Prabhupāda: That is a huge thing. That we have to see to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that God expanded Himself first of all in Mahā-Viṣṇu, He lied down on the Causal Ocean. And while He was in sleeping mood, from His breathing, innumerable universes came into existence. Then each and every universe, Mahā-Viṣṇu entered. Then again He lied down there, and from Him the first creature, Brahmā, generated. Then Brahmā created other planets. First there was creation of sound. From the sound, the sky came into existence. From the sky, air came into existence. From air, fire came into existence. From fire, water came into existence, and from water, this land developed. In this way, there are very detailed description in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So we have to take it that way.
Innumerable (Conversations)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No, then that is not... No, that is not. Hawaii... Then we have to consider where real happiness, whether it is in Hawaii or in Paris or in...
Guest (2): True. But then you are not going to a country that it is not London. And if I say I am not going to...
Prabhupāda: That is going on. That is going on. There are innumerable planets, and in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). Now, if you think that London is not good for you, Paris is good for you, it is good for you.
Prabhupāda: So this universe, this universe is only one universe, but there are millions of universes, and they are covered with the gross and subtle elements. And penetrating that gross and subtle elements, when one comes to the sky, there are innumerable planets. The planets are seen, the suns and stars, like that. So the two souls, Jaya and Vijaya, they are coming on this earth. That is shown in this picture. Now they came as demons because they had to fight with the Supreme Lord. The devotees will not fight. The devotees are servitors, but the atheists, the demons, they are always inimical to the Personality of Godhead. That is the nature.
Prabhupāda: They are there already. In every planet there are living entities, residents.
Reporter: And this is written in this book.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is a vivid description of different planets in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are innumerable planets within this universe and all of them are described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The sun planet, the moon planet, and other planets, they are all vividly described, what kind of residents there are, their mode of living, everything is there.
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Try. You just try it immediately. You take one newspaper and comment on the current news. Any one of you... Every one of you can do. And show me how you have given. Then you start immediately. We have got many things to do. We have Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka maheśvaram (BG 5.29). What these petty politicians and three acres of land? Their stage is three acres of land; our stage is the unlimited. That I have mentioned in the second volume of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So what news they can publish? Three acres of land. We have got the innumerable universes. We can supply so much news, provided people are ready to read it. We have published so many books, they are not even able to read these books. So the other devotees, (laughs) they cannot ri..., come at five o'clock. That is the test. Yes. One who cannot rise early in the morning, he is not spiritually serious. That is test. Brāhma-muhūrta, this hour, one hour before sunrise, is very auspicious moment.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Now answer, question, try to understand. What he has explained, have you understood?
Impersonalist: I think so.
Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa is also individual, you are also individual, but He is the head. Just like in our group we are all individual, but I am the head, similarly, there are innumerable individual souls, all over the universe, and the head individual soul is Kṛṣṇa.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So hydrogen and oxygen, they have got grains, molecular.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So it is called molecules, molecule of water.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: There are innumerable molecules in water.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere. In the sunshine also, there is molecules, shining particles.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They're called photons.
Prabhupāda: Protons?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Photons. P, H, O, T, O, N.
Prabhupāda: Oh, photons. Similarly we are also photons of Kṛṣṇa. That is our original position.
Brahmānanda: Like spot.
Prabhupāda: Spot, yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. To glorify God means the glorify the nature also. Just like here is a poem in Brahma-saṁ...
- yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-
- koṭisv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam
- tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.40)
Now, the whole creation is there. Yasya prabhā prabhavataḥ (Bs. 5.40). On account of the bodily rays of Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, which is called brahmajyoti... Just like on account of the sunshine, the whole universe is existing. So similarly, there is a shine, bodily shining, what is called brahmajyoti. So when the brahmajyoti is there, then innumerable universes are created. Yasya prabhā prabhavataḥ (Bs. 5.40). When the effulgence, brahmajyoti, is there, innumerable universes are created. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Jagad-aṇḍa means universe. Koṭi, innumerable. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭisv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). And in each universe is created with innumerable number of planets. And each planet has got different atmosphere. Now the whole universe is described. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Yasya prabhā. The beginning: "Whose effulgence has created." That means simultaneously you praise His creation; at the same time, you get the universal knowledge how many universes are there, how they are situated, what is the atmosphere, everything. You get a glimpse of idea at the same time. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. This is the way.
Dr. Inger: Well, now I am a consultant. I used to be a regular member of the staff for a long time. Now I do certain projects for them, and I'm a visiting professor, and I'm a writer, visiting professor at different universities. So I'm connected with, with UNESCO in a way that I can not be now a permanent member of the staff which I was... (break)
Prabhupāda: ...purpose is not to propose only. Because I wish that there are so many scient..., scientific men, philosophers and thoughtful men... Suppose even if I ask you, what is your answer, that what is the purpose...? The cosmic manifestation is there, the universe is there, and there are innumerable planets within this universe, and they are very organizely kept. Everything is nicely going on. The sun is rising in due time. The moon is rising in due time. The seasons, seasons are changing. There is nice organization. So is it not a bona fide inquiry to, "What is the purpose of this organization?"
Karandhara: Well, that vision, that seeing, is supramundane. They only consider the mundane vision.
Prabhupāda: Yes, supramundane, everything is supramundane. Because... How do you know that there is nothing in the sky? Now you say it is vacant. So your eyes is deficient. It is not vacant. There are innumerable planets, but you cannot see. You cannot see. You are blind. Therefore, because it is not in your power to see, you have to hear from me. "Yes, there are millions of stars there." You have to accept it. You cannot see. But because you cannot see does not mean that it is vacant. It is deficiency of your senses.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Nirviśiṣṭa means... No, Vallabhācārya... śuddhādvaita. Śuddhādvaita. That is called kevalādvaita. Kevalādvaita. (break) Kṛṣṇa is ādi. Viṣṇu is in the material world, He's accepted as one of the devas. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2).
Guest (1): So Kṛṣṇa is ādi of Viṣṇu...
Prabhupāda: Viṣṇu also.
Dr. Patel: Mahā-Viṣṇu.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No Mahā-Viṣṇu is ādi. Mahā-Viṣṇu is kalā-viśeṣa, partial exhibition of Kṛṣṇa. That is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ, viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśesaḥ (Bs. 5.48). This Mahā-Viṣṇu, from whose breathing innumerable universes are coming, that Mahā-Viṣṇu is kalā-viśeṣa.
Prabhupāda: Ah. Therefore those who are materialistic persons, they are amazed with the huge body of this universe. But Arjuna is saying that "On account of Your entering..." As this body has developed on account of entering, that minute particle or spiritual spark, similarly, there are innumerable universes. All these universes, they have developed. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa, Jaya. (break) ...Kṛṣṇa's entering as Garbhodakaśayī Viṣṇu. That is explained in the last chapter.
- athavā bahunaitena
- kim jñātena tavārjuna
- vistabhyāham idaṁ kṛstnam
- ekāṁśena sthito jagat
- (BG 10.42)
By His one plenary portion, by entering into this material world, so gigantic form is there. Therefore they cannot understand that how Kṛṣṇa, just like a human being, he can be more important than this gigantic cosmic manifestation.
Dr. Patel: Kṛtsnam means all, complete.
Prabhupāda: Yes, so that means there are innumerable universes and that was exhibited by Kṛṣṇa in His boyhood.
Girirāja: (continues synonyms) "adya-immediately;" (etc.)
Prabhupāda: What the modern scientists will say, that the..., all the universes were shown in the body of Kṛṣṇa. So what is the, I mean to say, what is called, action, reaction, reaction of the modern scientists?
Girirāja: They don't believe.
Dr. Patel: Even they are now trying to find out stars further and further with a bigger and bigger...
Prabhupāda: They cannot see even one universe, and here it is said that "All the universes, innumerable universes." So what these...?
Satsvarūpa: Their reaction is: "Simply because it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā does not mean it actually happened." They don't think it happened just because it is written here.
Prabhupāda: No, no, happened or not happened. But you have no estimation, even one universe. You cannot say like that because you are a fool still. Even though it did not happen in the body of Kṛṣṇa, but you have no estimation, you cannot know what is the sun-god or sun planet or moon planet. You cannot go there. So what is the value of your knowledge? If the statement of Bhagavad-gītā has no meaning, then what is the meaning of your scientific knowledge? You are not perfect. So how you can say? Because you are imperfect, so you cannot say against Bhagavad-gītā, which is accepted by all the ācāryas. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya... Don't be in hurry. Just finish one word. That is sufficient.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. (break) ...covering of the universe. There are seven coverings. Each covering is ten times bigger than the one. Again, the seven elements...
Girirāja: So at night when we look up, everything that we see is within this universe.
Prabhupāda: Yes, within this universe, yes. And there are innumerable universes.
Girirāja: "And beyond that non-manifested matter there is the spiritual kingdom. That kingdom is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as supreme and eternal. It is never annihilated. This material nature is subjected..." (break)
Acyutānanda: ...living entities in not non-manifested matter? Are there any living entities in non-mani...
Prabhupāda: No, therefore it is non-manifested. There is no living entities. It is simply covering.
Dr. Patel: No, no, but even for Vaiṣṇavas, sāṅkhya...
Prabhupāda: Sāṅkhya is required, but the cause of sāṅkhya must be understood, cause of all causes. Sāṅkhya philosophy is our philosophy, Vaiṣṇava, because it was enunciated by Kapiladeva. Later on, the atheist sāṅkhya, they wiped out God. (break) Na brahmā na rudra ca. These are the Vedic mantras. (break) Koṭi-brahmāṇḍa-vigraha. Koṭi-brahmāṇḍa-vigraha. Innumerable universes are there in the body of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: No, that is another. Yasya niśvasita-kālam avalambya. Mahā-Viṣṇu is breathing. So taking advantage of that breathing, innumerable universes are generating. And each universe, there is a superintending deity who is called Brahmā. Yasya hi niśvasita-kālam. Kālam atha avalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ. Many hundreds and millions of Brahmās there are. They live, only taking advantage of the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu. (break) Mahā-Viṣṇu is sub-plenary portion. First Kṛṣṇa, then Balarāma, then Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Vāsudeva. Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa. Then, from Saṅkarṣaṇa, Nārāyaṇa. Then, from Nārāyaṇa, again catur-vyūha, second Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva, Aniruddha. And from the second Saṅkarṣaṇa is Mahā-Viṣṇu. And from Mahā-Viṣṇu, Kāraṇodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu. And from Kāraṇodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu. The Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu is in each universe. He is the Supersoul. And when any incarnation comes within this world, He comes through Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu. In that way, Kṛṣṇa comes through Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu. But this Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu is the expansion of the expansion of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Buddha is śaktyāveśa-avatāra. We accept Lord Jesus Christ also, śaktyāveśa-avatāra; Mohammed, śaktyāveśa-avatāra. Śaktyāveśa-avatāra means a living entity especially empowered and he preaches the philosophy on behalf... That is called śaktyāveśa-avatāra. There are different types of avatāras. Guṇāvatāra, manvantarāvatāra, yugāvatāra, līlāvatāra, śaktyāveśāvatāra, like that. They are described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. About avatāras. You find out Teachings of Lord Caitanya, avatāras. Innumerable avatāras. Come here. Find out this chapter. Avatāra saṅkhyeyaḥ. It is compared, just like in the river, the waves are flowing. You cannot count, or in the... What is that? Avatāra.
Guest (2): In your books you talk about Brahmaloka, which, I suppose is heaven.
Prabhupāda: No, there are many lokas. Heaven also one of them. Brahmaloka also one of them. Don't you see so many planetary system. So there are innumerable planets. Some of them may be Brahmaloka, Candraloka, Varuṇaloka, Sūryaloka, and so many others. So Brahmaloka is one of the planets.
Guest (2): So that is actually a physical planet?
Prabhupāda: Don't you see physical planets? The sun is not a physical planet?
Guest (2): It is.
Prabhupāda: What do you mean by physical?
Guest (2): Well, actually existing on a material...
Prabhupāda: So don't you see existing so many planets, at night, innumerable? What they are?
Guest (2): Stars and planets, yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (2): So actually heaven is...
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: The others? That is the distinction between matter and spirit. Just like this microphone, it is combination of earth, water, air, fire, like that. But the living being, he has utilized, he has combined this matter into this microphone. Is that admitted? Now, exactly like the microphone, the combination of matter and done by some living entity, similarly, the whole cosmic manifestation is combination of matter, and there is one living being or the Supreme Being who has combined them, and it is working. Is that admitted? So that is the difference between limited and unlimited, that I, you are living being... We can also create something like this microphone or this big aeroplane. We have created. That is limited. But there is another one who has created innumerable planets and that is floating in the air. Is it not? We are taking credit of becoming big scientist by creating one airship, 747, five hundred passengers carrying. How many we have created? Maybe hundred, two hundred. But there are millions and trillions of planets floating in the same way in the air, and those planets containing so many big, big mountains, ocean, and they are floating in the air. We can create limited things, but He can create unlimited things. Therefore we have got our limited brain, and He has got unlimited brain. Is that correct?
Dr. Wolfe: We may assume, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that God has innumerable names.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Dr. Wolfe: And most of them not known to us. If we can say "most" about innumerable.
Prabhupāda: You can... Then you know from us. We can... There is Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu also. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. Nāma... Nāma means the name and the person. There are many hundreds and thousands of names, and each name is as good as the person. Because it is absolute, there is no difference between the person and the person's name.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That means there are so many conditioned souls, one after another, coming. And the conditioned souls are the few of the whole living entities. Just imagine what is the total! (laughs)
Rāmeśvara: It can't be imagined.
Prabhupāda: And majority in the spiritual world, and one fourth, minority, is here in so many innumerable universes.
Rāmeśvara: There are also many spirit souls in the Brahman effulgence, the spiritual sky.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Rāmeśvara: The spiritual sky.
Prabhupāda: Full of these souls. They have no forms. Just like sun. Sunshine means small illuminating sparks. (break) (out of car:) Flowers, they are good medicine for dysentery.
Prabhupāda: So many great saintly persons hearing about God. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). They are fools, hearing about Kṛṣṇa? Such great, great personalities? And Śukadeva Gosvāmī is speaking. Are they fools? All of them fools? One, two may be fool. They were wholesale fool? All the great personalities, they're all fools? Asita, Devala, Vyāsa, Nārada—all big personalities. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu—they're all fools? I may be fool. They are not fools. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Why shall I accept a rascal God? Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1). "Oh, you want to hear about Kṛṣṇa?" Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ. Śukadeva was praising: "Oh, glorious, you have taken... Yes." Here is God. Breathing, and innumerable universes are coming. Here is God. Sleeping and breathing is not unnatural. He is also. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaḥ-like us. But like not us. He can breathe and... That is the difference. Breathing is common. I breathe, He breathes. That's all right. But His breathing, my breathing is not the same breathing.
Prabhupāda: Who says? Who says? Who is the sayer? An imperfect person, that's all.
Guest (2): No, it is in the Bhāgavatam. That's what I am saying.
Prabhupāda: Oh, what is that?
Guest (2): That holy planets exist between the lotus stem that's sprouting from navel of Kṛṣṇa. But there are many planets, millions of planets...
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. That is all explained there. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya. The Mahā-Viṣṇu's breathing and with the breathing innumerable planets are coming, brahmāṇḍas are coming out. Yasya eka niśvasita-kālam atha avalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ. Jagad-aṇḍa means universe, and jagad-aṇḍa-nāthaḥ means Brahmā. Millions of Brahmās living within the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu. So we have to accept this Vedic knowledge. You cannot compare with your limited knowledge.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. They do not know except the duty. Very good boys.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Perfect team of brothers.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has brought them here in Māyāpura. Previously they were advanced, all of you. You are simply born because the mission was to be started. Just like in Yadu-vaṁśa Kṛṣṇa ordered all the devotee demigods to "Go and take birth there to help Me." Similarly, you are also... You were born in Europe, America, to help this. Otherwise you were devotees in you past lives. I have explained that in my recent writings. The purport was mām eti: goes to Kṛṣṇa where His pastime is going on, and then they are transferred to the original. So all the devotees picked up and they were placed together where Kṛṣṇa is having His pastimes in either of these innumerable universes. He's going on. Just the moving... The sun is moving-little, little, little. So Kṛṣṇa's pastimes go on—this universe, that universe, that universe, that universe. In some universe He's present. In all universes present, that is called nitya-līlā. So those who are advanced, perfect devotees, first of all they are sent there and then, further trained up, they enter. Mām eti. Just like after passing the administration examination he's made one assistant of some magistrate, and then gradually he'll be promoted up to the high-court judge.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very outspoken. Outspoken.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. "You are all rascals. Prepare a machine... This is machine, Bhagavad-gītā. Prepare a machine. Make a female machine and male machine and produce innumerable machine. Then we shall understand that you have got brain." And actually you are seeing. How is that? A male machine and female machine combine together—another machine.
Pradyumna: Sam is there, but he cannot... samyak mohana kṛṣṇa. So why is it there? (Sanskrit) According his abhiprāya was there, but not actually doing.
Prabhupāda: His purpose was to mystify Kṛṣṇa, but he himself became mystified.
Pradyumna: And he has a note on the word viṣṇu. Viṣṇum iti sarva vyāpa kaṁ māyā(?)(Sanskrit—to bhava)
Prabhupāda: We must know, the whole material world... Brahmā is one of the portion. There are... Aṇḍāntara... How many universes? Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Nāthāḥ, plural number. So there are innumerable universes, and this Brahmā is a tiny four-headed. That was exhibited in Dvārakā when Kṛṣṇa called for Brahmā. So what he can do to bewilder Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. You pick up the idea.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: In a living body, in a living cell, actually it is made up of innumerable lives. But among these innumerable lives, the jīva, who is...
Prabhupāda: He's a particular individual. In the body... Just like you are in this room. When you leave this room, the room becomes vacant, but there are innumerable other jīvas.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But different consciousness. So among these innumerable lives making this whole living body, there is one which is highly...
Prabhupāda: Particular.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Conscious.
Śatadhanya: Who permeates that body.
Prabhupāda: And we can experience. There are so many germs within the body.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So when that most conscious jīva leaves the body, still, the body is made up of those innumerable lives, but whose consciousness developed, that we call a dead matter.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Not dead matter. They come out. As soon as the body is decomposed, they come out. You cannot say that the life-giving substance is gone. It is there.
Page Title: | Innumerable (Conversations) |
Compiler: | Mayapur, Serene |
Created: | 07 of Oct, 2011 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=39, Let=0 |
No. of Quotes: | 39 |