Kingdom (Lectures, SB cantos 2 - 12)

Expressions researched:
"kingdom" |"kingdom's" |"kingdoms"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: kingdom or kingdoms or kingdom's not "spiritual kingdom" not "kingdom of god" not "god's kingdom"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:

Parīkṣit Mahārāja was quite competent to counteract the curse of the brāhmaṇa boy, but he decided that "I shall die." Because he thought that "I offended the boy's father by encircling a dead snake on the neck of the ṛṣi. So his son became angry that 'You have insulted my father. You die with this snake.' " So he accepted. So this, on the death point, he immediately left his kingdom, family, and everything, and went down to the river, bank of the river Ganges, and many... Because he was king, so many big, big men, even demigods, great saintly persons, they came to see Mahārāja Parīkṣit at his last stage of life, seven days.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Melbourne, June 26, 1974:

So immediately he left his kingdom, family, children, and went to the bank of the Ganges and sat down there, being prepared for the coming imminent death, within seven days. So because he was emperor of the world... So he was going to die. This news was spread, and all big, big men, great saintly persons, even demigods, they also come to see him. And he was asking everyone, "What is my duty?" So at that time Śukadeva Gosvāmī also arrived there. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was young boy, but paramahaṁsa. So he was received in that big assembly as the great personality of knowledge.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

Everyone has to leave it, voluntarily or by force, but they will not leave it voluntarily.

This is the disease, material disease. Everyone will be forced. You cannot live here forever. They are making very nice arrangement, nice house, nice kingdom, nice city, nice bank balance, nice society, nice community, nice nation. But they are missing one point, that "Any moment I shall be kicked out. Any moment." There is no guarantee. Parīkṣit Mahārāja got seven days' time, that "You shall die within seven days." We have no even one second's guarantee. This is our position. But still, we are so much attached.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:

This is the sūtra, in the Brahma-sūtra, that "God is ānandamaya, always jolly, always cheerful." So you can become also cheerful when you go back to home, back to Godhead. That is our problem.

Therefore how we can go there? The first thing is we must hear. Śrotavyaḥ. Just try to hear what is God, what is His kingdom, how He acts, how He is cheerful. These things are to be heard. Śravaṇam. Then as soon as you are convinced, "Oh, God is so nice," then you will be eager to demonstrate or to broadcast this news to the whole world. This is kīrtanam. This is kīrtanam.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

So if you have got the energy to search out such person, that is Bhagavān. It is not difficult. The definition is there. Here there is competition. Not only Bhagavān, but īśvara. Īśvara means controller. Everyone is īśvara. I also am controlling this institution. Or somebody is controlling his office, his factory, his kingdom. Just like President Nixon, he is controlling the United States. So all of us, more or less, we are īśvara, controller. Everyone. Just like this mother, she is controlling the small child. So she is also īśvara, means she is controlling. So anyone who has controlling power... So God has given everyone a little controlling power. In that sense every one of us, īśvara.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-3 -- Los Angeles, May 22, 1972:

And then, grandchildren are also, "You also take another. You also produce children." So they are called prajepsavaḥ. They want, they are happy to see that he has got many children. Just like Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He has got... He had hundred sons, and the hundred sons had another hundred sons. So he was after "How this kingdom should be mine, sons' land?" That is the cause of Kurukṣetra war. So prajepsavaḥ, prajā-kāmaḥ. So...so there are so many kāmas, desires. Different people, different kāma. Therefore they are all hṛta-jñānāḥ. Anyone who is impeded by this kāmas, they are less interested (intelligent).

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

Pradyumna: Translation: "One who wants a large stock of grains should worship Aditi. One who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Viśvadeva, and one who wants to be popular with the general mass of population should worship the Sādhya demigod."

Prabhupāda: So these are the problems. We have to cease (?). Exactly like that. Just like government departments. If you want to have this, you have to go to a particular department-building department, water department, so many... electric department... many departments. Tax department, income tax department, support tax department.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

Similarly, all these desires... Of course, a devotee has no material desire. Unless one is free from all these material desires... These are all material desires. Somebody wants to be powerful, somebody wants wealth, somebody wants to have beautiful wife, somebody wants to possess grains and worldly kingdom... There is no limit of our desires. And there are different departments also. You can fulfill your desires. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25).

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

One should worship the Rudra incarnations of Lord Śiva if he wants to be a great hero. One who wants a large stock of grains should worship Aditi. One who desires to attain the heavenly planets should worship the sons of Aditi. One who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Viśvadeva, and one who wants to be popular with the general mass of population should worship the Sādhya demigod. One who desires a long span of life should worship the demigods known as the Aśvinī-kumāras, and a person desiring a strongly built body should worship the earth.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

One who desires to be beautiful should worship the beautiful residents of the Gandharva planet, and one who desires a good wife should worship the Apsarās and the Urvaśī society girls of the heavenly kingdom. One who desires domination over others should worship Lord Brahmā, the head of the universe. One who desires tangible fame should worship the Personality of Godhead, and one who desires a good bank balance should worship the demigod Varuṇa. If one desires to be a greatly learned man he should worship Lord Śiva, and if one desires a good marital relation he should worship the chaste goddess Umā, the wife of Lord Śiva.

Lecture on SB 2.3.9 -- Los Angeles, May 26, 1972:

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (etc., leads chanting of verse:)

rājya-kāmo manūn devān

nirṛtiṁ tv abhicaran yajet

kāma-kāmo yajet somam

akāmaḥ puruṣaṁ param

(SB 2.3.9)

Translation: "One who desires domination over a kingdom or an empire should worship the Manus. One who desires victory over an enemy should worship the demons, and one who desires sense gratification should worship the moon. But one who desires nothing of material enjoyment should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Prabhupāda: This is significant. Those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they have no material desires. Finished. Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Upaśama, upaśama means completely finished, don't want. They can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise, without being akāma ... Akāma means no material desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), completely. If we have got least desire for material enjoyment, Kṛṣṇa will give us chance again to accept a body which will satisfy the senses.

Lecture on SB 2.3.10 -- Los Angeles, May 28, 1972:

They are not devotees. They are sarva-kāmaḥ. If they go to worship Kṛṣṇa, that is, there is facility. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, he was sarva-kāmaḥ. He wanted material happiness. He was insulted by his step-mother. He determined that "I shall have such kingdom which even my father also did not enjoy. My father's wife has insulted me. I shall show him." This kind of determination was there, that "I shall show him." So it was sarva-kāmaḥ. When Nārada approached Dhruva Mahārāja and informed him, "My dear boy, you are a prince, you are so delicate. You cannot accept these troubles of living in the jungle. It is very, very difficult. Great, great sages, they could not. You better go home. And when you get old, when time will be ripe, you can come. Now you go home."

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:

One after another, so many things comes, but let me explain to you. This hunting business was allowed only for the kings, kṣatriyas, not for ordinary man. Killing in sports. Because the king had to administer so strongly that sometimes he had to kill an evil person immediately with sword. The kingdom was very strong. Not many days before, say, about hundred years ago in Kashmir, if a thief was caught, burglar was caught, and he was proved that he has committed theft, the king would personally cut off, chop off his hand. The punishment was so severe. And the result was that even you miss something on your way, nobody will touch it.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

The śūdras are compared with the dogs because they cannot live without a master. Brāhmaṇa, he will not accept anyone's service. That is real brāhmaṇa. A kṣatriya will never accept anyone's service. Why the battle of Kurukṣetra was there? The Kurus, they took away the whole kingdom of the Pāṇḍavas. But they were kṣatriyas. How they will live? Therefore the fight was necessity. The kṣatriyas must be, must have some land to collect taxes. That is the kṣatriya's source of income. The brāhmaṇa's source of income, paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana ... They must be learned scholar, they must teach others, they must be devotee and teach others how to become devotee.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:

And he was also a good scholar in Vedic literature. He was a great devotee of Lord Śiva. And by the blessings of Lord Śiva, he got so much opulences. And he became so powerful that he dared to kidnap the wife of Rāmacandra. So such a powerful demon was killed by Rāmacandra. And He approached his kingdom on a stone bridge. And the stones were floating on the water. Where is the law of gravitation? The law of gravitation, the so-called scientists' imagination, does not act when Urukrama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, acts. He wanted, "There should be no law of gravitation. Let the stones float on the water." This is called urukrama.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

God means "enjoyer." So this disease can be cured only by surrender. That is the only medicine. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Here, also, the same thing: bhāraḥ paraṁ paṭṭa-kirīṭa-juṣṭam. A princely order, a king, he has been given the chance of ruling over, over a kingdom, but if he forgets his position, he actually becomes the proprietor, then this kingdom will be burden. Just like it became so in the case of Rāvaṇa, and he was finished. Similarly, as soon as the kings of the world became puffed up with their false power, the monarchy is now finished. All over the world.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

Still in some countries the so-called king or queen are existing. And they have no power. It is simply a show-bottle. So they have lost their power.

So we should be very much careful, not become puffed up by a princely order, turban, but we must know that this opulence, this kingdom, this power... Everyone. Anyone who has got some power, he must know that "This power is given by Kṛṣṇa unto me, and to execute His will, not my sense gratification." Otherwise, it will be burden, and he will be finished. This is laws of God. Nobody can become the enjoyer. The only enjoyer is God.

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

"My dear spiritual master, you have taught me so nice. I require to give you some dakṣiṇā." Dakṣiṇā, that is required. After initiation, one should pay dakṣiṇā. That is a system. "I should pay dakṣiṇā, but what shall I pay? I haven't got anything as my personal possession. It is already by the mercy of the brāhmaṇas that I am enjoying this kingdom. So it is already belonging to you. My kingdom, it is already belonging to you." That was the system. If any saintly person, brāhmaṇa, will ask from a kṣatriya king, he cannot deny.

Karṇa, he gave his son to be sacrificed.

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

He tested Karṇa's charity. He was very charitable, so he asked him that "I want your son, and you shall sacrifice, you both, husband and wife." He agreed, Karṇa, "Yes, I'll do that." So there was some test like that. So actually, formerly, the kings, they possessed their kingdom just to manage, not thinking "It is my property. I am the king." As soon as the kings thought like that, the monarchy finished. The king never thought like that. He thought himself as appointed agent of God, king. So he never thought. So Par... Śuka. . . Pṛthu Mahārāja said that "Nothing belongs to me, and even if I can pay from my treasury, so I cannot actually pay for the benefit I have derived from you.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

So superficially, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, king, the emperor of the world, he was cursed to death. A brāhmaṇa boy cursed him that "You will die within seven days." And as a result of this, he left his home, his kingdom, and here, next verse, it is said, ātma-jāyā. Jāyā means his one wife. He was young man. Suta, children; āgāra, āgāra means residence, house. Ātma-jāyā-sutāgāra. Paśu, animals. He was king. So he had many animals: horses, elephants, cows, bulls. These are household animals, domestic animals. And draviṇa. Draviṇa means wealth, riches. And bandhu, bandhuṣu, friendship.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

Practically he was bereft of everything. Just try to understand. He was cursed to death, and because he was preparing for next life, so he had to leave everything. And so..., what people will think? "Oh by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one has to lose all, everything? His kingdom, his everything." Therefore people are afraid to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Oh, we shall be lost of everything. Even up to life." This is the example of Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Parīkṣit Mahārāja... (reads purport) "To become a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, two things are very much essential, namely having a chance of being born in the family of a devotee and having the blessings of a bona fide spiritual master." So Parīkṣit Mahārāja had both blessings.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

These four things are obtained by pious activities in one's past life. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja had all these assets. That means in his previous life he was also a great devotee. So now, in this life, he's bereft of everything. After executing spiritual life so strenuously, life after life, in this life we see that he's bereft of his kingdom, he's going to die within seven days, and he had to leave his beautiful wife, children, home, kingdom, his animals. Everything we keep, there is affection. It is not that animals are meant for killing. They are also treated like children. (aside:) Don't move your leg like that.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

So anything you associate, you get affection. That's a fact. Therefore here it is stated, rājye cāvikale nityaṁ virūḍhāṁ mamatāṁ jahau. And his kingdom was very safe kingdom. It was not that there was disturbance in his kingdom. Somebody has attacked, so he was bereft... No. Cāvikale, without any disturbance. Very nice kingdom. So what people will think?

That "To become Kṛṣṇa conscious means to lose everything, up to life? Does it mean?" Sometimes, superficially, they take it like that, but actually that is not the fact. There is another story in which one saintly person came in an assembly. So he blessed... A saintly person, they, everyone expects some blessings. So there was a king's son.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

Don't think that Parīkṣit Mahārāja lost everything. Because he has understood Kṛṣṇa, so according to the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, it is fact that he is going back to home, back to Godhead.

Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja... What is the value of this kingdom, of the wealth of this material world? They are temporary. Even if you have got very good kingdom, very nice wife, very nice society, very... How long? And if there is any mistake, next life you can get something else. But so Parīkṣit Mahārāja's life... Because he's born devotee. From the childhood, he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Now, when he was cursed, it was blessings for him and for all others because he was cursed, there was necessity of the recitation of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

And after hearing this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he got salvation. So this superficial awkward position that he lost his life, lost his kingdom, he had to leave his wife and children and everything, don't take in that "By Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he became bereft of all assets. No. He was going to be rewarded very highly, going back to home, back to Godhead.

So another instruction is, in this connection, that one should be ready. If one is serious to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then one should be ready to give up all sorts of material enjoyment. That is the fact. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious for your material improvement... You can get it.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

"By executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I'll be materially happy," He can be materially happy because... As Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ (SB 2.3.10). His desire will be fulfilled. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He went to worship Kṛṣṇa in the forest with material desires, that "I may get the kingdom of my father or better kingdom." That was his determination. So he got it. But when he got it... By executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he was intelligent. He was very sorry that "What I have asked? This material happiness I have asked..."

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). "I don't want any this, any kind of benediction. I have got You. I have no more necessity of any benediction."

But Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He gave him both, that "Dhruva, you desired for some material prosperity, a kingdom. So I have created one kingdom, Dhruvaloka, for you, which is so many times bigger than your father's kingdom. So you will... So that is especially for you. That is Vaikuṇṭha. You will go there. But you wanted your father's kingdom. So you take your father's kingdom also." So he enjoyed his father's kingdom for 35,000 years. In those days, a man used to live for 100,000's of years.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

Pradyumna: (reads synonyms) Translation: "Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as a result of wholehearted attraction for Lord Kṛṣṇa, was able to give up all deep-rooted affection for his personal body, wife, children, palace, animals, horses, and elephants, treasury house, friends and relatives, and his undisputed kingdom."

Prabhupāda: So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Upadhārya matiṁ kṛṣṇe. So it is a great sacrifice. It is not like that, dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa. No. It is above. People are generally become religious to get some material benefit. Dharma artha. And as soon as he gets material benefit, he enjoys his senses, kāma. Dharma artha kāma. And when he fails to satisfy his senses, then he wants to become one with the supreme. That's mokṣa. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is above these four principles, dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90).

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

That's mokṣa. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is above these four principles, dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental. Therefore one can give up, immediately. Just like sometimes Bharata Mahārāja, under whose name India is called Bhārata-varṣa. He also gave up. He gave up his kingdom at the age of twenty-four years. Young wife, young, nice children, big, whole empire. And it is said that he gave up everything just like one gives up his stool, evacuates. Immediately goes away. So he gave up. So this is actually Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that we become completely free from any material possession, any material possession.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

It is very difficult. But just see, here Parīkṣit Mahārāja, due to his association with his spiritual master, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he understood... He, according to his instruction, he gave his mind and everything to Kṛṣṇa and he gave up the idea of enjoying his wife, children, palace, kingdom, or animals, and so many things. So it is little difficult also. But by Kṛṣṇa's grace, if we continue regularly these Kṛṣṇa consciousness rules and regulations, then automatically we shall be disinterested. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). These are not to be artificially attained.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

You cannot give up your wife, children, kingdom, artificially. Artificially, if you give up, then you will again fall down. Artificially, I give up my wife, and then I seek another's wife. This is nonsense. This is nonsense. This is falldown. When you are actually mature, then you give up. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was mature. From the very childhood, he was Kṛṣṇa conscious. So when he was cursed by a brāhmaṇa, he took it as an opportunity, "Now give up everything. Let me go back to home, back to Godhead." This is the philosophy. Thank you.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

So he's giving up that. Not that a teeny village or something. No. And that empire also, without any disturbance. He was so powerful that nobody could go against him. Rājye ca avikale. Avikale. Vikala means "broken" or "disturbed." But his kingdom was never broken or disturbed. Now the whole world is broken and disturbed, at the present moment. They have got so many countries, independent countries. That means the world is broken into pieces. Formerly there was no such piecework. One world, one king. One God, Kṛṣṇa. One scripture, Vedas. One civilization, varṇāśrama-dharma. Not very far away.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

There was training; therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja could give up.

It is not so easy to give up attraction for kingdom, wife, children, and motorcar, and paśu, and animals, and so many... He was king, emperor. How much possessions he had! So it is not very easy to give up the attraction for these possessions. Therefore it is called virūḍhām, virūḍhāṁ mamatām. The attraction is so deep-rooted. The example is this, a tree standing. It does not want to give it up, capture. So the attraction begins from this sex attraction. Puṁsaḥ mithunī-bhāvam, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ (SB 5.5.8). In the beginning there is attraction.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

Devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa means negation of all material attachments as detailed above. By the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Mahārāja Parīkṣit was awarded all material amenities and an undisputed kingdom in which to enjoy the undisturbed position of king, but by the grace of the Lord he was able to give up all connections with material attachment. That is the position of a pure devotee. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, due to his natural affection for Lord Kṛṣṇa as a devotee of the Lord, was always executing his royal duties on behalf of the Lord, and as a responsible king of the world he was always careful to see that the influence of Kali would not enter his kingdom.

Lecture on SB 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972:

Instead of trying to make this material world as beloved, you have to make Kṛṣṇa as beloved. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The everything is there. You get everything in return, as here, you are trying to enjoy, but without any inebriety. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja attained this stage. Therefore he could give up all his kingdom, all his family, all his animals and everything, and he simply became Kṛṣṇa conscious. Read the purport?

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Kāraṇam. Kāraṇam means cause. What is the cause? The cause is that as he's associating with a particular type of the modes of nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa... If he's associating with tamo-guṇa, then next life he's preparing in the lower animal kingdoms or most degraded family. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. If one is associating with tamo-guṇa, ignorance—no knowledge, in the darkness—then he is gliding down to the lower species of life: animal, birds, beast, trees, plants, aquatics, insects, serpents, so many.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

Param. We are seeing here in this material world, this apartment is better than the down apartment. So it is param. Param means better superior quality. So here in this material world we are finding out something superior than the others, because it is relative world. But the kingdom of Godhead, Vaikuṇṭha, na yat-param, there is no more param. Finished. All param finished.

Lecture on SB 2.9.11 -- Tokyo, April 27, 1972:

This is the position of Kali-yuga, horrible position. The king or the so-called president is simply showbottle. If you approach... You cannot approach. Formerly, if anyone was ill-treated, injustified, then he could go in front of the king. Just like Lord Rāmacandra, He was approached by a citizen: "My Lord, in the presence of father, son has died. What is Your kingdom?" Just see. The king is responsible. Natural death is father dies first, the son dies later on. But somebody's son died in the presence of the father. He immediately brought the case before the king: "Why it is?"

Lecture on SB 2.9.11 -- Tokyo, April 27, 1972:

Therefore niṣkiñcanānām. You have to become completely niṣkiñcana, nothing wanted of this material world. That is called tapasya. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (CC Madhya 19.167). If you want to utilize Kṛṣṇa... You can utilize. If you want kingdom, Kṛṣṇa will give you kingdom. That is not very difficult for you (Him). Kṛṣṇa can give you liberation, to merge in His effulgence. That also Kṛṣṇa will give. But it is very difficult to get Kṛṣṇa's service, very difficult. Kṛṣṇa will give you everything, whatever you want. By Kṛṣṇa conscious, being Kṛṣṇa conscious, by rendering devotional service, if you want to have some material profit, Kṛṣṇa will give you. Kṛṣṇa will give you. That is not very difficult thing for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

We get the opportunity, Lakṣmī. How Kṛṣṇa is served. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). If by trying in one life, I am getting the chance of entering into Kṛṣṇa's kingdom to have eternal, blissful life, if I reject it, how much unfortunate I am. Even if you fall down. But there is a chance of becoming immediately being transferred. But even there is no chance, even there is not fully completed, even it is failure, still it is said "It is auspicious," because the next life guaranteed a human form of life. And for the ordinary karmī, what is next life? There is no information. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). He can become a tree, he can become cat, he can become a demigod. Not more than a demigod. That's all. And what is the demigod?

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

So Vidura, although he was born of śūdra mother... His mother was śūdra, maidservant. Formerly, when a prince was married, along with the princess, a few dozens of maidservants would go with the king. So to become king, always it is to be understood he has to maintain more than one wife. That is king. Even in Muhammadan kingdom, Nawab was Ridali Shah (?). After the Mogul period... In Lucknow, if you go... So he had 164 wives, begam(?) And all of them had children. And when Britishers occupied, the Britishers had to give them pension according to the share. So amongst the Muhammadans also, polygamy was allowed. And Hindus, especially the higher class, brāhmaṇas and kṣatriya, polygamy is allowed.

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

Now, this Pāṇḍu died at an early age, and the sons of Pāṇḍu, they were minor children. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra took charge for their maintenance as his other sons. But his policy was that "I could not be elevated on the throne because I was blind, but actually the kingdom belongs to me. So anyway, my brother occupied the throne. Now he is dead and gone. So why his sons should be king? My son should be king." This was the politics. So he was trying how to kill the Pāṇḍavas from the very beginning. And Vidura was restricting him, restraining him. So this is the subject matter. He called Vidura, "What is to be done?" Vidura, he disclosed everything to Vidura. Vidura said, "No, you cannot do that." That will be discussed next morning.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

To become guru means para-upakāra. People are in the darkness, so they have to be enlightened. That is the Vedic injunction. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. Now, people, from animal kingdom we are getting this human body. So up to animal body we are sleeping, kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole, in the lap of this material nature. Now this human form of body is meant for getting out. So the mission is to awaken people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To awaken people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Jīv jāgo jīv jāgo, gauracānda bole. Gauracānda, means Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is speaking to everyone, "Oh, the living entity, get up! Get up!" Kota nidrā jāo māyā-piśācīra kole: "How long you shall sleep?"

Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:

So they welcome. Just like Kuntī. Queen Kuntī, when Kṛṣṇa was departing, taking farewell from Kuntī, so Kuntī said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, when we are in full of danger, at that time You are always present as our friend, as our advisor. Now we are well situated. We have got our kingdom. We are well established. So You are going away to Dvārakā? No, no, no, this is not good. Better we may again go to that suffering so that we can remember You always." So the devotee sometimes welcomes suffering because that is an opportunity of remembering Kṛṣṇa very constantly. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). So when a devotee suffers, he thinks that "It is due to my past misdeeds. So I am suffering not very much, a very little, on account of Kṛṣṇa's grace. So it doesn't matter."

Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:

So if we simply hear Bhagavad-gītā, we can attain this stage of perfection, no more suffering. That is a fact. So just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. He made his life... Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). He was a very responsible king, emperor of this world, and he was administering his kingdom. At the same time, he was a great devotee. These are the examples in this country. There were many kings like that; they are called rājarṣi.

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

"Oh, now I am very happy." This is called prakṣepātmika-śakti. Sometimes Indra became a hog, being cursed by Bṛhaspati. So Brahmā, after some time, came to receive him, that "Indra, now you have suffered very much. Now come with me to your heavenly kingdom." He said, "Where shall I go?" "Now, in the heaven." "No, no, no. I have got my family. I have got my children. How can I go?" The hog is thinking that he has got family, he has got his children, so he cannot give up this responsibility and go to heaven. No. It is not possible. So this is called māyā. Even in hog's life, dog's life, germ's life, stool's life, everyone is thinking, "I am very happy." But he does not know that there is tīvraṁ bhayam, very fierceful condition. But he forgets.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

Nitāi: "(The yogis, equipped with) transcendental knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear."

Prabhupāda:

jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena

bhakti-yogena yoginaḥ

kṣemāya pāda-mūlaṁ me

praviśanty akuto-bhayam

(SB 3.25.43)

Akuto-bhayam. Here in this material world—simply bhayam, only fearfulness. Nobody is safe here. At any moment the life may be finished. Nobody can guarantee. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). In the śāstra it is said that here in this material world there is danger in every step. You are walking very nicely, and sometimes suppose there is a skin of plantain, and you slip, and your leg may be broken. Padaṁ padam. Even walking, even sitting-heart failure.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:

The Bharata Mahārāja, Bharata Mahārāja, under whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa... So you will find in the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam his life. He enjoyed his kingdom, then voluntarily he left. After the end of his material way of life, he divided the property to his sons and left. And he was living alone at Pulahāśrama near Haridwar, and undergoing severe tapasya. That is human life, to accept tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). You are searching after happiness, but why don't you see that in this material life your happiness is conditioned?

Lecture on SB 3.26.11-14 -- Bombay, December 23, 1974:

We are just now dressed. Just like I am now covered with this dress, cotton dress, similarly, I am now covered by these twenty-four elements. And I am working under this conception, that "I am these twenty-four elements" or "I am this body." So if I continue in that way, then I remain in the animal kingdom. Because the dog is also thinking like that, that "I am this body." He may not be able to analyze the bodily construction. He may not be a medical man or psychologist. That doesn't matter. But he thinks that "I am this body," and he is working like that. So we human being, if I study all the science, physics, chemistry, psychology, and other material science, soil expert... Soil expert means studying the earth, that's all. There are so many. So in spite of all these things, if we remain in the darkness of my spiritual identity, then I am no better than the cats and dogs. This is conclusion.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

Therefore, according to Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava principle, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's life and His next disciples', the Gosvāmīs', life is to completely get free from any material possession. Vairāgya. Vairāgya-vidyā. This spiritual life... Therefore in Bhāratavarṣa, in India, you will see big, big kings, they give up their kingdom, their opulent life, wife, children, and become a mendicant, a beggar—not beggar, but renounced everything. This Bhāratavarṣa is under the name of Mahārāja Bhārata. His life is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Canto, how he gave up his wife, children, kingdom, everything, and he lived alone in the forest, Pulastya, Pulaha-āśrama. But still, māyā is so strong, he became attached to a small deer. And for that reason, he had to wait for his liberation three lives.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

So when Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna to practice yoga for controlling the mind in the Sixth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna refused. Arjuna said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are advising me to control the mind by practicing yoga, but I have no such opportunity because I am a family man. I am also politician, royal family. I have to see things, administration of the kingdom. And besides that, in family life I have to seek for my material interest. So how it is possible for me to control the mind?"

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

They are asat. They are asat. Why asat? Because they will remain in this material world. Therefore they are asat. And those who will go to the spiritual, who will be promoted to the spiritual world, back to home, back to Godhead, they are sat, oṁ tat sat, because they are being promoted to the eternal kingdom. That is sat. This is the distinction between asat and sat. Those who will perpetually remain within this material world, they are called asat. The karmīs, jñānīs, and yogis. Yogis, they... Just like... What is that big yogis? That ṛṣi, great ṛṣi?

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Actually, our satisfaction can be revived only with relationship of Kṛṣṇa, revival of our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That is śānti. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, when he came in contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead... He was hankering after material opulence, kingdom, a better kingdom than his father, than his grandfather. That was his ambition. As a child, he was insulted by his stepmother. So actually when he saw Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, he was so satisfied that he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "Now I have no more hankering."

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

Therefore the king, Ṛṣabhadeva, is advising, instructing His sons... He was retiring. Why He was retiring? He could enjoy His kingdom. Just like at the present moment, either a king or a family man does not retire. Even a poor man living in with family with great difficulties, but if you ask him to retire, he'll not be agreeable. We have asked many old men. He's suffering, he's not happy within his family members, but if I say, "Why you are taking so much trouble with the family? Why not come and live with us in Kṛṣṇa consciousness society?" he'll not agree. Because he has no Vedic training.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

The cow is also born in this land. So why the man should be given protection, not the cow? But according to Vedic civilization you see. You have read in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, I explained. Oh, one man was going to kill one cow. Immediately Mahārāja Parīkṣit took his sword, "Oh, you are trying to kill cow in my kingdom? I shall immediately kill you." The special protection, brāhmaṇas and cow. You know, we offer Kṛṣṇa obeisances, namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca: "Kṛṣṇa, You are the leader of brahminical civilization." The purest civilization. Namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

First of all, mother's milk. Milk for six months. Then when it is a little grown up, you simply give her sufficient milk, oh, she'll be very stout and strong. Then supply it little grains, fruits. That's all.

So we have got many foodstuff in the vegetarian kingdom, and Kṛṣṇa asks you that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "Anyone who is offering Me..." This is universal. Patram means a leaf. Just like a leaf. Puṣpam, a flower. And patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam. Phalam means a fruit. And toyam means water. So any poor man can offer Kṛṣṇa. There is no need of, I mean to say, luxuriant foodstuff, but it is meant for the poorest man. The poorest of the poor men can secure these four things—a little leaf, a little flower, a little fruit, and little water. Any part of the world.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

And the ultimate result will be that you will no more desire, because so long you'll desire, you'll never get peace. But by worshiping Kṛṣṇa for some material motive, you'll get that, (but) at the end you will not ask anything more. You'll be śāntā, praśāntā. This is the result. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He went to worship Kṛṣṇa for achieving greater kingdom than his father. That was his motive. But when he actually got perfection, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ, when you get Kṛṣṇa, then you'll understand that there is no more anything more obtainable than Kṛṣṇa, fully satisfied. That is wanted. That's all? So many? All right. Go on.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Not only cow. Any animal, they should be object of our compassion. If we want to eat something and live, so if you have got sufficient foodstuff in other kingdom... We have got vegetables, we have got grains, we have got milk. So many things. Fruit, flower. So many things. Just like we are living on these things. We don't feel any inconvenience. And they are... According to medical science also, they are very rich in vitamins, food value. So why should we kill? Especially if we are human being, the cow is supplying us milk, the most important foodstuff. So instead of giving protection to the cow, if we kill, do you think that is very..., if you kill me, is that very good gratitude?

Lecture on SB 5.5.4 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1976:

You are implicated. So, therefore you can stop your desires only by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise, they will go on. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). This is Dhruva Mahārāja said. He had desires, very, very great desires that "I shall have, I shall possess a kingdom greater than Brahmā, greater than my father." He was insulted by his stepmother. This is desire. This is We are Action and reaction. So he desired that "I shall have a great kingdom—greater kingdom than my father." He went to the forest and he underwent very severe austerities, a five-years-old boy. He saw, Kṛṣṇa came.

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

So Arjuna, when came to the camp of Duryodhana, Duryodhana well received him: "Yes, my dear brother, come. What do you want? Why you have come?" "Now, you promised something to give me. I have come to take that." "Yes, I will give you. You want without fight the kingdom? Take it immediately. You want that?" "No, no, no. I don't want that. Fighting must go on. That is not I have not come to beg you that. We shall I have come to take that weapons which you have kept." Immediately he delivered. He kept the safety for killing them, and because he has come to beg "A kṣatriya should not beg, but he is begging? All right, take it." This is India. This is India's civilization.

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

This is our business. Just like Hanumān, Vajrāṅgajī. He took very severely to punish Rāvaṇa. What was the fault? He was godless. He was against Rāma. Therefore he took it very seriously and set fire to his beautiful kingdom, Laṅkā.

So, of course, Hanumānjī never did it for his personal. They were monkeys, not even human being. They did not want. The monkeys did not want such nice city. But for Rāmacandra... Similarly, our principle should be that we can utilize everything, but not for our sense gratification, but for Kṛṣṇa. That should be the motive of Kṛṣṇa conscious people. And try to educate people to become Kṛṣṇa conscious so that actually they become happy.

Lecture on SB 5.5.25 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1976:

Pradyumna: "I am fully opulent, almighty, and superior to Lord Brahmā and Indra, the king of the heavenly planets. I am also the bestower of all happiness obtained in the heavenly kingdom and by liberation. Nonetheless, brāhmaṇas do not seek material comforts from Me. They are very pure and do not want to possess anything. They simply engage in My devotional service. What is the need of their asking for material benefits from anyone else?"

Prabhupāda:

matto 'py anantāt parataḥ parasmāt

svargāpavargādhipater na kiñcit

yeṣāṁ kim u syād itareṇa teṣām

akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām

(SB 5.5.25)

So devotional life, bhakti-yoga, is so exalted that they do not care for heavenly planet, apavarga, mukti, liberation. They do not care. Insignificant. That śloka of Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he realized this, that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. The liberation of becoming one with the Supreme is called kaivalyam, kevalādvaitam, oneness. So for a devotee it is as good as the hell. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And then?

Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976:

Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was beaten in twenty-one bazaars regular with cane because he was Muhammadan, and in those days the Muhammadan kingdom was going on, Pathan ruling. So the Kazi, he saw that one Muhammadan, he has become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So he called him so, that "With great fortune you became a Muhammadan, and now you are taking to Hinduism? You are so unfortunate?" So he could understand that "Here is a rascal. What I shall talk with him and argue with him?" He simply said, "Sir, it is... What is the fault there? Just like so many Hindus, they sometimes become Muhammadan, and suppose if I have become a Hindu, what is the wrong there?" So the Kazi took it very seriously: "Oh, you are answering? All right.

Lecture on SB 5.6.6 -- Vrndavana, November 28, 1976:

So opulence, even Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Kṛṣṇa appeared in a kṣatriya family, very opulent. Lord Rāmacandra appeared in a kṣatriya family, kingdom, opulence. He also accepted vairāgya-vidyā. Father requested, "My dear son, Your mother likes that You should go to the forest." Immediately accept, "Yes." This śloka is applicable to Lord Rāmacandra. Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm (SB 11.5.34). He was going to be coronated next day king, but immediately, by the order of His father, He left everything. Vairāgya... Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rāj... Is there any instance throughout the history of the whole world that a prince was going to be king tomorrow and on the order of father he left everything?

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

So yesterday we talked about Parīkṣit Mahārāja. So he was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy. So he prepared himself for death. What was the preparation? That he left immediately his kingdom and the kingdom was divided among his sons. He was young man, not very old, but he understood, "Now, within seven days, I will have to die." So immediately he left home and went to the bank of the Ganges. He was situated... His capital was what is now called New Delhi. Formerly it was known as Hastināpura. The another name of Hastinā..., New Delhi, is there still, and there is a very, very old fort. They say that this fort belonged to the Pāṇḍavas, Mahārāja Parīkṣit. They are keeping just like in Rome they are keeping old buildings.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

You bring and mix with them stool and urine and make a Professor Einstein. (laughter) You are advanced scientist. You bring this ingredient and make a very intelligent man. So this is all foolishness. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who thinks this body as the self, then he is in the animal kingdom. One, if anyone wants spiritual knowledge, he first of all know what is spirit, then spiritual knowledge. If you have no idea of spirit, what is the value of your spiritual knowledge? There is no value. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). When Arjuna was declining to fight... Other side was his kinsmen, his brother, nephews, his teacher, all very affectionate. So Arjuna declined, "Kṛṣṇa, I am not going to fight. They have usurped our kingdom. That's all right. They are also our own men. Let them enjoy. But I am not going to kill them." This is Vaiṣṇava. Because he is a devotee, in spite of being harrassed by the other party... Wife was insulted, then kingdom was taken by betting, by gambling. In this way they were put into so many troublesome position. Still, when there was actual fight, because Arjuna was a Vaiṣṇava, devotee, he said, "Let them enjoy.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

It is a big... It is peddled by the legs, and the grains are taken away the skin. So if this dheki, this machine, is sent to heavenly planet, what he will do? The same business: "Dag! Dag! Dag!" That's all. So either you go to the heavenly planet or you remain here or you remain in animal kingdom, your... Even the trees, they are standing—they are giving service. They are giving you fruits, they are giving you flowers, and if you want his service, by the wood, by the body, you cut; it will not protest. "

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1970:

So about that description of that hellish planet has been described in the previous chapter. Now, you should always remember that this Bhāgavatam is being spoken by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was to die within seven days, and he immediately left his kingdom and family and went to the bank of the Ganges, sat down there tightly without taking even a drop of water, simply with great seriousness he heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And he got salvation, within seven days. There are nine different process of executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Several times I have described that nine processes. The first process is hearing. The second process is chanting.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

The whole Bhāgavata is talking between the spiritual master and the disciple. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the spiritual master, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit, king, is the disciple. At the time of his death he had only seven days remaining. He was aware that only seven days remaining. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit left his kingdom and sat down on the bank of the Ganges, and fortunately his spiritual master also came.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, May 8, 1976:

"Why unnecessarily you are injuring this...?" Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja, when he was going... And some person was śūdra in the dress of the king. He was trying to kill a cow. Immediately Parīkṣit Mahārāja took his sword: "Who are you, rascal, you are trying to kill a cow in my kingdom?" That is kṣatriya.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Denver, July 2, 1975:

That is the miserable condition of material life. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). So we have to leave this place. And when we leave, then, according to our proportion of sinful or pious activities, we get next body. So those who are very, very sinful, they go to the hellish condition of life, the planets. They are down this universe. There is the kingdom of Pluto, or Yamarāja. And he comes at the time of death, and the sinful man... Is very, very fierceful, odd looking, and they come to take. So here it is said that one who has once surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, for them there is no such fear. Even in dream they will not see the order-carriers of Yamarāja.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

These four things, they were very much addicted, so they were rejected from the society. The society was so pure. Five thousand years before, Parīkṣit Mahārāja gave the Kali-yuga four places. First of all he wanted to kill Kali. Then he begged pardon, "Sir, I am also your praja, a citizen in your kingdom. So it is my business to kill these animals. So why you are punishing me? So give me protection. What can I do?" So Parīkṣit Mahārāja allowed, "No, you cannot do in my kingdom. You have to go out."

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was the emperor of the whole world, so the Kali, he said, "Sir, you say go out of your kingdom, but where is not your kingdom? Everywhere, throughout the whole world, where shall I go?" Then he designated that "You stay in these four places." "What are those places?" "Now, where illicit sex, brothel, prostitutes are going on. You can live there. And where unnecessary animal killing is going on, you can stay here. And where drinking, intoxication, is encouraged, you can stay there. And where gambling is there, you can stay there." So he could not find any place throughout the whole world where these things were going on. That is the kingdom of Mahārāja Parīkṣit.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

You see? The so-called sannyāsīs, their business is to... This tendency is always there, but according to the age, sometimes it is very prominent and sometimes not so prominent. But this material world is so contaminated. In the days of Rāmacandra people were hankering after the kingdom of Rāma, even there was Rāvaṇa in the days of Rāmacandra. And what to speak of all these nonsense debauchees? Rāmacandra was so strict, and God Himself was ruling, and still, there was Rāvaṇa. But because Rāmacandra was there he was also killed. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). God's business is to protect the faithful and kill the demons. That is always. Therefore we find Lord Viṣṇu, the four symbolic representation: for killing, the club and the cakra; and for protecting, the lotus flower and conchshell.

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

Kṛṣṇa says that "I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā to Vivasvān." Vivasvān is the name of the person who is predominating in the sun globe. So we have to know from Kṛṣṇa that sun globe is not vacant. When the king is there, the other things are also; the kingdom is also there. That is a planet with fire, just like this planet is earth predominant, and that planet is fire predominant. And there are five elements: earth, water, fire... Somewhere the water predominates, somewhere the fire predominates, somewhere... We can experience. Just like on the sea, beach we go. We are standing where the earth is predominant, but just a few yards after, the water is predominant.

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Chicago, July 7, 1975:

They are called agni-po(?). Where is the scientist? But we get this information from the śāstra. Agni-po(?), worms within the fire. And Kṛṣṇa says, above all—this is also Kṛṣṇa's statement—imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). There is kingdom. There is city. There is population. Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa went there long, long ago, forty millions of years, and He instructed this Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god? Vivasvān, his name, is also there. Not fictitious. This is the paramparā system. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1).

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

So this is the way, ato gṛha-kṣetra-suta-āpta, friends. Arjuna was lamenting, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are asking me to fight with my relatives. Then suppose I become victorious and they're killed. Then whom I shall show the kingdom?" That was his objection. (laughter) "If everyone is killed on the other side, my friends and relatives, and suppose I become victorious, then whom I shall show my prosperity?" So āpta, suta, ato gṛha-kṣetra-suta-āpta and vitta and money. It is one after another. First wife, then apartment, then field for agriculture, then friends, then children, then money, bank balance. In this way he does not know he's becoming entangled more and more.

Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- San Francisco, July 16, 1975:

Below this universe there are many planetary systems. They are called Pātāla, Atala, Vitala, Talātala, Rasātala, Mahātala, Sutala—seven layers. So below that layers there is hellish planets. Just like up there are heavenly planets, similarly, down there are hellish planets. So Yamarāja, his kingdom, his jurisdiction, is within these hellish planets.

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- San Francisco, July 18, 1975:

And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "I spoke this philosophy formerly to the sun-god." So unless there is sun-god or the king of the sun planet... So if the king is there, the citizens must be there, the kingdom must be there—but they are made of fire. So similarly, in the Vaikuṇṭha world, everything is spiritual. That we have to learn. We cannot make our own conclusion foolishly. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:

They are simply after wine and women. So that is fall of religion. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. As soon as he saw that one man was trying to kill a cow, immediately with his sword: "Who are you? You are killing a cow in my kingdom?" So if the state does not take steps in maintaining religion, then religion will fall down. Just like a father. If he does not take care of his son to be a man of character, he becomes a debauchee. That is natural. So according to Vedic principles, the kings were very much highly trained to see how the people are advancing in the spiritual knowledge. Just like one king... You will find in The Nectar of Devotion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41 -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1976:

We have to understand this theoretically at the present moment. But there, everything is cintāmaṇi. Everything is alive, spiritual.

So Nārāyaṇa's place is there, sa dhāmani. That is His own abode. This is also Nārāyaṇa's abode, this material world. Just like king. King's kingdom is very widespread, but still, he has got a palace. That is sa dhāmani. Everywhere his property, government property, but still there is a government house, particular. Similarly, everything belongs to God, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1), everything. Everything, God's property. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29).

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, June 9, 1976:

You cannot enter even the sun planet, what to speak of talking with him. But Kṛṣṇa could talk. Kṛṣṇa can go anywhere. And when there is sun-god, then "god" means not alone. A king does not mean alone. King means he has got his kingdom, he has got his subjects, he has got minister, he has got military strength. Everything is there. So similarly, if we accept Kṛṣṇa's statement that "I spoke to sun-god," the sun-god is there in the sun globe, and he has his kingdom, so dazzling kingdom. It looks like fire, blazing. But don't think it is impersonal. Impersonal? How Kṛṣṇa could talk with him? There is no question of impersonality.

Lecture on SB 6.1.48 -- Dallas, July 30, 1975:

So he is so powerful that through his mind he can see the past and the future, tri-kāla-jñā, by mind. And because he is so powerful, he is addressed here as Bhagavān. I have several times explained, Bhagavān means the most powerful, full of opulences. So those who are in charge of departmental affairs within this universal kingdom, they are also sometimes addressed as Bhagavān. And Aja, Aja is Brahmā. Aja means who does not take birth. So Brahmā also did not take birth like ordinary human being. He sprouted like the lotus flower from the abdomen of Mahā Viṣṇu..., Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Therefore he is called Aja or Svāyambhu, Svāyambhu: "personally born, not through the womb of the mother." Brahmā was not born through the womb of mother; therefore he is called bhagavān ajaḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.1.51 -- Detroit, August 4, 1975:

Nitāi: "The subtle body endowed with the five knowledge-acquiring senses, the five working senses, the five objects of sense gratification, and the mind, altogether sixteen parts, which is the effect of the three modes of material nature and is composed of very strong, insurmountable desires, causes the living entity to transmigrate from one body to another within the kingdom of human life, animal life, or higher demigod life. When he gets the body of a demigod he is certainly very jubilant. When he gets the body of a human being he is always in lamentation. When he gets the body of an animal he is always afraid. In this way, in all conditions he is miserable. This miserable condition is called saṁsṛti, or transmigration in material life."

Prabhupāda:

tad etat ṣoḍaśa-kalaṁ

liṅgaṁ śakti-trayaṁ mahat

dhatte 'nusaṁsṛtiṁ puṁsi

harṣa-śoka-bhayārtidām

(SB 6.1.51)

This is called sāṅkhya-yoga, to understand the analytical process of this body. In the Bhagavad-gītā you have learned that,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

So with this combination of sixteen elements, within that there is the soul. He is enwrapped in so many wrappers, mana, buddhi, ahaṅkāra and... Altogether twenty-four wrappers, and within that wrappers there is the living soul. The modern science, they cannot understand this.

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

This bhakti means śuddha-bhakti. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). That, that is transcendental platform. There are viddha-bhakti. Viddha-bhakti. So one who goes to worship Viṣṇu for some material bene... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja went. That was bhakti, but that was viddha-bhakti, adulterated. Dhruva Mahārāja went to gain his father's kingdom. That is arthārthī. Ārtaḥ arthārthī. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām. Four kinds of men goes to worship Viṣṇu: ārta, those who are distressed; arthārthī, those who are in need of money or material benefit; jijñāsu, those who are inquisitive; and jñānī—these four kinds. Out of these, jijñāsu and jñānī are better than the ārta and arthārthī, the distressed and need of money.

Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975:

So he chastised him, punished him. He was going to kill him, but he saved himself, that "This is my time. I am Kali-yuga. I am the representative. So this is my business, to kill cow. So what can I do?" Then he said that "You better get out. Otherwise I shall kill you." "So where shall I go?" "Now, out of my kingdom." "Then where is not your kingdom? The whole world is your kingdom. Where shall I go? I am also your subject. You must give me a place." Then he gave him the places—striyaḥ sūnā pānaṁ dyūtaṁ yatra pāpas catur-vidhaḥ: "You can remain in four places. Where illicit sex is indulged, prostitution, you can remain there; and sūnā," means unnecessary killing animals, slaughterhouse, "you can remain there.

Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975:

And gambling." Pāna dyūta (SB 1.17.38). Dyūta means gambling. "You can remain in these places." So it was very difficult for Kali to find out such place because Mahārāja Parīkṣit's time the kingdom was so nice that there was no brothel, no slaughterhouse, no liquor shop and no gambling club. This is rājarṣi. So you could not find. Therefore Kali made a conspiracy how to get out Mahārāja Parīkṣit so that he could spread his influence. So long Mahārāja Parīkṣit was there, there was no influence of Kali-yuga. So after all, the age has come. It is ordained.

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that even people joke with us, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," it goes to his credit, even joking. When this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement was started by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, at that time India was under Pathan rule, Muhammadan kingdom. So the constables, they were requested to "Arrest these chanters." The brāhmaṇas, the smārta brāhmaṇas, because Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached that "Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you will be liberated," so the smārta brāhmaṇas, they thought it very dangerous because their profession will be lost. So they protested to the magistrate, Muhammadan magistrate, Chand Kazi, that "This Caitanya, the Nimāi Paṇḍit, He has inaugurated one movement that 'Simply by chanting one will become liberated.' This is not according to our Hindu scripture.

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

Therefore His anger and our anger is not the same. If we become angry unnecessarily... But sometimes we may also become angry in the service of the Lord, not for personal interest. Just like Hanumānjī. Hanumānjī, he became very angry upon Rāvaṇa and he devastated his kingdom, which was known as golden kingdom of Rāvaṇa. So not for his personal interest. Arjuna also, he was nonviolent naturally because he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. But when Kṛṣṇa asked him to fight he became very much angry, because without being angry you cannot fight. You have to agitate your mind even artificially. Then you can fight. Therefore, when there is fight both the parties, they stood very strongly so that agitate themselves to become angry. This is the process.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

There is a prescription that one should go during this time, maghamelā, and live in the confluence, on the bank of the confluence of Gaṅga and Yamunā and at least three days he must live. Then he becomes eligible to enter into the heavenly kingdom. These people who have come here, their ambition is to enter into the heavenly kingdom. But a devotee does not care for heavenly kingdom. A devotee cares a very fig in any planet within this material world. As Kṛṣṇa says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino arjuna. Means they know what is the benefit of entering into heavenly kingdom. There is no benefit. Suppose I may get thousands of years' age and I enjoy very high standard of life, woman, money, wine. Just think.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

Therefore who takes to this principle—tāra janma, adho pāte yāya. If one does not take advantage of this human form of life to be a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, then he simply spoils his life. Tara janma, adho pāte yāya. Even if he is elevated to the heavenly kingdom what does he gain? He's adho pata because the next chance he may be worm in the stool. Tāra janma, adho pāte yāya. These are facts.

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

Durvāsā Muni, when he committed offense at the feet of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa was a gṛhastha, a kṣatriya, and king. He had to rule over the kingdom. But because he was devotee, he was very respectful. So Durvāsā Muni, he was a great yogi. He became very much envious of this king, Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, that "He is ordinary gṛhastha, dealing with politics, and I am a great yogi, known all over the universe, and he is more respected than me?" So he wanted to punish him to show him his yogic power. Sometimes the yogis, they get some power and misuse it for personal sense gratification. That is the pitfall of yogic perfection. Aiye. When one gets little power he misuses it and thereby falls down.

Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela:

That is necessary. But if we simply perform religious performances to acquire money only, that is misguided. Generally people do so. They give in charity so that they may get more money. They open dharmaśālā so that they can get more houses. That is their purpose. Or they may be elevated to the heavenly kingdom. Because they do not know what is his actual interest. The actual interest is to go back to home, go back to Godhead. This idea, perhaps not even one percent men know that the ultimate end of, ultimate goal of life is to go back to home, back to Godhead. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31)—Viṣṇu, God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They do not know that the real interest is to go back home, go back to Godhead. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.2.17 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1975:

If you get something, that something, "I don't want anything more." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42), Dhruva Mahārāja said. He went to the forest to undergo severe austerities so that he can see Nārāyaṇa and beg some benefit, to get a greater kingdom than his father. He was insulted by his stepmother, so the boy, son of a kṣatriya, he determined that "I shall have a better kingdom than my father." So he got it. By Kṛṣṇa's grace he got it, that Dhruvaloka, the polestar. It is very big star. So he went for this purpose.

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

Formerly the kings and the executive heads were very responsible to protect religion. That is the duty of the king, to protect. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja, when he was on tour. As soon as he saw that one man is trying to kill a cow, immediately he became fire: "Oh, in my kingdom there is killing of cow? Who are you? I shall immediately kill you." You know this? The kings were taking. The kings were so responsible. But here they have declared... The so-called kings, they are themselves debauch, and they do not know what is religion. Therefore, in the Kali-yuga there is no other alternative than to chant peacefully, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare... There is no protection. And what does the executive heads, the presidents or secretaries? They simply manipulate some votes, third-class men. Who has written that article?

Lecture on SB 6.3.25-26 -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

Just like Arjuna. He was not willing to kill his kinsmen. Although he was so much insulted, he was bereft of his kingdom, his wife was insulted, still, he was thinking that "What is the use of killing my family members? Let them enjoy the kingdom. I shall better beg and live." He was thinking in that way because a devotee, yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12).

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

Then very quickly we develop our good qualities, original godly qualities. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇair tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12).

So devotees are generally very good, godly qualities. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna, he was insulted by his brothers, his wife was insulted, his kingdom was usurped, taken away, that..., forced to go to the forest for twelve years. So many troubles they had to undergo due to the political intrigues by the cousin-brothers. Still, while he was in front of fighting, he thought, "What is the use of fighting and killing my cousin-brothers? Better let them enjoy.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

There is a verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: yasyāham anughṛnāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa, to show some special favor to His devotee, He takes away his all material opulences. Dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. Just like the Pāṇḍavas. The Pāṇḍavas, they were bereft of their kingdom, although Kṛṣṇa was present there, Kṛṣṇa as their friend was present there. Still they became bereft of their kingdom, they lost their property, their wife was insulted, they were driven away to the forest—although Kṛṣṇa was there. This question was inquired by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja to Kṛṣṇa, "How is that?"

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

So they are flying away. They're taking visa for another country and going away. How he can fight? He is not kṣatriya. So Kṛṣṇa said Arjuna that, "You are kṣatriya." He did not say... Kṛṣṇa wanted, Arjuna wanted to become a false brāhmaṇa. He said, "Oh, I shall become nonviolent, and even though I don't get my kingdom I shall beg like a brāhmaṇa and shall live away. Kṛṣṇa, don't ask me to fight." This is false brahmanism. "Oh," Kṛṣṇa said, "you are kṣatriya. You must fight."

Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Vrndavana, December 3, 1975:

You take this. You take this." No. Nothing will satisfy us unless we again come back to love our original source of life.

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was thinking of becoming happy by getting a great kingdom and ultimately when he met the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he found the object of love. He said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "No. I don't want anything. I have got now everything. I have seen You." Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. If you get Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the same thing—then you become satisfied. Otherwise there is no possibility of satisfaction.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

Therefore one who can understand Kṛṣṇa, His birth, His appearance, His disappearance, His activities, all these things... That is also confirmed in another place, tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā: "Thus one understanding Me in truth," viśate tad-anantaram, "he is allowed to enter into My kingdom." Yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: "Only by devotional service one can understand Me, actually what I am." So if we engage ourself in submissive way in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will let you know what is His birth, what is His appearance, disappearance, activities—everything revealed. These things are not to be understood by mental speculation.

Lecture on SB 7.6.11-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 27, 1976:

Dāsyam, to act as His servant, to spread His glories, that is vandanam. Dāsyam. Sakhyam, to take Kṛṣṇa as most dear friend. For a friend, one friend can do anything. So dāsyam, sakhyam, ātma-nivedanam. And Bali Mahārāja gave everything for Kṛṣṇa. Bali Mahārāja conquered even up to the heavenly kingdom. So Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu is always in favor of the demigods. They were in difficulty. So Vāmanadeva went to Bali Mahārāja for begging some land. So Bali Mahārāja agreed to give him land. In other words, by trick, Vāmanadeva took everything of Bali Mahārāja. He also gave everything.

Lecture on SB 7.6.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 29, 1976:

They will not take more than that for tomorrow. Sañcaya. That is nature. They know, "Tomorrow we shall get again somewhere grains. There is no need of stocking." This is nature you'll find amongst animal kingdom. Similarly, we should also learn that Kṛṣṇa has given us this belly, so He has provided also the eatables. That is real philosophy. It is not recommended that you get more than what you require. No. Yāvad artha-prayojanam. Especially for Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. Everyone has got right to claim what is absolutely required. In the Bhāgavata, it is stated if anyone takes more than that, then he's a thief and he's punishable. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1), everything is God's property.

Lecture on SB 7.6.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, July 1, 1976:

Don't go even in this, any planetary system within this material world. We have got description of this planetary system, but there is also fight between the demons and the daityas. There is also not peace. There is struggle for existence. Sometimes one party is gaining above another party, and sometimes one's kingdom is attacked by another party, the demons attacking demigod's cities. They are attacking. The struggle for existence you'll find everywhere. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. Therefore a devotee is not interested anywhere within this material world, however very opulent it may be. There may be roads and instead of the stone—diamonds, coral. That does not attract.

Lecture on SB 7.7.40-44 -- San Francisco, March 20, 1967:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that what is the use by expanding your attachment to this material world by children? Apatya-dāra. Dārāgāra. Dāra means wife, and āgāra means house. Dārāgāra-dhanadayaḥ. Dhanādayaḥ means riches. These are our expanding processes. And rājya, kingdom. Rājya. Kośa. Kośa means treasury. These are concerned with government. Government wants to expand. Rājya, kośa, and gaja. Gaja means elephant. The royal orders, they keep elephants. Especially in India, those who are princely order, they must keep at least dozens of elephants, and many thousands of horses. That is royal opulence.

Lecture on SB 7.7.46 -- San Francisco, March 22, 1967, (incomplete lecture):

"My dear friends," deha-bhṛtām, those who have accepted this material body, asura... Asura means demons. He also belonged to the family, atheistic family. His father was great atheist, and all his friends... Because his father was king, so all his friends happened to be the citizens of that atheistic kingdom. So all of them are being addressed as asura. Asura means demons, godless. There are two kinds of people, asura and sura, or deva and asura. So who are asuras and who are devas? Devas means godly, and asura means nongodly, or atheistic. In the Vedic literature you'll find there are definition that there are two kinds of people. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6). There are two kinds of people in this world: viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva. And who are... Daiva means godly.

Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1977:

Atheist class of men or non-devotees cannot understand. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Only the devotees, no others. Others, they have no admission in this kingdom, to understand. If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa it is only through bhakti. Neither knowledge nor yoga nor karma nor jñāna, nothing—nothing will help you. Simply a devotee. And how to become devotee? How easy it is? See here the Prahlāda Mahārāja, innocent child, simply offering his obeisances. And Kṛṣṇa is also asking you, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). If you sincerely do these four items—always think of Kṛṣṇa... Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, (devotees chant) Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

"Now, you do business to your best capacity, but the profit give to Me. The profit is Mine." If you agree, then simply by doing business you become a great devotee. The same example: just like Arjuna. He is a fighter. So how he became so great devotee? By fighting. By fighting for whom? For Kṛṣṇa. "No. He fought for getting the kingdom." No, he did not fight for getting the kingdom. He said, "Better I shall forego. I don't want this kingdom by fighting with my relatives." He was very good man. But he agreed to fight for Kṛṣṇa. He changed his decision. Similarly, any work, if you do for Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti. Don't think that bhakti means simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and sitting down in one place. No. Bhakti means all kinds of activities. God is all-pervading; therefore bhakti is also all-pervading. From all spheres of life the devotional service can be done.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

You know the history of Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was devotee from childhood. When he was only five years old... He was devotee from the womb of his mother. His mother was under the shelter of... (break) When her husband was defeated and he was exiled, rather, from his kingdom by the demigods, so he left his kingdom, wife, and children, and was exiled, and in that condition of exile, he made severe penances, austerities, to gain over the demigods, and he was empowered by Lord Brahmā that he would not be killed, indirectly. This story you know. In our Los Angeles temple they have made very nice puppet show, and people are appreciating very much. Even they are selling ticket at the rate of one dollar fifty cent, still, people are coming.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

They should straightly speak everything truth. Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked by his father, "Oh, how you are so bold? You are a child. You are bold. You are talking before me so boldly. Where do you get such strength before me?" Immediately, "My dear father, from the same source wherefrom you have got your strength, and you are so proud of your kingdom and material acquisition, I also got this, by the same source. But you are revolted; I am not revolted. But the source is the same. You cannot be so powerful without Kṛṣṇa." Even the demons... The only difference is the demons wanted like that, so Kṛṣṇa has, "All right. You take this demonic power." That's all. But it is out of causeless mercy of Kṛṣṇa even the demons are so proud, but they have taken taken their mercy from Kṛṣṇa to go to hell.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

And she was very beautiful, coming from heaven, so he became attached, and the woman became pregnant. Then she got a child, Śakuntala, and then Viśvamitra came to this senses: "Oh, I left my kingdom, I came to forest for meditation. Again I am going to be another kingdom." So he decided that "I shall go away." So Menakā tried to entice him, "Oh, why you shall go? You just see how nice girl you have got. Just see."

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

Yes. (laughs) Yes, that is the fact. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhāgavata that yasyāham anugṛhnāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). The Pāṇḍavas, they were friends of Kṛṣṇa, and they were put into so many difficulties. Their kingdom was stolen, their wife was insulted, they were forced to live in the forest, giving up the kingdom—so many difficulties. Their house was set in fire, the other party, his cousin brothers. So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, the eldest brother of the Pāṇḍavas... Practically this question was raised by Parīkṣit Mahārāja to Śukadeva Gosvāmī. The question was that Viṣṇu or Nārāyaṇa, He's the supreme opulent, Lakṣmī-pati, the husband of the goddess of fortune.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

That is a different thing. Not for himself. For himself, he should be satisfied whatever Kṛṣṇa offers. That's all. But for Kṛṣṇa he'll try to... Just like the example is Hanuman. Hanuman, he fought with Rāvaṇa. Why? Not for his personal sake. He did not fight with Rāvaṇa to take the kingdom of Rāvaṇa, become king there. No. He fought for Rāma. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness person's endeavor should be to give everything to Rāma. Not... But for himself he's completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa whatever position he may keep. It doesn't matter. He has no such perception, "Whether I'm..." He's always happy. Kṛṣṇa's service is so nice that he has no other idea what is happiness except Kṛṣṇa's service.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. Simply acting in favor of Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa wants this, I shall do it." "Kṛṣṇa wants this fight"—Arjuna did it. Not for himself. We shall keep always in mind that Arjuna was engaged into fight not for his personal self. For his personal self he denied: "Oh, what shall I do with this kingdom by fighting with my brothers and grandfather? No. Kṛṣṇa, excuse me. I cannot fight." But when he understood that the fight is to be done for Kṛṣṇa, he took all the responsibility. Similarly, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person will not aspire anything for his sense gratification, but he will aspire for all the world for Kṛṣṇa's service. Is that clear? Yes. Yes?

Lecture on SB 7.9.31 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1976:

So there is no creator of Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is the creator of everything. That is called īśvaraḥ paramaḥ, the Supreme. Everyone may be īśvara-partially. Īśvara means controller. So every one of us, we are more or less little controller. We sometimes control some little children or some disciples or some kingdom. So everyone may be controller. They are very much fond of becoming God. God means controller. So everyone can become... He is. Kṛṣṇa has given. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so the quality of controlling must be there. Although very insignificant part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, still, the power of controlling is there, very minute quantity. This is understanding. Svāṁśa vibhināṁśa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.40 -- Mayapur, March 18, 1976:

So genital has become my master, the tongue has become my master, the hand has become my master, the leg has become my master, so I am the servant of so many masters. So my position is very precarious. How can you satisfy so many masters? Eh? Even in the animal kingdom, they are also servant, but they are servant of one sense. That is also described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Just like the fish. The fish is only strongly under the servitude of the tongue. Therefore the fishing tackle gives something eatable, and the fish immediately... It is not that it is hungry, but because the fish is so greedy—something nonsense is there in tackle—he immediately..., and becomes caught up. Due to the strong inclination of eating, he loses his life. As soon as he's caught up, that... Similarly, other animal... Just like the deer is very fond of hearing nice music.

Lecture on SB 7.9.51 -- Vrndavana, April 6, 1976:

He can give you immediately. That is not difficult for Him. But don't do that. Prahlāda Mahārāja was offered, "Prahlāda, you take one benediction. You take." Dhruva Mahārāja also, he was pure devotee. Dhruva was offered that "If you want the largest kingdom than Brahmā, I will create it. (indistinct) You go there, you will enjoy." So he was then very regretful, "How foolish I was. I came to offer my respects to the Supreme Lord for some material exchange." He became very regretful. He said, "My Lord, whatever I (indistinct), it was my ignorance. Now I don't want." (Sanskrit) "It was a mistake that I wanted some material benediction from You." This is pure, nirguṇa. This is nirguṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.54 -- Vrndavana, April 9, 1976:

Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). And He advises, guru-kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says, "Now..." Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, out of his sentiment, went to the forest and to see God. His mother said that "Your, this mental condition cannot be relieved because you want to challenge your father to have the kingdom. So I am poor. I am, although your mother, I cannot request your father. So if it is possible, Kṛṣṇa can do it." She was Kṛṣṇa conscious; therefore the child became so nice, Dhruva Mahārāja. A child inherits the quality of mother, boy; and girl inherits the quality of father. That is the general rule. So his mother was devotee, so he'll naturally become a devotee by the advice of the mother. He went to the forest. So..., but he had no spiritual master.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

"I give them buddhi-yogam, the intelligence." What sort of intelligence? Dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ yena mām upayānti te: "Such intelligence by which, by help of which he can gradually come to My kingdom." That is there. So from within, there is education, and from without, there is education. So we have to take advantage of this.

So Vedas, your question, Veda knowledge means from the beginning of the creation. Unless the knowledge is there, how this creation can be conducted? So Brahmā was made in charge of this universe and he was educated in Vedas. Therefore you'll find the Brahmā's picture, he has got Vedas in his hand. Have you seen? Brahmā's picture, he has got Vedas.

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

When Mahārāja Parīkṣit was touring all over the world, he saw one black man was attempting to kill one cow. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw this and immediately... The cow was trembling for being slaughtered. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw, "Who is this man, trying to kill a cow in my kingdom?" So immediately he took his sword. That is kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means that... Kṣat means injury, and trāyate—it is called kṣatriya. There are persons who want to do harm to others. It has increased now. But during the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's time, it was not allowed. The king is responsible.

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

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was very pious. That was the system. A king, monarch is supposed to give protection everyone within the kingdom. It doesn't matter whether he is man or animal. Even trees. There was no law, unnecessarily cutting or killing, no. Actually, if you are reasonable, national... National means anyone who is born in that land. At the present moment the governments take care of the man only, not of the animals. What is this nationalism? What the animal has done that they should not be protected? So this is called Kali-yuga, the sinful age. Sinful age.