache, they go to the doctor. They cannot control even toothache. So these kind of Gods will not help you. Take to Kṛṣṇa. Take to Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa says, the method: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). These things are there in the Bhagavad-gītā. You take it, practice it, and see how your life becomes successful and how you become happy. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Mayapur, April 8, 1975:

You take advantage of this cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness which was spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself, in this land of Bhāratavarṣa, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1).

That kurukṣetre is still existing. It is not a myth or mythology. The nonsense people, they may say like that, but Kṛṣṇa is the supermost person both in history... Purāṇa means history, itihāsa purāṇa. Saraṁ saraṁ samuddhṛtam. Vyāsadeva compiled the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by collecting the most important news from history. Purāṇa means old history. It is not mythology. The foolish people, they say like that, "Mythology means something created." No. Don't take it that way. It is the essence of important historical incidences, record. Mahābhārata is also history. Mahā means great, and bhārata means this land. Actually it is a history. But foolish people, without understanding through the guru-paramparā system, they manufacture their own way of understanding; therefore they are misled. They cannot take full advantage of this Vedic literature because they are misled. We should not be misled. We should know always that we are lame, paṅgoḥ. Just like a lame man cannot go very fast. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, even a lame man can go fast—not only go fast, but cross over the mountain.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.39-47 -- San Francisco, February 1, 1967:

So this, this incident is that Caitanya Mahāprabhu, first of all He visited Benares and went to Vṛndāvana. Then, while coming back, He stayed at Allahabad, Prayag, for ten days for instructing Rūpa Goswami. That we have already discussed. Now again He has come back to Benares. So He was staying at Candraśekhara's house, and He was taking His meals at Tapana Miśra's house. In the meantime, Sanātana Goswami came to see Him. Sanātana Goswami, after retirement, he had many troubles. He was arrested by the Nawab because Nawab thought him that he was very important hand. "He has now... By sentiment, he's going to Caitanya." So he thought it wise to arrest him. And Sanātana Gosvāmī had some money, so he bribed the superintendent of jail, and he let him go away. So with great difficulty, he reached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, and for two months he was instructed all the principles of devotional service and different incarnations. We have... Some part of this Sanātana instruction, we have discussed. Again we shall discuss. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī met at Benares while Caitanya Mahāprabhu was returning back from Vṛndāvana. We shall discuss this point tomorrow.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:

"I know that You avoid the association. Still, I am requesting You. If You kindly accept this request."

Prabhu hāsi' nimantraṇa kaila aṅgīkāra. Now there were two incidences. One incidences, one incident is that His two devotees were very sorry because the other party was criticizing Him. And the meantime, another brāhmaṇa came to invite Him. So it was coincidence. Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought that this is an opportunity to meet the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and to talk with him, to talk with them, how they criticized the personalists.

prabhu hāsi' nimantraṇa kaila aṅgīkāra
sannyāsīre kṛpā lāgi' e bhaṅgī tāṅhāra

So although previously He did not associate with the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, still, to please His devotees, who were very sorry to hear the criticism, He accepted the invitation so that He could meet them and talk with them.

se vipra jānena prabhu nā yā'na kā'ra ghare
tāṅhāra prerāṇaya tāṅre atyāgraha kare

"And so the invitation was accepted, and the meeting date was also accepted."

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.149-171 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1967:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu thus came back, and the author says that after this incident we shall discuss in another chapter about the activities of Lord Caitanya, and so far His Benares visit was concerned, this is the end.

ei pañcatattva-rūpe śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya
kṛṣṇa-nāma-prema diyā viśva kailā dhanya

In this way, Pañcatattva, these five pictures you have seen: Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Caitanya Prabhu Nityānanda Śrī-Advaita Gadādhara Śrīvāsadi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. They inaugurated this movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness five hundred years before, and it is predicted here that this movement will sanctify the situation of the whole world.

ei pañcatattva śrī-kṛṣṇa...
kṛṣṇa-nāma-prema diyā viśva kailā dhanya

He has already impregnated the seed. Just like Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda. In 1896 he sent the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message to McGill University. That book you have seen. The letter was there. And these are coincidence.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.149-171 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1967:

So, mathurāte pāṭhāila rūpa-sanātana. Now this is incidental, that Caitanya Mahāprabhu sent Sanātana Gosvāmī to Vṛndāvana, and other Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī...

mathurāte pāṭhāila rūpa-sanātana
dui senā-pati kaila bhakti pracāraṇa

Senā-pati means these two brothers, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, were appointed as the commander in chief, commander in chief in this fighting with māyā. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness means it is declaration of fighting with māyā. Māyā is killing all the poor conditioned souls, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu declared war against māyā by spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the commander in chiefs are Rūpa-Sanātana. In other words, if anyone wants to be expert in Kṛṣṇa consciousness to fight with māyā, they must follow the principles of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Oh, I see. So this was a part of the prayer offered by Brahmājī when he offended on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. The incident... Perhaps you know that Kṛṣṇa was a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana. (speaks in Hindi with some Indians) Why you are back side? You can come this side. So Brahmājī is praising the fortune of the residents of Vṛndāvana, vrajaukasām, headed by... Vrajaukasām means the residents of the Vrajabhūmi, headed by Nanda Mahārāja. Aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyaṁ nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām, yan mitraṁ paramānandaṁ brahma. Kṛṣṇa was there.

So Brahmā is admitting that this Kṛṣṇa is parabrahman sanātanam. So we have to take evidence from the authorities. There are twelve authorities according to śāstra. Brahmā is one of the authorities. Twelve authorities means,

svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kapilaḥ kumāro manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
(balir) vaiyāsakir vayam
(SB 6.3.20)

Svayambhūr nāradaḥ. Svayambhūḥ is Brahmā; Nārada; then Śambhu, Lord Śiva. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ (SB 6.3.20). Kapila.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

When Kṛṣṇa came on this planet, Brahmā... Muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. Brahmā was astonished and Indra was astonished: "How is that my Lord Kṛṣṇa has come at Vṛndāvana as a cowherd boy?" So they came to Vṛndāvana to test. So all... So Brahmā, by his... He has got so much power. He had kidnapped all the cows and the boys of Kṛṣṇa. And when he came back he saw Kṛṣṇa is playing with the same cows and boys again. Then he could understand that "This boy is Kṛṣṇa." Then he offered his prayer and begged pardon from Him that "I misunderstood." In this way there are many narrations in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Here Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is referring to that incident.

ihā dekhi' brahmā hailā mohita, vismita
stuti kari' ei pāche karilā niścita

So he was astonished, and then, after prayer, he was satisfied.

ye kahe-'kṛṣṇera vaibhava muñi saba jānon'
se jānuka—kāya-mane muñi ei mānoṅ

So Brahmā admitted that "If anybody says that 'I know Kṛṣṇa. I know the Supreme Personality of Godhead in detail,' so maybe he may know, but so far I am concerned, I do not know." The purport is that Brahmā is the first creature in this universe. He is the first living entity. He accepts his inability to understand about Kṛṣṇa, and what to speak of others? What to speak of the commentator who says that "This is not Kṛṣṇa; this is something else."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.49-61 -- New York, January 5, 1967:

When He was traveling in South India, in a temple He found this book, handwritten, very old. Formerly there was no press. If anyone wanted some book, he would have to copy it from others. That was the system. The books were not available just like nowadays we have got printed, thousands and thousands copies. That was not available. So two books were collected by Caitanya Mahāprabhu from South India.

One book is named Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. That book was written by one of the devotees, very great devotee, Bilvamaṅgala. His life is very interesting. He was too much prostitute-hunter. In one incidence his kept prostitute gave him instruction, "Oh, you have got so much attraction for this skinny body. If you would have such attraction for Kṛṣṇa, I do not know what you have done." Oh, at once he became, "Yes." This is called reference to the context. Because he, that gentleman, in his previous life he cultivated Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the highest degree, but somehow or other, it was stopped. And as soon as the same thing was pointed out, he began again from that point. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even if we do not perform the whole process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whatever we do, that remains in asset.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.19-31 -- San Francisco, January 20, 1967:

So after this incidence, one of the chief disciples of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, he stood up and began to glorify Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the following words:

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya haya 'sākṣāt nārāyaṇa'
'vyāsa-sūtrera' artha karena ati-manorama

Amongst the Māyāvāda sannyāsīs, the etiquette is to address one another as Nārāyaṇa. They say, "namo nārāyaṇa," "Everyone is Nārāyaṇa." I address you, "namo nārāyaṇa," and you address me, "namo nārāyaṇa." A mutual praising society of Nārāyaṇas. Nārāyaṇa eko āsīt. In the Vedas it is said that only Nārāyaṇa was before creation. So after creation, all these living entities became Nārāyaṇa. This is their philosophy, that "There is no separate Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa has manifested pantheism. Nārāyaṇa has manifested Himself in so many varieties. And the varieties is closed; then again, Nārāyaṇa remains." So this Māyāvāda sannyāsīs, they address one another as "Nārāyaṇa."

Festival Lectures

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

Rāvaṇa was very, materialistically, he was very strong. But the thing is for fighting with Rāvaṇa, Rāmacandra did not come back to His kingdom and take His army. No. He did not come back because He was ordered to live in the forest. So He organized army with the jungle animals, the monkeys. The monkeys. He fought with Rāvaṇa, an organized materialist, with the monkeys. You have seen the picture. And He constructed a bridge between India's last point to the other side. Ceylon is considered to be the kingdom of Rāvaṇa. So there was a bridge, and the stones were floating.

So there are so many historical incidences in the life of Rāmacandra, and we should remember, because if we remember why we are observing today fasting for Rāmacandra... There were many kings like Rāmacandra. Because the kings were trained in that way. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was also as good as Rāmacandra, and Mahārāja Parikṣit was as good. There were many such kings. But we are not concerned because He was a king. He is the King of all kings, parameśvara. Because He is God, therefore we are observing today.

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

He is, by being obliged by the devotee, He is playing the part of a child, at the same time maintaining His supremacy as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa. Not that by mystic power one becomes God. No. God is God always. When on the lap of His mother He is God. And when His mother... On the lap of His mother, Pūtanā came to kill Him. So Kṛṣṇa sucked her breast and life also, but gave him (her) the position of mother because Kṛṣṇa is so good that He did not take the bad side. Kṛṣṇa, how can He be envious? He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone is His part and parcel; therefore He cannot be envious to anyone. He is always kind of everyone. So this incident, that Kṛṣṇa... Pūtanā came to kill Him by smearing poison on her breast. She thought that "The child will suck my breast and immediately die." The child sucked the breast as well as her life. But Kṛṣṇa thought that "This demon, although came to Me with a purpose to kill Me, but I have been used as her child, and she has become My mother, so she must get the position of My mother." This is Kṛṣṇa's kindness.

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

This is the ecstasy of the residents of Vṛndāvana.

Lord Caitanya, when He appeared, He took sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years, and by His mother's request He was living at Jagannātha Purī. So every year He was taking part in this car festival of Jagannātha. This Jagannātha Deity was established by one King Indradyumna about more than three thousand years ago. This temple is very old. Even in some literatures of your Christian religion I find that Lord Jesus Christ also went to this Jagannātha temple and lived there for sometimes. Of course, how far it is true, that is to be judged by you, but I have read this information in a Christian book, Aquarian Gospel. So if we take this incidence that Lord Jesus Christ also went to Jagannātha temple, then from historical point of view it is two thousand years old. But it is, according to our calculation, it is more than three thousand years old. So this Indradyumna king, he asked Viśvakarma to carve the deity of Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadra. And there was a time limit. Viśvakarma made an agreement that "Unless I finish the deity's carving very nicely, you cannot see me."

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

There is a place in India about ninety miles north of Delhi. You have heard the name of New Delhi. The place is named Kurukṣetra. It is accepted as the holy place, pilgrimage. People still gather there, especially during the eclipse, solar and lunar eclipse. So there was once, five thousand years ago, there was a solar eclipse, and all people, from all parts of India, they came to Kurukṣetra, and Kṛṣṇa at that time was prince at Dvārakā, He also came with His elder brother and sister. Kṛṣṇa in His childhood, He was raised as the foster son of Mahārāja Nanda and Mother Yaśodā in Vṛndāvana. Then, when He was grown up... You will find this history in the Kṛṣṇa book. So the incidence is that Kṛṣṇa was the beloved personality in Vṛndāvana. So when He left Vṛndāvana, all the people there, they were very, very unhappy. So when Kṛṣṇa came to Kurukṣetra from Dvārakā with His brother and sister, these people in Vṛndāvana, they got news that Kṛṣṇa is coming there. Vṛndāvana is about the same distance. Kurukṣetra is greater distance.

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

Vṛndāvana is about the same distance. Kurukṣetra is greater distance. Anyway, they came to see Kṛṣṇa out of their love. And the most beloved personality, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, She was requesting Kṛṣṇa that "You are the same Kṛṣṇa. I am the same Rādhārāṇī. But the place is not the same. You are here in Kurukṣetra in royal opulence, and we are coming from the village. So if You again please come to Vṛndāvana." This was Rādhārāṇī's request. And it is very ecstatic feeling. Those who are advanced devotee, they can enjoy.

So we observe this incidence annually in as many places in the Western countries. At the present moment we hold this ceremony in London, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, and where else? Buffalo, Melbourne, yes. So this is a very feeling festival. So I thank you very much. You have come here. And try to understand our philosophy. You are all educated boys and girls. We have got fifty-seven books. Try to read, and try to understand. And take it very seriously, and you will be happy.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

What is this material world? Why I am here? Where I have to go next?" So many things one has to learn. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is human life. Not that eat and sleep and have sex life and die someday like cats and dogs. Therefore, there is need of ācāryas, teachers, for propagating spiritual knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was... Although he was a gṛhastha, householder, a government officer, magistrate, but he was ācārya. So from his dealings, from his life, we should learn how one can become a preacher in any stage of life. It doesn't matter what he is.

There was one incidence, very interesting. When he was magistrate in Jagannātha Purī... The system is... Jagannātha temple is a very big establishment. In the temple fifty-six times daily, bhoga is offered. And you'll find in the temple always at least five hundred to one thousand people gathered. And they come from outside, and prasāda is ready. If you go and ask in the Jagannātha temple that "We are one hundred men come from outside.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

So on the trial day, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Kedāranātha Datta, when he came to the bench the man was presented, the so-called yogi, and he had big, big hairs. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura ordered that "Bring one barber and cut his hair." So no barber dared. The barbers thought, "Oh, he's a Lord Viṣṇu. If I offend, as he's suffering from fever, so I shall also die." So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura ordered that "Give me the scissor. I'll cut." So he cut his hairs and ordered him to be put into jail for six months, and in the jail that Viṣṇu incarnation managed to take some poison, and he died.

So this is one of the incidents. There are many incidences. He was very strong man. He punished many paṇḍas in the tīrthas who exploit visitors. So, this is the position of devotee. In spite of his becoming a responsible magistrate, a householder, still, he was ācārya. So we have to follow the ācāryas. If we at all, if we are at all interested in spiritual science, then we must follow the Vedic instruction, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We must approach. You cannot have spiritual knowledge simply by speculating. Impossible.

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

Otherwise everyone thought that "He is an ordinary man just like one of us, but most powerful. That's all." Similarly, the demigods in other planets, they also thought, "Oh, he's a foolish person. They are thinking of a cowherd boy as God," sophisticated, like that. And especially Indra, the heavenly kingdom..., king of heaven. He was... He's very powerful, so he thought, "What god he has come? My God, He cannot come." This was some speculation. Even Brahmā also speculated. But Kṛṣṇa wanted to show Indra that "Yes, actually I have come." So that incidence is today, Govardhana-pūjā.

So,

bhagavān api tatraiva
baladeva-saṁyutaḥ
apaśyan nivasan gopan
indra-yāga-kṛtodyamān

Indra-yāga-kṛtodyamān. According to Vedic system, there are different types of sacrifices to offer respect and obeisances to the demigods. Just like the sun is supplying light, the moon is supplying moonshine. Similarly, Indra is supplying the cloud. Similarly, there are different demigods.

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

Without rains you cannot have successful agriculture. So they were preparing that sacrifice. So this preparation was being observed by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. Kṛṣṇa is the youngest, and Balarāma is the eldest. Balarāma is son of Rohiṇī, and Kṛṣṇa is son of Devakī. Both these ladies, Rohiṇī and Devakī, they were wives of Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa's father. So Balarāma was born of Rohiṇī, and Kṛṣṇa was born of Devakī. Devakī-nandana-gopāla. So Devakī-nandana. So They were not very... There was not much difference of Their age, say one year or two years, like that. So Balarāma was eldest brother. They were playing together, and this is an incidence when Balarāma was about eight years old and Kṛṣṇa was about seven years old. So, bhagavān tatraiva baladevena saṁyutaḥ. Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, along with Baladeva, His elder brother, apaśyan, "saw." What is that "saw"? Nivasan gopa indra-yāga-kṛtodyamān: "All the cowherds men, including His father, they were preparing for sacrifice of Indra-yajña." Indra-yajña.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

And the Ratha-yātrā, the Ratha-yātrā ceremony takes place, and sometimes the big ratha stops at interval. So the house in which Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura appeared, in front of that house the ratha stopped. So his mother took the advantage and... Because Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was magistrate, so the son, the little baby, was brought before the ratha, and the pūjārīs allowed him to bring the child before the Deity, and the child was placed before the Deity and a garland was offered by Jagannātha. So that was the first sign of his becoming the ācārya. In this way there are many incidences.

So therefore his birthplace is mentioned, "the holy place, my lord and master, His Divine Grace." "O my master, the evangelic angel, give us thy light, light up thy candle. Struggle for existence, a human race, the only hope, His Divine Grace." So actually we are in a very precarious condition, the modern civilization, I mean to say, manipulated by the Western people. It is a soul-killing civilization, this civilization. By nature the chance is given after many, many evolutionary process. Jalajā nava lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣā viṁśati. The evolutionary theory is there in the Padma Purāṇa. It is not Darwin's theory. Darwin stolen it from Padma Purāṇa, and he presented in a distorted way of his own imagination. Otherwise the Darwin's theory is not the original. The theory... It is not theory-fact. Jīva-jātiṣu. It is wandering within the cycle of jīva-jāti, different species of life. Tathā dehāntara prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). This is Vedic knowledge, this evolutionary process. It is not Darwin's theory.

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

So vāṇī is more important than the vapuḥ. Vapuḥ will be finished. This is material body. It will be finished. That is the nature. But if we keep to the vāṇī, to the words of spiritual master, then we remain very fixed up. It doesn't matter. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. It was spoken five thousand years ago. But if you keep to the words of Kṛṣṇa, then it is always fresh and guiding. Not that because Arjuna personally listened to Kṛṣṇa about the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, therefore he knew it. That is not the fact. If you accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then you should know that Kṛṣṇa is present before you in His words in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is called spiritual realization. It is not mundane historical incidences. If we keep...

evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
sa kāleneha (mahatā)
yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa
(BG 4.2)

If you don't keep in touch with the original link, then it will be lost. And if you keep touch with the original link, then you are directly hearing Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's representative, spiritual master, if you keep always intact, in link with the words and instruction of the superior authorities, then you are always fresh. This is spiritual understanding. Na jāyate na mrīyate vā kadācit nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo (BG 2.20).

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

Perhaps you've heard his name, Nehru. He came to your country I think during President Eisenhower's time, and in some meeting some American gentlemen or boys, I do not know, they asked him to explain some of the verses from Bhagavad-gītā. And he, I mean to say, admitted that he was not a scholar in Bhagavad-gītā. So, but his title was there, paṇḍita. Generally, the brāhmaṇas are given this title paṇḍita on account of their scholarship in Vedic literature. So Nimāi Paṇḍita, Nimāi Paṇḍita. Yes. So complaint was lodged against Him, and He disobeyed the order of the Kazi, civil disobedience, and there was a great incident. Then the Kazi became His admirer, follower. That is a long story.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

Now our next attempt will be Kurukṣetra, where Kṛṣṇa personally spoke Bhagavad-gītā. Recently I have been in Kurukṣetra. You were... Yes. So I have decided to do something there. Yes. Because Kṛṣṇa personally spoke there. Our two movements—we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the basis of Bhagavad-gītā and we are holding Ratha-yātrā—all these two incidences took place at Kurukṣetra. Kurukṣetra is so important. Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, and His sister, on some occasion of lunar eclipse, they came from Dvārakā in a chariot, ratha, two brothers and sister, and that is the occasion of Ratha-yātrā. And the Vṛndāvana inhabitants, especially Rādhārāṇī, they came from Vṛndāvana to see Kṛṣṇa after long time. And she pleaded that "Kṛṣṇa, You are the same Kṛṣṇa, I am the same Rādhārāṇī..." (Prabhupāda is coughing) Is there any water? No. "But this place is not the proper place. Let Us go to Vṛndāvana." That is Mahāprabhu's feeling.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

There was one poet, Bengali poet. He lamented that "Even uncivilized nations like China, Japan and Burmese..." Not Burma. Burma was also dependent. "They are independent, and only India is dependent on the Britishers." So anyway, my Guru Mahārāja, he convinced me that "Dependence, independence, they are temporary. But we are concerned with the eternal benefit of the human kind, and therefore you should take up this matter."

So I never thought that I will have to take up this matter by his order. Because it is... This incident took place in 1922, more than fifty years. So anyway, so I was officially initiated in 1933, just before three years of his passing away from this mortal world. So at the last moment also, just a fortnight before his passing away, he wrote me the same thing. I wrote him one letter and just he replied the same thing that "You should try to preach this gospel amongst the persons who are conversant in English language.

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

I wrote him one letter and just he replied the same thing that "You should try to preach this gospel amongst the persons who are conversant in English language. That will be very nice for you." So I was dreaming sometimes that my Guru Mahārāja is calling me and I am leaving my home and going behind him. I was dreaming like that, and I was thinking, "Oh, I have to give up my home? My Guru Mahārāja wants me to give up my home life and take sannyāsa?" So I was thinking, "It is horrible. How can I leave my home?" This is called māyā. Of course, it's a long story, but incidentally I am speaking to you because you are my dear children. So I was thinking that "How can I take sannyāsa and leave my home, my children?" So that was a horrible thought for me, I tell you. I was thinking seriously, "Oh, I will have to take this course. Guru Mahārāja wants me." But actually I did not like to give up my home life. But Guru Mahārāja made me obliged to give up my home life. So now, by his order, or by his plan, I gave up my home life, I gave up a few children, but Guru Mahārāja is so kind that has given me so many nice children.

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1971:

Actual aim of spiritual life—to come to the stage of loving God. That is real spiritual life. If one wants to take to spiritual life for some other gain, that is not. That is offense, that "I will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So my income is now one thousand dollar. It will be three thousand dollar." Not like that. It may be reduced (laughter) sometime. (laughs) Just like our Dayānanda is... His income is now reduced by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but he is not giving up. That is wanted. You see? Sometimes it is found that in incidents you will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, yasyānugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad... Therefore sometimes people do not come to worship because generally they say, "The Viṣṇu worship, or Vaiṣṇavas, they are generally poor. So I don't want to be poor." Yes. I was thinking like that. (laughter) When my Guru Mahārāja ordered me... When I was manager in Bose's laboratory, so he ordered me. So I thought, "Oh, I cannot do this. I cannot accept this sannyāsa." But he was so kind, and he is so kind still. Then he forced me, that "You must do it," taking, pulling my ear, he brought me to this line. In the beginning I was not willing. So it is his causeless mercy upon me. That I can understand now. I can understand now how much I have been relieved by accepting this life. So sometimes we find that our income is reduced.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

Young man: I don't think that... Speaking about this specific incident, it isn't necessarily true that I would feel jealous of this guy because he was over me. But I just feel as beings we are more or less all equal. I mean, you know, it's kind of a philosophy that I have. I don't feel that I have to bow down to anybody and I don't feel anybody should bow down to me.

Prabhupāda: Why? Why? Why do not bow down? Why?

Young man: Because I don't feel that I owe him anything or he owes me anything.

Prabhupāda: So that is the disease. We are forced to bow down and we think that "I don't like to bow down." This is the disease.

Young man: He didn't force me to bow down.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Young man: He isn't forcing me to do anything. I'm just kind of there and he's kind of there.

Prabhupāda: No. Just try to understand. It is a very nice question. You say that "I do not want to bow down."

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

So vimanyavaḥ means that devotee does not generally become angry. But that does not mean that he has lost his power of becoming angry. No. He can become angry at any time, when it is required. And he should be angry? He is angry, krodha bhakta-dveṣi janam. He'll be angry when there is somebody who's against God and God's devotee. He'll be angry. As soon as one says, blasphemes, that "I am God. There is no God," immediately he should be very angry because he is preaching false things. He's blaspheming against the Supreme Lord, that he is making God as very cheap. He should be angry. Bhakta-dveṣi. Just like our student Govinda dāsī in Hawaii. In a meeting she became very angry when the so-called incarnation of God and God... Perhaps you know this incident. And the people did not say, of course, Govinda dāsī, but they heard her husband, Gaurasundara. But she became very angry, that "These rascals," and so many things she spoke. (chuckles) So she did right, like a heroine. I very much liked it. So we should be very much angry. When? When there is anything against God and God's devotee. But generally, for my personal interest, I should not be angry. "All right, if you like to call me by ill names, I don't mind. You go on with your business." I do not become angry. So just like Hanumānjī, Vajrāṅgajī. Vajrāṅgajī, he set fire in the kingdom of Rāvaṇa. A very beautiful kingdom, almost made of gold, but he set fire in that capital of Laṅka. He became very angry. But why he became angry? Not for his personal interest. But he was angry for the interest of Lord Rāma. Sītā, the Lakṣmī, wife of Lord Rāma, was kidnapped by this man Rāvaṇa, and he was very angry that "He has kidnapped my Lord's spiritual energy, Sītā. I shall set fire in his very valuable capital." So this anger, this demonstration of anger and setting fire was accepted as service.

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

There is a very nice incidence in this connection. Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was the prime minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then governor of Bengal, Pathan government. So when Sanātana Gosvāmī met Lord Caitanya, he decided to resign the government responsible post and take to this preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Nawab, his most confidential representative was Hussain Shah. He was known as Sākara Mallika. Formerly the brāhmaṇa community was very strict. Because Sanātana Gosvāmī, although he was born in a Sarasvata brāhmaṇa family, he accepted the service of a Muhammadan king, he was rejected from the brāhmaṇa society, so practically he became Muhammadan. His name was Sākara Mallika, name was also changed. But this Sākara Mallika later on decided that he would propagate the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement started by Lord Caitanya. So when he wanted to resign, the Nawab was very much sorry, because he was right-hand man. He frankly said that "I am engaged with sporting and so many other proclivities, and you are my only representative to rule over the country. If you resign, then I shall be in great danger. I cannot accept your resignation." Then he said, "Your majesty, I am sorry. I cannot proceed any more. I shall retire from the service." Then Nawab said that "Then I shall punish you. I shall immediately arrest you. I cannot let you go." The answer of Sanātana Gosvāmī was that "You are king,

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

The living entities are eternal. That is stated in the Second Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā: dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ... (BG 2.13). (break)... dvau bhūta-sargau loke 'smin daiva āsura (BG 16.6). Asmin loke, in this world, there are two kinds of living entities, not only in human society but also in animal society, in trees, in plants, in... There are 8,400,000 species of life—aquatic, plants, trees, reptiles, insects, birds, beasts, then human beings, civilized human beings, noncivilized human beings. And altogether, there are 8,400,000 species of life, and they are divided into...(break)

...man's body. So... But I am the same. I can remember some of the incidences of my childhood, of my boyhood, of my youthhood. Therefore I am permanent. That is the real understanding of the living entity. These things have been explained very vividly. And in the Sixth Chapter Lord Kṛṣṇa recommended how to practice yoga. Yoga is the beginning of linking up our lost relationship with the Lord, yoga. Yoga means adding, addition or linking. Because we are now forgotten... The yoga system, any yoga system, means... Bhakti-yoga, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga—there are different names of yogas—but actual fact is how to link up our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is called yoga. Yoga indriya-samyamaḥ. Indriya. Because we are being deviated from our eternal relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa, on account of our too much being engaged in sense gratification.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja instructs that we should immediately engage ourself in satisfying Viṣṇu. That is the program of human civilization. Human civilization means one who accepts the varṇāśrama-dharma, because that is a program gradually one can understand his relationship with Viṣṇu. Tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Here Prahlāda Mahārāja also says, viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam. Why Viṣṇu? That is explained here, that yad eva sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya, sarveśvaraḥ ātmā. Everyone is very much attached. Now suppose there is some fire incidents at home. A man will forget all his wife and children; he will come out immediately to save himself, because we love ourself very much. It is a fact. Self-preservation is the first law of nature. We forget. Sometimes it does happen, one man has come out when there is fire in the house. And after coming out, he is crying, "Oh, my son is left. Son is left inside." Why? Why you left your son? Because you think, everyone thinks, that "My ātmā is very dear to me. "And why ātmā is dear to him? Because the ātmā is the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, ultimately comes to the Supreme Lord. He is our dear, but we have forgotten. We have forgotten. Prahlāda Mahārāja reminds. Priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt. And He is actually suhṛt, the best friend. Don't consider that here in this material world some friend is helping you or somebody is helping you. No. They cannot be suhṛt. They have got some interest. Here in this material world it is business. If I become your friend, it means that I have got some ulterior motive to take some benefit out of your favor. Therefore you flatter. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20), the same process is to worship the demigods. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ.

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

Just like we have got examples in our Vedic science, Vedic knowledge. There were many atheistic persons like Kaṁsa, Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu, Dantavakra, they never accepted existence of God. But they had to accept the existence of God at the time of death. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham, that "Death, which takes away everything from everyone, that is... That death I am." So if we don't try to see God during our lifetime, then there will be an incidence which is sure—"As sure as death." That death is God. So to the atheistic person death is God. And to the theistic person, they can see, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who have developed love of God, oh, they are enjoying the transcendental pleasure in every moment by seeing the artistic work of Kṛṣṇa. So that is the position of a devotee.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on David Hume:

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense. Nothing is accidental. Everything is symmetrical. Therefore, we have to admit that supreme direction, and that is Kṛṣṇa, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: "Under My direction everything is going on." The sun is rising on His direction, and when He orders, the sun will not rise. But it is not accidental.

Śyāmasundara: He says that there is no such thing as a cause-and-effect relationship. Just like, for example, we associate friction with heat, but he says that it's a mistake to assume that friction causes heat or possesses any power which must inevitably produce heat. He says that it is a mere repetition of two incidents, so that the effect habitually attends the cause, but it is not necessarily a consequence of it. So the fact that I rub my hands together and there is heat produced, I am used to assuming that the friction causes heat, but he says that it is not necessarily so. Whenever there is friction, there is heat, but that is only because they are associated with each other, not that one causes the other.

Prabhupāda: Then how are they associated?

Śyāmasundara: That one habitually attends the other, but not necessarily as a consequence of it.

Prabhupāda: But who made this law? As soon as they associate, immediately after friction there is heat. So there is a systematic law. The association may be accidental, but as soon as there is friction between the two associates, the law is there must be heat. So there is systematic law. Either you rub the hands, or I rub the hands, the law is that heat must be there, either in your hands or in my hands. That is law.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: Harmony is there, certainly. That harmony, just like the child's body is harmonically changing into boy's body, harmonical changes, there is harmony. But the change is there.

Hayagrīva: So there's harmony at the beginning and harmony at the end?

Prabhupāda: Everything is in harmony. That is God's law. Everything is in harmony. Material or spiritual, everything is in harmony.

Hayagrīva: So if everything is in harmony, then evolution has an incidental meaning. The meaning is just...

Prabhupāda: The evolution is all harmony. Just like from aquatics one has to become insect. From aquatic one has to accept the body of plants and trees, then he has to accept the bodies of insects. This is harmony. Changing is there, but it is in harmony. Now, when one comes to accept the body of human being, then his consciousness is developed. Now he can accept, because he has got greater freedom than the animal, so he has to make his choice whether he is going to stop this evolutionary process or he wants to remain in this evolutionary process. So if he takes instruction of Kṛṣṇa, then he can stop this botheration of evolution, and if he does not take, then he remains. (aside:) Find out this verse, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa. What is it?

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: You might explain in your past life you had so many fearful incidents even, but you are not afraid of now. Why should you try to forget? There is no use of forgetting. Even if I remember I am not afraid, rather I thank Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, you are so kind that You have saved me from so many misgivings. Now (indistinct) I am pure (indistinct)." So one should not be frightened by these past incidents. He rather (indistinct) afraid of all these things... (indistinct)

Śyāmasundara: What he is talking about is the natural instinct of people to forget painful experiences.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) forget. Just like you were in the womb of your mother. It was a very painful situation. But you have forgotten. That is natural.

Śyāmasundara: So it's not artificial?

Prabhupāda: No. But when you were in the womb of your mother, that's a fact. Now when you think of it you can understand how horrible condition was that. Therefore śāstra says that even if you have forgotten, it does not mean that you have escaped the incidents. It is that you are waiting for another painful situation like that.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) ...I become afraid. Just like in that hospital, it was so nice, everything was so nice, but because I was thinking, "Oh, I cannot go out, I cannot walk," it was giving me too much trouble—that very thought that I cannot go out.

Devotee: (indistinct) sometimes they can't trace out the history of a particular case. The idea is that if they can find out from this person remembering back when they were young that he had been locked in a room, then (indistinct) the person was able to understand the significance of that incident, that it was really very small. Then it loses its importance in his life. He has been unable to resolve it because he has repressed it.

Prabhupāda: But I don't think when a man's brain is already deranged he can be rectified by finding out the cause.

Devotee: It's not that the trauma makes him crazy so that he cannot function in society. He could be a business executive who has claustrophobia; he can't stand getting in an elevator. He is leading a normal life in society but he has a problem which causes him a great deal...

Prabhupāda: So why not divert his attention to Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Śyāmasundara: Ah, by a higher type of knowledge, if one realizes that he is not this body, then all those things will be...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is...

Page Title:Incident (Lectures)
Compiler:Mayapur, RupaManjari
Created:03 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=113, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:113