Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Language (SB Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"language" |"languages"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- New York, July 6, 1972:

Don't think that these books are only for sale. If you go to sell these books and if some customer says, "You pronounce it," then what you will do? Then he will understand, "Oh, you are for selling, not for understanding." What do you think? Eh? So therefore it is necessary now, you have got nice books, each and every śloka, verse, should be pronounced. Therefore we have given this original verse in Sanskrit, its transliteration with diacritic mark—these marks are universally accepted amongst the scholars. So all the scholars of Sanskrit, they agreed to use this mark for pronouncing Sanskrit language.

Sanskrit language is very important, honored all over the world. Especially in Germany, they are very much fond of this Sanskrit. There are many German scholars who can speak in Sanskrit language for hours. They are so serious student of Sanskrit. One of my Godbrothers, he is now in Sweden, he used to speak that "When one Indian student used to come to our country from London" In British days Indians would go to London, and he would take a degree there, and he would become a big man. That was the system. So while coming back home, naturally they used to visit other European countries. So in Germany they used to test the Indian student, how far he knew about his own culture. So this, my Godbrother, his name was Ansulye (?), now he's Sadānanda Swami, so he said that as soon as we saw that the student did not know anything of his Indian culture, immediately rejected him, "That is useless."

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

Just like God is present everywhere, therefore His name is Vāsudeva. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that God is within this universe, aṇḍāntara-stham, and not only within the universe, but He is in everyone's heart, and also He is within the atom. Therefore God is unlimited. God is not limited to become gigantic universal form, but He is also able to enter within the atom. Therefore, in the Vedic language God is described, aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān: "He is greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest." God has expanded Himself in two different types. He has expanded Himself as svāṁśa, or personal expansion, and another expansion is vibhinnāṁśa, separated expansion. So God expands Himself personally.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

If he says, "Yes, I have got father," then you say, "You are dog." Therefore God's another name is unborn. Unborn means He is not begotten by any father. That is stated in the Vedic language, that advaitam acyutam... govindam ādi-puruṣam. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), anādir ādiḥ. Anādi means He has no source of emanation. But He is ādi. He is the original source of everything. Therefore it is said, anādir ādiḥ. Anādi means He is without any source. But everyone is on account of His presence. Now, it is simple understanding. There is no difficulty to understand God. Anādir ādiḥ. Everyone has got ādi. Just like I have got my father, father has got his father, his father, his..., ādi. Ādi means the original source. But when you go to Kṛṣṇa, or God, He has no ādi. He is self-sufficient. Try to understand the simple formula of understanding God, that God has no origin, but He is the origin of everything.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- Caracas, February 23, 1975:

So dharma means, generally, a kind of faith, dharma. But actually dharma does not mean that. Faith, you may have faith, and others may not have, but that is not fact. That is fact which is accepted by everyone, either he may have faith or may not have faith. In Sanskrit language, the Vedic literature, dharma means the codes or the law given by God. So one may have faith, or one may not have faith. It doesn't matter. The codes or law given by God, that is a fact. Just like the law given by the state. One may not have faith, or one may have faith, but it must be accepted. For example, just on the street we see, "Keep to the right." This is the law given by the state.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:

That is the characteristic of stone. That is dharma. So faith is different thing. Faith, I have got faith today in something; tomorrow I may have faith in some other thing. And actually we see. Sometimes a person called a Hindu, he is changing his faith to Muslim or Christian. Or a Christian is changing his faith to another way. So faith can be changed. But the characteristics cannot be changed. Just like water is liquid. The liquidity cannot be changed of water. So in Sanskrit language or in Vedic literature, dharma means the characteristics which cannot be changed. Now let us consider what is the characteristic of the living being. The characteristic is that every one of us is serving somebody superior.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

In the Vedic civilization there are twenty big, big books, dharma-śāstra, for regulating life. Very difficult subject matter, dharma-śāstra. So Sūta Gosvāmī was offered the seat of vyāsāsana because he was aware of these things, itihāsa, history, Purāṇa, still older history, dharma-śāstra, the scriptures, everything. Therefore he's first of all addressing that "You have read... Not only you have read, but you have described." Description means... You read something. Unless you fully assimilate, understand, you cannot describe it. So two things... Simply reading will not help us. When we shall be able to preach the reading matter, doesn't matter whether in the same language or in my own language... It doesn't matter. That is wanted. Ākhyātāny adhītāni. Adhītāni means "You have read." And "You have explained." In this way the śaunakādi ṛṣis... There were thousands of ṛṣis in Naimiṣāraṇya... When you go to India, you must see this place, Naimiṣāraṇya. It is very, very old place. At least, from historical point of view, modern estimate is it is five thousand years old, because the first Bhāgavata discussion took place there after instruction of Vyāsadeva. So in India there are many places very suitable for spiritual advancement. Still they're existing from the very, very old time, historical time.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

Supplements. Because Vedic language is so difficult... It is sometimes very difficult to understand. So Purāṇa, another meaning of Purāṇa means supplement. So they are explanation of the Vedic knowledge in a supplementary way by taking references from the history, from the life of great saints and sages. So they are addition, addendum. Go on. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that the Purāṇas are not Veda. That is not the fact. Here in the Bhāgavata says the Purāṇa is part of the Vedas. As Upaniṣad is part of Vedas... It is written in simplified language so that those who are less educated, less having brain substance...

Now, this Mahābhārata is especially written... Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means the history of greater India. Mahā. Mahā means greater. Bhārata. Bhārata means India, Bhārata-varṣa. Mahābhārata, greater India.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

Prabhupāda:

iti sampraśna saṁhṛṣṭo
viprāṇāṁ raumaharṣaṇiḥ
pratipūjya vacas teṣāṁ
pravaktum upacakrame
(SB 1.2.1)

These are Sanskrit verses. I know most of you are not conversant with this language, but the significance is that simply by vibration (children crying—aside:) They should leave.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

So simply by vibration the atmosphere will be cleansed and purified. Just like when there is thundering sound in the sky, it does not require to understand by any particular language. That very vibration And the origin of creation is sound. The grosser elements are visible, but the creation takes place from finer elements. The sound is the symptom of the sky. By sound we can understand that there is sky, ether. Then, by sound vibration, there is circulation of air. And you have got practical experience. When there is very loud sound vibration, sometimes there is very strong wind also. So by sound vibration, the wind is started, and by strong wind electricity is produced. From electricity, water is produced, perspiration. And from water, earth is produced.

So sound is the original element of creation. In Sanskrit language it is called śabda-brahma. Brahman, or the Absolute Truth, is first appeared Absolute Truth becomes knowable by sound. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, the Lord says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8), śabdaḥ khe. Śabda means sound. If we want to see God, so let us hear first of all the sound vibration, because that is the beginning. In the Bible also it is said, "The Lord said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." So "Let there be creation," this is sound, transcendental sound. So one who says this word, "Let there be creation," He is not within the creation. Because He, God, is speaking, "Let there be creation" means He is existing before creation.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

So there are different types of bodies within this material world. We can compare. Just like ant's body, a fly's body, and my body. A fly's body may remain for few years, or, few hours. So our body may remain for few years. And similarly, there are other living entities like Brahmā, their body remains for a few decades. But every body, each body, is subjected to this law of nature: birth, death, disease, and old age. So God's body is not like that. It is eternal. Here in this material world we can possess a body which may exist for millions of years, but that does not mean it is eternal. It is not eternal. But God's body is eternal. Therefore, in the Vedic language, when it is said, nirākāra-nirākāra means "who has no form"—it does not mean that God has no form. He has got form, but His form is different from this form upon which you have got experience. Our experience is whatever form we can think of, even Brahma's form, that is liable to be annihilated. But God's form is not like that. So when in the Vedic language it is said, nirākāra—means nir, nir means "not," and ākāra means "form"—that means "God's form is not like ours." It is not that He has no form. He has form, but His form is different from ours.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

So in this way, if we study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we can understand what is the nature of God. Not we manufacture, but the reason, the philosophy, the authority, is everything there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So if we simply scrutinizingly study how, what sort of body God has got. It is a simple language, it is given. Sac-cid-ānanda, and ānanda means blissful. Always blissful. You have seen our Kṛṣṇa, how blissful He is. He is playing on His flute, and His eternal consort, Rādhārāṇī, is there. He's not blissful? You like, because you are part and parcel of God, therefore you also like that blissful life. You want, young girl wants young boy, and the young boy wants a young girl, live together blissfully. But that is not possible, because it is material world. But the idea comes from God, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Where from this idea came, unless if God the same propensity is there? Love between young girl and young boy. Where from this idea has come in this world? Therefore it is said, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Anything, whatever you see, within your experience, that is in God. We are practically sample of God. Whatever propensities there are in God we have got, because we are part and parcel of God.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

So these things are explained very nicely in the Bhagavad-gītā. Everyone in India knows Bhagavad-gītā, and not only in India, throughout the whole world Bhagavad-gītā is very well known and widely read book of knowledge. I have traveled all over the world. In every country there are different language, translations of Bhagavad-gītā, and in Japanese countries there is Bhagavad-gītā, in Muslim countries there is Bhagavad-gītā. So Bhagavad-gītā is the universal book of knowledge, and our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this Bhagavad-gītā. We have not manufactured anything. The same thing, which is very, very old, at least from historical point of view it is five thousand years old, but from scriptural point of view it is more than forty millions of years old.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

(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.)

These prayers, although it is in Sanskrit language, simply by hearing, the effect is made by the vibration. They're symbolical representation of the Supreme Spirit. Just like you are acquainted with the oṁkāra, om, that is also an alphabetical representation. But the sound, oṁkāra, has a specific significance. So, even sometimes you do not understand the meaning, by hearing the vibration you will be benefited.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

So many conditions you can bring but all these conditions are not applicable in the business, in the transaction, of loving God without motive. So this is the description of love of Godhead and if we practically try to cultivate this knowledge of Godhead, that is called, that process is called bhakti. That process is called bhakti. It is enunciated in the Vedic language that,

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa-
sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate
(CC Madhya 19.170)

Upādhi, now we are covered by designation. The same example-vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). We are dressed in two kinds of subtle and gross dresses, this material body and mind, intelligence, ego. So when we become free from these designations, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. And you become purified, nirmala. Mal means dirt and nirmala means without any dirt, without any dirty things, simply spiritual.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So the normal condition of life is described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "Why I am suffering?"... He inquired from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was minister, very big post, and very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Arabic. Because at that time there was Pathan rule. So as government was Muhammadan, so responsible officers, ministers, they had to learn the Arabic language or Persian language.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

So he submitted himself, surrendered himself to Caitanya Mahāprabhu by saying that grāmya-vyavahāre loke kaha ei paṇḍita. Grāmya-vyavahāre: "By this usual way, my neighborhood persons they say, 'paṇḍita'." He was actually very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Arabic and Persian language. He was minister in Nawab Hussein Shah's government. So actually people used to address him, "Paṇḍitajī." But he admits that "These people call me paṇḍita, but I am such a paṇḍita that I do not know what I am. This is my paṇḍita." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita tāi satya māni, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: "I am such a rascal that I do not know what is the ultimate goal of life, and these rascals address me as 'paṇḍita'."

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

This Mahābhārata was compiled by Vyāsadeva for this purpose because strī, women; śūdra, the fourth class of the society, laborer class, worker class; strī, śūdra; and dvija-bandhu, and persons who are born in the families of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, but they do not act, they are called dvija-bandhu. For them, this Mahābhārata was compiled. It is called "Fifth Vedas." Four Vedas: Sāma, Yajur, Atharva..., Sāma, Yajur, Ṛk, Atharva. So this Vedic language cannot be understood by the less intelligent class of men who are known as woman, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām (SB 1.4.25).

Lecture on SB 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967:

So it is there. Simply we have to hear. Suppose if you are illiterate, you cannot read Bhagavad-gītā. Or... Of course, many of you, you do not know Sanskrit language, so you cannot read, but there are English translation. But you can hear. Bhagavān, the Lord, has given you the chance of hearing. You have got God-gifted ear. If you can attentively hear, you'll learn everything. Formerly, of course, people were very intelligent. Simply by hearing. They need not take any note or need not read any book, but simply by hearing. So śrotavyaḥ. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is recommended first thing that you have to hear. Simply by hear. And if you think, you become a spiritual master and you distribute this knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Los Angeles, August 18, 1972:

And Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he also inquired this "Why?" Ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. "Who am I? Why I am put into this miserable condition of life?" That is intelligence. He was minister. He could understand that "I am minister. People adore me as very learned man." He said that to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni. "My dear Lord, these common people, my neighbors, because I am minister, and I'm supposed to be educated, I know little Sanskrit, I know little Arabian language, they call me paṇḍita, learned man, very scholar and versed. I, to tell You frankly, I do not know what I am. So what is the value of my education? I do not know." Ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. "What I am."

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

That is the prerogative of the human form of life. That is the prerogative. He can stop this process, repetition of birth and death. He can get his real, actual spiritual form again and be blissful, full knowledge and eternal life. That is the whole process. So we should not miss this. And the whole thing begins just what we have begun now, now, this chanting and hearing. I wanted to point out that this chanting and hearing is as good as actual association of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhāgavata, that śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). This, this process is called kīrtana. Even one does not understand the language, still, by hearing only, he acquires some piety. His, his assets become pious life, even he does not understand.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:

They are liberated souls. We don't allow any literature which is not given by liberated soul. Literatures, they are always following Vedic principles. Vedas, the original transcendental literature, and any literature which is produced under the guidance of Vedic literature, that is also nice. That is perfect. Therefore whenever we write something, we give immediately Vedic evidence. We give some Sanskrit verse. This means that we are not manufacturing ourself. What we have heard from the paramparā system, from higher authorities, we are presenting, simply, in our own language, and the evidence is this Vedic verse. This is perfect literature.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

So there are so many societies. Deva-tiryaṅ-narādiṣu (SB 1.2.34). And in every society, there is incarnation of God according to their position. According to their language, according to their problems, there is incarnation. We do not see other incarnations, but we can see the human form of incarnation. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). But from the śāstra we can understand that there are incarnations amongst the lower animals, beasts, birds and everywhere. The purpose is to reclaim the fallen souls.

Lecture on SB 1.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, September 17, 1972:

So here we see that you can have God as your son. There are so many instances. Just like Devakī got Kṛṣṇa as his (her) son; Mother Yaśodā got God as his (her) son; Śacī-mātā, (s)he also got Caitanya Mahāprabhu as son. So this is better philosophy than to accept God as father. That is especially in the Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Others, the impersonalist, voidists, they have no conception of God. Voidists—"Ultimately everything is zero," and the impersonalists, "God has no form." Both are the same thing, in a different language. The voidists, they say, "Ultimately there is nothing but zero," and the impersonalists statement that "Maybe something, but it is not person, it is imperson."

Lecture on SB 1.3.16 and Initiation -- Los Angeles, September 21, 1972:

Prabhupāda: You know Japanese language?

Vasumi: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Huh? Not very much. All right.

Devotee: She knows Japanese; very little English. She comes from Tokyo.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Why she does not go to take charge of Tokyo branch? (laughter) Are you willing? You are not married? You are married or not?

Vasumi: Yes, I am married.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Where is your husband? Oh. You know Japanese language?

Satyadeva: Just a little, Prabhupāda.

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

So everything is there Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is the topmost knowledge. That is transcendental knowledge. That is not material knowledge. Material knowledge, if you write some book, it has no meaning, because it is defective. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not ordinary knowledge. It is transcendental knowledge. There is no defect. Our this mundane brain is defective. We can't... Just like our scientist, Svarūpa Dāmodara. He was speaking that they make experiment in the laboratory according to formula, but still, there is some mistake. Still, there is some mistake. Practically, scientific advancement, scientific knowledge means to find out mistakes. What you were are speaking? What is the exact language you told?

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

Even in recent years there was a learned paṇḍita in Calcutta. There were some... In the British days there was some quarrel between two Britishers, and one of them complained to the magistrate, and the magistrate inquired, "Who is your witness?" Then one of them said that "Well, there was nobody else. But there was a paṇḍita. He was worshiping in that bank of the Ganges. So we had some quarrel. He has heard it." So he was called. So he stated that "I do not know what they talked because they were talking in English language, but I can produce what they talked." So he produced the whole thing verbatim, that "He talked like this. He talked like this. He talked like this. He talked like this." Just like record, tape record. Just see. Even some hundred years before, the memory was so sharp. Just like tape recorder, it is recorded. This is mechanical. But by nature we have got such nice brain.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

I am just quoting Sanskrit mantras before you. You may not understand the language, but the vibration of the sound, the Sanskrit mantra, hymns, it has got special value. Mantra, sound vibration. Śabdād anāvṛttiḥ.

Now, the whole material world is produced from sound. That is scientific fact. Scientists are researching the importance of sound, physical science. Sound, light, and transmission of sound and light. There are so many things, electronics. So this sound vibration, this is material sound. They have got so much wonderful power. And just try to understand what is the power of the spiritual sound. Real sound is coming from the spiritual world. It is simply just like gramophone. The sound is coming originally from the person; the gramophone is reproducing. That is not the original source of the sound. Similarly, whatever sound is there in this material world, the original sound is produced by God. Just like in your Bible it is said, "Let there be creation." It is, simply it was sound and there was creation. So spiritual sound is so powerful. And we are trying to catch you directly from that sound vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and I am sure it is acting. Simply, śabdād anāvṛttiḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

So here it is said, "My dear Vyāsadeva, you have compiled a great literature, Mahābhārata. And in that Mahābhārata you have introduced everything that is knowable for understanding." Mahābhārata was originally written for the women class and strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām (SB 1.4.25). Because the Vedic literature is very stiff. Not only because it is written in old Sanskrit language, but the meaning is very deep. Vedic literature... Because at that time people were very intelligent, so simple one hint gives them lots of meaning. Just like Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta-sūtra, you'll find simply some clues. Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The source of all emanation."

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

So here Nārada Muni advises that "You have explained..." Dharmādayaś ca artha. "In different literature you have divided the whole Vedas in understandable language, Purāṇas." Purāṇas means supplementary to the Vedas, to explain the Vedic knowledge according to the quality. Every human being is under some quality of the material nature. Some of them are in darkness, or ignorance. Some of them are in passion. And some of them are mixed ignorance and passion. And some of them are in light, or goodness. Not all in the same level. There are different classes of men. Just like in our Hayagrīva's library we find so many philosophical books. But if you go to ordinary man you'll find some nonsensical literature, fiction, and sex psychology, this, that. According to taste. According to taste, different taste. Because there are different classes of men. That will be explained in the next verse.

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

So similarly, even if we present our Back to Godhead or any other literature in broken languages, it does not matter because the glorification of the Lord is there. That is recommended by Nārada. Tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavaḥ. Janatā agha. Agha means sinful activities. If one reads one line of this literature, although it is presented in broken language, but if he simply hears there is Kṛṣṇa, then his sinful activities immediately vanquish. Janatāgha viplavaḥ. Tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api nāmāny anantasya (SB 1.5.11). Ananta means the unlimited. His name, His fame, His glory, His qualities are described. Nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni. If glorification is there, even they are presented in broken language, then śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ.

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

This is the version of Nārada Muni. We should be taking note of this. And for the Vaiṣṇava there is one qualification: poetic. You should... Everyone should be poetic. So... But that poetry, that poetry language, should be simply to glorify the Lord. Then it is... Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, they are poets. They have produced so many songs. But about whom? About Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, under the instruction of Nārada, now Vyāsadeva will produce a literature like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is simply glorification of the Lord and His devotees. Bhāgavata. Bhāgavata means the Lord, and Bhāgavata means pertaining to the Lord. So pertaining to the Lord, everything. Vāstava-vastu vedyam atra. In the beginning of Bhāgavata it is said vāstava-vastu. Vastu means substance, the summum bonum. And vāstava, in relation to the summum bonum.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

The other day we discussed about literature which is very nicely composed from literary point of view, or poetic, or rhetoric. Maybe very nicely... But if there is no description of the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that sort of literature is enjoyed by a class of men who are compared with the crows. That we have discussed. It is simply wasting time, valuable time in the human life, to divert our attention to such ordinary literature. They are called grāmya-kathā. In Sanskrit language it is called grāmya-kathā.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

Therefore those who are paramahaṁsas, those who have understood the essence of this cosmic manifestation, they are not interested in such literature. On the other hand it is said that tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavaḥ. (commentary) Vināpi pada-cāturyaṁ bhagavad-yaśaḥ-pradhānaṁ vacaḥ.(?) Śrīdhara Svāmī gives note that there may not be any poetic, metaphorical, or analogical, ornamental language, but vināpi pada-cāturyam. Pada-cāturyam. Pada means composition. In every language there are rules and regulations for composing poetry or prose, grammatical, rhetorical. So even such knowledge, even without such knowledge, pada-cāturyaṁ bhagavad-yaśaḥ-pradhānam. Just like we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So we are not training our students any way about musical science, that "We have to chant in this way or that way, we have to dance in this way or that way." Without any musical knowledge, without any poetic understanding, even a child can take part in it, and he becomes immediately absorbed in ecstasy. Why? This is because we are chanting the glories of the Lord.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

So such kind of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, or sometime... Just like you are chanting, you are, the mantras, because it is not your language. So sometime it appears broken. Just like guru. Sometimes you say "goru." "Goru" means cow, and "guru" means spiritual master. So the difference of meaning is vast. (chuckling) The spiritual master is not a cow. Or a bull. (laughs) But sometimes they... Because it is not your language... But that doesn't matter. Because bhāvagrāhi janārdana. Kṛṣṇa is within you. He knows what you want to chant. Therefore He takes the meaning of guru and not goru, even it is spoken as goru. That doesn't matter. Bhāvagrāhi janārdana. He, Kṛṣṇa, knows that what you are actually... Just like I know that although you are speaking guru as goru, I, I, I, don't take offense because I know that your desire is something else. I do not protest. (laughter) That "You are addressing me goru. I am not goru." (laughter) So that is not a fault. Similarly, it is said that yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavati. If somebody does not know how to spell, how to say, but his idea is there, abaddhavaty api, because he wants to chant the holy name of the Supreme Lord, nāmāny anantasya, ananta... Ananta means the unlimited. His name is being chanted. Nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni. And His glorification is being done. The effect is śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādha... Those who are actually advanced transcendentalists, they'll appreciate: "Oh, how nicely they are doing. How nicely." Although there is broken language of goru instead of guru, that will be appreciated.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

Although there is broken language of goru instead of guru, that will be appreciated.

But, on the other hand, where there is no such intention, very, I mean to say, nice composition, but there is no... Just like there are so many poets; they'll give you nice ideas, hallucination. You'll be in the poetic idea. As soon as... Just like our Ginsberg. Ginsberg gives so many poetic ideas. People throng: "Oh, Ginsberg is speaking." But there is... Now he's chanting, of course, Hare Kṛṣṇa. But in his poetry there is very rarely we can find about here. So anyway these things are not appealing to the persons who are really transcendentalists. But a, a composition which is even in broken language, if it is meant for glorifying the Supreme Lord, that is appreciated... Śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti. Śṛṇvanti means they very attentively hear. Śṛṇvanti. Śṛṇvanti means hearing. Śṛṇvanti gāyanti. Also repeats the chanting. Repeats. Gāyanti and gṛṇanti. Gṛṇanti means they take also. "It is very nice. It is very nice composition."

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- London, September 12, 1973:

Our presenting this matter in adequate language, especially a foreign language, will certainly fail, and there will be so many literary discrepancies despite our honest attempt to present it in the proper way. But we are sure that with all our faults in this connection the seriousness of the subject matter will be taken into consideration, and the leaders of society will still accept this due to its being an honest attempt to glorify the Almighty God. When there is fire in a house, the inmates of the house go out to get help from the neighbors who may be foreigners, and yet without knowing the language the victims of the fire express themselves, and the neighbors understand the need, even though not expressed in the same language. The same spirit of cooperation is needed to broadcast this transcendental message of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam throughout the polluted atmosphere of the world. After all, it is a technical science of spiritual values, and thus we are concerned with the techniques and not with the language. If the techniques of this great literature are understood by the people of the world, there will be success.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

So therefore Mahābhārata was written by Vyāsadeva. But Nārada says that "This kind of literature will not appeal to the saintly devotees. So you write something for the satisfaction of the saintly devotees." And he is giving the instruction that "Even such literature is written in broken language, not in the proper way from grammatical point of view, from poetic point of view, from rhetorical, still, because such literature is full with glorification of the Supreme Lord, saintly persons, they accept it, they hear it, and they chant it." Then he says, naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitam. Acyuta. Acyuta means Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's name is Acyuta. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna says to Kṛṣṇa, senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). He's addressing Kṛṣṇa as Acyuta.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Vivekananda said that "Why you are bothering yourself, finding out God? Don't you see, so many Gods are loitering in the street?" You see? So "God is loitering in the street, daridra-nārāyaṇa. God has become daridra, poor, and He has come to my door to beg. God is suffering. God is..." Like that. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). We read from Vedic literature that "God is being served by millions of goddesses of fortune"—and He has become daridra, poor. Wherefrom he got this language, where, how he applied, I do not know.

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

So Nārada Muni says... Before this, Nārada Muni has advised Vyāsadeva that "In order to release all these conditioned souls, you just describe the wonderful activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Simply by hearing... Uttama-ślokasya guṇānuvādāt. Uttama-śloka. Uttama-śloka means the Supreme Lord who is described by transcendental literature or very fine, scholarly language. He's called Uttama-śloka. Uttama-ślokasya urukramasya. "That will save all conditioned souls from being implicated in the clutches of māyā." Now, Vyāsadeva has already described... He has made many purāṇas, eighteen purāṇas. So there is mention of God's activities.

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

These words are used in the Vedic language: Īśvara, parameśvara, ātmā, paramātmā. So there is one Paramātmā. That Paramātmā is Kṛṣṇa. Ātmā, we are also ātmā, living being, and Kṛṣṇa is also living being. But not, we are not equal to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the chief living being. Just like I am also living being; you are also living being. But you accept me as the chief of this institution. There must be one chief. Otherwise there will be no management. It will be chaotic. So we are ātmā, and Kṛṣṇa is also ātmā. But He is Paramātmā. We are īśvara. Kṛṣṇa is also īśvara. But He's Parameśvara. Therefore we have named "Godhead" purposefully, not "God." We don't say "Back to God." We say, "Back to Godhead.""Head" means the chief. Everyone can claim that "I am God," because everyone has got some power, little power. But not the supreme power. That is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:

They have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: (BG 9.11) "Because I am come just like a human being, these rascals, mūḍhas, asses..." Mūḍha means asses. The example of mūḍha, just like in our vernacular language, we condemn some person who is useless, gādhā. So gādhā, that is mūḍha. Gādhā, why he is condemned? Because he does not know his interest. He works under one washerman and loads tons of cloth on the back, and the washerman gives a morsel of grass. And he stands the whole day, again carrying back the big tons of cloth. But why he is gādhā? This grass can be had anywhere, but he is thinking, "The washerman is supplying me grass; therefore I must carry his burden." Therefore he is gādhā, ass. (laughs) He can get grasses anywhere, but he is thinking that "This Mr. Washerman is so kind that he is giving me grass, so I have to bear his cloth." So the karmīs, they are like that. They are thinking that "Unless we work, we cannot get our grass." Therefore they have been described in the śāstra as asses, mūḍha. Mūḍha. Mūḍho 'yaṁ nābhijānāti (BG 7.25).

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

So that tattvataḥ one can understand simply by pure devotional service. If you become a pure devotee, without any contamination-unalloyed devotee—then Kṛṣṇa reveals: "This is I am. I am like this." You cannot speculate upon Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na bahunā śrutena na medhayā. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa simply because you are a learned Sanskrit scholar. You are a rascal. Kṛṣṇa is not so easy to be understood by scholarship or Sanskrit language. Don't commit this mistake. Kṛṣṇa is understood by a person to whom Kṛṣṇa reveals. That is understanding. Nāyam ātmā. This is completely said: Nāyam ātmā, nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā. Because you have got a fertile brain, therefore you'll be able to understand Kṛṣṇa? No. Na bahunā śrutena. Oh, because you are very good scholar, you have studied so much... No. If Kṛṣṇa reveals to you, then you'll be able. That revelation is possible when you are a devotee. Otherwise, it is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.7.18 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1976:

One can become liberated and go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there to take kṛṣṇa-kīrtana very easily. We have got report from Europe, in Yugoslavia people are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra even there, in Yugoslavia. That is a Communist country, is it not? What is that place, Yugoslavia? They are taking very nice part in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So as Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, that there is no question of language difficulty. Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is so nice that any part of the world or any part of the universe you can go and chant, and it will be appreciated. There is no need of language difficulty. So take this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, chant yourself, preach all over the world. Everyone will be happy and there will be no more fearfulness from death. Dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). No more death.

Lecture on SB 1.7.28-29 -- Vrndavana, September 25, 1976:

So therefore in the Vedas... Veda means knowledge, vetti veda vido jñāne. In the Sanskrit verb vid, vid-dhātu. Vid-dhātu means knowledge, "to know." Vetti veda vido jñāne vinte vid vicaraṇa(?). Labhe vindati vindate. So vid-dhātu. From vid-dhātu the Veda has come. Veda means knowledge. So from the Vedas you can have all different types of knowledge, namely material knowledge and spiritual knowledge, both, perfectly. Because we have now forgotten our spiritual energy, we do not cultivate spiritual energy; therefore the Veda is there. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, in simple Bengali language, it is said, anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karila (CC Madhya 20.117). Because these rascals, anādi-bahirmukha, do not know. (bird chirping in background) Just like this bird chirping, but he does not know what he is, wherefrom he is coming, where to go—nothing. That is low-grade life. So we are now forgetful of our spiritual energy, and because we do not know spiritual energy. Therefore we have no knowledge of God. This is our position, and it is coming since very, very, very, very, long time. Time immemorial. Therefore the Vedas are there. Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karila(?)

Lecture on SB 1.7.44 -- Vrndavana, October 4, 1976:

He never says "By grammar or by education one can understand." Never says. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. We should be educated, we should be very careful, but real thing is bhakti. Anyābhi... Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Api cet su-durācāraḥ. Many places it is said. Tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api (SB 1.5.11). Even a bhakta writes something which is not very grammatically, rhetorically correct... Tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavaḥ, nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni yat. But because he has tried to broadcast the glories of the Lord, even not in perfect language, that is his qualification.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :

Where your eyesight fails to see you, see Kṛṣṇa; therefore he is Adhokṣaja. Akṣaja jñānam. Knowledge received through direct perception of the senses is called akṣaja jñānam, and Kṛṣṇa is adhokṣaja, where knowledge by direct perception cannot reach. And perfection of life is when you become attached to that adhokṣaja. In another place of Śrīmad... (break) Peace will be possible when you develop your loving propensity for the Adhokṣaja, who is beyond your senses. Therefore those who are duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhāḥ-many languages have been used in the Vedas they do not know what is the aim of life, they are simply thinking "I am this body," then this kind of thought is there in the dogs and cats also. He is also thinking "I am this body." So, this modern civilization is big dog civilization, that's all. That is not human civilization. Human civilization means that he must be interested to know Kṛṣṇa and God. That is human civilization.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :

So then when your eyes are clear, then you can see, hṛayeṣu, always existing. But so long you are mūḍha-dṛśa, you are mental speculator, the curtain is covered, the covering is there, you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. Māyā-javanikācchannam ajñādhokṣajam avyayam na lakṣyase, "You are not visible," mūḍha-dṛśa, "by persons who are rascal and simply believe in direct perception," mūḍha-dṛśa. How it is? In Sanskrit language you will find exact example is given, naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. Just like you have gone to see a performance, dramatic performance, and some of your relatives, say your brother or father, is playing there, but he is dressed in such a way that you can not recognize he is your father. Although he is in your front, the father or the brother whom you see every day, this man, being, has dressed himself in such a way, he is playing the part of a king or something else, you can not understand.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

Every śloka, there is meter. So even it is not written to the standard meter, and sometimes there are broken, so still, because there is glorification of the Supreme Lord... Nāmāny anantasya. Ananta is the Supreme, Unlimited. His names are there. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja accepted. If anantasya, of the ananta, the Supreme, the name is there—"Kṛṣṇa," "Nārāyaṇa," "Caitanya," like that—so śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ means those who are saintly persons. Such kind of literature, although it is written in broken language, they hear it. Hear it. Because there is glorification of the Lord.

So this is the system. Some way or other, we should be attached to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. That is our only business, how we can be... It doesn't matter, in broken language. Sometimes... There are many Sanskrit..., I mean to say, not properly pronounced. Just like we do. We are not very expert. There are many expert Sanskrit pronouncers, the veda-mantra. And we are not so expert. But we try. We try. But the Kṛṣṇa name is there. Therefore it is sufficient. Therefore it is sufficient.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

These are the brāhmaṇa's occupational duty. He must be learned scholar himself, and he would try to make others also learned scholar, paṭhana-pāṭhana, not that "I know." If you know something better, means very valuable, you must distribute it. Otherwise, in Sanskrit language they are called jñāna-khala: "miser in knowledge." One who has got knowledge... Just like in the modern world, if one is scientifically advanced, he gives the knowledge to others. He goes from university to university and speaks about the new invention. So similarly, brāhmaṇa means that he must have full knowledge and he must distribute the knowledge, not that keep it for himself, reserved: "Nobody should know it." No. Paṭhana-pāṭhana. So jñānaṁ vijñānam.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

Never mind he... He may be prime minister, he may be high-court judge, or... No. "No, he is prime minister. He is high-court judge. Still, mūḍhaḥ?" Yes. "How?" Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ: (BG 7.15) "He has no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. He is covered by māyā." Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Therefore he's mūḍha. So straightly preach. Of course, you may say all these things in soft language just to, not to make any agitation, but anyone who does not accept Kṛṣṇa as the jagad-guru and does not take His lessons, he is a rascal. Just like this mūḍha in Jagannātha Purī. He says that "You take next birth. Then you can..." That mūḍha, take him as rascal. Why? He is jagad-guru; he also says, "I am jagad-guru." But he is not jagad-guru. He has not even seen what is jagat. He is a frog. And he is claiming jagad-guru. So he's mūḍha. Kṛṣṇa says. He is mūḍha because he has not taken the lessons given by Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

So these are the terms used in the śāstras. As Kṛṣṇa is Uttama-śloka, similarly, a devotee is puṇya-śloka. As the devotee worships Kṛṣṇa with selected poems, uttama-śloka... They are not ordinary poems. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayan... (Bs. 5.29). These are not ordinary verse. These are transcendental verses: Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by transcendental verses, transcendental language, Vedic language. That is transcendental language. Therefore it is called uttama-śloka. So puṇya-śloka, when he's advanced, he can worship the Uttama-śloka. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Nityam, daily, regular. So as you are daily hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, so if you go on, then naṣṭa-prāya, everything, all dirty things within your heart, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), it will be all cleansed.

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:

So when Kṛṣṇa was pleased with their tapasya, they wanted: "My Lord, we want a, a son like You." "So where is like Me?" Kṛṣṇa is asamordhva. There is nobody equal to Kṛṣṇa; nobody is greater than... Otherwise, how He can be great? If somebody is greater than Him, then how He can be great? Nobody can be greater than Him. That is greatness, either you say in English language or Muhammadan language. Allah akbar: "Allah, the Supreme Being, is the great." We also say, paraṁ brahma. So nobody can be greater than Him or equal. Asamordhva. So they wanted "a son like You." That means somebody must be equal to Him. "Like You" means equal to Him. So who can be equal to Kṛṣṇa? But He can expand Himself with many equals. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33).

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

So here Kuntīdevī says, Sūta Gosvāmī says, that pṛthayā itthaṁ kala-padaiḥ. Pṛthayā, Kuntī's another name is Pṛthā. His, her father's name is Mahārāja Pṛthu; therefore she is called Pṛthā, daughter of Pṛthu. So when Kuntī offered prayers to Kṛṣṇa in very chosen nice words, all the words... Therefore Kṛṣṇa is known, His another name is Uttama-śloka. Uttama-śloka. Because Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, He should be offered prayer with supreme words and feelings. Supreme words and feelings. The language should not be cheap, or the idea should not be cheap. Just like when we offer prayer to Kṛṣṇa, we follow the path by Lord Brahmā.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

So even we offer Kṛṣṇa prayer with broken languages, because Kṛṣṇa is Absolute, Kṛṣṇa will accept it. Bhāva-grāhī, bhāva-grāhī-janārdana. Janārdana, Kṛṣṇa, sees how much your heart is pure for serving Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not see the wording, the grammatical composition of your prayer. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said... When other demigods were afraid of approaching Nṛsiṁha-deva, so Brahmā requested Prahlāda that "You offer prayer." So Brahmā's prayer is very..., Prahlāda Mahārāja's prayer... So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "What prayer I shall offer to the Supreme Lord? Such big, big demigods like Brahmā and others, they are present here. Even goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, is present here. They are afraid or they could not offer proper prayers to Kṛṣṇa, Nṛsiṁha-deva, to pacify Him.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974:

So here also, Kṛṣṇa is described as Vaikuṇṭha. If one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, then he also become Vaikuṇṭha. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam. He becomes assured of his safety. Kṛṣṇa is Vaikuṇṭha. So pṛthayā itthaṁ kala-padaiḥ. And we should not try to insult God. We should try to glorify God in glorified language. That I already explained. Uttama-śloka-guṇānuvādāt. Don't try to speak nonsense and describe God. No. God is never daridra. How He can be daridra? If you describe daridra-nārāyaṇa, it is a blasphemy. No. Uttama-śloka. Just like Kuntī has described, kṛṣṇa-sakha: "You are the friend of Arjuna." That is the proper explanation. Gopī, gopī-vallabha: "Kṛṣṇa, You are always prepared to please the gopīs." Yaśodā-nandana. Yaśodā-nandana vraja-jana-rañjana. These are the description. "Kṛṣṇa, You are the son of Yaśo..." Kṛṣṇa takes pride. Kṛṣṇa, when His name is attached with the activities of a devotee, He becomes very much pleased. But sometimes Kṛṣṇa is called Kaṁsa-nisūdana, Madhusūdana, Kaṁsāri. That is also Kṛṣṇa's pleasure. He appears to be enemy, Kaṁsāri, to the demons.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974:

He has specifically mentioned the word dhīra. Dhīra means the sober, learned... Generally we call in English language "gentleman." Gentleman means he must be sober, learned, and thoughtful. That is gentleman. But nowadays, gentleman is different—simply by dress. Dhīra and adhīra. So there are two classes of men, and the Gosvāmīs were very dear to both classes of men, dhīrādhīra. That is the sign of a saintly person, samatītya. Samatītya: they have no enemy. Ajāta-śatravaḥ. Even the adhīra, the saintly person considers as friend, and even a dhīra, he considers friend. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). This is the dhīra.

Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973:

So without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the philosophy of equality, fraternity, as in your country they profess, it is not possible. Artificial. Without coming to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God, this equality, fraternity, big, big words, universal brotherhood, it is impossible. That is not possible. Therefore one has to become learned scholar, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Then he will be able to see equally. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is thinking of all prajās, not only... Otherwise, the language would have been "human being." No. Prajā, "All, all kinds of prajā." This is universal understanding.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- London, November 25, 1973:

Anna means food grains. Either animal or man, they must eat sufficiently. Either you eat grass or you eat rice or wheat or oats, or..., something must be... So they are are called anna. In Sanskrit language it is called anna. Anna means foodgrains. So annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Every living entity lives. Nowadays there are scarcity of foodgrains. Even the human being cannot eat sufficiently. But formerly the kings, they used to maintain elephants. They were supplied very nice cāpāṭis. Do you know that? Still there are kings, they have elephants. Therefore elephant can be maintained by very rich man. If suppose, if somebody comes, he says, "Take this elephant, I give you free," will you take? Will you accept? You know that elephant will devour you, your all your means or income and all family income, because you cannot maintain elephant. (laughs)

Lecture on SB 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973:

So how much rascal they are we must know. So therefore we should give up their company. Asat-saṅga-tyāga vaiṣṇava-ācāra. Otherwise, asat... Asat eka strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇa... There are strī-saṅga, vaidha-avaidha. Vaidha means regular, according to śāstra. According to śāstra means restricted. Śāstra restricts. Śāstra means śās-dhātu. Śās-dhātu means śāsana, ruling. From śās-dhātu, śāstra has come, śastra, weapon, has come. And śās-dhātu, from śās-dhātu, śiṣya also comes. These words are derived from śās-dhātu. Śāstra, śastra, śāsana. Śāsana means ruling. Sanskrit is very nice language. From one verbal root, you can manufacture so many words; therefore it is very difficult to make Sanskrit dictionary. It is very difficult. The so-called Sanskrit dictionaries available in the market, you won't find all the words. It is not possible. Because so many words are manufactured by one dhātu.

Lecture on SB 1.10.20 -- London, May 24, 1973:

Actually Vedānta, Veda means the knowledge. Vetti veda-vidaḥ jñānī. The vid-dhātu. Those who know Sanskrit dhātu, verbal form... So, so there are different forms of one root. Just like the real root is vid-dhātu. Now it, it is sometimes spoken as vetti. Sometimes it is called vida. Sometimes it is called vinte(?). Sometimes it is called vindati, vindate. There are different forms of the same root, vid-dhātu. So when which forms should be used, the grammarians, they know it. Sanskrit language is very difficult language. One has to learn the grammar portion of it only for twelve years. Then he becomes expert grammarian. And when one becomes nice grammarian, he can read any literature, different department of knowledge, Āyur Veda, Dhanur Veda, Yajur Veda, Jyotir Veda. So many Vedas. So real Vedas means knowledge. I've already explained when I was in 1968 in London, in the Conway Hall... That is published in Īśopaniṣad. So Veda means knowledge. Vetti veda vidaḥ jñāna(?). Jñāna, jñāna means knowledge. So veda-anta. Anta means end. There is everything of our material life, as for the beginning and at the end.

Lecture on SB 1.15.45 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1973:

Because as soon as you taste, you finish. Potassium cyanide. You know this. So therefore in the chemical there is not mention, "the taste of the potassium cyanide." Nobody has still tasted. So there is a Hindi word in India, delhika lāḍu yakaya abhipataya ya lakaya abhipataya...(?) There is a delhika lāḍu. You make lāḍu. So delhika lāḍu. It is very slang language. Delhika lāḍu yakaya abhipastya. Delhika lāḍu is so made that one who has tasted it, he laments, and who has not tasted, he laments. Both of them. So this potassium cyanide is like that, a chemical. The chemists, because they do not know what is the taste, so they say that "We do not know. Analysis is imperfect." And those who have tasted, they cannot say. They are finished. (laughter) So this is the position.

Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

So nobody can be Kṛṣṇa's father. Nobody can be controller of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can be master of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "Nobody is superior than Me." But He accepts inferior position out of love. If you love Kṛṣṇa... The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are very much eager to become one with Kṛṣṇa, merge into the existence of Kṛṣṇa. That is their perfection. And Vaiṣṇava philosophy is: "What is there becoming one with Kṛṣṇa? We want to become father of Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. "Why I shall be one with my son? We want to become master of Kṛṣṇa." Just like gopīs. Gopīs were addressing Kṛṣṇa with very slanting language, but Kṛṣṇa enjoyed that. That is service to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa... Everyone worships Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. So sometime Kṛṣṇa becomes disgusted, that "Everyone is coming, simply offering Me respectful obeisances. Nobody comes to chastise Me." So who can chastise Kṛṣṇa? His devotee. Therefore a devotee who comes to the position of chastising Kṛṣṇa, he is more liked by Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's position.

Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:

So it is in good words, vimukta-māninaḥ. Because it is said by Vyāsadeva or a devotee, little respectful, vimukta-māninaḥ, falsely thinking that he has become liberated. But when Kṛṣṇa says, because He is the Supreme Lord, He says that "He is a mūḍha. He is a rascal." Just like father can immediately call his son rascal or spiritual master can say, because superior position, a rascal. Others, the rascal may be addressed in an ornamented language. He is to be proved a rascal. But some, for friendly sake... Just like Kṛṣṇa, when He was talking with Arjuna, He directly did not say, "My dear Arjuna, you are rascal number one. You are rascal number one."

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

Nurse is also mother. Tathā pṛthvī, and the earth, the earth is also our mother. That we say in country, in the country which we take birth, we say deśa-mātṛkā. In Sanskrit it is called deśa-mātṛkā. That is also mother. Mother land, mother language. So this... So many mothers we have got, out of which, cow is also mother. Therefore she's addressed as amba. Amba means mother. Still in Gujarat province, they call amba. And in U.P., United States, er, United Province, in India, they also call amba, or in a broken language they call amma. Still... That is from very long time, mother is... Amba-devī. There is a... From Amba-devī, there is a big temple of Mother Durgā, Kālī, in Bombay. So this Amba-devī was pronounced by the Englishmens as Bamba-devī, and from Bamba-devī it has come to "Bombay." Actually, there is a big temple of Amba in Bombay. From that name, instead of Amba, they have become Bamba. Just like from Sindhu, they have called, they have designated the inhabitants of Sindhu-deśa as "Hindu." The Muhammadans, they pronounce s as h. So from "Sindhu," it has come to "Hindu." Otherwise, this "Hindu" name is not mentioned in any Vedic literature. It is given by the... This name is given by the other foreigners.

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Los Angeles, July 10, 1974:

Book is required because our memory is now, the power of recollection, is very poor. Just like one who cannot memorize, he has to take note down. Formerly, five thousand years ago, there was no need of books. The students will go to the spiritual master or teacher and... Therefore it is called śruti. The Vedic language is called śruti. Śruti means hearing. It is not reading. Simply, pious students will hear from the right source. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Simply by hearing, they will understand everything. They will never forget. But in the Kali-yuga it is not possible. Therefore Vyāsadeva, the whole Vedic understanding, knowledge, he recorded into books. Otherwise before that there was no need of books. The power of recollection will diminish. And mercy. Mercy will reduce. Even in your, in somebody's, in our front, somebody is killed. Nobody will try to help him. What to speak of others, when there is difficulty. Or there are so many. People should cooperate.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974:

So if you study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you'll be able to understand the whole material position and how you are situated in that material position, how to get out of it. Everything you'll understand, provided you have got the brain. If you have got a dull brain, filled up with cow dung, that is another thing. If there is brain substance, then you'll be able. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Alpa-medhasām and su-medhasām, they are two words in the Vedic language. Medhā means brain substance. So one who has got su-medhā, nice brain substance, they will understand something. And one who has got no brain substance but cow dung, they will understand something else. So we are selecting, or even if he is filled up with cow dung, by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness education, we can make him su-medhā, fine brain. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Even one is filled up with cow dung, su-medhā.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

So at the present moment in the Kali, Kali-yuga, they are, practically they're all demons. All demons. So if Kṛṣṇa... Of course, sometimes it will come that Kṛṣṇa has to come here simply to kill the demons. That is Kalki avatāra. That is described by Jayadeva Gosvāmī. What is that? Keśava dhṛta-kalki-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. Kalau, dhūmaketum iva kim api karālam, mleccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi karavālam. Mleccha, the mleccha, this word, yavana, these... There are words in Vedic language, mleccha, yavana. Yavana means meat-eaters. Yavana. It does not mean only Europeans are yavana, and Americans, not, Indians are not yavana. No. Anyone who eats meat, he's a yavana. Yavana means meat-eater. And mleccha means unclean. One who does not follow Vedic principles, he's called mleccha. Just like... As the Muhammadans say, kafir. One who does not follow Muslim religion, they are called kafir. That is religious point of view. And the Christians say "heathens." One who does not follow Christian religion, they are called heathens. Is it not? Similarly, anyone who does not follow Vedic principle, he's called mleccha. So time will come when nobody will follow Vedic principles of life. Therefore, mleccha.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1970:

So Kṛṣṇa means with His energy. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. This bhagavate means full of energies. I have several times explained bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses. Bhagavān. That is the meaning of word bhagavān. So when this bhagavān word is addressed, it is addressed as bhagavate. The word is bhagavat, bhagavat-śabda. Of course, these are grammatical arrangement. Vat, this affix, is there when it is meant... Sanskrit, every word, every syllable, has got meaning. That is Sanskrit language. It is not like that "beauty but, (?) beauty put." No. If you say "beauty but," then you must say "peauty put." But in English, "beauty but, peauty put." So in Sanskrit language, you cannot do like that. If you have to follow the rules, then the same rule will go on. So bhagavate address, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudevāya. This is the form of, fourth form of, śabda, sound vibration, fourth form. Just like kṛṣṇāya. When I offer something, kṛṣṇāya, viṣṇave. Similarly, bhagavate, vāsudevāya.

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

That is answered in the next line, that apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). General people, people in general, they are gṛheṣu, in the..., at home. But they are gṛhamedhi. There are two words, gṛhamedhi and gṛhastha in Vedic language. Gṛhastha means those who are householder, living for convenience, wife, children. Because everyone cannot... Especially in this age. Especially in your country, to take sannyāsa is very difficult job. It should not be given; neither it should be taken. Actually, in this age, sannyāsa is forbidden. But if one is very strong, he can accept sannyāsa. So better to remain a gṛhastha and cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is better. Don't accept whimsically sannyāsa and then do all nonsense. No. So it is better to remain gṛhastha.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

One political leader... Perhaps you have heard his name. His name was Madan Mohan Mallabhya.(?) In India. He came to see our Guru Mahārāja, and he inquired that "What are your activities?" So then some of our Godbrothers presented that "We have got six periodicals in six languages: one in English, one in Bengali, one in Hindu, one in Oriya, one is Assami. And we have got one paper, Bengali, daily." So this Madan Mohan Mallabhya was astonished that "You are issuing a paper daily, simply discussing about God?" So my Guru Mahārāja said, "Yes. Why not?" Then he gave him a nice example, that in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that ekāṁśena sthito jagat: (BG 10.42) This material world is only one-fourth part manifestation of God's energy. Now, apart from material... There are innumerable universes and innumerable planets in each universe. Out of that, this earthly planet is very tiny. And in this planet there are so many countries and so many cities. And each and every city there are so many periodicals, so many newspapers, and each paper having so many editions daily. So in comparison to the whole universe or whole material creation, this planet is nothing and this city is nothing.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

Now the question may be that "You are liberated person. Why you are attracted with the narration of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?" So he says that pariniṣṭhito 'pi nairguṇya. "Yes, although I'm situated in the transcendental position, uttama-śloka-līlā, the narration of Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa is called uttama-śloka. Uttama-śloka means when Kṛṣṇa is described, He's described by chosen language, not ordinary language. You'll find, those who are students of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you'll find each and every word so nice and so sublime, even from literary point of view. Therefore He's called Uttama-śloka. And His līlā, His pastimes So Śukadeva Gosvāmī admits that "Although I was situated in the liberated stage of life, still I was attracted by the activities or pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa." Pariniṣṭhito' pi nairguṇya uttama-śloka-līlayā, gṛhīta-ceta rājarṣe. "My dear King, I, I heard it wholeheartedly. It was, it is so nice, it is so sublime that it was attractive to me."

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

So these Vedas is considered as the desire tree, means any kind of knowledge you want, it is complete there perfectly, any kind, either spiritual or material, any department of knowledge. And that is called desire tree. All kinds of knowledge, you can achieve from the Vedic language. There is Dhanur-veda, Āyur-veda, Jyotir-veda and all kinds. Veda means knowledge. So for military art, if you want to consult Vedic literature, you will get complete information, perfect. Similarly, Jyotir-veda. Jyoti means the luminaries in the sky, the stars. You can get. We are trying to go to the moon planet and wasting our time and energy, but if you consult Vedas, you get full information of the moon planet, sun planet or any other planet. There are millions and millions of trillions of planets. You can get all, Brahmaloka, up to the topmost planet. Jyotir-veda. That is called Jyotir-veda. And the Dhanur-veda. Āyur-veda. Āyuḥ means duration of life. And nobody wants to be diseased. So that means medical science. That is also fully there.

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

So, anyone else? That's all right. So in this way, if you chant ten times, you'll get it by heart. It is not difficult. So we are giving this diacritic mark, English transliteration, only for this purpose—so that you can chant, you can vibrate these mantras. So practice. Here you hear, and in your leisure time, you practice. If you chant these mantras anywhere, you'll be honored. Sanskrit language is so nice. And direction, everything is there: purport, word meaning, and translation. So we are taking so much trouble in writing books not for simply making market. It is for you to read. Not that simply we go and sell books, and that ... If the customer says, "You read it first of all," then what you will say? You'll say, "No, I cannot read. I can sell only." (laughter) (Prabhupāda laughs.) Then what will be your position, if you say like that? "I can sell; I cannot read." Anyway, then? Word meanings? (Pradyumna reads synonyms.) So these are kāma, these material desires.

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

Don't go to other demigods." Because... we have seen the list of demigods. If you want... The prescription is there, "If you want this, you worship this deity. If you want this, you worship this deity." But they are all kāma. In the Bhagavad-gītā these kāmīs, these lusty persons, have been condemned. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20). Hṛta-jñānāḥ, lost of all intelligence. That means rascal. In good language it is hṛta-jñānaḥ, one who has lost his intelligence.

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

Caitanya dayāra kathā karaha vicāra. The exact language is there. That Caitanya-caritāmṛta writer, Kavirāja Gosvāmī, says that "You put your logic about the mercy of Lord Caitanya. I request you, you consider. Don't accept it blindly." Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra. "But if you intelligently deliberate on the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu,"

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra

vicāra karile citte pābe camatkāra

(CC Adi 8.15)

"you'll feel wonderful. If you accept it by systematic deliberation about the mercy of Lord Caitanya, then you'll feel that it is wonderful." So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a, I mean to say, force, that we are pushing something forcibly to anyone. There is complete judgement. But unfortunately, if one cannot understand, that is not our fault. One must have the intelligence to understand. Otherwise, logically, philosophically, it is perfect.

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

Trai-vargikam means religion and economic development and sense gratification. This is human civilization. This is not human civilization, in one sense, because there is question of dharma. Dharma means religion. Religion... not exactly in the same way as we understand in English language: "a kind of faith." Dharma. Generally, people understand that "I have got my own dharma." "I am Hindu; I am Christian; I am Muslim; I am this; I am that." But in Sanskrit language, dharma does not mean like that, "a kind of faith." No. Faith is blind. Today you are Hindu, tomorrow you are Christian, today you are Christian. So this faith-changing is not dharma. Dharma means "which you cannot change." That is dharma. Not that whimsically I change. That dharma is service. Every one of us rendering some service to others. That is dharma. Every one of us. Jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives us immediate information what is a living entity. He immediately gives the definition that a living entity means who is rendering service to the Lord.

Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

One after another. (continues devotee reciting, Prabhupāda correcting) You read the transliteration. The thing is hearing the meter and repeat. That's all. The writing is already there, transliteration. Simply you have to hear the written. Just like you have chanted so many verses, songs, by hearing. The hearing is very important. A child learns another language simply by hearing, pronunciation, hearing. That is natural. If we hear one thing repeatedly, you will learn. You will learn. So one has to hear little attentively. Then it will be easy. There is no difficulty. Just like you are singing our song in tune, (sings) saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka **. This is by hearing. So simply you have to hear. Therefore whole Vedic śāstra is called śruti. It is a process of hearing. (coughing) This is a disease of old age. These are the warnings that the body is getting rotten.

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

So we should not be very much attached for the benefit of this body. We must purify. Ātmā, ātma-tattva... Ātmā is sometimes... In Sanskrit language, ātmā is meant the body, the mind and the soul. So ātma-tattva-viśuddhy-artha: "In order to find out what is pure ātmā..." Now ātmā is covered with the subtle body and the gross body. So we should analyze whether this gross body is ātmā or the subtle body is ātmā. So they do not know, the modern civilization. The karmīs, they are accepting this gross body as ātmā, the gross body as ātmā, or the subtle body. The jñānīs, they are accepting mind, intelligence, as ātmā. But ātmā is above. Therefore we have to purify the idea of ātma-tattvam. Ātma-tattva-viśuddhy-artham. Ātma-tattva-viśuddhy-artham. Yad āha. So we have to hear from authorities, from Bhagavān. Brahmaṇe darśayan rūpam avyalīka-vratādṛtaḥ. Because Brahmā underwent great tapasya for hundreds of years, so, being pleased upon Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, explained to him this ātma-tattva.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

In Sanskrit poetry writing is not so easy. You have to follow so many rules and regulations. How many words in the beginning, first line, how many words in the second line. Sāhitya-darpaṇa. There is a book, Sāhitya-darpaṇa. Therefore it is called Sanskrit. Sanskrit, everything is reformed. It is not like that "B-U-T but, P-U-T put." If you say "u," "a," then you must say "B-U-T but" and "P-U-T put." But not that sometimes "put," sometimes "but." No. That will not be allowed in Sanskrit. The pronunciation must be regular. You cannot change. Saṁskṛta. Saṁskṛta means reformed, Sanskrit language. Devanāgarī. This language is spoken in the higher planetary system, even in Vaikuṇṭha. This language is spoken. Devanāgarī. Deva-nagara. Just like Tokyo is Japan-nagara, similarly... Nagara means city. And the citizens are called nāgarī. One who lives in the city, they are called nāgarī. So devanāgarī. These alphabets, letters, are called devanāgarī. But in the cities of the demigods, this language is spoken. Devanāgarī.

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

It is Japanese language? Why? He wants to see. Hm. So eternal life, yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6). Eternal life, such nice, always youthful, such nicely dressed, and four hands. Now you are eating with two hands. You will get four hands. (laughter) So you can voraciously eat also if you like, with four hands. How much you can eat, two hands? So these are the facilities. Why don't you try for this? And Kṛṣṇa assures, mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām.

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

So jīva, prakṛti expansion. Parā-prakṛti expansion. So Kṛṣṇa is always svacchandātmā. He has no anxiety. Svacchandātmā ātma-māyayā. Yad yad vidhatte bhagavān svacchandātmā. Whatever... Even if He's killing a demon, there is no anxiety. That is Kṛṣṇa. Even if He's killing, He has no anxiety. Svacchandātmā. That is also, I mean to say, confirmed in the Vedic language. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate, na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). So He has nothing to do personally. His energies act. Then try to understand why Bhagavān is attributed with the word svacchandātmā. Because...

Just like a big man. He wants to do something. He simply says to his secretary, "This thing must be done." He does everything. And he is quite confident that "I have told my secretary, and it will be done." So secretary is a person's śakti, energy. Similarly, if an ordinary man within this world has so much energies or secretaries to act, so just imagine, although Kṛṣṇa is Jagadīśvara, He's managing the whole universe... He's managing. There is brain. The foolish men, they say there is no brain. No, there is brain. But we do not know who is the brain.

Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:

So even if we are very perfect brāhmaṇa, so I think that "I am so..., such a learned person. I understand the Vedic principles. So I..." The same, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). The same principle, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). But if you are raised in the sattva-guṇa, then there is chance of understanding your position. In the tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa you cannot. Tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, you remain like animal, like cats and dogs. But when you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa... That you can come by following the principles, and then the attachment... Guṇeṣu saktaṁ bandhāya. Then your conditioned life on account of being attached to the material qualities will be finished. How? Simple thing. Everyone can attain to the platform of sattva-guṇa if he follows the instruction. In the Bhagavad-gītā the same thing is said in different way, these languages and Vedic scriptures.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

Whatever hindrances and tribulations they are offering to us, never mind. Tolerate." Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ (SB 3.25.21). Suhṛdaḥ, means the heart is so nice. Su means nice, and hṛd means heart. They have no other desire. Suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ means... Just like there are different words: mitra, suhṛdaḥ, bandhu... And Sanskrit is very perfect language. Suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ means a person who is always thinking of welfare for others. He's called suhṛdaḥ. Otherwise kuhṛdaḥ. The ordinary persons, they are thinking how to make him subdued, how to make him defeated, in competition. That is the polluted heart. And the Vaiṣṇava, he's always thinking how a man can be saved from the clutches of māyā. He's called suhṛdaḥ. He has no other desire. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. Not "For my brother, or family," but sarva-dehinām, for all dehīs, all dehīs.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

So he said, My guru said, that 'You cannot read Vedānta-sūtra.' " Actually Vedānta-sūtra, Vedānta philosophy is not meant for ordinary learned person. It requires great knowledge in Sanskrit language and philosophy. So He, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, took the part of ordinary person, at the present moment that guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana (CC Adi 7.71) . Generally people are not so learned that they can understand Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu taking the part of the mūrkha society, the illiterate, ignorant society, He said that "I cannot read Vedānta-sūtra. He advised me to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and I am doing that. And I am getting the result.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

We see that this gross body is stopped, we say it is everything finished, because we have got gross intelligence, we have no sūkṣma, in Therefore we have to approach guru, just like Arjuna approached guru. And Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa teaching that you are thinking of this body like a rascal. Nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. He said in a very gentlemanly language, no learned man thinks like that, that means you are a fool. Nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ, that you are not a paṇḍita, you are a fool. Just try to understand, that real life is for the soul, therefore you should take care of the soul. The whole Vedic language, Vedic education means to take care of the soul. The soul is entangled, embodied, engaged in this material affair, and he is suffering, and to rescue him, to get him out of this material clutches, that is called education.

Lecture on SB 3.26.17 -- Bombay, December 26, 1974:

So Manu... Manu belonged to the Sūrya-vaṁśa, and the daughter of Manu is Devahūti. Therefore the son is addressing the mother, mānavi. Mānavi. The manuṣya, the word, has come from manu. Mānuṣya. Mānuṣya means "coming from Manu." The human race, they are coming from Manu. So therefore the human society is controlled by the Manu-saṁhitā. There is a book, Manu-saṁhitā, the law-giving. Manu has given law. That law... At least the Hindus or the followers of the Vedic principle, their law is Manu..., Manu-smṛti. Manu-smṛti is also translated in Russian language.

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

If people are simply induced to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... Just see. Even a child, he is taking part. It is natural. There is no distinction between black and white, no question of language, nothing. You see practically. There is white child, black child. They do not know how to speak, but they are dancing and chanting. So this movement is so important. Somehow or other if you can engage them in chanting and dancing, the whole world will be united. What the United Nations has failed, this movement can do—if it is not checked by the rascals. But the rascals are ready to check this movement. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, God, Kṛṣṇa, is always ready to help us. How? Here it is said, antaḥ puruṣa-rūpeṇa kāla-rūpeṇa yo bahiḥ. He is inside and outside. Antaḥ, antaryāmī. Caitya-guru. He is acting as caitya-guru.

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

So to get out of this, only the mercy of Kṛṣṇa... He can do everything. He can immediately take out from this entanglement. Otherwise how he is Almighty? I cannot get out. The fish cannot get out, but the, if the fisherman wants, he can get him out immediately and throw in the water. Then he gets life again. Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, He can get out immediately. And He says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). You simply surrender. As the fisherman is seeing, "Fut! Fut! Fut!" but if the fish surrenders... He wants to surrender, but he does not know the language. Therefore he remains within the network. But if the fisherman likes, he can take it out and throw in the water. Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa... For that surrendering process this human life is meant. In other life, the fish cannot, but I can. That is the difference between the life of the fish and my life.

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

No. It is fact. Because this Kṛṣṇa, this form of Kṛṣṇa, the our forefathers or ācāryas they have seen when Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet. And there are many, many old temples. The same feature of Kṛṣṇa, two hands, playing on the flute, and anywhere you will see Kṛṣṇa He has got this flute. Because that is His most beloved, favorite instrument. That is stated in the śāstra, not imagination. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asita... (Bs. 5.30). In the Vedic language it is said that Kṛṣṇa, He has got a flute in His hand. He likes to play on flute. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam (Bs. 5.30). Barhāvataṁsa means the peacock. He likes peacock feather. These symptoms are described in the Vedic literature, and when Kṛṣṇa was present on this earth, the same feature was there. So this picture, this photo, or this statue of Kṛṣṇa, this arcā-mūrti, is not different from the original Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.28.19 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

"When there is sound vibrated passing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, however, one is forced to hear. That hearing process enters into the mind, and the practice of yoga is automatically performed. For example, even a child can hear and derive the benefit of meditating on the pastimes of the Lord simply..." Now, just like these children. They do not understand English, they do not understand language, but when there will be chanting, they will stand up and dance. See how this process is easy. There is no question of language understanding, no question of being young or child. Anyone who will hear the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa Mantra, he will be enthused immediately, and that is natural. Unless he is covered with sinful activities very much, he will be enthused. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). But even if he is covered with sinful activities, by chanting, immediately the process of cleansing begins. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Simply by hearing and chanting, he becomes pious.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

So this Vedic instruction, it is not meant for any particular person, any community or any country. It is meant for everyone. So we should take advantage. We are therefore publishing in English so many books so that people may understand. English language is spoken practically all over the world, and we are selling also. These books are being appreciated by the professors in university and highly learned circles, and common men also. So I am lecturing for, say, half an hour or forty-five minutes—it is not possible to explain all the Vedic intelligence—but we are distributing these books. I request you to read all these books as far as possible and take advantage of do not spoil your life simply for meeting the necessities of this body very hardly like cats and dogs. It is not required.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

That is human life. Otherwise, if we simply work very hard just like the stool-eater hogs, "Where is food? Where is food? Where is sex? Where is..." This is... Therefore this particular name has been mentioned here, viḍ-bhujām. It is very peculiar. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This is the business of the stool-eater hogs. Śāstra sometimes uses very strong language. That is required. Just like if you want to train your children, sometimes you have to slap, you have to chastise for his benefit. That is the... Therefore this very word is used, viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. These kind of engagements are there among the hogs and dogs. Are you hogs and dogs or human being? Your engagement is brahma-jijñāsā, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Inquire about Brahman. Learn about Brahman. Learn about yourself, that you are not this material body. If you are still thinking that you are this material body—you are Indian, you are American, you are brāhmaṇa, you are śūdra, you are white, you are black—then you are in the dog's consciousness, not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is to be learned.

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

They're not very much, I mean to say, addicted. Just like ordinary man, he's very much fond of house, very much fond of wife, very much fond of children, very much fond of wealth. He is not like that. Yāvad arthaḥ prayojanam. They are fond of or they are interested with their relationship as much as is required. Therefore in the Vedic languages there are two kinds of householders. One is called gṛhamedhi, and the other is called gṛhastha. Gṛhastha means one who lives with family but his interest is realization of self and realization of God. And gṛhamedhi means he has no more interest. He has no interest what is spiritual life, what is God, but he's simply interested in developing the family standard of life. So there are two classes of men. But one who is simply interested with spiritual life, they can also be claimed as mahātmā even in the household life. But his interest is only for God realization and his symptom is described that his only aim is God and he's not attached with material comfort or he's not attached with persons who are simply engaged for the improvement of bodily happiness.

Lecture on SB 5.5.30 -- Vrndavana, November 17, 1976:

So tatra tatra pura-grāmākara-kheṭa-vāṭa-kharvaṭa and so on, so on. This is Sanskrit language. By combining words with the process of sandhi and samasa, one word can be as long as three miles. So for ordinary person it is very difficult to combine together. So it is for the learned scholars. But we must understand the purport. Ṛṣabhadeva is parivrājakācārya. This is called parivrājakācārya. We have heard this name, parivrājakācārya. Sannyāsī's third stage is parivrājakācārya, and the fourth stage is paramahaṁsa. Kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and then paramahaṁsa. So avadhūta. We have already understood, avadhūta: no conception, no bodily conception, completely. There is a song, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra kāhāṅ tāra. If one is completely free from the bodily conception of life, as it is shown practically by Ṛṣabhadeva—people are spiting (spitting on him), calling him by ill names, and sometimes passing urine—he doesn't care. This is the example. Āpani ācari prabhu jīveri śikhāya. By imitation, it is not possible. We'll learn more and more about His body, how it was completely spiritual. Na jāyate na mriyate va. In other place the spiritual body is nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. The... No weapon can cut it, no fire can burn it. These descriptions are there.

Lecture on SB 5.6.4 -- Vrndavana, November 26, 1976:

This is required. And Tulasī dāsa, he has also said... Tulasī dāsa is big poet in Hindi language. He has written the Rāma-carita-manas. His opinion... Not only his opinion, that is the Vedic opinion, that... He says, dhol gamar strī śūdra, paśu śūdra nārī, ei ei sab śāsana ke adhikārī (?). So this statement will not be very palatable to the Western girls. They want independence. In Chicago, when I was there, they talked about independence of the woman. They asked me question. So I replied, "No, woman cannot be given independence." So there was a great agitation against me. In many papers I was very much criticized. But actually it is the fact, because they are innocent, not so intelligent and... These are all practical. We may avoid discussing, but Bhāgavata is very open for discussing all subject matter. That is fact. We should not hide anything artificially. We must discuss the fact. Not only here, the mention it is, the Manu-saṁhitā. Manu-saṁhitā recommends, "A woman should not be given independence." For their interest they must be protected by father, husband, and sons, because if they are polluted, they become very dangerous. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said that duṣṭā bhāryā.

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

Pradyumna: "Lord Ṛṣabhadeva was the head of all kings and emperors within this universe, but assuming the dress and language of an avadhūta, He acted as if dull and materially bound. Consequently, no one could observe His divine opulence. He adopted this behavior just to teach yogis how to give up the body. Nonetheless, He maintained His original position as a plenary expansion of Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Remaining always in that state, He gave up His pastimes as Lord Ṛṣabhadeva within the material world. If, following in the footsteps of Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, one can give up his subtle body, there is no chance that one will accept a material body again."

Prabhupāda:

Athaivam akhila-loka-pāla-lalāmo 'pi vilakṣaṇair jaḍavad avadhūta-veṣa.

(SB 5.6.6)

So this is also opulence of Kṛṣṇa. Jaḍavad avadhūta-veṣa. Although He is the proprietor, sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29), still, this is another opulence, how to become renounced. This is another opulence. It is as good as the other opulences. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. All the op..., means property, money, wealth—these are aiśvarya. And He says, Kṛṣṇa, sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Not only in one planet but all the universes, all the planets within the universes, they are all the properties of Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Honolulu, May 16, 1976:

So here it is said that aghavān. Aghavān means sinful. Agha means sin and vān means... Just like Bhagavān. Bhagavān means one who has bhaga, or opulence, or fortune. That is called bhagavat. And just the opposite is called aghavat. This is Sanskrit language. Bhagavān means the most opulent, topmost place, Bhagavān. And aghavān means lowest place. So here it is said that one has to become aghavān to the stage of Bhagavān. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness: not to remain aghavān, but to become Bhagavān. Bhagavān, of course, means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But those who are very, very advanced, recognized by Bhagavān, they are also sometimes called Bhagavān. Just like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahma, Nārada Muni, on their status, sometimes they are called Bhagavān. Nowadays it has become a fashion to become Bhagavān. So Bhagavān is not so cheap. Everyone is aghavān. But if he wants to become Bhagavān or in the higher status, higher level, then it is recommended, "Let him take to the devotional service."

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

This is the attraction of family life. When a small baby smiles, immediately the father, mother and relatives become attracted. When the child begins to talk broken language, they enjoy. Unless this attraction is there, it is not possible to raise the child with affection. That is natural. That affection is even in the animals. You'll find a dog, even a tiger, everyone. That affection is there in the every... Monkey. I have seen it practically. In Kanpur I was staying in a room, and one monkey came with a child, and the child somehow or other entered into the window through the bars and the mother became mad. She thought, "My child is gone." She became mad. So somehow or other, again I pushed that monkey out of the bars, and immediately she embraced the child and took away. Just see. The affection is there.

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

Guest (3): If the language is absolutely clear, the language should be interpreted... (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. So when the language is clear it is... Just like anything you take, all these Vedic literatures, simply by interpretation they have played havoc. Now, this Vedānta-sūtra, Vedānta, is accepted as the supreme authority of Vedic literature. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), the sutra, that janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The Absolute Truth must be the original source of everything." There is no question of interpretation. This is the clear meaning. Janmādi. Janma means birth and... Janma, sthiti and laya. There are three words in this material world. The things come out, just like this body has come out from the womb of my mother. It stays for some time, it grows, it gives some by-products, then it becomes old and again vanishes. So therefore janmādy asya: (SB 1.1.1) "Beginning from birth up to the annihilation, everything is emanation from the Absolute Truth." So is not that very clear? Absolute Truth must be that which is the source of everything and reservoir of everything and who is maintaining everything.

Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Honolulu, May 24, 1976:

So by way of calling the young child, he was chanting "Nārāyaṇa." This is very good system, that if you keep the name of your children Nārāyaṇa, Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, then you will get some chance to chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in India still the system is they keep some name which is with reference to Kṛṣṇa. He has got thousands of names, so you can keep one name so that you have the opportunity of repeating, chanting the holy name of the Lord.

So bālaḥ nārāyaṇaḥ sakṛt, pitroḥ ca dayitaṁ bhṛśam. (break) So he was very dear to the parents, innocent child, kala-bhāṣinī, talking broken languages, "mommy," "mama," that is very sweet. One becomes attached to this voice: "Oh, how my child is talking." Nirīkṣamāṇa tat līlām. And the child is walking, the child is doing something, coming to the mother, capturing.

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:

Nitāi: "The child's broken language and movements were very pleasing to Ajāmila, who was very attracted to the child. He always took care of the child and enjoyed his activities."

Prabhupāda: "Attached, attached to the child."

Nitāi: "...very much attached to the child."

Prabhupāda:

sa baddha-hṛdayas tasminn
arbhake kala-bhāṣiṇi
nirīkṣamāṇas tal-līlāṁ
mumude jaraṭho bhṛśam
(SB 6.1.25)

So this is called material attachment. He is very much attached to the child, but he does not know this will break. This attachment will not endure. When the child is grown up, neither the father will have so much attachment, nor the child will have so much... This is called material world. But the same attachment is there in the spiritual world. Just like Mother Yaśodā. Mahārāja Nanda, he is attached to Kṛṣṇa. They are also enjoying the same way, but that enjoyment is never broken. That is the difference. This attachment between father and son or mother and son in this material world, it will not stay. It will break, today or tomorrow. That is the nature.

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:

Central point is Kṛṣṇa, but the varieties of attachment, they are the same. The only difference is that this attachment centering round Kṛṣṇa is never broken. If you love Kṛṣṇa as your child, just like Ajāmila is loving his youngest child so much, similarly, if you love Kṛṣṇa, then it will continue eternally. You will enjoy. It is enjoyment, ānanda. The father is seeing that the small child is trying to walk and trying to talk with the father in broken language, and he is observing very minutely, and mumude, he was enjoying. So you can have the idea of enjoyment. Not idea. Everyone has got practical experience. So if enjoyment continues perpetually, just imagine what is that life. And you are enjoying, but if it is broken halfway, then it is very painful.

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Honolulu, May 25, 1976:

So, kuṭumbam aśucir yāyatām āsa. So in that aśuci bhṛta āsa, the sneha is there. This Ajāmila, although became the rogue number one, but the affection, natural, that is there. Affection is there. Sa baddha-hṛdayas tasminn arbhake kala-bhāṣiṇi. Attract. The child is talking in broken language—that is very pleasing, pleasing to everyone, especially the parents. So nirīkṣamāṇas tal-līlām. And he's walking, or he's crawling, he's coming to the father, coming to the mother... These things are very attractive, and we become more and more attracted, and we forget our real business. The real business we should always remember. These things are natural. It is very good, be affectionate to your children. But don't forget your real business. Otherwise this kind of affection is there in cats and dogs also. Cats and dogs you'll find they carry the cat, the kitties.

Lecture on SB 6.1.28-29 -- Philadelphia, July 13, 1975:

Prabhupāda: Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya **. Don't try to cheat guru. Then progress will be checked.

ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān
nāvamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhyāsūyeta
sarva-devamayo guruḥ
(SB 11.17.27)

Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān. Kṛṣṇa says, "Ācārya means I am." Nāvamanyeta karhicit: "Do not try to neglect." Na martya-buddhyāsūyeta: "Do not consider ācārya, spiritual master, as ordinary human being and become envious." These things are warned. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyāsūyeta (SB 11.17.27). Familiarity breeds contempt. That is not good. Similarly... Because by the mercy of ācārya, by the mercy of guru, you will get Kṛṣṇa. You sing that, kṛṣṇa-prāpti jāhā hoite, what is that? Kṛṣṇa-prāpti jāhā hoite. What is that language?

Kṛta-kṛta: That by his mercy he brings us close to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No, no, what is that Bengali language? You cannot... You are singing daily?

Kṛta-kṛta: Prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

When they were addressed by the assistants of Yamarāja, then the representative of Vāsudeva, vāsudevokta-kāriṇaḥ, those who are followers of the order of Vāsudeva... Representative... (aside:) Again you have to stand, please. Tān pratyūcuḥ prahasyedaṁ megha-nirhrādayā girā. Now, the Viṣṇudūta, they began to speak in a very grave language, just like resounding the cloud. (commentary:) Kim anya-lokasyānyasya prakāśa yat tu tathā bhūta diśaḥ kurvantaḥ bhavatam anuṣitaṁ yam ity āhuḥ kim artham ity āha (?). Indirectly, the Yamadūtas said that "You are so exalted, so it is not very good for you to interfere with our business." They politely submitted.

Lecture on SB 6.1.38 -- Los Angeles, June 4, 1976:

This morning I was asking that why there is Sunday first and Monday second? Who can answer? Is there anyone in this meeting who can answer my, this simple question? Why, all over the world, the, everyone accepts Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Sambar, Mangalbar, Bhurbar, the same thing? There may be different language. And Saturday is last. Why this arrangement? Who can answer? Is there anyone? I've asked this simple question to so many. Even Svarūpa Dāmodara, our doctor Ph.D., he has not yet answered. And I've asked this question to Dr. Wolfe also.

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

By the process of cleansing our heart, our devotional temperament becomes fixed up on the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is called Uttama-śloka, who is glorified with first-class, I mean to say, Sanskrit stanzas, uttama-śloka. Just like we pray, we offer prayer to Kṛṣṇa, govindam adi-puruṣam, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). These stanzas are not ordinary. It is very first-class composition, and written by, written or offered by the first living creature, Lord Brahmā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Uttama-śloka. He is prayed with first-class composition. All the ślokas, all the prayers we will find, they are not ordinary Sanskrit composition, as we have seen Bhīṣma's prayer to Kṛṣṇa, Kuntī's prayer to Kṛṣṇa in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. How philosophically they are elevated; how nicely they are composed. And because Kṛṣṇa is worshiped, God is worshiped by such kind of language and elevated poetical and rhetorical, all perfect, therefore His another name is Uttama-śloka.

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

Thank you very much. (break) Viṣṇujana is doing very nice. He has printed some literatures, and he's going for enrolling members. So I think this literature should be rendered into Hindi and Bengali. He has picked up from the purport of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam very nicely and presenting this booklet about the mission, missionary activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, The Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement Is the Genuine Vedic Way. He has done it nicely, so I think this should be translated in different languages. Yes. The selected portion he has picked up from the purport of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that is a very nice arrangement. If you simply preach these principles, people will very much appreciate.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

They are simply proud of getting birth in higher families. They are called dvija-bandhu. They are equal to woman and the śūdra. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā. Trayī means the Vedas. Karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, upāsana-kāṇḍa. There are three methods in understanding Vedas, and their language, their process, is very difficult. Therefore Vyāsadeva, considering the immediate inauguration of Kali-yuga... Because Vyāsadeva appeared at the end of Dvāpara-yuga. So before writing these Vedas, Vyāsadeva, by Vyāsadeva, there was no written scripture. Therefore these Vedas are called śrutis. People learn it simply by hearing, śruti. Śrotram. Śrotriyam. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Śrotriyam means the guru must be (an) expert who has heard from his bona fide spiritual master. That's śrotriyam, not śaukram. Śaukram means generation by semina. And śrotriyam, generation by hearing from the bona fide spiritual master. Śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. After hearing, one must be firmly fixed up in brahma-jñāna. Brahma-niṣṭham. This is called śrotriyam.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

So the Bhagavad-gītā is giving us directly information about our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa personally giving instruction that is His position and what is our position, what is our relationship with Him and what is the ultimate goal of life. These are called in Sanskrit language, sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. Sambandha means we must know what is our relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa. That is called sambandha. Everyone is speaking about God. That is human nature. Any civilized form of human society has some sort of religious principles, to understand God.

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

Gṛha-vratānām: "those who have taken it as vow to be happy in this material world." Therefore they are called gṛha-vrata. Gṛhastha... There are two words in Sanskrit language. One is gṛha-stha, and one is gṛha-vrata or gṛha-medhi. Gṛhastha means gṛhastha-āśrama. As soon as... Those who are conversant with Vedic language, they know. Āśrama means something in connection with God. That is called āśrama. So gṛhastha-āśrama means one may live with family, children, wife, children, friends—that's all right. Live. Whatever life is suitable for you, you accept. But you change Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is āśrama. Therefore it is called brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. This is varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1968:

We have been discussing Prahlāda Mahārāja's instructions to his class fellows. Fortunately, we have got some little boys. So it is very interesting. Prahlāda Mahārāja was five years old boy, and he was preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All the boys, and Prahlāda Mahārāja himself, belonged to the atheist class, most materialist. They did not know anything beyond sense enjoyment. That's all. All the fathers of the students, classfellows of Prahlāda Mahārāja, they belonged to the atheist family. In Sanskrit language the atheist is called asura, asurian. And the persons who are God conscious, they are suras or āryans. So they belonged to the family of Assyrian(?) or asura. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is fortunately, although he is born of a father, completely atheist, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa and by the grace of his mother, he became a great devotee. From very childhood, from his birth, he was a devotee. Why he became such devotee, that is explained in later chapters. We shall come to that.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 12, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Why not? You can pronounce them properly. Everything you can learn. Just like I am speaking in English. English is not my mother language, but I have tried to learn it, and I am doing my business. That's all. Similarly, you can learn any language. You can learn Sanskrit. You can pronounce very nicely. It requires learning. That's all.

Woman (1): Would there be any effect if they're not pronounced properly?

Prabhupāda: Well, the pronouncement may be little different. That doesn't matter. Just like I am speaking English. It may not be just like American or Canadian English, but I am doing my business. That's all. That does not make any difference. Nobody is asking me that "Swamiji, you are not pronouncing like an Englishman." They are concerned with the subject matter. That's all.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

In the fourth chapter, those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find, that Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). "First of all, I spoke this yoga system to Vivasvān." Vivasvān is the name of the controlling deity in the sun planet. There is also a president. As we have got many presidents, in the other higher planetary systems there is one president, and some of them is called the moon-god or the sun-god or the Varuṇa according to Vedic languages. They have got... Such post can be occupied by you also if you become qualified. Just like you can become the President. Similarly, you can also occupy the predominating post in the sun planet, in the moon planet, and all the other planets. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, devān deva-yājo yānti, that anyone who aspires after to be elevated to such planetary system which is inhabited by the demigods, they can go.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

So that city was full of nondevotee class of men, asuras. There are two classes of men everywhere. Asura and sura. Devatā and asura. In Sanskrit language, those who are devotees, they are called devatā, demigod or godly persons. And those who are nondevotees, they are called demons or asura. These two classes of men are always there in this material world. Mostly they are demonic, atheist, and few of them are devatā. But there are two classes. In the śāstra it is said: dvau bhūta-sargau loke 'smin daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6). There are two classes of men-godly and atheist. Viṣṇu bhakta bhaved daiva āsuras tad viparyaya. Those who are devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all-pervading God, they are called devatā or demigod, and those who are nondevotee, viparyaya, just the opposite number... Viparyaya means the opposite number, nondevotee. They are called asuras.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

A fruit, if you take from the tree, if it is not ripened, you can keep in a store and it gets by temperature... That ripened fruit and the fruit actually ripened in the tree, there is difference in taste. So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is compared as the ripened fruit. Nigama-kalpa taror galitaṁ phalam (SB 1.1.3). So we have translated this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is one part, here, you can see. In sixty parts. In the Bhāgavatam there are eighteen thousand verses and we are trying to place before you in English translation, and gradually, in other language also. It is being translated in German language, in French language and Spanish. Gradually. Some of our books are being published by Macmillan company, and they are being distributed. What is the name of that?

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

So the human form of life is meant for that purpose, but there is no facility in the educational institution. Many universities there may be, but not very perfectly well-situated. But we are trying our bid, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to give education about this bhāgavata-dharma and we are trying to present in so many languages. So we wish that you should cooperate, try to understand this philosophy. We have got books, we have got talks. Any way we can convince you about this philosophy of God consciousness, I hope you'll take advantage of it. Not only that, it is very easy. It is not very difficult. Just like you see all our students, they come from Europe, America. Four or five years ago they did not know what is this bhāgavata-dharma, what is this Kṛṣṇa. Now you can see the result, that all over the world, not only in Europe, but in America, Australia, in Japan, in Canada, everywhere, we have got this type of devotees, and they are understanding what is God, what is our relationship with God. It doesn't matter, God is neither Hindu, Muslim, or Christian—God is God. So it is the duty of everyone. It is not that only Christians should understand God and the Hindus should understand nobody. No. Any human being. Any living entity in the human form of life must understand. Otherwise, he's missing the opportunity. So we have got to say many things about this thing. In short time, we cannot speak so many things, but we invite you to take advantage of this movement, try to understand the science of God and be benefited.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3-4 -- San Francisco, March 8, 1967:

When I understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," that is partial self-realization. And when I understand that "I am not only spirit soul, but I have got spiritual activities," that is still more advancement. And when you are actually situated in spiritual activities, that is the perfection of life. Just try to understand. First thing is, "I am not this body." That's all right. Then what you are, or what I am? The next stage is to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. The exact Sanskrit language is that, to understand that "I am spirit soul." All right, then is that finished? No. Still you have to go farther. Then "I am a spirit soul." So the spirit soul in this material body has so much activities. Now, regarding this body, I have got so many activities. And when the body is finished, is it correct that the spirit soul stops to act? No. It does not stop to act.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

So we must take to śāstra-vidhi. This is the actual advancement of civilization. Because life after life we have forgotten about our relationship with God, and this is the only chance, human form of life, we can revive our relationship with God. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that anādi bahir-mukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karilā. Why these Veda, Purāṇas are there? Especially in India, we have got so many Vedic literatures. First of all, the four Vedas—Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva. Then their gist philosophy, Vedānta-sūtra. Then Vedānta explanation, the Purāṇas. Purāṇa means supplementary. Ordinary person, they cannot understand the Vedic language. Therefore from historical references these Vedic principles are taught. That is called Purāṇas. And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is called Mahā-purāṇa. It is spotless Purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because in other Purāṇas there are material activities, but in this Mahā-purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, simply spiritual activities. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends that tato vidūrāt parihṛtya daityā. Dūrāt: "From distance, from long distance, please give up the association of the demons." Upetya nārāyaṇam ādi-devaṁ sa mukta-saṅgair iṣito 'pavargaḥ: "And take the company of, accept the society of devotees." Then it will be very easy. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. Your desires and your propensities will be according to your society. Just like in English language it is said, "A man is known by his company." So we have to change our company.

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

Household life means sex life (yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45)). This is encouraged by the tongue. Then there are children. A baby gives pleasure by speaking sweet words in broken language, and when the sons and daughters are grown up one becomes involved in their education and marriage. Then there are one's own father and mother to be taken care of, and one also becomes concerned with the social atmosphere and with pleasing his brothers and sisters. A man becomes increasingly entangled in household affairs, so much so that leaving them becomes almost impossible. Thus the household becomes gṛham andha-kūpam, a dark well into which the man has fallen. For such a man to get out is extremely difficult unless he is helped by a strong person, the spiritual master, who helps the fallen person with the strong rope of spiritual instructions. A fallen person should take advantage of this rope, and then the spiritual master, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, will take him out of the dark well.

Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:

Just like you are sitting here, and if there is fire, you, you see the li..., by the light of the fire, it is illuminated. By the heat of the fire, you are feeling warm. So whatever there is, it is due to fire. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to understand Kṛṣṇa, and as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, you understand everything. That is stated in the Vedic language, yasmin eva vijñāte sarvam eva vijñātaṁ bhavati: "One who understands that one Supreme, he understands everything immediately." There is no need of understanding separately or analyzing things separately. That will defeat. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means real oneness. But that oneness is not of the oneness of the impersonalists. That oneness is a little different. It is called śuddhādvaita, pure oneness. In spite of that being one Kṛṣṇa, He is manifested by His different varieties of energies. Just like the fire. Fire is one, electricity is one, but it is acting in different varieties. It is acting in your refrigerator. It is acting in your heater. It is acting in your machine. It is acting in your television. Act... Everywhere. But the what is that? That electricity. Similarly, if you understand electricity, as of Kṛṣṇa, then you understand your whole thing, one. But there are varieties. Just like in electricity there are so many varieties at work. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (alarm clock buzzes for second time) (aside:) You stop this disturbance.

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

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is asking the asuras, his friends, "My dear..." Friends are sometimes addressed in strong languages. That does not affect friends, in friendly terms. So Prahlāda Mahārāja directly asserting that "You are all atheists." But he was speaking among friends. There was no questions of offending. And actually they were sons of all atheists. So he is submitting, "My dear friends," that nirūpyatām iha svārthaḥ, "you just try to find out what is your interest. You do not know your interest." Everyone is called selfish: "I am self-interested." Yes. You should be self-interested. Everyone should be self... And that is the nature. I am thinking for my self-interest; you are thinking for your self-interest. When we become philanthropist, there is also self-interest. "I want to become a very welfare worker in the society because there is my self-interest that you will elect me as president or some big officer." Oh. So self-interest is natural. That is not abominable. If you become self-interested, that is not abominable. That is nice. But you do not know what is your self-interest. Prahlāda Mahārāja submits that nirūpyatām: "Just try to analyze what is your self-interest."

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 1, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "Here in this meeting the demigods are there, headed by Lord Brahmā, and great sages are there, and the Siddhas are there, and they tried to pacify the Lord by prayers with very fine language." Sattvaika: very selected words. Just like anyone offers prayer to the Lord, they are all selected words. Therefore Lord's name is, another name is Uttama-loka. Uttama. Uttama-śloka means choicest words, "one who is worshiped by the choicest words." So they presented the choicest words, very learned scholars. I mean to say, grammatical, metaphorical, everything very nice. Sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ. And they presented their prayers just like flow of the water. They were very learned. So there was no impediment. They could say fluently, pravāhaiḥ.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

So how can you compare with these airplanes? Can the airplanes... Airplanes means vāyu. Vāyu means air. These are all in Sanskrit language in the scriptures. These are not very new things. You see? Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor atha (Bs. 5.34). Vāyu means air, and ratha means plane, airplane. So either by the airplane... Airplane is not so speedy. The jet planes are running at the rate of five hundred miles or one thousand miles per hour, but my mental plane can run fifteen thousand miles per second. You see? And just understand then the spirit, how much speedy the spirit should be. Because here, matter, there are matter: earth, water, fire... Then air. Air is very fine. Earth is crude. Water is crude. Then earth, water, fire. Fire is still finer, but crude. But still finer, air, and still finer, ether and still finer, mind, and still finer, soul. You see? So just imagine if mind is so strong that it can transfer itself from here to fifteen thousand miles in a second, how much speedy and powerful is the soul.

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

That is modern convention. Actually that is very nice. What a śūdra can understand Vedas? To the śūdras, a different type of knowledge... Just like the same thing, that the two plus two in the lower class is different from the two plus two in the higher mathematics. So śūdra cannot understand. So one has to become brāhmaṇa, vipra at least, dvija, twice—birth by initiation. Then he is allowed to study. Then he will be able to understand the language of... It is not injustice that śūdras are not... Just like... I do not know what is the system in your country, but in India, one who is not a graduate, he is not allowed to study law. If one, anyone wants to study law, if he wants to enter into the law college, then he must be a graduate first of all, at least B.A. Otherwise he cannot.

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

Because we are always after profit. That should be. Any intelligent man should not do anything without any profit, but they do not know what is that profit. That is also answered by Prahlāda Mahārāja somewhere else. Na te viduḥ svārtha gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). The foolish human society, they do not know that their real profit is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa conscious, the same thing. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They are trying to be profitable by the external world. They are thinking that "I shall make profit by becoming a very big businessman," just like Ford and Rockefeller and so many. In our country, Birla. No. Durāśayā. That is your, what is called, durāśayā? The hope which is never to be fulfilled. What is called that in English language?

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 18, 1968:

So this sort of knowledge will not do. One must know that there is a controller. That is the beginning of knowledge. Why should you deny? In every field of activity we find some controller. How can I deny that there is no controller of this creation? There is. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu particularly uses this word. He's not manufacturing that word. This jagadīśa, this word, is there in the Vedic language in many verses. Jaya jagadīśa hare. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. The Jagannātha is Jagadīśa, the same word. Jagat-nātha, Jagannātha. Jagat-īśa, Jagadīśa. So... And who is that Jagadīśa? That is being defined by Brahma, the first living creature of this universe, in the Brahma-saṁhitā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). The Supreme Lord... Parama means supreme.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 18, 1968:

So our prayers should be to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore we pray, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. We worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original person. We are all persons. Just like your father is person; therefore you are person. Your son is person. Similarly, your father's father is a person, his father person, his father person. So to Brahma, his, he's also person. His father, Viṣṇu, is person. His father, his father, everywhere—Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person. God cannot be without being person. He must be person. This impersonal understanding of God, nirākāravādī, that nirākār... Of course, in the Vedic language, when we speak nirākāra, ni, ni means negative, and ākāra, ākāra means form. So negative form. Negative form means not that He has no form but He has no form like you and me. That is negative. Form means just like we have got form.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 19, 1968:

Just like Lord Jesus Christ. He sacrificed even his life. The gopīs, they also sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa. This is wanted. The degree of sacrifice, the degree of attachment is taken into consideration by God, not any material opulence. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is encouraged. Tasmād ahaṁ vigata-viklava īśvarasya sarvātmanā mahi gṛṇāmi yathā manīṣam: "Therefore I shall try to offer my prayers according to my capacity." It is not that because one does not know Sanskrit or a particular type of language and he cannot pray very nicely with poetic simile, metaphors... These things are not required. Simply you have to open your feelings of love of Godhead. Then He's pleased. It does not depend on the particular type of language or poetic ideas.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 19, 1968:

It is said that a verse written in broken language... Suppose a person, a great devotee, is writing some prayers for God, but he has no idea of the rhetorical or prosodic method, the system of poetry. He has no such idea, but he is simply expressing his feeling. But if that feeling is correct, even the language is broken... There are many examples. Just like a child, he prays mother, parents, simply by crying. It has no language, but the mother understands what is the feeling of the child. It is the feeling that is taken into consideration, not the language. So Prahlāda Mahārāja very much encouraged, that tasmād ahaṁ vigata-viklava.

So without any doubt, īśvarasya, of the Lord, sarvātmanā, wholeheartedly, without any reservation, if I say, "My dear God, my dear Kṛṣṇa, from today I surrender unto You. Please protect me," this very language, this very feeling will give you all protection. It is so nice. He does not require to be very learned man. In the spiritual platform there is no such consideration. Tasmād ahaṁ vigata...īśvarasya sarvātmanā. So the qualification is, without any reservation—"So much for God, so much for my sense gratification," there is reservation.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12-13 -- Montreal, August 20, 1968:

Śaśi means moon, and sūrya means sun. So He is supplying so much light, everything, whatever we require, and there is no thanksgiving. So only one has to become grateful. Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "I don't require to be very educated or a learned scholar in Sanskrit or any other language and very poetic so that I have to offer my prayers in a beautiful language and God may be pleased by the poetic idea." Just like some mundane poet thinks that they imagine some poetic ideas and thereby God is pleased. No. Bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya: "The God can be pleased only by the feelings of your love." That is required. But anyone can do that, provided he feels the gratitude that "God is so kind."

Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:

So the Lord appears with two missions. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām: just to rescue the devotees or the persons in goodness, sādhu. Sādhu. There is description, definition of who is a sādhu. Sādhu means saintly person. In French language, I think it called saint? Saint? But actually the saint is in Sanskrit language also. Santa. Santa. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. In Sanskrit language the saintly persons are called santa. Maybe it is Latin derivative, because in Latin there are many words resembling Sanskrit. And Professor Rowe, a great English scholar in India, an Englishman, professor in Presidency College, he wrote one grammar, English grammar. In our childhood we had to read. He has stated that "Sanskrit is the mother of all languages."

Lecture on SB 7.9.18 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1976:

Such kind of literature is described, tad vāyasa-tīrtham: "This kind of literature is preferred by the class of men who are like crows." Crows. But the Vedic literature, which is sung by Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva or a devotee, even that is broken language presented, tad gṛṇanti śṛṇvanti sādhavaḥ: "They'll be accepted by saintly person. They'll sing it and they'll accept it." That is the secret of success. If your literature is exactly following the mahājano yena sa gataḥ, then it will be liked by highly advanced saintly person. And if it is a presentation of mundane literary career... Therefore that gentleman has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr... Others he has rejected: "They are useless." Other commentation on Bhāgavata, he has... But he has rejected even Aurobindo and Dr. Radhakrishnan. Dr. Radhakrishnan is well known as a big philosopher, and Aurobindo, he's also known as great speculator, but he rejected. Yes, they should be rejected because it is vāyasa-tīrtha. What is the use, jugglery of words? It has no fact, all imaginary. All imaginary.

Lecture on SB 7.9.20 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1976:

This is summarized in the Vedic language, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Without Kṛṣṇa there is nothing existing. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Whatever we see, very superior or inferior, good or bad, that is all from Kṛṣṇa. Bad is also Kṛṣṇa? Yes. Bad is also Kṛṣṇa because there cannot be anything existing without Kṛṣṇa, no existential position.

Lecture on SB 7.12.3 -- Bombay, April 14, 1976:

They are all Vedic literature. The Mahābhārata is Pañcama-veda. The four Vedas are there, Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva. And Mahābhārata is Pañcama-veda, the fifth Veda. Stri-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Woman and śūdra and dvija-bandhu, they cannot understand Vedic language. It is difficult. For them Vyāsadeva made Mahābhārata. In the manner of studying history, Mahābhārata... Mahābhārata means the great history of greater India. So in that history, Vedic literature, Pañcama-veda, there is the Bhagavad-gītā, essence. So if you read Bhagavad-gītā, even if you read Mahābhārata, that is all Vedic literature, Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, the Purāṇas, the Upaniṣad, Vedānta-sūtra, and the Vedas, original Vedas. Original Veda is Atharva Veda. Atharva Veda was divided into four parts, Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva. So they are all Vedic literatures.

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

Therefore he says, avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyam. Nyāya means justice, and daurbalyam means weakness. Avṛttyā means without money. Without money you cannot get justice. And pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ. Paṇḍita means a learned scholar. If he can speak something, without any reference of the scripture, if he can simply, what is called Exact English language I don't find. False propaganda. False propaganda. Simply if he can satisfy the mass people by false propaganda, then he will be accepted that "You are very learned." Nobody will inquire whether he is learned according to the standard books, because nobody has got knowledge of the standard book. I may speak something without any reference to the standard book, but if I can convince you, if I can flatter you, then you will accept me. Just like so many propaganda is going on that "You can become a great yogi, at the same time you can indulge your senses. There is no restriction." People like, they like it. So people are following that. But actually, if we refer to the standard books of yoga, it is very difficult. But that will not be spoken because they will not like it. So everyone can manufacture in his own way some cheap thing, and people will like it. So pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ.

Page Title:Language (SB Lectures)
Compiler:Rishab, Mayapur
Created:17 of May, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=137, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:137