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Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 10.12-13, Purport:

In the Vedas the Supreme Lord is accepted as the purest of the pure. One who understands that Kṛṣṇa is the purest of the pure can become purified from all sinful activities. One cannot be disinfected from sinful activities unless he surrenders unto the Supreme Lord. Arjuna's acceptance of Kṛṣṇa as the supreme pure complies with the injunctions of Vedic literature. This is also confirmed by great personalities, of whom Nārada is the chief.

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one should always meditate upon Him and enjoy one's transcendental relationship with Him. He is the supreme existence. He is free from bodily needs, birth and death. Not only does Arjuna confirm this, but all the Vedic literatures, the Purāṇas and histories. In all Vedic literatures Kṛṣṇa is thus described, and the Supreme Lord Himself also says in the Fourth Chapter, "Although I am unborn, I appear on this earth to establish religious principles." He is the supreme origin; He has no cause, for He is the cause of all causes, and everything is emanating from Him. This perfect knowledge can be had by the grace of the Supreme Lord.

Here Arjuna expresses himself through the grace of Kṛṣṇa. If we want to understand Bhagavad-gītā, we should accept the statements in these two verses. This is called the paramparā system, acceptance of the disciplic succession. Unless one is in the disciplic succession, he cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible by so-called academic education. Unfortunately those proud of their academic education, despite so much evidence in Vedic literatures, stick to their obstinate conviction that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary person.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.2.7, Purport:

The bhakti cult is meant for realization of the positive form. When the positive form is realized, the negative forms are automatically eliminated. Therefore, with the development of the bhakti cult, with the application of positive service to the positive form, one naturally becomes detached from inferior things, and he becomes attached to superior things. Similarly, the bhakti cult, being the supermost occupation of the living being, leads him out of material sense enjoyment. That is the sign of a pure devotee. He is not a fool, nor is he engaged in the inferior energies, nor does he have material values. This is not possible by dry reasoning. It actually happens by the grace of the Almighty. In conclusion, one who is a pure devotee has all other good qualities, namely knowledge, detachment, etc., but one who has only knowledge or detachment is not necessarily well acquainted with the principles of the bhakti cult. Bhakti is the supermost occupation of the human being.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.12.11, Purport:

Not only did Dhruva Mahārāja perform many sacrifices, but he carried on his transcendental occupation of engagement in the devotional service of the Lord. The ordinary karmīs, who want to enjoy the results of fruitive activities, are concerned only with sacrifices and ritualistic ceremonies as enjoined in the Vedic śāstras. Although Dhruva Mahārāja performed many sacrifices in order to be an exemplary king, he was constantly engaged in devotional service. The Lord always protects His surrendered devotee. A devotee can see that the Lord is situated in everyone's heart, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61)). Ordinary persons cannot understand how the Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, but a devotee can actually see Him. Not only can the devotee see Him outwardly, but he can see, with spiritual vision, that everything is resting in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as described in Bhagavad-gītā (mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4)). That is the vision of a mahā-bhāgavata. He sees everything others see, but instead of seeing merely the trees, the mountains, the cities or the sky, he sees only his worshipable Supreme Personality of Godhead in everything because everything is resting in Him only. This is the vision of the mahā-bhāgavata. In summary, a mahā-bhāgavata, a highly elevated pure devotee, sees the Lord everywhere, as well as within the heart of everyone. This is possible for devotees who have developed elevated devotional service to the Lord. As stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.38), premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena: only those who have smeared their eyes with the ointment of love of Godhead can see everywhere the Supreme Lord face to face; it is not possible by imagination or so-called meditation.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

So pratyakṣa means direct evidence you cannot have. And anumāna means speculation, simply, "It may be like this. It may be like that." Oh, that is also imperfect because our thinking is also limited, because our senses are limited. So our thinking power, mind, is one of the senses. Out of the ten, mind is considered to be the eleventh sense. There are five karmendriya and five sensory organs and working organs, ten, and the mind is the chief. So mind is also considered as one of the senses, the chief senses. You see? So because it is sense, it is imperfect. So by mental speculation we cannot have a into right conclusion, by mental speculation. Those are simply speculating on mind, they can make some progress to a certain extent, but they cannot reach the ultimate goal. It is not possible by mental speculation; neither it is possible by direct evidence. The only, only possible evidence is authority, authority.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

The whole world is moving by combination of matter and spirit. That's all. The whole material world. Just like my body is moving due to the presence of my self as soul, similarly—it is very easy to understand—the whole cosmic manifestation is working due to the presence of the Supreme Soul, whom we call God or the Supersoul or Paramātmā or Bhagavān. Whatever name you may call, that doesn't matter. But you must understand that as without presence of the soul, the body cannot move, similarly, the whole materialistic world, cosmic atmosphere, is moving due to the presence of the Supersoul. Now, in Bhagavad-gītā you will find that we individual souls are parts and parcels of the Supersoul. So we have got eternal relation with the Supreme Soul. We have got eternal relation with the Supreme Soul qualitatively, qualitatively, not quantitatively. We are one with the Supreme qualitatively. Just like a drop of ocean water qualitatively is equal to the mass water in the ocean. The mass water in the ocean is salty, and the drop of ocean water, if you taste it, you'll find it is also salty. So the chemical composition of the water, either in drop or in vast mass, is the same. But the drop of ocean water is never equal to the vast, I mean to, mass water in the ocean. That is our position. We are in quality... Just God is..., similarly, we are also in quality the same, chemically or constitutionally or qualitatively. But God's power and my power is different. Just like the mass water in the ocean, it can play a havoc. But a drop of water, that... It is not possible by the drop of the water.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:
Just like a soldier, he is simply awaiting the order of the commander. Then his activities are approved, "Oh, he is doing nicely. Yes." By the approval of the commander, he is killing as many persons, and by this killing art, he is being rewarded, "Oh, you are a good soldier." But that killing, if he does for his personal interest, even he kills one man, he is hanged—by the same state. By the same state for which he is engaged in fighting, if he kills enemies, he is rewarded. He is awarded gold medal, recognition. And that very person, out of the war field, when he comes home, if he kills one man, then he is hanged. If he says that "The same killing I was doing in the war field, and same killing I have done. There I was killing hundreds and thousands of men. I was awarded gold medal. And here I have killed only one person. I am being hanged? What is this?" No. You have killed according to your own whims, and that is from the superior order. That is the difference. Similarly, if we do, if we act according to our mental speculation or mental whims, then we are bound up by the reaction. And if we practice ourself to be active under the direction of the Supreme, then we are free. This is the art. This is the whole art of spiritual life. So we have to practice. We have to practice it in our everything. Because for so long we are in this material body, we have got so many material demands. We cannot stop the activities of the body. That is not possible. By force, if I stop all the activities of my body, that is not possible. That is not possible. The bodily activities will go on, but the bodily activities will be so performed that I'll not be bound up by the reaction. And that is called devotional service.
Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

So we have to gradually find out that stage of life. Here the Lord says that by force we cannot stop anyone's material activities. That is not possible. By force, it is not possible. So any other system of spiritual realization, either by the process of philosophical speculation or by this process of artificial, I mean to say, gymnastic of this body, you see, or meditation, forceful meditation... Whole day I am working in a material atmosphere. Suppose for two hours I meditate. Of course, it will make some progress. Anything, spiritual action, that will not go in vain. That is a fact. But that progress is very slow, very slow. Our determination should be... I am very glad to say that our this boy, Mr. Paul, he says sometimes, "Swamiji, I want to increase my spiritual life immediately." (laughs) Take patience, patience. It will be done, of course. When you have got such desire, God will help you. He is within you. He is simply trying to see how much sincere you are. Then He will give you all opportunities to increase your spiritual life. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10), dadāmi buddhi-yogam.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:
Kṛṣṇa is explaining how one can very easily enter into the spiritual world, or the kingdom of God. The simple formula is that anyone who understands the appearance, disappearance, activities of the Lord as divyam, transcendental, with perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth... Simply by this understanding one can immediately enter into the spiritual kingdom. To know the Absolute Truth is not possible by our present senses. That is also another fact. Because at the present moment we have got materially affected... Not material senses. Our sense are originally spiritual, but it is covered by material contamination. Therefore the process is to purify, to purify the coverings of our material existence. And that is also recommended—simply by service attitude. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). The whole thing depends on our surrendering process and engage ourselves in the service of the Lord. Then gradually, the Lord reveals to the devotee. That is the process.
Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

Just like a madman, he forgets his relationship with the family. He loiters in the street. He eats anywhere and everywhere and all rubbish things. Although he may have a very rich father, well-to-do family, but forgetting.... Madness means forgetfulness of his real life. So we are now forgetful of our real life. This has been also exemplified by a Vaiṣṇava poet,

piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya
māyā-grasta jīvera haya se bhāva udaya

Piśācī. When a man is haunted by ghosts, as he speaks all nonsense, he cannot recognize his father, mother or relative.... Sometimes he calls them by ill names. On account of being ghostly haunted. Piśācī pāile.

Similarly, in the conditioned state, under the influence of māyā, we are also talking so many nonsense things, "I belong to this family, I belong to this nation, I belong to this community, my business is this," simply forgetting Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All other business, he will remember, but when he is requested to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, to understand Kṛṣṇa, he doesn't like it. Except Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will take all responsibility and work hard for that purpose. This is called māyā-grasta jīva. So nirāśīḥ, now, to go to our original position, that is called tapasya. Tapasya means to revive our original normal life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is called tapasya. This tapasya is not possible by the cats and dogs or animals. Tapasya is meant for the human being. Therefore the human life is called durlabha-janma. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy arthadam adhruvam.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

So attachment is there. Now this attachment has to be employed on Kṛṣṇa. That yoga system, kṛṣṇa-yoga system, is described in this Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam, "without any doubt." In any other process, you cannot understand what is God in full sense. That is not possible. By speculating process... There are so many speculators, theosophist, theologist, philosopher, Māyāvādī. They are speculating about God by... But that, by that process, by speculative process, you cannot understand God. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

So everything is there in the śāstra. So it is our duty the human life to get knowledge from śāstra. That is, means Veda. Veda means knowledge. Get knowledge from the standard Veda. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "In order to understand that Vedic knowledge, one has to go to the proper master, teacher." Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). These are the things. Now, if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān... Here it is said, bhagavān uvāca, Bhagavān says, mayy āsakta, mayi āsakta. Therefore if you become attached... We have got attachment for so many things. But if we transfer that attachment to Kṛṣṇa, then, Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to adopt this yogic process, meditation. Meditation... Unless you have got love for somebody, attachment for somebody, how you can think of him always? That is not possible. By force I cannot say that "You think of this thing or this man." That is not possible. If I have got attachment for a certain thing or a certain person, then we can think of that person or that thing. That is called yoga, connecting always, keeping linked always. That is called yoga. So if you want to know perfectly or as far as you can understand through your senses, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, then you transfer your attachment to Kṛṣṇa. This is the advice. If we want to know Kṛṣṇa, then we have to transfer our attachment to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. The mind should be attached to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:
In the Pātañjala yoga system, it is said yoga indriya-saṁyama: yoga means to control all the senses. Because unless the senses are controlled, the mind will be flickering, go this way, that way, that way. So mind is the leader of all other senses. If you control the mind, concentrate on the feature of the Supreme Lord, that is the yoga system. The, in the... Therefore, describing the yoga system, Kṛṣṇa prescribes so many methods, but after hearing the system of practicing yoga, Arjuna replied that "Kṛṣṇa, this system is so difficult I cannot practice it." So point is that Arjuna was not ordinary person. He was specifically friend of Kṛṣṇa. So he said that "This practice of yoga, haṭha-yoga, is not possible by me." So Kṛṣṇa therefore concluded the yoga system that "Don't be discertain. There is another yoga system, bhakti-yoga system. You can adopt it."
Lecture on BG 9.23-24 -- New York, December 10, 1966:
So the Vaiṣṇava philosophy is... They want to remain predominated by the supreme predominator. And the Māyāvāda philosophy, the monists, they want to merge into the predominator. Their idea is to become themselves predominator. When they fail to become predominator in this material world... We are all trying to become predominator. Everyone is trying. Bhoktā. "I shall..." Competition is going on. You are predominator, say, for one thousands of worker or office clerk. Your office is so big. So I want to make my office bigger than you. So I want to become greater predominator than you. This is our competition, is going on. But none of us is actually predominator. We are all predominated. And because we do not know that "I can never be a predominator," therefore I am under illusion, māyā. The real predominator is the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā prabhur eva ca. He's the predominator. Na tu mām abhijānanti. People, they do not know. They want to become predominator themselves. That is not possible. By nature, he's not so. I want to be predominator, but actually, I am being predominated by my desires, by my lust, by my anger, by my avarice, and so many good qualities. They are controlling me. I am angry. So I tell you something nonsense. You see? So that... I am predominated by the anger principle, kāma-krodha. So therefore one who knows that "I am not predominator; I am predominated..."
Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Indriya means these material senses. We gather knowledge by sense. But these material senses are very limited. So it is not possible to understand God, or Kṛṣṇa, by speculating our mind. Mind is the center of all senses. So senses help mind gathers knowledge. So it is not possible. Because our senses are all imperfect. By imperfect senses we cannot reach to the perfect or to the unlimited. Therefore we cannot know. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). It is not possible by manipulating your different senses and knowledge and mind you can understand God.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

We can practically see. Everyone is working with this body in Bombay city. A very poor man is also in Bombay city, and a very rich man is also there. Both of them have the same facilities to work, but we find that one man is working very hard day and night. Hardly he is getting his morsel of food. Another man, simply by going, sitting in the office, earning thousands and thousands. Why? Because the difference of the field of activities. The body is different. Because one has got a certain type of body, his destination is already there. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). We can study this thing, that somebody is living in a poor slum and another man is living in a very palatial building. So simply by endeavoring that "I shall live in a palatial building, and I shall not live in this poor slumhole," it is not possible because the destiny is there. Therefore the body is made according to our past karma, and that is called destiny. Your happiness and distress according to the body is already settled up. It is not possible by natural way to improve or disimprove it. It is already settled up. Therefore śāstra says,

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ
tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ
kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā
(SB 1.5.18)

The human life should be utilized for understanding the Absolute Truth. The next paragraph, that describes how one can understand the Absolute Truth. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam. So our life should be utilized for understanding the Absolute Truth, not for economic development. Economic development, what is already destined, you cannot improve less or more. It is already settled up.

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

So, na satyaṁ teṣu vidyate. The demonic people, they do not have the truth. Only on false theory, the Darwin's theory... We have commented upon Darwin's theory also in our book, Scientific Basis of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara Brahmacārī, he has written a small booklet. He has criticized Darwin very strongly, that he is a speculator. A speculator cannot give you truth. That is not possible. By speculation you cannot say, "Two plus two equal to five." That is not science. "Two plus two equal to four," that is everywhere. And if you speculate, "No, two plus two equal to five," or "two plus two equal to three," that is not science. So scientific basis means it should be fact, not speculation, mano-dharma. Mano-dharma means speculation.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

There are many versions of the saintly persons. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti, kabe hāma bhujabo se jugala-pīriti. A saintly person, ācārya, like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he says that "When I shall be very much eager to understand the path of the Six Gosvāmīs?" Ei chay gosāi jāṅr mui tāṅr dās. We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa unless we have submitted ourself under the lotus feet of the Six Gosvāmīs, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We have to understand Kṛṣṇa in this way. It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, but by the grace of the Gosvāmīs, by the grace of Lord Caitanya, we can understand Kṛṣṇa.

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-
prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi
jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno
na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan
(SB 10.14.29)

Panthās tu... There are many shastric evidences. Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām (Bs. 5.34). So by speculation, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. By mental speculation, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. We have to understand Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa says, or Kṛṣṇa's devotee says, the Gosvāmīs says, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. Then we can understand how this cosmic manifestation is created, who created, how it is created. Everything will be clear. This is the beginning of such understanding.

Lecture on SB 1.7.8 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1976:

Saṁhitā means Vedic literature. There are many rascals, they say that "Bhāgavata was not written by Vyāsadeva, it was written by some Bopadeva." They say like that. Māyāvādīs, the Nirīśvaravādī. Because although Nirīśvaravādī, or Māyāvādī leader Śaṅkarācārya, he wrote comments on Bhagavad-gītā, but he could not touch Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the things are so nicely set up, kṛtvānukramya, that it is not possible by the Māyāvādīs to prove that God is impersonal. They cannot do it. Nowadays they are doing, reading Bhāgavatam in their own way, but that does not appeal to any sane man. Sometimes I have seen a big Māyāvādī is explaining one verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that "Because you are God, therefore if you are pleased, then God is pleased." This is their philosophy. "You do not require to please God separately. So if you are pleased by drinking wine, then God is pleased." This is their explanation. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has condemned this Māyāvādī commentary. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). Māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī. He has plainly said. No compromise. The Māyāvādīs, they're great offender to Kṛṣṇa. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān (BG 16.19), Kṛṣṇa also says. They're very, very envious to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara, śyāmasundara, and the Māyāvādī explains that "Kṛṣṇa has no hand, no leg. This is all imagination." How much offensive it is they do not know. But to warn people like us, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has plainly warned that "Don't go to Māyāvādīs." Māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa. Māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhī. This is the statement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on SB 1.9.2 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1973:

The ways of material nature is that you cannot remain in comfort. That is not possible. By laws of nature... Tri-tāpa-yatana, three kinds of miseries, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, they must be there always. Just like I am your spiritual master. You have kept me very nicely, to your best capacity, but I am coughing. I am coughing. So even if we are situated in one kind of comfortable position, then another uncomfort will come and attack. That is called tri division. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Or there is no cough, or there is no trouble, but you receive on very unsatisfactory letter from a friend; you become very sorry. This is called adhyātmika, pertaining to the mind, pertaining to the body. Adhyātmika. Adhibhautika: troubles offered by other living entities; and adhidaivika, trouble offered by the higher authorities. Just like excessive heat. You cannot control. Excessive cold.

Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

Abaleva. Abalā, another name of the woman. Just like if somebody attacks woman... Any young man, when he has got sixteen years old, he can attack any woman. But a woman, even though she is sixteen years or eighteen years or twenty years, she becomes immediately victim. So abaleva. Even the woman is higher in age, still, she cannot protect. Therefore woman requires protection. Woman requires protection. According to Vedic culture, woman has no independence, because they cannot keep their independence. It is not possible. A sixteen-year-old boy can go safely all over the world, but a sixteen-year girl cannot. That is not possible. By nature, they are weak. So they require protection. And until she reaches youthhood, she is protected by the father. As soon as she reaches youthhood, she is given to a young man, her husband, to give protection. And in old age, she is protected by the elderly sons. This is the Vedic culture. They have three phases of life: childhood, youthhood, and old age. So... Because they are weak. In the Western countries, the women are given freedom like man, but that is unnatural. Unnatural. Therefore these poor souls are being exploited by the other section. It is a great deficiency of the Western sociology.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, a very young age, twenty-four years only, He took sannyāsa. Why? Tyaktvā, rāja-lakṣmī. There is that verse? Vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam. That is predicted. "The Lord will give up His Lakṣmī and will take sannyāsa and preach." These are stated in the Vedic literature. So this is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There are many evidences in the śāstras about Śrī Caitanya, the Lord, Supreme Lord's taking of sannyāsa and preaching. So we accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu not only by His uncommon action, but also on the evidence of the śāstra. You can accept. Not that any rascal comes, that "I am incarnation of God." No, no. We cannot accept that. We must first of all see that He is mentioned in the śāstra, and He is actually acting uncommonly, which is not possible by any human being. These two things, features, must be... Just like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we accept, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many instances, He is playing like ordinary man, but at times showing, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like in Jagannātha Purī, Ratha-yātrā festival, sometimes the ratha, chariot, will be stuck up, will not move. People draw it, but does not move. Even King Pratāparudra engaged some elephants, and the ratha is not moving. And Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu would say, "All right, let Me try." So He would go back side of the car and with His head push it, and very easily it will go. This is extraordinary.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

So there are many other things, which is not possible by ordinary human being. These things are to the test. Not very small, insignificant. Just like in India, there are so many so-called incarnation of God or God. They declare themselves God. But that God is for the fools and rascals, not for any intelligent man. Intelligent will test it by the description of the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete koriyā aikya. Anything we shall accept through sādhu, devotees. A devotee accepts something. That we shall accept. And śāstra, not only devotee accepts, but it is confirmed in the śāstra, in the revealed scripture. Sādhu-śāstra. And guru. And guru also will say, "Yes, it is all right." So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is accepted by sādhus like Advaita Ācārya, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa, Haridāsa Ṭhākura, in His own... They are sādhus, accepted. And śāstra also says. In Mahābhārata, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, in the Upaniṣads, Purāṇas, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name and activities are mentioned. Dhyeyaṁ sadā paribhava-ghnam abhīṣṭa-doham. This verse. It is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, also in the Rāmāyaṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, June 10, 1976:

So if one associates with the sattva-guṇa, then he is promoted gradually to the higher planetary system. Higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Everything explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are developing the good qualities of this material world, three qualities, so ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. The upper planetary system, heavenly planetary system... Therefore we say that you cannot go to the moon planet, from the śāstra. Because the moon planet, who will go? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. Unless one is in the modes of goodness, they cannot enter there. It is not possible. "By force," if you say, "Yes, we have gone; we are going," you may say, but we are followers of the śāstra. Śāstra-cakṣuṣaḥ. We see through the śāstra. We understand that these men, they are not even rajo-guṇa, or maybe in rajas-tamo-guṇa. But where is sattva-guṇa? Sattva-guṇa. So through the śāstra we can understand that who is who through śāstra. Therefore in my poetry, on the strength of śāstra, I said that rajas tamo guṇe erā sabāi ācchanna, vāsudeva-kathā ruci mahe se prasanna: (SB 1.2.16) "Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion. Absorbed in material life, they think themselves very happy and satisfied; therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vāsudeva. So I do not know how they will be able to understand it." Actually that is the fact.

Lecture on SB 6.1.62 -- Vrndavana, August 29, 1975:

In the Western countries they are artificially trying to become equal, but that is not possible by nature. And there is no such question, inferiority or superiority. There is no such question. Such like the begin, in the beginning, yato vā imani bhūtāni jayante. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Wherefrom this puruṣa and prakṛti relationship begun? Janmādy asya yataḥ. It has begun from the Absolute Truth. Therefore Absolute Truth is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, the same puruṣa and prakṛti. But Rādhārāṇī is the servitor, serving. Rādhārāṇī is so expert that She always attracts Kṛṣṇa by Her service. This is Rādhārāṇī's position. Kṛṣṇa is called Madana-Mohana. Here in Vṛndāvana there is Madana-Mohana, and Rādhārāṇī is called Madana-Mohana-Mohinī. Kṛṣṇa is so attractive that we are attracted by Cupid, and Kṛṣṇa attracts Cupid. Therefore His name is Madana-Mohana. And Rādhārāṇī is so great that She attracts Kṛṣṇa. Therefore She is the greatest. In the Vṛndāvana, therefore, people are accustomed to chant Rādhārāṇī's name more than Kṛṣṇa's name—"Jaya Rādhe." Yes. If you want Kṛṣṇa's favor, you just try to please Rādhārāṇī. So this is the way.

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

So anyway, wherever there is Śrī, there is Nārāyaṇa, and wherever there is Nārāyaṇa, there is Śrī. Therefore Nārāyaṇa and Śrī... Nṛsiṁhadeva is Nārāyaṇa, and Lakṣmī, They are constantly assoc... Therefore the devas, the demigods, when they saw that "Nārāyaṇa, Nṛsiṁhadeva, was very, very angry. Nobody can pacify Him," so they thought that "Lakṣmījī is personal associate, constantly with Nārāyaṇa, so let her go and pacify Him." That is stated here. Sākṣāt śrīḥ preṣitā devair. The devas, Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and others, they requested, "Mother, you try to pacify your husband. It is not possible by us." But she also became afraid. She also became afraid. Sākṣāt śrīḥ preṣita devair dṛṣṭvā taṁ mahad adbhutam. She knows that "My husband has appeared as Nṛsiṁhadeva," but because that wonderful feature of the Lord was so fearful, she did not dare to come before Him. Why? Now, adṛṣṭaśruta-pūrvatvāt: since she also never knew that the her husband can assume the form of Nṛsiṁhadeva. This Nṛsiṁhadeva feature was specifically adopted for Hiraṇyakaśipu. This is all-powerful.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Bhaja vāsudeva. There is a verse like that, that as by taking shelter at the lotus feet of Vāsudeva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can get released from all kinds of material tribulations, such kind of immunization is not possible by practicing yoga, tapasya, jñāna. This is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In all ways, it is recommended that we have to, we should take shelter...

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ
mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ
bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ
padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām
(SB 10.14.58)

If one takes shelter of mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ... Murāri is Kṛṣṇa's another name. So puṇya-yaśo, His name is famous as piety. Puṇya-yaśo murāri. If anyone takes shelter of His lotus feet, then the great ocean of nescience becomes a small pit, and one can jump over it very easily.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Just find out the condition of the society. So we have to take account of the time, circumstances, society, and then preaching. So to society like that it is not possible to understand the high philosophical things as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. But the primary fact, the authority is God, that is accepted both in Bible and Bhagavad-gītā. Bible begins, "God is the supreme authority," and Bhagavad-gītā concludes, "You surrender." Where is the difference? Simply the description is according to the time, society, and place and people. That's all. They are not Arjuna. You see? So the things to be understood by Arjuna is not possible by the persons who had crucified Lord Jesus Christ. You have to study in that light. The same thing. A dictionary, a pocket dictionary, child's dictionary, and the dictionary, international dictionary, both of them dictionary, but the value is different. That dictionary is meant for a class of children, and that dictionary is meant for high scholars. But none of them you can say it is not dictionary. That you cannot say. Both of them are dictionaries. So we have to take consideration of the time, place, persons, everything.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

So if we want to be intelligent, we can adopt the process how to become intelligent. But on the other hand, if we are actually intelligent, why not take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness immediately and become intelligent? Without, without going to the process, you take... It is offered to you by the most magnanimous incarnation, Lord Caitanya. He's offering you, kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). He's giving you love of Kṛṣṇa. Rūpa Gosvāmī offered his obeisances to Lord Caitanya, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: "O my dear Lord Caitanya, You are the most charitable, magnanimous of all incarnations. Why? Because You are directly giving love of Kṛṣṇa. The love of Kṛṣṇa which cannot be achieved after many, many births, You are delivering cheaply, 'Take it immediately.' " Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya. They could understand that "You are Kṛṣṇa"; otherwise it was not possible by anyone to offer Kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, so cheaply. "You are Kṛṣṇa, You have got that power." And actually He is so. Kṛṣṇa failed to give Kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, when He came personally and taught Bhagavad-gītā. He simply said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But people misunderstood Him. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came as a devotee and offered Kṛṣṇa-prema to the people in general. So our request to everyone that you take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and you will feel that "I don't want any more, anything more. I am satisfied, fully satisfied."

Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended that, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ prāyaśa ajita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām. Caitanya Mahāprabhu discussed about spiritual realization with one of his great devotees called Rāmānanda Rāya. And Rāmaṇanda Rāya placed before Him many theories expounded in the Vedic literature. And at last, when Rāmānanda Rāya placed this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva... Don't be foolishly try to speculate to understand the unlimited. It is not possible. By your tiny senses you cannot understand the unlimited. It is not possible. Therefore the first recommendation is that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Don't try to be a dry speculator to understand the ultimate truth. Namanta. Just become meek and humble. Namanta eva san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. And try to receive the message from authorized sources. Then sthane sthitaḥ śruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhiḥ: in whatever condition you are, you don't require to change. You simply hear. Then a day will come when you will be able to conquer the Supreme Lord, who is unconquerable. God is great, nobody can conquer, but if you simply follow this process, then—in whatever condition you are, simply try to hear about God from authorized sources—then one day you will be able to conquer God within your hand.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

We are meant for doing welfare activities to the whole world. We are not meant for exploiting. We have something to give to the whole world. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He says, "Everyone who has taken birth as a human being of this, in this country, Bhārata-varsa..." Specifically He said,

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara paropakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

Without being human being, nobody can perfect his life. Animal, they cannot make perfect his life. It is not possible. By nature they are stopped. But a human being, he can perfect his life. And especially in India there is treasure of knowledge, Vedic knowledge. Why you neglect it? And the summarized knowledge is Bhagavad-gītā. So if we simply try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, we understand immediately the science of God. And because we are all parts and parcels of God, we are actually hankering after uniting with God. That is our seeking. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). God is ānandamaya, and we, being part and parcel of God, or Kṛṣṇa, we are also ānandamaya. But we are seeking ānanda in a different atmosphere, in the material atmosphere. Therefore we are being baffled. The only remedy is that you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and you will be happy.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:

Just like you cannot see the sun at this time, when the night is dark. You cannot, ah, I mean to say, invent some searchlight and ask people, "Please come on the roof. I shall show you the sun by the searchlight." It is not possible. By your endeavor you cannot see the sun at night. But when the sun rises in the morning, you can see. That is the process. Similarly, you cannot understand God by your mental speculation. You have to submit yourself. As Kṛṣṇa says, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Then He will reveal Himself, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. He'll reveal yourself. He is within yourself. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, the Supreme Lord, is situated as Paramātmā in everyone's heart. But if you become submissive, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Those who are cent percent engaged in the loving service of the Lord, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, He speaks from within. Then you can understand. He comes out, He exhibits Himself, manifests Himself the spiritual master, as spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa is trying to help you from within, from without. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam (BG 4.2). You take advantage of it. From within, He, as Paramātmā, caitya-guru, He'll help you. buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. And from without, as spiritual master, He'll give you instructions from the śāstra, from the Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, and the Kṛṣṇa's representative, Kṛṣṇa's manifestation, the spiritual master, will rightly inform you. That is the position.

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

Just like you have got this human form of body. It is a great opportunity. But if we do not utilize as human being, if we utilize it as cats and dogs, again I'm going to be cats and dogs. This is the process. Idaṁ kṣetram. This body is the field of my activities, and I, the proprietor of the body, I am the knower of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate etad yo vetti (BG 13.2)—this is real knowledge. Etad yo vetti, that is knowledge. The knowledge of technology is not knowledge. That is ignorance. The knowledge of self-realization is actual knowledge. That is possible in this human form of life. That is not possible by the cats and dogs. If we misuse this body for propensities like cats and dogs, we are misusing.

Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

Human life is meant for tapasya. That is not possible by the hogs and dogs. Tapasya, austerities. By austerities, by tapasya we can purify our existence. You are existing at the present moment because we are changing body, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralī... Therefore it is polluted existence. This is not pure existence. Pure existence is eternal life, blissfulness and knowledge, full of knowledge. That is pure life. So the human life is meant for purifying our existence. Stop this continuation of birth, death, old age and disease and live eternally blissful life of knowledge. That is the business of human life. But people do not take this fact very seriously. They have become so dull-headed. Now there is freedom from this continuation of birth, death, old age and disease, they cannot believe it. They cannot consider it. They think, "Ah, it is going on." So the modern civilization is quite different from the Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization means to make a solution of this problem: stop this process of birth, death, old age and disease. That is Vedic civilization. That is human civilization. And to become better hog, nicely dressed hog, that is not Vedic civilization. That is hog civilization.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: So after he finished his investigation about what the limits are of pure reason, then he began his critique of practical reason.

Prabhupāda: This is to be understood, that however expert logician you may be, this is not possible, by your reasons, by your knowledge, to approach the Supreme Absolute. That is not possible. This process that when God descends Himself and He speaks about Himself, He demonstrates about His pastimes, then it is possible. So the Bhāgavata is the record of God's descents. The whole Bhāgavata is philosophy about God, theology about God, and practical demonstration of God. Therefore anyone who takes to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or the process of understanding God through Bhagavad-gītā, therefore it is called Bhāgavata, and it is simply about God. Bhagavad-gītā, God speaks Himself about His activities, and Bhāgavata is the record of God's activities, pastimes, and when He appeared on this earth, just like the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Ninth Canto. Nine cantos are devoted for understanding the transcendental nature of God, and the Tenth Canto is practical demonstration of God's activities before the eyes of the people of the world. But those who are miscreants, they think that Kṛṣṇa, or God, He is like an ordinary man but a superhuman being. That's all. But that is actually the position of God. By His causeless mercy He demonstrates Himself to be convincing. So instead of philosophizing, the people take to these two books, Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and if he practices the process, then he will understand God.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Śyāmasundara: So the second person we'll discuss of the utilitarians is called John Stuart Mill.

Prabhupāda: He was a great philosopher.

Śyāmasundara: He says that reason is essentially inductive, that is, if we can generalize from particular instances. For instance, we have observed that all men die, so we can say that all men are mortal.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but you cannot see all men in your whole life; therefore it is defective. You cannot study all men; therefore it is defective. Which is not possible by you, if you propose something which is not possible by you, then what is the meaning of this? What is the utility?

Śyāmasundara: You mean you cannot generalize from particular instances.

Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:

Śyāmasundara: Electric energy is also measured in terms of its potency, its potential.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So for God there is no such distinction; therefore it is called kaivalya. For Him the material energy or the spiritual energy is the same. Therefore the Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand God. They think that Kṛṣṇa, when He comes, He accepts a material body. But even He accepts a material body, for Him there is no such distinction-spiritual body and material body. He is..., He being omnipotent, He can act even in His material body as spiritual. Just like when Kṛṣṇa was present, accepting that He has a material body, but at the age of seven years old He lifted the big hill. That is not possible by the material body. Therefore, as omnipotent He can turn the material energy into spiritual energy and the spiritual energy into material energy. That is omnipotency. But those who are with poor fund of knowledge, they think that Kṛṣṇa has got this material body. Actually He has no such distinction, either material or... Just like electrical engineer, he knows how to tackle electric energy. He can convert the heater into refrigerator, and he can convert the refrigerator into heater, because he knows how to do it.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- San Francisco, March 16, 1967:

Durlabha means very rare to obtain. Mānava-janma means this human form of life. It comes after a very long rotation. Once chance is given to become Kṛṣṇa conscious so that one may get out of the cycle of birth and death. Therefore he advises that this life, this human form of life, is very important, durlabha. Durlabha means... Duḥ means with great difficulty, and labha means obtainable. So foolish people, they do not know what, how much important this human form of life. They are simply wasting in sense gratification like animals. So this is very instructing, that he is training his mind that "You engage your mind in the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa." Durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge. And this training of the mind is possible only in good association, sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅga means persons who are simply, cent percent, engaged in the service of the Lord. They are called sat. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. Without association of devotees, it is impossible to train the mind. It is not possible by the so-called yoga system or meditation. One has to associate with devotees; otherwise it is not possible. Therefore we have formed this Kṛṣṇa consciousness society so that one may take advantage of this association. So Govinda dāsa, poet and devotee, is advising, durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge: "You have got this very nice, rare human body. Now associate with devotees and engage your mind on the fearless lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa." He is requesting his mind.

Page Title:It is not possible by...
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:20 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=34, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:37