Nowadays they are educated, but they must have a good service. That means he's a śūdra. Without finding a master, his education has no value. So therefore in the śāstra it is said, kalau śūdrā sambhavāḥ. Kalau, "In this age, Kali-yuga, everyone is śūdra." Because he cannot even live without having a master. He must have a master to provide him. But the Vedic culture is that brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they will not accept any service. No. They will die of starvation. Especially brāhmaṇa. That is enjoined in the śāstras, that a brāhmaṇa, if he is in bad position some way or other, economically, he may accept the position of a kṣatriya or a vaiśya, but he should not accept the position of a śūdra. That is doggish. This is so injunction.
Kali-yuga (Lectures, BG)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:
There are three qualities, material nature. They are working. And we are under the influence of either of them. Either in the influence of goodness, or in the influence of passion, or in the influence of ignorance. So when we are under the influence of ignorance, jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti, then our behavior and activities becomes very abominable, very, very much abominable. Especially in this Kali-yuga, it is stated that people will have no fixed time for eating or sleeping or taking bath. In this way their bodily features will be like ghost. That we are seeing actually. The hippies, they are becoming. Practically in this age there will be no place even for taking daily bath. That we see especially in this country. The apartment, there is no bathing place. They have to go outside. So things are deteriorating very, very much. Adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. Therefore the human civilization means to make progress towards the quality of goodness. That will help him for making farther progress. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Ūrdhvam means higher planetary system. Here it is said that api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ. Trailokya. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. This is bhūr-loka. Above this, bhuvar-loka, and above that, svar-loka, heavenly planets. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. This is Gāyatrī-mantra.
Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:
When the spiritual master brings nearer to spiritual consciousness, a person is given the upanayana, or the sacred thread. The sacred thread is the indication that "This man is now under the control of the spiritual master for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." This thread ceremony. This is called upanayana. Similarly, there is reformatory method, marriage, ten kinds of reformatory... The first beginning is garbhādhāna. So these things are impossible to introduce now in this Kali-yuga. Therefore the only reformatory method is: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21). In this age of Kali, people are so fallen, so degraded, that it is not possible to introduce systematically the whole Vedic principle; it is not possible. That is not possible. It is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace, mercy, that He has given us mercifully, vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti (CC Madhya 6.254), just to teach very short-cut method. What is that? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Simple. Simple. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni (CC Antya 20.12). You are suffering in this material world, dāvāgni, now, forest fire.
Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:
These people, they do not know. It is very rare. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, manuṣya janama pāiya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā suniyā viṣa khāinu. Hari hari viphale janama goiṅu. He is lamenting, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I am so unfortunate. I got this human form of life. It was meant for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But I have wasted my time otherwise. So how it is so? Jāniyā suniyā viṣa khāinu. Knowingly I have taken poison. Knowingly." Labdhvā sudurlabhaṁ idam bahu-sambhavante, manuṣyam artha-dam (SB 11.9.29). These people, they do not know. Because they are asuras, they do not know what to do in this human form of life and what not to do. They are killing animals without any hesitation. They do not know these rascals. And still they are spiritual leaders. How horrible condition is this, in this Kali-yuga. Just imagine. Without any restriction, without any hindrance, they are committing sinful life. They do not know, next life, all this boastfulness, pride, will be finished. He will have to accept another body, which will be offered by the material nature. You cannot say that "I will not accept this body; I want this body." No. Nature is not under your dictation. You have to abide by the dictation of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni. This verse of Bhagavad-gītā is very important.
Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:
There was no question of eating meat. The same principles were followed. No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication. Because the king was very strong. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, when he saw that a black man was going to kill one cow, immediately he took his sword: "Who are you? I shall kill you immediately." That was king's stricture. So the Kali was ordered to get out of his kingdom. He begged of his life: "Sir, you are going to kill me. But it is my time. I have now come, and it is my business, cow-killing. So what can I do? This is my business." So Mahārāja Parīkṣit understood that now the Kali-yuga is coming. So it is his business. So "I am as king. How can I stop his business?" That is also another problem. One must be occupied, one must be engaged in his business. Therefore, he asked him to go to these places. Where? In the slaughterhouse, in the brothel for illicit sex, and slaughterhouse and in the drunkard den for intoxication, and gambling place. So Kali was in difficulty to find out a place like that in that time. He could not find. Therefore there was conspiracy to kill the king so that Kali can enter.
Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:
So Arjuna is visualizing all the future calamities. But there is one remedy. It is a fact that jāti-dharma we have lost. No more we can be called strictly following the jāti-dharma. No more can one present himself strictly as a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. Everything is lost now, by the influence of Kali-yuga. And varṇa-saṅkara. So there is only one remedy, only one remedy. That is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Eleventh Canto:
- devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇāṁ
- na kiṅkarā nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan
- sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
- gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam
- (SB 11.5.41)
We must admit that we have created hellish condition of society by producing unwanted children, and disobeying the jāti-dharma or kula-dharma. That one has to admit, everyone. So what is the remedy? Only remedy is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is canvassing that: "Even you can give up your jāti-dharma, but simply surrender unto Me. I shall give you protection."
Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:
So in the Aryan civilization there are four divisions to maintain the society in the correct balance. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The society must be divided into four classes of men. The first-class means most intelligent class of men. They should be trained up as brāhmaṇa. Śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So this is the beginning of civilization, not that all śūdras as it is now in this age. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kali-yuga, there is no training how to qualify a section of person to become first-class brāhmaṇa. That training is not there, neither kṣatriya, neither pure vaiśya class. We are proud of our business, vaiśya, but vaiśya means kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Vaiśya means they should take care of the cows, cow protection, go-rakṣya. Why go-rakṣya? Why not other animal rakṣya? Kṛṣṇa has not said "animal rakṣya" or "janawal-(?) rakṣya." Go-rakṣya. The cow is very, very important animal. If you want to advance your spiritual consciousness, then you must have sufficient milk and sufficient grains. That is civilization. Therefore it is the duty of the vaiśyas to produce food grain. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Annād. In the society, if you have got sufficient anna, both the animals and the man, they will be happy. These are the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā, everything practical. If we follow Bhagavad-gītā from all angles of vision—social, political, economical, religious, cultural—you will be perfect. This is Bhagavad-gītā. We are therefore taken up this mission, to preach Bhagavad-gītā as it is to solve all the problems of the world. That is Aryan civilization. Aryan civilization means following the principles of Bhagavad-gītā.
Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:
This animal sacrifice was made not for eating the animals. It was for testing the Vedic mantra. Whether the brāhmaṇas who were engaged in offering sacrifice, whether they were chanting the Vedic mantra in right way, that was tested by offering one animal and again giving the animal a new youth life. That was animal sacrifice. Sometimes horses, sometimes cows were offered. But in this age, Kali-yuga, they are forbidden because there is no such yājñika-brāhmaṇa. All kinds of sacrifices are forbidden in this age.
- aśvamedhaṁ gavālambhaṁ
- sannyāsaṁ pala-paitṛkam
- devareṇa sutotpattiṁ
- kalau pañca vivarjayet
- (CC Adi 17.164)
Aśvamedha sacrifice, gomedha sacrifice, sannyāsa, and to get child by devara, husband's younger brother, these things are forbidden in this age.
Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:
They are interested in philosophy, science. Similarly, there is a class of men who are interested in politics. They are kṣatriyas you can say. Similarly, there are persons who are interested in making money, vaiśyas. And there are ordinary class of men, they neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor... They cannot live independently. Śūdra means he must find out a master. A master. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Śūdra's business is to find out a master. Just like a dog. A dog must find out a nice master. Otherwise it is a street dog. Its condition is not very good. Similarly, a śūdra means he must have a nice paying master. Otherwise his life is at risk. So if you consider in that way, the śāstra says, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this Kali-yuga, everyone is a śūdra. You hardly find a real brāhmaṇa or real kṣatriya or vaiśya. Because they are after service. In the śāstra it is said that a brāhmaṇa, if he is in difficulty, he may take the profession of a kṣatriya or up to a vaiśya, but never take the business of a śūdra like a dog. That is prohibited. And nowadays we are claiming to become brāhmaṇa and going here and there with application, "If there is any vacancy, sir?"
Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:
Sometimes Christ ate meat, that's all right, but did Christ say that "You maintain big, big slaughterhouse and go on eating meat?" There is no common sense even. Christ might have eaten. Sometimes he... If there was no, nothing available for eating, what could you do? That is another question. In great necessity, when there is no other food except taking meat... That time is coming. In this age, Kali-yuga, gradually food grains will be reduced. It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Twelfth Canto. No rice, no wheat, no milk, no sugar will be available. One has to eat meat. This will be the condition. And maybe to eat the human flesh also. This sinful life is degrading so much so that they will become more and more sinful. Tān aham dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣīpāmy ajasram andhe-yoniṣu (BG 16.19). Those who are demons, those who are sinful, nature's law is to place him in such condition that he will become more and more a demon so that he will never be able to understand what is God. This is nature's law. If you want to forget God, then God will put you in such a condition that you can never understand what is God. That is demonic life. That time is also coming. At the present moment, still a few men are interested, what is God. Arto arthārtī jijñāsu jñānī (CC Madhya 24.95). But time is coming ahead when there will be no sense to understand God. That is the last stage of Kali-yuga, and at that time Kalkī avatāra, Kalkī avatāra will come. At that time there is no preaching of God consciousness, simply killing, simply killing. Kalkī avatāra with His sword will simply massacre. Then again Satya-yuga will come. Again golden age will come.
Lecture on BG 2.8 -- London, August 8, 1973:
Just like Indra. Indra is supplying us. Therefore Indra yajña, there is sacrifice for satisfying the different demigods. Kṛṣṇa stopped this Indra yajña, you know, Govardhana. When Nanda Mahārāja was arranging for Indra yajña, Kṛṣṇa said: "My dear father, there is no need of Indra yajña." That means anyone who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, for him, there is no need of any yajña. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to perform different kinds of yajña. That was possible in the Treta-yuga. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). Makhaiḥ means yajña, performing yajña. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). So these formulas, these directions, nobody is following. It is not possible in this age. Therefore the śāstra injunction is: yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanair prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ. Those who have got good brain substance, so instead of bothering with so many things, one performs saṅkīrtana-yajña. These are the statements in the śāstra.
Lecture on BG 2.8 -- London, August 8, 1973:
So in this Kali-yuga, people are so much disturbed. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa has come in the form of His name, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has come not personally, but by His name. But because Kṛṣṇa is absolute, there is no difference between His name and Himself. Abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). Nāma-cintāmaṇi kṛṣṇa-caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-muktaḥ. Name is full. As Kṛṣṇa is full, complete, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's name is also full, complete. Śuddha. It is not material things. Pūrṇaḥ śuddhaḥ nityaḥ. Eternal. As Kṛṣṇa is eternal, His name is also eternal. Pūrṇaḥ śuddhaḥ nitya-muktaḥ. There is no material conception in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ. Nāma, the holy name and the Lord, they are abhinna, identical. So we cannot be happy... Rājyaṁ surāṇām api cādhipatyam (BG 2.8). Even if we get the kingdom of the demigods, asapatya, without any rival, still we cannot be happy so long we have got material conception of life. It is not possible. That is explained in this verse.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976:
Dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. In the Satya-yuga, when the duration of life was very, very great, meditation was possible. And next yuga? Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). By performing the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the Vedas, yajña... And the next yuga, by paricarya, by Deity worship. And next yuga, this Kali-yuga, hari-kīrtanāt, simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Otherwise... And meditation means kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Meditation means to think of Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu. That is the recommendation. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they think of the Supreme Person, dhyānāvasthita manasā, mind absorbed, surcharged with thinking of Viṣṇu. That is called meditation. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1).
Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:
Then it was decided there must be fight. That fighting was meant for the kṣatriyas. Formerly, there was no democracy. The so-called democracy. Democracy means that there was one king only; now there are hundreds of kings. One king and few ministers. Now one governor, one, I mean to say, three dozen secretaries, and three dozen... So many things... It is overburdened. The tax, tax is overburdened because there are so many officers. They have to be sumptuously paid. So tax is required. So in this age, Kali-yuga, by, I mean to say, finishing the monarchical system, people have accepted the democratic system, but it is not very much improvement. Because the state expenditure has very much increased and people are very much overburdened with taxes. So Kṛṣṇa advises that tasmād yudhyasva. Tasmād yudhyasva bhārata. "Don't think that your grandfather, or the other party, relatives, they'll be destroyed by fighting. It is not the fact, that, by destruction of the body, the soul is destroyed." Real purpose is... Bhagavad-gītā. That we should understand that the soul is always existing, even... Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).
Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:
Oh, yes. That I've explained just a few minutes before. The animals were put into the sacrificial fire. By Vedic mantra, he was given new life. But at the present moment such expert priests and brāhmaṇas are not available. Therefore it is stopped. Animal sacrifice is stopped. Because it is Kali-yuga. Nobody is reading, cultivating Vedic mantras. So in this age, this mantra is called mahā-mantra, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. All Vedic mantras are now gone to hell. You see? Nobody can properly chant Vedic mantras and take the benefit out of it. But this mantra, any way you chant, neglectfully or properly, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and the result is there. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative, kalau, in this age. So the Vedic mantra is now gone. This is also Vedic mantra, but this is Vedic mahā-mantra, the greatest of all mantras. Yes. So sacrifice everything and chant this mantra and go to Kṛṣṇa, back to Godhead. That's all.
Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:
In this age, Kali, you cannot execute any severe austerity or penances. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That also we are not able to do. Just see. How unfortunate we are. So this is the position of the Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are very rascals, manda. Manda means very bad, manda. And sumanda-matayaḥ. And if they want to improve something, they will accept some rascal Guruji Mahārāja. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. And some party which has no bona fide contribution, they will accept that: "Oh it is very nice." So first of all they're all bad, and if they accept something, that will also be very bad. Why? Unfortunate. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Manda-bhāgyāḥ means unfortunate. And above that, upadrutāḥ. Always disturbed by taxes, no rains, no sufficient food. So many things. This is the position of Kali-yuga. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said... Caitanya Mahāprabhu not. It is in the Vedic literature, that you cannot do the yoga practice, meditation or offering big, big sacrifices or construct big, big temples for worshiping the Deity. It is very, very difficult nowadays. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and gradually you'll realize how to become immortal.
Lecture on BG 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973:
She should eat only very simple things. But they have no conscious. They are now killing, what to speak of maintaining the child very nicely that "There is a child, my son or my daughter. She must be provided with all comforts in the womb." There is no motherly affection even in this Kali-yuga. In the material world, motherly affection is considered to be the highest form of love. But the Kali-yuga is so polluted that mother is also giving up her love for the children. Just imagine what is the position. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10).
So this Kali-yuga so strong that it attacks even the so-called devotees also. Kali-yuga is very strong. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended that if you want to save yourself, if you at all desire to take the position of amṛta, if you are interested... Nobody is interested. Kṛṣṇa says sa amṛtatvāya kalpate. That is the aim of life: How I shall become immortal. How I shall not become subjected to the four principles of distressed condition—birth, death, disease and old age. Nobody is serious. They are so dull. Therefore they have been described, manda. Manda means so bad, so rascal that they have no ambition of life. They do not know what is the goal of life. Manda. Manda means "bad."
Lecture on BG 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973:
So everything is going on. Either Christian, Mohammedan or Hindu, so-called. All of them have become rascal. That's all. This is Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. They have created their own imaginary religious principle, and therefore they are condemned. They do not know. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). The life, the aim of life is to realize God. This is human life. But they are so much embarrassed with this uncontrollable senses that they are going to the darkest region of material existence. Adānta-gobhiḥ. Adānta means uncontrolled. They cannot control the senses. They have become so unfortunate that simple thing, little effort, little austerity, to control the senses. The yoga process means to control the senses. Yoga does not mean that you show some magic. The magic, magician also can show magic. We have seen one magician, he created immediately so much coins—tung tung tung tung. Next moment it is all finished. So the life, they're missing the aim of life. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. Why? Manda-bhāgyāḥ. They are unfortunate. So you take it for granted. We are trying, even our Kṛṣṇa consciousness mission, we are trying to awaken. Still they are so unfortunate they cannot give up sense gratification. So unfortunate. Condemned, unfortunate. Repeatedly we are spending our gallons of blood—"Don't do this"—still they are doing. Cannot give up even sleeping. So condemned. Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ.
Lecture on BG 2.18 -- Hyderabad, November 23, 1972:
That is the method. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). If you hear about Kṛṣṇa, if you chant about Kṛṣṇa, then gradually, your heart will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). By chanting and hearing, the dirty things within the heart will be cleansed. Then you will understand what is your position in relationship with God. You'll understand what is God. Therefore in this age especially, Kali-yuga, because people cannot perform any other austerities... They're unable. They're so dull. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). This is the position of the people of this age. Prāyeṇa alpa āyuṣaḥ. Generally, their span of life is very short. It is decreasing, day by day. As our forefathers lived ninety years, hundred years, now we are not living up to such extent of ages. Generally, people are dying... In India, the average age is thirty-five years. In other countries, maybe little more. But gradually it is decreasing, and it will decrease to such a point that even a, if a man lives for twenty to thirty years, then he'll be considered as grand old man. That, that day will come.
Lecture on BG 2.18 -- Hyderabad, November 23, 1972:
This is the injunction of the śāstra, that in the Satya-yuga, when people were said to live for one hundred thousands of years, at that time yogic principle, meditation, was possible. And in the Tretā-yuga, the performance of big, big sacrifices was possible, because things were available, there were yājñika-brāhmaṇas. In this age, practically, there is no yājñika-brāhmaṇa who can perform yajña. No competent brāhmaṇa. Therefore performance of sacrifices is not possible. The only performance of sacrifice is this, as we are performing—Hare Kṛṣṇa festival. That is stated: yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana. In this age, Kali-yuga, no other sacrifices are..., is possible. Only sacrifice... This is sacrifice. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana. Just like we are doing, in a small scale. But it can be done in larger scale. But people are not interested. People are not interested. They have lost all brain. Su-medhasaḥ, and alpa-medhasaḥ. These two words, two words are used in the śāstras. Alpa-medhasaḥ. Medhā means brain substance. So those who are alpa-medhasaḥ, they, means less brain substance.
Lecture on BG 2.18 -- Hyderabad, November 23, 1972:
So anyway, Kṛṣṇa appears in four colors—red, black, yellow, and white—in different ages. So in this age, Kali Yuga, Kṛṣṇa appears as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yellow color. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṇam. Akṛṣṇa may be red. Akṛṣṇa may be white. But this akṛṣṇa means pīta, yellow. Because other akṛṣṇa, red and white, was in the Satya-yuga and Tretā-yuga. Therefore here akṛṣṇa means the yellow. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). He's always surrounded by His intimate devotees. He's surrounded by many devotees. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, wherever He was going, thousands and thousands of people were following His saṅkīrtana, but especially He, He was always surrounded by five special devotees: śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda, śrī-advaita gadādhara, śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. He's Himself, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya; His expansion, Nityānanda; His incarnation, Śrī Advaita Prabhu; His internal energy, Gadādhara; and His external, marginal energy, Advaita Prabhu, er, Śrīvāsa. But He has got another energy, which is called external energy. External energy cannot come in front of God, Kṛṣṇa. This is māyā. Just like darkness cannot come in front of the sun.
Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:
So we have given up all kinds of yajña. Although performing yajña at the present moment is very difficult because we cannot get pure ghee... The yajñas, or the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas, it requires tons of ghees. But that is not possible to obtain at the present moment. But there is another yajña. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. There is another yajña recommended in this Kali, Kali-yuga.
- kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
- sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
- yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
- yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
- (SB 11.5.32)
In this Kali-yuga it is recommended that this saṅkīrtana-yajña should be performed. Then you'll be happy. So what is the difficulty? In every village... The government has raised so much fund. Why not engage all the people to perform this saṅkīrtana-yajña? Every village, every house, every home, just perform this saṅkīrtana-yajña: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Simply you sit down, all family members. Where is the difficulty? Husband, wife, children, friends. Sit down together. There is no need of instrument. Simply clap and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll see the face of the world is changed.
Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:
Drying up. So there must be dry up and there must be supply. Nature's way. That is the way. But in the, with the advancement of Kali-yuga, there will be scarcity of supply, but the water will dry up gradually. The result will be there will be no water. As there will be no water, everything, all living entities, vegetation, living being, everything will finish, will die. For hundreds of years there will be no water, and then when everything is finished, dried up, burned into ashes due to and the sunshine, the glare of the sunshine will be twelve times increased and there will be no water. How one can live? So everything on this planet will be finished. And then, being warmer, warmer, there will be fire. In the fire, all planets of the universe will be burned into ashes. Then there will be rainfall. Another. For hundred years. So the whole universe will be filled up with water. Then it will be evaporated, and the whole universe, cosmic manifestation finished. This is called annihilation. So in Bhagavad-gītā there is a statement that when everything is annihilated, the spiritual world is not annihilated. Na vinaśyasi. So as the spiritual world does not annihilate, similarly the soul, the spirit, by any such disturbances, the soul is never annihilated. Avyayam indestructible, immutable. So Kṛṣṇa is explaining in different ways the nature of the soul. We have to take it seriously, then we get perfect knowledge.
Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:
His indication He's coming is that people are becoming degraded, forgetting God. That is their degradation. So at the end of this Kali-yuga they will be so much degraded that it will be impossible for them to understand God. At the present moment, although it is Kali-yuga, there are some persons who are trying to understand God. At least, there is attempt. But, at the end of Kali-yuga, say, about 400,000's of years, then people... Because they're becoming animals, more and more. The more we become animals, we cannot understand God. So our modern civilization is to make the people animal. That is advancement of civilization. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṇām. The modern civilization is how we can eat very nicely, how we can sleep nicely, how we can have sexual intercourse nicely, how we can defend nicely. Only these four principles are being taught. They have no idea what is soul, what is God, what is the relationship with the soul. So this is, this type of civilization is increasing. So just imagine how much it will be increased after four hundred thousands of years. The Kali-yuga has begun only five thousand years. Within this five thousand years, we have so much degraded, illusioned by the māyā as advancement of civilization. This is māyā. So the more days go, we shall be more illusioned. So there will be no capacity to understand about God. At that time, God will come to destroy all this population by cutting their throat. That is kalki-avatāra. (end)
Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:
Therefore our business should be not to associate with the material qualities. Even up to goodness. Material quality, goodness means the brahminical quality. Sattva śama damas titikṣā. So devotional service is transcendental to these good qualities also. In this material world, if somehow or other, he has got the birth in a brāhmaṇa family or he's executing his duties exactly a strict brāhmaṇa, still he's conditioned under the laws of this material nature, still. And what to speak of others, those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance. Their position is most abominable. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ: (BG 14.18) Those who are in the modes of ignorance, jaghanya, very abominable condition. So at the present moment... That is śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this age of Kali, everyone is in the modes of ignorance. Śūdra. They do not know because they have no... One who know that "I am spirit soul; I am not this body," he is brāhmaṇa. And one who does not know, he is śūdra, kṛpaṇa. Etad vidita prāye sa brāhmaṇa. Everyone dies, that's all right, but one who dies after knowing the spiritual truth... Just like here, the students who are trying to understand what is spiritual life, and, somehow or other, if he understands that he's spirit soul, at least, then he becomes brāhmaṇa. He becomes brāhmaṇa. Etad vidita. And one who does not understand, he is kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. Brāhmaṇa means liberal. These are the shastric injunctions.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
Sudāmā: "Viṣṇu is the Lord of all living creatures, all worlds, and all beauties, and protector of everyone. The Lord created this material world for the conditioned souls to learn how to perform yajñas for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu so that while in the material world they can live very comfortably without anxiety in life. Then after finishing the present material body they can enter into the kingdom of God. That is the whole program for the conditioned souls. By performance of yajña the conditioned souls gradually become Kṛṣṇa conscious and become godly in all respects. In this age of Kali the saṅkīrtana-yajña, or chanting the holy names of God, is recommended by the Vedic scriptures, and this transcendental system was introduced by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu for the deliverance of all men. Saṅkīrtana-yajña and Kṛṣṇa consciousness go well together. Lord Kṛṣṇa in His devotional form as Lord Caitanya is worshiped in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as follows, with special reference to the saṅkīrtana-yajña. 'In this age of Kali people who are endowed with sufficient brain substance will worship the Lord who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña.' "
Prabhupāda: Yes. There is a verse, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Those who are intelligent class of men in this age, they'll worship this form of the Lord. Who? Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. The Lord who is chanting always Kṛṣṇa, but His body is not black. Fair-complexion. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. Followed by many devotees. Just like you'll see the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's picture. He is followed always by His associates and devotees. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. Yajñaiḥ saṅ... This form of the Lord should be worshiped. Therefore we do not worship Kṛṣṇa directly. Through Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, through saṅkīrtana movement. That is the process prescribed in the śāstra.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
Sudāmā: "Although other yajñas prescribed in the Vedic literature are not easy to perform in this age of Kali, the saṅkīrtana-yajña is the easiest and it is sublime for all purposes, as is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā."
Prabhupāda: Yes. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is recommended, satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). So this process, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and gradually to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the only means for, I mean to say, elevating yourself to the perfectional stage which is meant for this human life. Otherwise we are simply, what is called, cutting our own throat. That's all. Thank you. No more. (devotees offer obeisances) Any question?
Madhudviṣa: Prabhupāda? We read in the Bhagavad-gītā today in verse number...
Prabhupāda: Don't go outside today's lecture. You try to... Question means the lecture on which I was speaking. If there is any difficulty, that should be questioned. Otherwise, if you go outside, that present atmosphere created for this purpose, that will be lost. So question means on the subject matter which is already discussed. If there is any doubt or if there is any difficulty for understanding the subject matter which we have already discussed, that is the subject matter of question.
Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:
Because each kind of sacrifice, they are very costly affairs. It is not possible in this age. Tons of butter or ghee wanted to arrange for a sacrifice. It is very difficult to find out a pound of butter in a house. And where is the question of tons? Of course, in your country still, butter is available, but in India practically butter is finished. So in one day the whole world will not see any more butter or rice or wheat. Everything will be finished because with the advancement of the age of Kali everything will deteriorate so badly that all supplies will be stopped practically. At that time people will live just like animals.
So this is the only means, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this age, simply, in whatever condition you may be, you can simply sit down and chant. There is no expense, there is no loss. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, and all demigods and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, everyone will be satisfied. You'll have no difficulty. This is the program of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:
Guest: You said that as the age of Kali-yuga progresses there'll be no more butter.
Prabhupāda: Yes, it has already begun. You are killing cows, the source of butter. Now, time will come, there will be no more cows. Misusing. And then where you will get butter? You cannot manufacture in your factory a cow or butter.
Guest: We can take care of cows, can't we?
Prabhupāda: You should. Otherwise you are ungrateful. You are drinking milk, you are taking so much butter, milk product, and as gratitude you are killing cows? You should be ashamed. Even if you have no human feelings. You suck the breast of your mother and kill? Is that humanity?
So this will be, in due course, the milk supply will be stopped. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There will be no more milk supply at the end of this Kali-yuga. Three, four things will be stopped—grains, sugar, and milk will be stopped. And fruits will not be... Without any pulp. It will be simply seed. Just like in mango there is seed and pulp. In future you'll simply have seed, no pulp. So you'll eat mango simply by tasting the seed. There will be no more mango pulp. These are stated in the Bhāgavatam.
Lecture on BG 3.14 -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:
So this yajña... Formerly yajña was performed very gorgeously. So many mounds of ghee and grains were put into the fire. But in this age, Kali-yuga, there is neither ghee nor grains to offer in the fire, yajña fire. Therefore in this Kali-yuga the yajña is performed by chanting the holy name of the Lord.
So I do not wish to take very much time. I have got another engagement. My only submission is that you produce enough quantity of food grains. Don't waste your time by producing tobacco. Besides that, in the śāstra it is forbidden, striya sūnā pāna dyūta yatra pāpaś catur-vidhā (SB 1.17.38). Striya, avaidha, illicit sex, striya, sūnā, jīva ko hatya, killing the animals. Striya sūnā pāna... Pāna means smoking also. Drinking liquor and smoking. Dhūma pāna. This pāna is forbidden. Striya sūnā pāna dyūta, and dyūta means gambling. So these four things, they are considered as sinful activities.
Lecture on BG 3.14 -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:
Unless one is free from the sinful activities, he cannot be fully engaged in worshiping the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. So these four principle of sinful activities, illicit sex, and animal-killing, and intoxication, including smoking and drinking tea, and gambling... Anyone who wants really benefit of life, human life, they must give up these four principles of sinful life.
Kṛṣṇa therefore says to every one of us,
- sarva-dharmān parityajya
- mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
- ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
- mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
- (BG 18.66)
It is not possible that we can give up sinful activities by our own endeavor because in this age, Kali-yuga, everyone is addicted to some sort of sinful activities. But if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa as He is instructing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), fully, without any reservation, He will help us to become free from the sinful reactions. (end)
Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:
It is prescribed in śāstra, and it is said, kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Kṛte means in the Satya-yuga or what is generally known as golden age. So in the Satya-yuga people used to realize self or used to elevate themselves to highest perfection of life by meditation. Meditation. You have heard the name of Vālmīki Muni. Vālmīki Muni, he meditated for sixty thousands of years. His whole body was covered by, what is called, worms. And... Because at that time people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. So gradually our life is being reduced. Yes. In the Satya-yuga, it is stated, that people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. And then, in the Tretā-yuga, they used to live for one thousands of years. No. In the Dvāpara-yuga for one thousand. And in the Tretā-yuga, ten thousand years. In the Dvāpara-yuga one thousand years. And now it has come down to one hundred years in this Kali-yuga. That also, one hundred years is not completed. Now we are dying within sixty or seventy and gradually it will be reduced to twenty to thirty years. That is also mentioned.
Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:
Dvāpara-yuga means just during the Mahābhārata time. Mahābhārata time, five thousand years before, that was the end of Dvāpara-yuga. Then, after the battle of Kurukṣetra, this Kali-yuga has begun, Kali-yuga, this age, present age which we are passing on. In this age, this Kali-yuga will exist... From the Vedic scriptures we understand, it will exist for four hundred thousand years, four hundred thousands of years, four hundred twenty-seven thousands of years, not twenty-seven, thirty-two. Out of that, we have passed only five thousand years. So there is balance still, four hundred twenty-seven thousands of years, to finish this Kali-yuga, this age of...
Now, for this age... Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ. Now, different ages, different methods are prescribed. So for this age, it is prescribed that kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. Whatever was possible to perform in the Satya-yuga by meditation and the Tretā-yuga by offering of great, I mean to say, costly sacrifices, and in the Dvāpara-yuga by offering prayers or arcanā in the temple, that can be made possible easily by hari-kīrtana, by chanting the holy name of God. That is the prescription.
Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:
So, as the Bhagavad-gītā prescribes, that you have to perform yajña, now, don't be afraid that you have to perform the same kind of yajña as it was being performed in the Tretā-yuga or Dvāpara-yuga by offering thousands and thousands of mounds of clarified butter and grains. That is not possible. Nobody can secure all those ingredients at the present moment. Neither it is recommended. In the Kali-yuga it is recommended that one can perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña. That will give him the same result which was derived by meditation in Satya-yuga.
Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:
Madhudviṣa: Prabhupāda, in this age of Kali when there is no social structure or varṇāśrama-dharma, how can one discriminate how he is utilizing his energies for his prescribed duties? How can one determine his prescribed duties, as Lord Kṛṣṇa has described here, for Arjuna to follow his prescribed duties.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Before coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness were you in the varṇāśrama? Then how you have come? How you have come to this position?
Madhudviṣa: Out of misery.
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. You have come to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Before coming to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, were you in varṇāśrama-dharma? No. So at the present moment, there is no possibility of persons following the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma, either here or anywhere. Everyone is varṇa-saṅkara. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this age, everyone is a śūdra. Nobody is brāhmaṇa, nobody is kṣatriya, nobody is vaiśya. Śūdra. So in this age, you won't find anybody following the varṇāśrama-dharma.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974:
So the age is so fallen that people have no eating substance even. We know, everyone, how things are going on. People are hungry, no eating substance. And what to say of sleeping? Or what to speak of...? Nobody's married timely, either boys or girls. And nobody's secure. Nobody knows what will happen next moment. This is called Kali-yuga.
Kali-yuga means mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. Asmin yuge, kali-yuge, alpa āyuṣaḥ, they are living very short time. The duration of life (is) reducing. Anyone can know. His forefather, his grandfather, lived for, say, hundred years. His father lived for eighty years. And he's going to live for sixty years. In this way, the duration of life will be reduced up to twenty years. That is already foretold. If a man lives for twenty to thirty years, he will be considered very old man. That day is coming. Because how they will live? There is no eating, there is no sleeping. There is no fixture of this program.
Lecture on BG 4.3 -- Bombay, March 23, 1974:
There is no other way. You chant. Then any, any scripture you will find. Śabdād anāvṛtti. In the Vedānta-sūtra. Śabdāt, simply by chanting, vibrating, you become liberated. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "Mahārāja Parīkṣit, this age of Kali is full of faulty things. It is an ocean of faulty things. But there is one profit, benefit. What is that?" Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet. "If you chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, then you become liberated, and you are promoted to the spiritual world." Paraṁ vrajet. One can...
That is our aim. The human form of life is meant for finishing all these problems, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), and go back to home, back to Godhead. But people do not know... They are not educated what is God, what is God's place, where to go back, what is my position, what is my relation. Nothing of these things are educated or given lessons in any university anywhere. But it is there, the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa is personally giving you instruction.
Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:
Knowledge means, perfect knowledge means past, present, and future. There are many foretelling in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about this Kali-yuga. They are stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Future.... Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written five thousand years ago. Still, what was stated at that time, they're coming to be true. That is called śāstra. Past, present, and future. So Kṛṣṇa knows everything. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He says that "I know everything, past, present, and future." That is perfect knowledge.
Why you are hankering after Kṛṣṇa? Because He is perfect. We are not perfect. We have got so many deficiencies. We commit mistake, we are illusioned, we cheat and our senses are imperfect. We cannot acquire knowledge by sense perception perfectly. So with so many imperfectness, if we try to become a teacher, then I am a cheater. I am not a teacher. We must know first of all. So we are receiving knowledge from Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead and with perfection of knowledge.
Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:
Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Brahmaṇaḥ means of Brahmā and the living creatures there in the Brahmaloka, the highest, topmost planet. So in that planet the people or the living entities who are living there, their duration of life is like this. What is that? Sahasra-yuga-paryantam. Now yuga means these four yugas, Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. So these four yugas... Satya-yuga means eighteen lakhs of years. Eighteen hundred thousands of years. And Tretā-yuga means twelve hundred thousands of years. And Dvāpara-yuga means eight hundred thousands of years. And Kali-yuga means four hundred thousands of years. This is the rough calculation. Eighteen, then twelve, then eight, plus four. How many years? Eighteen plus twelve becomes thirty, and thirty plus eight, thirty-eight, and four. That means forty-three-hundred thousands of years makes one yuga, divya-yuga. So such one thousand. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam (BG 8.17). That means forty-three hundred thousands of years multiplied by one thousand, ahar yat. That calculation is one day of the inhabitants of the Brahmaloka.
Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:
This is explained, authority. There are many other authoritative statements about Lord Caitanya's becoming Kṛṣṇa Himself. Idānīṁ kṛṣṇatām. Śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ. When Kṛṣṇa appeared, the nāma-karaṇa, when Gargamuni was ascertaining His name he said that this child, He has other colors, śuklo raktas tathā pīta. Pīta means yellow. That means some other Kali-yuga He appeared as Lord Caitanya. Idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ, therefore He should be named Kṛṣṇa. These things are there.
So Kṛṣṇa's appearance does not mean that He has become different. The nice example is set here by Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, just like a valuable stone. You take your hand, in your hand, you find sometimes yellow, sometimes red, sometimes white, like that. So, tava ceti mat-sakhatvat tavanti janmāni tavāpi abhut.(?) "And because you are My eternal friend, so whenever I appear, you also appear." Just like, those who are personal associates, whenever the chief boss goes, his personal assistants also go. That is natural.
Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:
Kṛṣṇa descends means sometimes He personally descends, sometimes He descends by His incarnation, sometimes He descends as a sound vibration, sometimes He descends as devotee. There are many different categories of His descendance. And at the present moment this Kṛṣṇa has descended in His holy name. You should understand that. Kṛṣṇa kali-kāle nāma-rūpe kṛṣṇa-avatāra. This is the statement of Lord Caitanya, that in this age of Kali, Kṛṣṇa has descended in the sound vibration form. Sound is also one of the form. Just like oṁkāra is the form of Kṛṣṇa. Akṣarāṇām oṁkāro 'smi. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, now, at the present moment, has descended in the form of His holy name. His name and He, there is no difference. So why? Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). People are now forgetting his relationship with God. Now this incarnation of Kṛṣṇa in the form of His holy name, this chanting of Kṛṣṇa will deliver all people of the world from this forgetfulness.
Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:
Janārdana: I understand that the revelation given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the fullest revelation of spiritual knowledge. Is the fullest revelation of spiritual knowledge.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.
Janārdana: How come that if in this age of Kali people in general are less intelligent, in this particular age they've received the fullest revelation of knowledge? Why not in the Satya-yuga?
Prabhupāda: The fullest revelation of knowledge in Satya-yuga there was automatically. People were so advanced. Just like gradually we are declining our memory, duration of age, so many facilities we have declined. So in Satya-yuga people were by nature fortunate to have many facilities. So for this age, when we are in very fallen condition, this facility is offered so that we can take the same advantage as people in the Satya-yuga had by other processes. (break) They are not attending.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:
Unfortunately, this system, although India was observing very rigidly, now it is slackened, or practically nil. We have lost our brahminical culture, the cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). This is the, due to the influence of Kali-yuga. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ In the Kali-yuga practically everyone is a śūdra or less than śūdra. Less than śūdra is called caṇḍāla. Śūdras, sometimes śūdras also eat meat, but the less than śūdras, they have no discrimination. They eat even dogs. The dog-eaters, they are described in the śāstra, śva-paca. Śva means dog, and paca means, pacanti, cook.
But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. It is said in the śāstra, aho bata śva-paco 'to garīyān yaj-jihvāgre (vartate) nāma tubhyam. Even a śva-paca, caṇḍāla, dog-eater, if he learns from the spiritual master how to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he is garīyān, he is glorified. In another place also, that śva-paca, caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. Even caṇḍāla, he becomes greater than a brāhmaṇa, provided he becomes a devotee of the Lord. Hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ.
Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:
Therefore the sacred thread is a symbolic presentation. Not that to purchase one two-paise worth sacred thread and one becomes brāhmaṇa. No. Now, of course, in Kali-yuga... Vipratve sūtram eva hi. In Kali-yuga this will go on. Vipratve. A brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, śūdra, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. Simply purchase one thread from the market and get it on your body and you become.... Vipratve sūtram eva hi. No, that is not actually. It is a qualification and it is certificate. One who has got the sacred thread, that means...
Just like in our Vedic system, one has got the red mark on the forehead, one woman. It is to be understood that she is married. Similarly, one who has got the sacred thread means that he has approached qualified ācārya, and the ācārya has recognized him as brāhmaṇa. This is sacred thread, not that purchase one sacred thread and get it and become a brāhmaṇa. No. This is very important thing. And then divide. First of all educate. Where is that education? Of course, this is meant for...
At least in India, Indians should be educated as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.
Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:
So at the present moment... Not at the present moment. It is the tendency of materialistic life to act vikarma, forbidden karma. That is explained by Ṛṣabhadeva in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). That is visible in the present moment in the Kali-yuga all over the world. Vikarmeti. All kinds of sinful activities, they are performing. That is called vikarma. The vikarma we have specified especially: illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication up to drinking tea, coffee and smoking. These are all vikarma. So they do not know. But they are going on. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva, many, many years ago he warned his sons, "My dear boys, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma." Pramattaḥ. Pra means sufficiently or extraordinarily. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa. Mattaḥ. Mattaḥ means mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma: (SB 5.5.4) "All people, being mad, they are committing all sinful activities." They do not know what is sinful activity. They think everything is all right. No. Nature will take account of everything and he will give you a next body.
The same example. If you infect some disease and the after result, you must suffer from that disease.
Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:
Therefore the program is, as it is stated, karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ. This is intelligence, how we have to work, but without reaping any good or bad result. That means working for Kṛṣṇa. That is called akarma. I have already explained. In this way sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu (BG 4.18), if you work for Kṛṣṇa... The vivid example is Arjuna. He is working for Kṛṣṇa. So you can do also. Simply by fighting... Arjuna was not chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So you can do also. Because... Nowadays in the Kali-yuga because people are... (break) ...because they knew the duty, but at the present moment... (break) ...kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga, because there is no such division, so everyone is śūdra or less than śūdra. This is their yajña. This is also yajña. That is stated in the Śrīmad-B... Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32).
Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:
Here is the picture. So we are trying to follow Him. That was kṛṣṇaṁ varṇayati. This is the statement of śāstra. So whom we shall worship in this age of Kali? Because according to different ages there are different prescription. So because this Kali-yuga is very, very fallen, everyone is a śūdra, there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya, therefore, the one prescription is given there, that harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva... (CC Adi 17.21).
It is very difficult to bring one to the brahminical culture, to the kṣatriya culture, to the vaiśya culture, because everything is finished, and it will be finished more and more. Therefore the only saving platform is this harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam. Then everyone will be saved. Therefore we are pushing on this movement. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra anywhere.
Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:
Anyway, so, yasya sarve samārambhāḥ. Samārambhāḥ means all attempts. Yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ. We want to do something to enjoy the fruit. We do some business with a desire, "The profit I shall enjoy." We live in family life. The desire is that... Everyone is trying to satisfy his senses, especially in this age. Dāmpatye ratir eva hi. In the śāstra it is said, dāmpatye, means husband and wife relationship will exist in this age of Kali only on the point of sex life. If there is disturbance in sex life, there is divorce. So kāma is there. In every samārambhāḥ, in every attempt, the lust, lusty desire is there.
In agreement, businessmen doing some business, the agreement, everyone is thinking, each party is thinking, "How much favorable it has become in my side." That is.... I want to cheat you. You want to cheat me. I am dictating, "The agreement should be like this." That means most favorable for my sense gratification. And you are dictating, "It should be like this." We are talking also on that spirit, "my sense gratification."
Kṛṣṇa says something. That is not wanted. My so-called teacher or ācārya... "There are different ācāryas."
Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:
The present day, Kali-yuga, is not favorable for such sacrifice which was being performed in the Satya-yuga or Tretā... Not Tretā-yuga. Sacrifice was being performed in the Tretā-yuga, second millennium. The duration of a period. Just like in a year we have got different seasons, similarly, in the existence there are different periods. According to Vedic literature, they are called Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Kali-yuga. Now we are passing through the Kali-yuga. The Kali-yuga, duration of Kali-yuga is four hundred thousands, four hundred twenty-seven thousands of year. Out of that, we have passed only five thousands of years. That is the Vedic calculation.
Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:
Now, in the Bhāgavata in the Eleventh Canto you'll find the symptoms of Caitanya Mahāprabhu in which it is stated that yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ: (SB 11.5.32) "Those who are intelligent persons in this age, in Kali-yuga, they will perform saṅkīrtana-yajña and satisfy Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya." So this saṅkīrtana-yajña, that which you are performing,
- Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
- Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
(My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.)
Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:
This is the best kind of sacrifice recommended by Lord Caitanya for this age. He said that kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Just like if we want to give stress on a particular subject matter we say that "Do this! Do this! Do this!" similarly, Lord Caitanya also stressed on this performance of saṅkīrtana thrice. He said, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā: "In this age of Kali there is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way." Thrice He said. And what is that? Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam. Now here also thrice: "Simply just chant Kṛṣṇa's name, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare." So this is the best kind of sacrifice.
Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:
But because... Other sacrifices, they are also recognized. Just like yoga. Yoga is also recognized, but that was meant for in the Satya-yuga when all people were very much all virtuous, cent percent virtuous. There was no, I mean to say, sinful men at all. Now, as the age advanced, in the Tretā-yuga there was seventy-five percent virtuous and twenty-five percent sinful. In the Dvāpara-yuga, fifty percent virtuous and fifty percent sinful. And in this age, Kali-yuga, almost cent percent sinful, although it is calculated in the śāstra that seventy-five percent are sinful and twenty-five percent are...
That you can see how many percentage are going to join our saṅkīrtana movement. We can see from the audience. You see? So it is difficult, but it is the fact. If we perform this sacrifice nicely, according to the rules recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we are sure to get salvation. Niścitam. Niścitam means sure. So let us perform this sacrifice with patience and perseverance, with steadiness, and then surely we shall achieve the desired result, spiritual salvation, which is that... It is stated, brahmaiva tena gantavyam. The whole thing is meant for go back to home, go back to Godhead. That is the whole thing. This is not our home; neither it is our place. We come here as a foreigner.
Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:
Therefore in the Vedic way of life the beginning of life is tapasya, brahmacārī, brahmacārī. A student is sent to gurukula for practicing brahmacarya. This is tapasya, not comfortable life. Lying down on the floor, going door-to-door for begging alms for guru. But they are not tired. Because they are children, if they are trained these austerities, they become to practice. They call all woman, "Mother." "Mother, give me some alms." And they come back to guru's place. Everything belongs to guru. This brahmacārī life. This is tapasya. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). That is Vedic civilization, that children should be from the very beginning of life trained up in tapasya, brahmacarya. Celibacy. A brahmacārī cannot see any young woman. Even the guru's wife is young, he cannot go to the guru's wife. These are the restriction. Now where is that brahmacarya? No brahmacārī. This is Kali-yuga. No tapasya.
Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:
Because spiritual life means tapasya. Formerly great, great saintly persons, they underwent very, very severe tapasya for thousands of years, hundreds of years. Then they attained success. In the Kali-yuga it is not possible to undergo such severe tapasya. There is concession. The concession is that you live a pure life and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This will make sufficient. A pure life: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. This is pure life. These boys and girls who have joined this movement, they have given up. They are not dying. Nobody will die if he lives a pure life. Anyone will make progress. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). These are the injunction of the śāstra. If you want to be happy, this is the.... Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1).
Lecture on BG 4.23 -- Bombay, April 12, 1974:
That tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "Hear from guru." Who is guru? Guru. Brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham. Guru means who knows God and fully engaged in His service. That is guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet, samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. Śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. And he has also heard from his guru. This is both, hearing. Therefore Vedas are known as śruti. Formerly it was learned simply by hearing. There was no books. And there was no need of noting down. The merit was so perfect that simply by hearing from guru, he would understand everything.
But in the Kali-yuga because gradually we are losing the potency of our brain, therefore we require in writing books. Vyāsadeva was very kind. He knew that in the Kali-yuga there will be no sharpened brain. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are made by nature; by the influence of Kali-yuga, they are all mandaḥ, very slow or very bad, mandaḥ. Sumanda-matayaḥ, and they have got, manufactured some ideas, sumanda-matayaḥ, which is not standard to the Vedic ideas. Manda-bhāgyāḥ, and unfortunately, they cannot accept. Manda-bhāgyāḥ.
Lecture on BG 4.27 -- Bombay, April 16, 1974:
Saintly person, mahātmā, they are engaged in chanting satatam, always. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). Kīrtayantaḥ, glorifying. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.
- tṛṇād api sunīcena
- taror api sahiṣṇunā
- amāninā mānadena
- kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
- (CC Adi 17.31)
This is the recommendation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu that you should glorify the holy name of Hari. Hari means Kṛṣṇa. So that is the recommendation. But we are meeting so many obstacles because they think, "This chanting is nescience. This bhajana is nuisance. This is Kali-yuga. Not the Kali-yuga, even every yuga. So ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). A devotee is hearing, he is enjoying, and the nondevotee is thinking, "It is a nuisance."
Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:
Just like in India, generally, the brāhmaṇas are expected to be the spiritual masters. Because brāhmaṇa means who have sufficient knowledge in the transcendental science. That is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Now, due to this modern age, Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to find out a qualified brāhmaṇa. So therefore it is very difficult also to find out a qualified spiritual master. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He has recommended that,
kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
- yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei 'guru' haya
- (CC Madhya 8.128)
"Never mind whether he's a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or a sannyāsī or a householder. Never mind what he is. That doesn't matter. If he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he is the bona fide spiritual master." He is the bona fide spiritual master. So here this Bhagavad-gītā is the science of Kṛṣṇa. Every one of you, if you study Bhagavad-gītā very scrutinizingly, with all your arguments, with all your sense, with all your philosophical knowledge... Because it is said here, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena (BG 4.34).
Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:
Now, how that potency we can have? That is the thing we should culture. Jñānāgniḥ. And that can be achieved by jñāna, by knowledge. The knowledge... For knowledge, everything is there. We have to accept that. That... Therefore, formerly people used to observe penances and austerity to attain perfection. Now, here, in this age, oh, that, such austerities and penances are not possible, are not possible. Because our life is very short, and we are always disturbed. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ kalau asmin yuge janāḥ. Kalau. Kalau means this age, the age of quarrel and insufficiency. This age is called Kali. Kali means "the age of quarrel." We fight. On insignificant questions we fight. Therefore this is called Kali-yuga. So in this yuga we have got very short period of life.
Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:
That day I was reading from the Twelfth Chapter, er, Twelfth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—perhaps some of you who were present—that in this age the life will be reduced from twenty to thirty years. We have to wait for that time. So gradually, things will deteriorate. Therefore in the Kali-yuga, the yoga practice or the sacrifice or, I mean to say, very pompous worship of God, oh, that is not possible. People are, have got short life, they are always disturbed, they are disturbed with material disturbances, diseases, and they are unfortunate also. They are not very fortunate. So mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Mandāḥ. They are very slow, and also unfortunate. This very word is used in the Bhāgavata. So therefore, in the Kali-yuga, if we want to get all this advantage of knowledge, then the only way is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That will help us.
Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:
This is very nice point. Try to understand. The sannyāsī... Just like we are sannyāsī. According to our Vedic system, we are allowed to beg alms from the householders. The social system, the varṇāśrama institution, is so made that the brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and the sannyāsī, and the gṛhastha... Gṛhastha means the householder. Now, the brahmacārī will beg from the householder, the vānaprastha will beg from the householder, and the sannyāsī also beg from the householder. So householder is the only earning member who will feed all these three different status of social orders. But in the Kali-yuga, in this age, some unscrupulous persons, they are taking advantage of this dress because this dress is not very costly. Any kind of cotton cloth, you take, two paisa worth from, or two cent worth, and color, and you get it orange-colored and put on. Because in this age nobody is inquiring whether he is actually a sannyāsī or not, simply by dress... Of course, the dress is the badge.
Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:
Just like in the... Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Kṛte means in the Satya-yuga, when people used to live for millions of years. At that time it is recommended that they should take to meditation for self-realization. Then in the next age... Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). And the next age it is recommended that they should sacrifice. They should perform costly sacrifice. But that is not possible also. And in the Dvāpara-yuga. Dvāpare paricaryāyām. The temple worship was introduced in the Dvāpara-yuga. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. And in the, this age, it is called Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and fight. In this age the only means is hari-kīrtana.
Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:
But fortunately we haven't got to do all these things. You see? We can chant very nicely in a nice room like this with statues of Jagannātha chanting and dancing, and derive thousand times greater and beneficial result than those practices. Besides that, if you try to imitate those practices, it is not possible at all. It may be possible for one or two person, but it cannot be practiced in a mass scale. But this practice of self-realization can be practiced by anyone, even by the children. Therefore it is universal self-realization process. And in this age Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore recommends, kalau—kalau means in this age of Kali—nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva: there is no other process feasible, no other process. Any process of self-realization will be very, very difficult. But here is a process; even if you have nothing, you can simply... God has given you this tongue, and God has given you this ear. Simply sit down. If you cannot, I mean to say, utilize your tongue in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, you simply sit down and let others chant and you hear. You get the benefit.
Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:
Devotee: Verse number one. "The Blessed Lord said, 'One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and works as he is obligated, is in the renounced order of life and he is the true mystic. Not he who lights no fire and performs no work (BG 6.1).' Purport. In this chapter the Lord explains that the process of the eightfold yoga system is a means to control the mind and the senses. However, this is very difficult for people in general to perform, especially in this age of Kali. Although the eightfold yoga system is recommended in this chapter, the Lord emphasizes that the process of karma-yoga or acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is better. Everyone acts in this world to maintain his family and their paraphernalia, but no one is working without some self-interest, some personal gratification, be it concentrated or extended. The criterion of perfection is to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and not with a view to enjoy the fruits of work. To act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the duty of every living entity because we are constitutionally parts and parcels of the Supreme. The parts of the body work for the satisfaction of the whole body. The limbs of the body do not act for self-satisfaction but for the satisfaction of the complete whole. Similarly the living entity, acting for the satisfaction of the supreme whole and not for personal satisfaction is the perfect sannyāsī, the perfect yogi.
"The sannyāsīs sometimes artificially think that they have become liberated from all material duties and therefore they cease to perform agni-hotra yajñas, fire sacrifices."
Prabhupāda: There are some yajñas to be performed by everyone for purification. So a sannyāsī does not require to perform the yajñas. So by stopping that ritualistic performance of yajña, sometimes they think that they are liberated. But actually, unless he comes to the standard platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no question of liberation.
Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:
Devotee: "Therefore, in the Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa it is said that in the Kali-yuga, the present yuga or age, when people in general are short-living, slow in spiritual realization, and always disturbed by various anxieties, the best means of spiritual realization is to chant the holy name of the Lord. In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is to chant the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way to success."
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the prescription in the Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa.
- harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
- kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
- (CC Adi 17.21)
Harer nāma, simply chant the holy name of the Lord. That is the only process of self-realization or concentration or meditation. And there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative. Other practices will not be feasible. And it is so nice that even a child can take part in it. This is universal. (end)
Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:
Sacha bole tomare lata... jagat harai dhana kali-yuga dukha lalge haspai (?). This is a Hindi verse by one devotee that this Kali-yuga is so abominable that if you speak truth, then people will come with some rod to beat you. But if you cheat them, bluff them. they'll be bewildered (?), they'll like it. If I say I'm God, people will say, "Oh, here is Swamiji, God." They won't inquire, that "How you have become God? What is the symptom of God? Have you got all the symptoms?" Nobody inquires. So these things happen. Unless one is not fixed up in the self, unless one does not understand what is real self, unless one does not understand what is Superself. So, yoga means to understand this self-realizing process. That is yoga.
Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:
Prabhupāda: Yes, rejected, Arjuna, yes.
Viṣṇujana: "...out of a feeling of inability. It is not possible for an ordinary man to leave home and go to a secluded place in the mountains or jungles to practice yoga in this age of Kali. The present age is characterized by a bitter struggle for a life of short duration."
Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all our duration life is very short. If you study the statistics you can see your forefathers who lived for hundred years or eighty years, ninety years. Now sixty years, seventy years people are dying. Gradually it will decrease. In this age the memory, the duration of life, mercifulness, so many things will decrease. That is the symptom of this age.
Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:
Prabhupāda: This system of yoga, this aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Yes.
Viṣṇujana: "In fact, we do not find any record in history of his practicing it at any time. Therefore this system must be considered impossible, especially in this age of Kali. Of course it may be possible for some very few, rare men, but for the people in general it is an impossible proposal. If this was so five thousand years ago, then what to speak of the present day? Those who are imitating this yoga system in different so-called schools and societies, although complacent, are certainly wasting their time. They are completely in ignorance of the desired goal."
Prabhupāda: Yes. So this aṣṭāṅga-yoga is not possible. Therefore this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, is applicable to anyone. You have seen when this chanting, bhakti-yoga system goes on, even a small child, he also begins to clap. You see? Without any training, without any education, automatically he takes part. So therefore Lord Caitanya has said that this is the only system in this age: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kalau, in this age of Kali. Kalau nāsty eva, nāsty eva. Nāsty eva: there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative. If you adopt this system, this bhakti-yoga system, very simple, simply chanting. You'll find immediately result.
Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:
So this human form of life is meant for purifying this existential position. No more birth, no more death. As soon as there is birth, there is death. If there is no birth, there is no death. So this can be done simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Divyam, this word is used, divyam. So we are to undergo austerities, penances for this divyam, for transcendental life, divyam. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1), little tapasya. In the Kali Yuga we cannot perform very severe... Kṛṣṇa is very kind. He has given us different opportunity for elevating to our transcendental life in different ages. In this age, because we are so fallen and so limited, and so badly associated, that it is very difficult to undergo severe austerities and penances. We cannot go into the forest. We cannot perform yoga systems very nicely. We cannot perform yajñas. We cannot worship the Lord in temple very nicely. So many difficulties. Therefore śāstra has given us concession: kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. In this age, simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra one can be elevated. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has blessed: ihā haite sarva-siddhi haya tomāra. If you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you'll get all perfection, all perfection. So everything is there. But we do not wish to take advantage.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:
There is no other alternative. Nāsty eva, nāsty eva. There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative. Three times. Three times means yoga, jñāna, and arcana. Yoga system as it was recommended in the Satya-yuga, kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum, that is yoga—always in meditation of Viṣṇu. That is called yoga. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). And in the Tretā-yuga, by performing great sacrifices, yajñas. And in the Dvāpara-yuga, by temple worship. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt: in the Kali-yuga, this age...
The present age is called Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means the age of quarrel and disagreement. Nobody agrees with any other man. Everyone has got his own theory; everyone has got his own philosophy. So therefore it is called Kali-yuga. And if I don't agree with you, you fight with me. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga. So this is the only method recommended in this age: kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. Simply by chanting the holy name of God, one can attain perfect self-realization, which was attained by the yoga system in the Satya-yuga, which was attained in the Tretā-yuga by performing great sacrifices, and which was performed in the Dvāpara-yuga by large-scale temple worship. That thing can be attained by the simple method hari-kīrtanāt. Hari means the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kīrtanāt—by glorifying Him. This is the method recommended in the śāstras. And Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago, He appeared in a town which is known as Navadvīpa. It is about sixty miles northern side of Calcutta. People still go there. We have got our temple, center there. It is also a sacred pilgrimage. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared there, and He started this saṅkīrtana movement, mass saṅkīrtana movement, without any discrimination. And He predicted that this saṅkīrtana movement would be spread all over the world and the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra would be chanted in every village, town on the surface of the globe.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:
If anyone wants God realization, then they..., he must take to this process of chanting, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, it is said by Śukadeva Goswāmī when he was teaching it, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, about the symptoms of this kali-yuga. There are many symptom, just like you know how in the Twelfth Canto, Second, Third Chapter, the different types of faulty conditions of this yuga are mentioned there. For example, there is statement, svīkāra eva ca udvāhe: "In this Kali-yuga, simply by agreement the marriage ceremony will be performed." That is actually happening, especially in European country. Then, lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam. In the Kali-yuga... Just see how five thousand years they predicted that are happening now. Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam: "If one keeps long hair, then he thinks that 'I have become very beautiful.' " So these things have been ensured, as practically these are being, European and American countries, the boys are keeping long hair. They have (indistinct) hair. Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam. So there are so many symptoms, everything. Now we have to wait for the last symptom, when there will be no milk, no sugar and no grains. That day, we shall have it. The Kali-yuga is so serious. But Sri Śukadeva Goswāmī said to Parīkṣit Mahārāja, kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ: "My dear King, although I have described so many faulty things in this age, there is one great benefit." Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Simply by chanting "Kṛṣṇa," kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. Especially it is mentioned, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya nāma. Not that, as you say something, any nāma you can do. No. Kṛṣṇasya. In another place also it is stated, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:
Why the rainy season is there? Can you answer why the rainy season is there? Why it is raining? These are periodical changes. Just like there is summer season, winter season, rainy season. Similarly, this material world is subjected to the seasons or changes. It is called jagat. Jagat means which is changing. But we do not like this changing because we are eternal. We have been put into this condition, changing condition; therefore we are not happy. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to get ourselves out of this changing condition to the eternal condition. It is very, I mean to say, what is called, intelligent question: Why there is Kali-yuga? Kali-yuga means these ages are change. Just like the same way, as there is summer season; after summer season, there is rainy season; after rainy season there is winter season. Similarly, there are four yuga, namely Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga and Kali-yuga. Satya-yuga means perfect age. Then Tretā-yuga—one-fourth less of perfection. Then Dvāpara-yuga—three-fourth, er, half less; and then Kali-yuga—three-fourths less. Three-fourths bad elements and one-fourth good elements, and that is also very rare. But if you, if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we become transcendental. We have nothing to do with these seasonal changes of Kali-yuga. That is recommended. Kalau. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. If we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we are not affected by the bad effects of Kali-yuga. That is recommended. (break) Kali-yuga is disagreement and fight. This is called Kali-yuga. Here, at the present moment, in this age, everyone disagrees with other, and they fight. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:
So if you accept this sattva-guṇa, the brahminical qualification, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ kṣāntiḥ, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam... (BG 18.42). If you associate with the brahminical qualifications, then you get nicer body. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Those who are associating with the sad-guṇa, they are also described. Sad-guṇa means satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ kṣāntiḥ, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma... This is brahma-karma. So tapasya means come to the brahma-karma, not to the śūdra-karma. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). Don't associate with the śūdra qualifications. Now, what is the śūdra qualification? Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). You are highly educated, but your desire is how to get a service. Paricarya... I am highly educated, but unless I render service to somebody else like a dog, I am not recognized. This is called śūdra-karma. Why a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya should search after service? Therefore in this Kali-yuga it is said, kalau śūdraḥ sambhavaḥ: "Kalau, in this Kali-yuga, everyone is almost śūdras." There is lack of brāhmaṇa. There is lack of kṣatriya and vaiśya.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:
In the Kali-yuga it is not possible to practice any other system of yoga. Mind is so agitated, you cannot concentrate. But if you chant loudly, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" your mind will be forced to be drawn and hear Kṛṣṇa. Then mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. If you practice this, then asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu: (BG 7.1) "If you try to hear Me attentively..." Bhagavān uvāca. Who is speaking? Bhagavān, the Supreme Person, the Absolute Person. There is no mistake, there is no cheating, there is no imperfection, and there is no illusion. It is perfect.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :
So it is not very difficult. Simply try to be in touch with the vibration. Where is the wrong there? What is the loss there? If you chant, just like these boys, they, you have seen the picture, they have taken it seriously. They are working in the field: Hare Kṛṣṇa. They are working in the factory, of incense factory: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the wrong there? Why India is not taking this? If you work in your factory, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then what is the loss there? But you will remain always in touch with Kṛṣṇa, smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur. This formula is (indistinct). We shall talk so many nonsense things, but you are not, (indistinct), desiring to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our fault. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Nāma rūpe kṛṣṇa avatāra. Kṛṣṇa is now descended in His vibration form, Hare Kṛṣṇa, this Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga, because we cannot do anything, therefore Kṛṣṇa has become very easily available in the form of His holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is available. You can see Kṛṣṇa, you can touch Kṛṣṇa, you can tlk with Kṛṣṇa. As you may advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is possible. Then, gradually making progress means gradually you will be lover of Kṛṣṇa. That is required. Mayy āsakta, as soon as you become lover, you become attached. That is required. Now, at the present moment, we are attached to so many things, because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Now gradually, if you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then you will forget all these material. That is liberation.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- London, March 10, 1975:
If there is incarnation of God... That is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Their activities are mentioned, wonderful activities. We accept Lord Rāmacandra as God, Lord Kṛṣṇa as God, Caitanya Mahāprabhu as God, because They are mentioned in the śāstras, all the incarnations, even this age. One may say that "Lord Rāmacandra is accepted God, Lord Kṛṣṇa is also accepted, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is the greatest devotee of God, but..." There are some persons in the Nimbārka-sampradāya, they put this argument. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name is there in the śāstra, many Upaniṣads, especially in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in the Kali-yuga this incarnation of God should be worshiped. What is that description?
- kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
- sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
- yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
- yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ
- (SB 11.5.32)
Clearly Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṇam. He is Kṛṣṇa. Or kṛṣṇaṁ varṇayati, iti kṛṣṇa-varṇam.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- London, March 10, 1975:
So there..., for annihilating, for killing, you require weapon. Kṛṣṇa has His weapon, sudarśana-cakra. Lord Rāmacandra has His weapon, bow and arrow. What is the weapon of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. His associates are His weapons. This is astra. Because in the Kali-yuga they are so fallen, even they are demons, they are third-class, fourth-class demons. (laughter) So they need not be killed. They are already killed. Their mode of life, their atmosphere, they are always dead. Just like we see so many demons. So what is there to kill them? They are already killed. They have no life. So this killing process in Kali-yuga is to kill their demonic propensities. And how to kill that demonic propensities? By spreading Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. This is astra. Otherwise to kill them is not... By life, it is not difficult. One slap is sufficient. You don't require other weapon. But real Kṛṣṇa comes to kill or to give protection—because He is Absolute, it is the same thing. If He is killing some demons, He is giving him protection. He stops his demonic activities further, to implicate himself in more trouble. Therefore when Kṛṣṇa kills one demon, that means He saves him. He saves him. The Absolute, this is Absolute. Either He protects His devotee or kills the demon, the result is the same. Therefore He is called Absolute.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- London, March 10, 1975:
So in this age, Kali-yuga, to kill the demons means to stop their demonic activities by the astra, kīrtana, hari-saṅkīrtana, which is spread by His associates. Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Śrīvāsādi Gaura-bhakta-vṛnda, they are going door to door, country to country, city to city, and saving the demons from being implicated more and more in material existence. Therefore this is the astra. Astra means the killing. Real purpose... The living entity is eternal. How he can be killed? Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So to kill means to kill his demonic nature. Otherwise how he can be killed? Ya imam... There is a verse that anyone who knows that the living entity is never killed and... A living entity does not kill anyone; neither a living entity is ever killed. One who knows this, he knows. So that is the position. So killing does not mean that killing the living entity. That is not possible. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. Killing means to kill his demonic activities. Stop. Killing means stop acting.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- London, March 10, 1975:
Don't risk life. Karma-bandhanaḥ. If you don't perform yajña, if you don't try to satisfy the Supreme Lord... Just like if you don't try to satisfy the government, then it is your risky life. You cannot say that "I am living very happily." Because you are cheating government or do not following the laws of the government, that is very risky life. Similarly, if you do not perform yajña, you cannot avoid it. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. You are, you have got this human form of life for performing yajña.
So in this age, in Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to perform other yajña. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Kṛṣṇa, has appeared to accept your yajña, to deliver you, and the yajña process is very easy: yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ. That's all. Simply perform. Wherever you live, at home or outside home, just keep a picture of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra before Him. Then your life will be successful.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:
Indian man (4): So you can show?
Prabhupāda: So I am not so powerful that I can show the viśva-rūpa. He has given me this power, that "You go and speak to the foolish rascals that I am Bhagavān," (laughter) that much power. Yes. That is my power. I can say to you that "Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān." That's all. I never become equal to Kṛṣṇa.
Indian man (5): Śrīla Prabhupāda, why do most people in this Kali-yuga worship Lord Śiva instead of worshiping Lord Kṛṣṇa? Because Kṛṣṇa known as God...
Prabhupāda: Because they can get immediate money from Śiva. That is the reason. Lord Śiva is the proprietor or the supreme person within this material world, and he is āśutoṣa, very easily pleased. Therefore materialistic person go to him for some material benefit, and he gives. That's all.
Indian man (6): But Lord Śiva is the greatest Vaiṣṇava.
Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone is Vaiṣṇava. He is the greatest Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ. Unless he is Vaiṣṇava, how he gets this power? The power comes from the original person. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). So unless one is Vaiṣṇava, he has no power. All right.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:
Oh, there is no solution for birth. There is so much attempt for birth control all over the world, but still, in every minute or in every second some percentage of population is increasing. Janma, mṛtyu. Similarly, there are so many attempts to discover scientific measures to stop death, but it is not possible. Death is taking place. Rather, in the present age, death is taking place earlier than in years before. Formerly people were living, say, hundred years, eighty years, ninety years, and nowadays a man is living, utmost, seventy years, sixty years. If a man lives for eighty years, then he is considered to be very... But time will come, as we get information from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that at the end of this age, Kali-yuga, if a man lives for twenty to thirty years he'll be considered as the grand old man. So practically we are not making any progress. And materially it is not possible to make progress. It is... That is called māyā, illusion. We are actually not making any progress, but we are thinking that we are making progress. This is called spell of māyā.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:
Our Sanātana Gosvāmī gives direction in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa that one man can become a brāhmaṇa by the regular process of dīkṣā. Dīkṣā, this initiation, cannot be offered to a śūdra. Dīkṣā cannot be offered to a śūdra. But in this age, Kali-yuga, it is the statement of the śāstras that in the Kali-yuga most of the population are śūdras. Kalau śūdrā sambhavāḥ. How they can be initiated? This initiation is offered not according to the Vedic rules, because it is very difficult to find out a qualified brāhmaṇa. Dīkṣā is offered to a qualified brāhmaṇa. Therefore this dīkṣā is offered according to Pāñcarātriki-vidhi. That is recommended in this age. My spiritual master inaugurated this Pāñcarātriki-vidhi, and we are following his footsteps. Anyone who is inclined to devote his life for Kṛṣṇa, he should be accepted as brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:
This is the position always of everyone who is in this material world, and especially in this age, Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga, they are all first-class fools. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10), prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. The Kali-yuga is very difficult yuga. In ignorance they fight, quarrel, only fight, quarrel. Kali means fight. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga. So in this age especially, the inhabitants, they are manda. Manda means all bad. Nobody is good. And sumanda, matayaḥ. Everyone has got his conception of perfection—all bogus. Sumanda-matayaḥ. Why this is? Manda-bhāgyāḥ: because they are unfortunate. Everyone does not know what he shall eat next morning or in the evening. Everyone is in need. Scarcity all over the world. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ. And still, they are disturbed, so many. Especially with the increase of Kali-yuga, people will be disturbed by two things especially. What is that? Scarcity of food and taxation. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). Kara means taxation. The people will be embarrassed for want of food, at the same time, every year, increase of taxation. That is stated in the Bhāgavata.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:
So this is the Kali-yuga position. So five thousand years ago, when Kṛṣṇa spoke about Bhagavad-gītā, at that time the position was manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). So sahasra. Now, on account of Kali-yuga, manuṣyāṇām "millions," because it has increased. The Kali-yuga has increased. Not sahasreṣu, and the percentage has increased millions and millions. Therefore nobody is interested in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to give the highest perfection of life, but they are not interested. They want to remain like cats and dogs and suffer the consequence. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā (BG 3.27). This is going on.
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very difficult to understand, but by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it has been made very easy. Easy. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. It was explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He described the faults of the Kali-yuga, but he encouraged by one verse. "My dear king, there is one very nice opportunity in this Kali-yuga." Kaler doṣa-nidhe. Doṣa-nidhi: "It is the ocean of faults, but there is one very nice gain in this Kali-yuga." What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) "Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra one can become free from all the troubles of this yuga, Kali-yuga," and mukta-saṅga, "and he becomes liberated, and he goes back to home, back to Godhead." So take it very seriously and make your life perfect.
Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:
So the Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of all Vedic literatures because, after all, Vedic literature means vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15), to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the purpose of Vedic study. So the Supreme Personality Himself is giving the knowledge of the Supreme by Himself, personally. Therefore we are preaching this Bhagavad-gītā as it is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the easiest method is to chant Kṛṣṇa's name. Easiest method. It is recommended. It is not our manufacture. It is said. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit learned all the defects of this Kali-yuga, then he was little disappointed, "How these men or the persons...?" Men means human beings. "How they will be relieved from the miserable condition of materialistic life in this age of Kali?" Because it is all defective.
Now, it is stated in that chapter that in the Kali-yuga the mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇo bhakṣayiṣyanti prajās te. The government will be all mlecchas, not the kṣatriyas. Mlecchas. Mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ. They'll take the post of government post, government service.
Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:
So the bodily necessities of life... We eat, we require to eat, eating, and we require to sleep also, eating, sleeping. And sex life, that is also required for keeping the body fit. In Kali-yuga these four things, bare necessities of life, eating, sleeping, mating, and defending... Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. These are bare necessities of the body. That will be also in disorder in this age. People will have no sufficient food, no place to sleep, no mate to have sense enjoyment, and it will be defenseless. Just like we are seeing at the present moment innocent people of East Pakistan are being killed. Simply for political reasons, some innocent people, lakhs of innocent people, are being killed. These are the symptoms of Kali-yuga. The bare necessities of life will not be available. There is no protection. In Calcutta there is no surety. When you go out on the street, there is no surety whether you will come back home at the present moment. Perhaps you all know. So there is no proper defense even, which is not refused to the animals. Why? Because everything is going on—dharmāviruddha. They are going against the law, nature's law. We say "Nature's law" or "God's law." Therefore so much mismanagement.
Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:
So it is very difficult to say at the present moment whether garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is observed. At least, in garbhādhāna-saṁskāra we understand that "This child is born of a real brāhmaṇa," but without garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, who knows how the child is born? Nobody knows except the mother. Therefore the śāstra says, "In this age, Kali-yuga, because this garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed regularly," kalau śūdrāḥ sambhavāḥ, "everyone in the Kali-yuga is a śūdra because the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed." Of course, those who are observing... But it is very hard to say who is observing. But if it is not observed, then any child born, either in the brāhmaṇa family or kṣatriya family or vaiśya family, because the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed, it is to be understood that that child is śūdra. Even if the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is observed, still, by birth, it is accepted that every child is a śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. And if the regulative purificatory processes are adopted, then he becomes dvija. Dvija means twice-born. First-born by the father and mother, and his second birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Veda-mātā. Vedic knowledge and the spiritual master gives another birth.
Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:
Actually this Bhagavad-gītā is described by Vyāsadeva. So Vyāsadeva recorded it, writing. Otherwise it was being received through hearing. Before this Kali-yuga Vyāsadeva, he kept all Vedic literature in writing. Before that, there was no book. The knowledge was received through the ear, aural reception, śruti. Therefore it is called śruti. Śruti means the knowledge which is received by hearing. And the memory was very sharp. In those days, five thousand years ago, any man... Not any man, but the intelligent class of men... They were called brāhmaṇas. They used to receive knowledge from guru by hearing. They could memorize everything, once heard. In the Kali-yuga the memory is being reduced. The duration of life is being reduced. Peoples' mercifulness is being reduced. This is the symptom of Kali-yuga. Bodily strength—reduced. Therefore Vyāsadeva preferred it that the Vedic knowledge should be kept recorded in writing. So he first of all then wrote all this Vedic knowledge into writing, and the writings...
Lecture on BG 9.2 -- New York, November 22, 1966:
You'll find in your country also. There are many foundations. They are making charities. But hardly you'll find amongst them that he knows that what he is. So out of many millions of these religious persons, some of them know what he is, "I am not this body." Now, simply theoretically knowing that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," that is not perfect. You have to actually become liberated from the material entanglement. That is called mukti, liberation. So out of many thousands of persons who are in the knowledge what they are or what he is, some of them are actually liberated. Liberated. And out of many thousands of people who are liberated, they can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa understanding is not very easy job. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind because He knows that in this age, in this age of Kali, it will be very difficult for persons to become liberated under the process—first to become civilized, then to become religious, then to perform this charity, sacrifices, then come to the platform of knowledge, then, after coming to the platform of knowledge, you come to the platform of liberation, and after being liberated, you can know what is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:
So this is direct method. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which we are trying to popularize, this is direct method and just suitable for this age. As Lord Caitanya introduced, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. In this age of Kali, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy—this is called Kali—in this age this is the simplest method and direct, direct action. Just like in military art there is a word, "direct action," this is the spiritual direct action, this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. But because it is very simple, sometimes those who think themselves as very intelligent and advanced, they think, "Oh, what they are doing, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa? We are meditating, we are philosophizing, and we are doing penance and austerities and following the rituals, so many things." So practically, they are, according to Bhagavad-gītā they are not directly in touch with the Supreme Lord, but they have taken different paths as ahaṅgrahopāsanam, thinking himself as one with the Lord, pantheism, thinking everything the symbol of God, and thinking the universal form as the Supreme, in different ways.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 24, 1973:
Just like children, they want to play without caring for future life. But it is the duty of the guardians to engage them in education so that in future they may be happy. Similarly, all the great sages, saintly persons, just like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Devala, Asita, many, many great saintly persons, sages... Even Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes to give us instruction so that we can become eternally happy.
Unfortunately, in this age, which is called Kali-yuga, the people are so low-grade that they do not like to hear all these instructions of great sages, saintly persons or even of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the defect of this age. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said mandaḥ. Mandaḥ means slow, at the same time, very bad.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 24, 1973:
It is already happening. Rice is selling seven rupees kilo, nine rupees kilo. How a poor man will eat? So the more the Kali-yuga will advance... Now we are getting ten rupees or twelve rupees or nine rupees kilo rice, but rice will not be available at all. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because people are becoming Godless, naturally the material nature will put them into suffering. That is the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).
Just like if you become criminal, the police department is there. The police department will give you pains, chastisement. Similarly, the more we become Godless, the more we become careless to fulfill the mission of human life, the more nature will give us trouble. There will be no rain. Anāvṛṣṭi, anāvṛṣṭi and durbhikṣa, scarcity of foodstuff, and taxation by the government. These are the symptoms of Kali-yuga mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And people will become so much harassed by these three things that they will voluntarily give up their hearth and home and go to the forest.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:
Disciple means one who is regulated by higher authority. He is disciple. The higher authority is called the spiritual master, and the person who voluntarily submits to him for being regulated, he is called disciple. Everyone is very much puffed up. This is material condition. Even the most insignificant person, he thinks of himself as very important. Nobody wants to submit to anyone. This propensity is very prominent in this age, Kali-yuga.
Therefore it is called Kali-yuga, means disagreement. "Why shall I accept your proposition? I am also independent, I can think independently." This is the general propensity. But to understand the transcendental subject matter, one has to become submissive. That is the first qualification because the disease is that nobody is submissive. Nobody wants to be lower than anybody else. Although he is insignificant, he has no value, but still—this is called māyā—he thinks himself to be very elevated, learned.
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching people to become submissive to the authority.
Lecture on BG 13.1-3 -- Durban, October 13, 1975:
In this way the weak is the food for the strong. This is the law of nature, that one living entity is the food for another living entity. So when a person eats another living entity, it is not unnatural. This is nature's law. But when you come to the human form of living entity, you must use your discrimination. Just like one living entity is food for the another living entity. It does not mean... In the lower animals sometimes the father-mother eat the offspring, but in the history of human society it has not come into notice that the father and mother eating the offspring. But time has come when the mother is killing offspring. That has come already. This is due to Kali-yuga.
Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974:
This is the first process. You have kindly come here; you are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's talk with Arjuna. It is very good. If you continue hearing like this, you will be perfect, simply by hearing, even if you do not do anything. Kevala, only hearing. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. This is the recommendation by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that people should be given chance for hearing. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, they cannot do anything, but if they simply agree to hear, sitting for some time... That can be introduced in every house, every home.
The Bhagavad-gītā is there, and everything is explained there. If family-wise everyone sits down in the evening or in the morning for half an hour and reads Bhagavad-gītā, chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, just see the result. Every home will be happy. This is our propaganda, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Simply try to hear about Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:
Whatever He speaks, it is all right. He doesn't require to refer any authoritative book. But He is also giving. You have seen Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That is the way. But these rascals are trying to avoid authoritative scriptures. Even Kṛṣṇa is giving reference to the authoritative scripture, and these rascals, they have so degraded, they say, "Oh, why these books? Now I can manufacture own knowledge." And other rascals, they are accepting: "Yes, it is right."
So this is called Kali-yuga. People are so degraded, less than animal, less than animal. Therefore to revive them, the Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now you inquire about the Absolute Truth." Hetumadbhir viniścitaṁ. Now, hetumadbhiḥ. Hetumadbhiḥ means "with reason." Reason. What is that reason? Now, if I want to inquire about the Absolute Truth, so how I shall understand? Now... There are three ways, namely pratyakṣa, pratyakṣa, aitihya, and śruti, śruti-pramāṇa. Śruti-pramāṇa, pratyakṣa-pramāṇa, direct perception...
Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:
Who is interested? They are dying like cats and dogs. They have accepted, "Oh, death is..." That's all. But there is a solution of death, but they are not interested. They are prepared to die like cats and dogs. That's all. The human life is meant for making solution of birth, death, old age and disease, but they will not take it. "Oh, that's all right. Let us die." "You are going to accept a next life as a tree." "Never mind." They say like that. "I'll forget." "No, you'll have to stand up seven thousand years in one place." "That's all right." They have become so dull. This is called Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Very slow, very bad. Manda means very bad. Sumanda-matayo, and if one has got some path or some sect, that is also adulterated, nuisance. Manda-matayoḥ. Manda-bhāgyaḥ, unfortunate. Even people have no idea what he's going to eat tomorrow. Actually, these things are coming. Manda-bhāgya, most unfortunate. Upadrutāḥ, always disturbed by so many natural disturbances, health disturbances, political disturbances. This is the position.
Lecture on BG 13.16 -- Bombay, October 10, 1973:
This life is meant for not to live extravagantly without any responsibility like cats and dogs. We should be very responsible. Austerity. Little austerity. In the Kali-yuga you cannot undergo severe austerity, but even if you follow little austerity, little something must be done. Little austerity. Just like you do not commit any sinful life. What is that? No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. This much austerity. If you simply accept these four principles.
Now these Europeans and Americans, they are accepting. You see how they are advancing. You cannot understand the supreme pure, Absolute Truth, keeping yourself impure. It is not possible. You can understand God when you are pure. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You cannot understand God if you are sinful.
Lecture on BG 13.16 -- Bombay, October 10, 1973:
This is the position of Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Therefore they are so unfortunate, always disturbed, always disturbed. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. First qualification is they do not live long. A very short period of life. And still manda, very bad. Manda-matayaḥ. And they have got their philosophy, something rascaldom. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ, and all unfortunate. They cannot eat even properly. There is no milk, there is no ghee, there is no rice. This is the position of Kali-yuga.
So therefore in this age, if we want to save ourselves from this onslaught of this age, the proposition is kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was informed by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "My dear King, I have described about the faulty nature of this age." Kaler doṣa-nidhi. Doṣa-nidhi means an ocean of faults. "But there is one good opportunity." Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. "There is one good quality." What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one can become free from all this contamination and he can go back to home, back to Godhead." This is another advantage of Kali-yuga. In other yuga one has to undergo so much severe austerity, penances. Then one can realize. But in this age the things have been made easy. That is also mercy of Kṛṣṇa because these people are so much, disturbed and fallen, downtrodden, they cannot undergo very severe austerity. Simply chant.
Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:
But we are... Because we are so much influenced by the material world, especially in this age of Kali, the age of misunderstanding and quarreling, that people are... Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. In this age their life is very short. Span of life is very short. And manda, all bad, not good men. Manda. And even there are so-called good men, they have their own process of knowledge, speculative process, godless. The main basic principle of speculative process is to avoid Kṛṣṇa, to avoid God. There are so many commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā to make Kṛṣṇa nil. That is mental speculation. Somebody is saying that in the there is karma only recommended. Somebody says jñāna. Somebody says yoga. Somebody says bhakti.
Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:
Unfortunately there is no education, there is no knowledge about this throughout the whole world. We are thinking that after annihilation of this body everything is finished. No, that is not the fact. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. If a young man thinks that "I have got now this body for enjoyment. I am young man. I shall not become an old man." That is not the fact. Young man has to become old man. That is prakṛti-jān guṇān. cannot say that "I shall remain young man forever and enjoy life." That is not possible. Similarly you have to change your body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Unfortunately there is no discussion, there is no education, there is no institute for this important factors of life and people are kept in darkness. This is Kali-yuga. They do not care to know neither there is arrangement in the educational institution to know this fact although the fact is there it is explained by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa personally explaining tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18). This body is perishable, but the śarīriṇaḥ, one who possesses this body, he is nitya, śāśvata. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This knowledge is missing. That is the defect of modern civilization. Atheistic civilization. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. This is not very good position.
Lecture on BG 13.23 -- Bombay, October 22, 1973:
So in this Kali-yuga people are degrading, and the supply also will be reduced. There will be no supply of milk, there will be no supply of sugar. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There will be no supply of rice, no supply of wheat. Now you can get black market, white market, but time is coming when there will be no supply, completely. You will be forced to eat this beef. Now it is opening, beef shop, big, big beef shop. This time has already come, gradually, and it will be increasing. Unless you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. This Kali-yuga is suffering. So you cannot get comfortable life in this Kali-yuga being godless. Because Kali-yuga means godless. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10).
So therefore everyone should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to save himself from the onslaught of Kali-yuga, which will increase day by day. Thank you very much. (end)
Lecture on BG 13.24 -- Bombay, October 23, 1973:
This is the process. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Then you can derive some benefit from the realized person. Upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ. Knowledge can be distributed by a person who has seen what is, who has experienced seeing... Seeing and hearing, these are the sources of gaining experience. So the śruti means hearing. And by hearing you will see. By hearing about God, Kṛṣṇa, ultimately you will see Him. When, by hearing, hearing, you'll develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Hearing is possible by association with devotees, sādhu-saṅga. You cannot hear from the rascals. You have to hear from the superior person, one who is self-realized. Hearing. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. By association with superior devotees... (break)
...apavarga-vartmani, on the path of liberation, śraddhā bhaktir ratir anukramiṣyati. then śraddhā, bhaktiḥ, attachment, rati, anukrama, one right by another, one by after another. Yes. So this is the process. But the age is so, Kali-yuga is so fallen, that people have lost all interest to understand the problem of life, how to solve them, how to attain to the platform of knowledge. They are not interested. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)
Lecture on BG 16.1-3 -- Hawaii, January 29, 1975:
So this is going on perpetually, not perpetually, at least for many, many millions of years, for many, many millions of years. But we are, because we are fool, especially in this age of Kali, we do not understand it. Therefore it is said, sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. You require to be cured of your, this disease, ignorance. That is called... Just like when you become infected with some disease, you go to a physician, and he gives you some injection or some medicine so that you may be cured of the extra fever or extra pain due to your disease. Similarly, those who are advanced in knowledge, their sattva, existence, is cured. That we require. Or everyone requires to be cured of this disease of ignorance. The ignorance, disease of ignorance, means "I am this body. I am this body." I am not this body. So therefore it is said, abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ, sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. And jñāna, this sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ, this purification of my existence, is possible. It is simply jñāna. Jñāna means knowledge. Because I am in ignorance, therefore I am thinking, "I am this body." So it requires a little jñāna, knowledge. Then we will understand that "I am not this body; I am different from this body." And because I am in ignorance, therefore I am thinking, "I am this body," "I am this white body," "I am this black body," "I am this American body," "I am this Indian body," "I am this cat's body" and "dog's body," so many different consciousness on account of this... Basic principle is this ignorance. Ignorance. So that we have to cure.
Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:
Just like in the race, the horse which is weak, it gives, some concession is given. And those who are strong, they are overloaded. Similarly, because the people of this age are not very strong, spiritually inclined, therefore for this particular age of Kali the tapasya has been, I mean to say, decreased. Just like these boys and girls. The tapasya means they have simply given up some bad habits: no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. That's all. Very easy. Now, you can see this is tapasya. And chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra twenty-four hours. This is the tapasya for Kali-yuga. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva. Any other means of meditation, offering sacrifices, or worshiping the Deity in the temple, these are difficult task, especially in this age. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. In this age, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, one can very easily make advance in spiritual life.
Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Hawaii, January 31, 1975:
So where there is want of these four facilities? The birds have got these facilities. The beasts, they... For sex life, the birds and beasts, they have got automatically. Two birds are born, two eggs one male, one female, from the very beginning. We are also born brother and sister. But human society does not allow sex between brother and sister. Still formality is there. But that is also going on. Human life has advanced. That is going on. In India one Punjabi, that father was anxious to get the daughter married, and the brother wrote the father, "My dear father, don't bother about my sister's marriage. We have arranged ourself, brother and sister." You see? So sex life is so strong. Although socially it is forbidden that brother and sister should not marry or should not have sex life, but that is also come. It is Kali-yuga. So that sex life facility is there automatically by nature. So why there is forbidden, "Not this sex life, not that..." Just like we forbid, no illicit sex, that without marriage, there is no sex. One may argue, "What is the difference, married sex and not-married sex? The business is the same."
Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Sanand, December 26, 1975:
So we should generally conclude that anyone who does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they fall in the groups of duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhāḥ, narādhamāḥ, māyayāpaḥṛta-jñānāḥ. So in the beginning we discussed nāpy ācāraḥ, sadācāra. So even one is short of sadācāra, Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Even one is not fully in sadācāra but if he has taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness fully, he is a sādhu. So to take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is made very easy during this Kali-yuga.
- harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
- kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
- (CC Adi 17.21)
Kalau, in this age, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then you become devatā. This is our program. So our only request is to you, that in whatever position you are—it doesn't require to be changed—simply take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and gradually you'll become devatā. That is the recommendation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Remain in your place but be Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is not difficult at all. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)
Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:
Just like the income tax department. They will take away all your hard-earned money, and they will enjoy themselves, and they are government officer, that's all. And if you keep money, "Oh, you have kept property without knowledge of government. Take it away." This is going on. So in this Kali-yuga it will happen so. The some rogues and frauds, they will combine together, and make a government, and take others' property, and they will remain honest, and he is fraud. This is Kali-yuga. The combined company of frauds, they will remain honest, and those who are servant of Kṛṣṇa, they are frauds. Bultaka jivi rama.(?) Just the opposite. What can be done? This is the Kali-yuga.
Anardhena nyāya-rahitam.(?) In this Kali-yuga, if you have no money, then you will never get justice because you have to bribe up to the high-court judge. That is going on. At least in India it is going on. You bribe, and you take favorable judgment. Is it not? Yes. And that is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Anardhena nyāya-rahitam. Everywhere you have to bribe. That means you require money. So unless you pay money, you will never get justice. This is Kali-yuga. Therefore a poor man cannot get justice. He cannot bribe. The other party will... If he has has got money, he will bribe. He will get justice, and he will suffer.
Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hyderabad, December 16, 1976:
Everyone is eligible to go back home, back to Godhead. So this movement is to execute this Kṛṣṇa's mission. He wants it. Why He says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ? Pāpa-yonayaḥ means suffering. Here in this material world either you are in pāpa-yoni or ucca-yoni, there is suffering. So Kṛṣṇa is... Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). Even the pāpa-yonis, they can be relieved, what to speak of those who are born in good family, brāhmaṇa, puṇya, rājarṣaya, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. Of course, in this age it is very difficult to find out the qualified brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kali-yuga, everyone is almost śūdra. And still, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. They can be elevated. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement.
Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:
We are missing that point. Kṛṣṇa said, God said, the clear idea, that "I am the enjoyer, bhoktā." Bhoktā means enjoyer. "I am the enjoyer." Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām. Yajña. Yajña means satisfying the Lord. This is called yajña. Just like we are chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is yajña, sacrifice. At least we are sacrificing little time. Kali-yuga, nobody is prepared to sacrifice. Especially when there is question of sacrificing for God, nobody's interested. So this, because they'll not sacrifice, they will enjoy themself, forgetting the supreme enjoyer. Just like a servant. If he cooks and enjoys himself without offering to the master, then what is his position? That is sinful position. Similarly, anyone, the demons, they have no sense of God. They do not like to offer. They want to eat anything nonsense, like hogs and dogs, and... That is demonic life.
Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:
Prabhupāda: Yes. I have already explained what is meaning of religion. Religion means to render service to God. If you do not render service to God, that is not religion; that is cheating. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām (SB 1.1.2), that "Cheating type of religion is completely rejected from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." That is not dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means the codes and the law given by God." So God says that, to surrender unto Him. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. So if one does not surrender to God, that religion has no meaning. It is useless.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Other questions?
Indian man (3): Swamiji, I would like to ask you one question, and that is in this time of Kali-yuga, is it possible that a layman could see the Paramātmā with his naked eye? And if he can, what he has to do or what?
Prabhupāda: So the Paramātmā cannot be seen with your naked eye. You cannot see anything with your naked eye. You are very much proud of your eyes, but you do not see things as they are. Just like you are seeing daily the sun. You see it is just like a disk, but it is not a disk. It is fourteen hundred times, fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this planet. So you cannot see God, Paramātmā, by these eyes, these material eyes. You have to create your eyes.
Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:
You can see God, or Kṛṣṇa, when you have developed love for Him. Otherwise you cannot see. This is the formula. You have to develop your... That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. In the Seventh Chapter I was speaking yesterday.
- mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha
- yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ
- asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ
- yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu
- (BG 7.1)
So this is practice how to see God. But in this Kali-yuga, as you have mentioned Kali-yuga, it is very simple thing. What is that? That simple thing is kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann hy asti eko mahān guṇaḥ. In the śāstra it is said this Kali-yuga is full of faults, so many faults. It is the ocean of faults. But there is a very nice thing, asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ, a very great quality. What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). If you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then you become perfect. Is it very difficult? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you become perfect. But we are so unfortunate, we are not even prepared to chant. This is our position. So you have to make little determination that "I shall chant henceforward Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." Then everything is all right.
Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:
Therefore Kṛṣṇa knows that mostly they are persons contaminated. Therefore He said, idaṁ te na atapaskāya. Those who are too much contaminated with the material qualities, three qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa... So generally, people are contaminated with tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. Hardly, at the present moment, hardly we shall find out one is qualified with the sattva-guṇa, brahminical qualification. Śāstra says, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In this age, Kali-yuga, mostly all of them are śūdras." No brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya, according to qualification. You can, by force, you can say, "I am brāhmaṇa; because I am son of a brāhmaṇa, I am brāhmaṇa." That you can do, but that is not the qualification. If somebody says, "My father is high-court judge. Therefore I am a high-court judge," is that very nice proposal? One must attain the qualification of high-court judge, even though he's a son of a high-court judge.
| Page Title: | Kali-yuga (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 17 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=112, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 112 |