Lawbook (Lectures)

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"law book" |"law books" |"lawbook" |"lawbooks"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

That is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā, that this science of Bhagavad-gītā has to be accepted by disciplic succession. That is the way of accepting any scientific thing. Just like even in material science, suppose if you have to become medical practitioner or a lawyer. So you have to study the law books by the previous lawyers, by the judgments of the courts. One who has studied the previous records of legal implications, he is best lawyer. Similarly a medical practicer, practitioner, who has studied the previous books and knowledge and experience, he is called experienced physician.

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

So this is the position of the materialistic person. A materialistic person knows that he is sinful. A materialistic person knows that whatever he is doing is wrong, but he cannot check. Just like the thief. A thief knows that if he commits stealing, he will be arrested, he will be punished. He knows. Because he heard from lawbooks, from other sources, and he has also seen that a thief is arrested and he is taken by the police for being punished. So we have got two kinds of experiences: by hearing and by seeing directly. In Bengali it is called, dekhā-śunā. In India it is called. The two kinds of experience: one by seeing, practically experiencing, hand to hand; another by hearing. So one who is intelligent, he gets his experience simply by hearing from the right source. That is nice.

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:

So our process of receiving knowledge is from the supreme controller because, according to the definition already given—wise, the most wise—Kṛṣṇa, or Bhagavān, is the most wise. Therefore, if we receive knowledge from the most wise, then there is no flaw. That is our principle, that we are receiving from Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller, directly. Just like when there is some misunderstanding, we take help from the law books because in the law book or in the law court, the decision is obligatory to both the parties. So to give knowledge there are many, many parties, but when we receive knowledge from the Supreme, that is all-inclusive. So here Kṛṣṇa says, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). Arjuna has accepted the guidance of Kṛṣṇa. He has said previously that "The position is very perplexing. Therefore I accept You as my spiritual master, and You kindly give me enlightenment." This is the process. We should approach the Supreme or the representative of the Supreme, just like the same example: when there is any controversy, we refer to the law book or to the lawyer, or we take the decision of the law court, and that is final.

Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

The system is whatever is mentioned in the Vedas, that is authoritatively accepted. That is the Vedic understanding. If there is some evidence in the Vedas... Just like in law court, if there is some section in the lawbook, then the lawyers, the judge, accept it. "Yes, it is like this." Similarly knowledge. Vedas means knowledge. So perfect knowledge is there. Therefore if the evidence is there in the statement of Vedas, that is the proof.

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

Just like Kṛṣṇa was the guide of Arjuna directly. Now, here we haven't got Kṛṣṇa directly, but how to have a guide? That guide means he must be a representative of Kṛṣṇa, representative of Kṛṣṇa. How one can become representative of Kṛṣṇa? That means one who follows the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Just like you take a, take for example a lawyer. What do you mean by lawyer? One who understands the lawbooks very nicely. He's a lawyer, a representative of law. Similarly, here in the Bhagavad-gītā, there are instructions of Kṛṣṇa, and a person who understands these instructions rightly... How to understand that instruction rightly, that is also in this book. You haven't got to seek elsewhere how to understand Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:

Just like state laws. State laws, there are some rules and regulation in the lawbook, in the statute book of the particular state. Similarly, dharma, another meaning of dharma is, it is the law of God. Maybe differently described in different countries according to different climatic condition or situation. But in every religious scripture the obedience to God is instructed. That is a fact. No scripture says that there is no God and you are independent. Either it is Bible or Koran or Vedas or even Buddhist literature, Buddhist scripture.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

Just like you can understand, what government expects from me, you can know from the lawbooks, from the civil court, similarly, what Kṛṣṇa wants, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says,

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ

yo me bhaktyā prayacchati

tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam

aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

(BG 9.26)

Now, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, He is not hungry. He is not hungry that I shall supply Him foodstuff, and therefore He will be maintained. It is not like that. But still, Kṛṣṇa says that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ bhaktyā prayacchati: "Any devotee, if he offers Me patram..." Patram means leaf. Puṣpam means flower. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam. Phalam means fruit. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. Toyam means milk or water. Generally, it is meant water.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

So that is Vedic injunction. Just like from lawbook when you give evidence before the Justice, it is accepted law. That is in the law. Similarly, whenever there is reference in the Vedic literature, we have to accept. And practically we have seen people did not know the name of Kṛṣṇa three, four years ago, they are mad after Kṛṣṇa, the European, American. This is the practical fact. Therefore through the grace of Lord Caitanya, through the method given by Lord Caitanya, if we approach Kṛṣṇa it becomes very easy.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

So if you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that is mad-āśrayaḥ. But if you interpret Bhagavad-gītā according to your rascal imagination, that is not Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore it is called mad-āśrayaḥ, "under My protection, as I am tea..." We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change. Why should you change? What right you have got to change? If Bhagavad-gītā is a book of authority, and if I make my own interpretation, then where is the authority? Can you change the lawbook according to your interpretation? Then what is the meaning of that lawbook? That is not lawbook. You cannot change. Similarly, if you accept Bhagavad-gītā as the book of authority, you cannot change the meaning. That is not allowed.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.3.15 -- Los Angeles, September 20, 1972:

In the scriptures... Just like the Christians, they are changing the words. But you cannot do that. Then where is the authority? If you change the word of the scripture, then where is the authority of the scripture? Just like in lawbooks, there is some law made already. Whimsically you cannot, I mean to say, erase the words and put something that "It should be changed like this." That will not be accepted. Law, if there is change... Actually, there is no change. There cannot be change. Real law means there is no change. Just like day and night, it is coming. The fortnight, the dark period and the light period, it is coming for millions and millions and time immemorial. The same law is going, going on. You cannot change. So as soon as you change, that means it is imperfect.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1976:

Just like a person who is a thief, he knows that "I am stealing, and if I am arrested, I'll be punished." He knows that. And he has seen that one thief is arrested. So we get two kinds of experiences. One kind of experience by hearing: "If you do this, then the result will be this." That is hearing. And one kind of experience by directly seeing. So the thief has both. He has seen that a thief has been punished, and he knows by hearing from the lawbooks or from religious books that stealing is not good. But still he commits repeatedly, again and again stealing. Why? Because he has no knowledge. Therefore knowledge is essential. That knowledge can be revived. This is kṛṣṇa-kīrtana.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

What is śāstra? Śāstra means, is, the record of the statement of authorities. That is called śāstra. Just like in law court, you put lawbooks. What is that lawbook? Lawbook means the statement of the authorities. Similarly, śāstra... Śāstra means śās-dhātu. Śāstra. Śāstra means weapon, and śāstra means the lawbooks. So what is the lawbook? Lawbook means some authority which has given the law. So the government gives law. So similarly, śāstra means the statement given by the authorities.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

Lawyer is he who has studied law very nicely and following the law. That is lawyer, good lawyer. And third-class lawyer means one who does not know how to follow it. Good lawyer in the court—who can give reference from the lawbooks: "My Lord, you refer to such and such section of such and such law book, and you will find what I am stating." And the judge, when he sees: "Yes, it is all...," then his case is owned. So authority. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahājana. Authority means mahājana. Ordinary, common people is called jana, ordinary man. And those who are authority, they are mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.9.49 -- Mayapura, June 15, 1973:

Therefore, amongst the learned society, if you give evidence from the Vedas, it is accepted. Immediately accepted. Just like in the law court, if you give reference from the lawbooks section, it is accepted. Similarly, Vedic knowledge is so perfect that if you refer to some verse in the Vedas, in the Upaniṣads... Just like raso vai saḥ. "Saḥ, that Kṛṣṇa, is reservoir of all pleasure." Raso vai saḥ. So yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. These things are... There are so many statements.

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

Prabhupāda: How can you know that you are controlled by the state? How can you know?

Viṣṇujana: The state has a lawbook.

Prabhupāda: Therefore we have got lawbooks. Anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gelā, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇe karilā. Because you have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa has given you so many books, Vedic literature. Therefore I was stressing, don't waste your time in reading nonsense literature. Just concentrate your mind in this Vedic literature. Then you'll know. Why these books are there? Just to remind you to become lawful. But if you don't take advantage, then you are misusing your life.

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

Human life should be regulated. You should eat this kind of foodstuff, you should have sex life in this way, you should sleep in this way, you should act in this way, you should think... They're all regulative principles. You cannot do unrestricted things. In the human society there are books of regulation—not for the animal society. The lawbook is meant for the human society, not for the animal society. So the human society becomes free, without observing any social conveniences or social custom or abiding by the laws—no, that is not human body. That is exactly like animal body.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

When I kill one animal for eating, I am taking the risk that "This animal sometimes will kill me." Exactly in the same way, life for life, murder, murderer is hanged—that is the law of the state—so why not that law in the state of the Supreme? Is that very unreasonable? But they do not see. Parīkṣit Mahārāja says that dṛṣṭa-śruta. In the scriptures or in the religious lawbooks I have heard it that this kind of sin will be reacted in this way. And dṛṣṭa, and I have seen also that a man committing murder is hanged.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1975:

Just like here it is said, dṛṣṭa. Dṛṣṭa means by direct experience. Direct experience everyone has seen, that a thief, he is arrested. This is our direct experience. He has committed theft, and therefore he is arrested by the police. It is our direct experience. And śrutābhyām, by hearing from the lawbook or scripture, whatever you take... In the lawbook it is stated that "You commit a theft, then you will be punished, imprisoned, for six months. Or if you commit murder, then you will be hanged." This is called śrutābhyām, by hearing.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1975:

Just like here it is said, dṛṣṭa. Dṛṣṭa means by direct experience. Direct experience everyone has seen, that a thief, he is arrested. This is our direct experience. He has committed theft, and therefore he is arrested by the police. It is our direct experience. And śrutābhyām, by hearing from the lawbook or scripture, whatever you take... "O my dear lion, O king..." Lion is considered as the king of the animals, paśu rāja. Actually, he is the king in the jungle. Everyone is afraid of him, he is so powerful. Even the elephant is afraid of the lion. So if the lion is praised by some small animals, does it mean the lion is not animal? Has it any value like the human being? No. Still he is animal.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Honolulu, May 10, 1976:

So śrutābhyām. Śruta means... Just like we are hearing the śāstra, so he has heard it from the lawbooks that if one commits theft he'll be punished. And he has seen also that a person who has committed theft, he is arrested by the police, so he was being taken to the prison house. So knowledge is acquired from two sources, by direct perception and by hearing. Just like we are hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is knowledge also. And when you see there are three kinds of receiving knowledge... One is śruti. Śruti means hearing. So our Vedic process is that we hear the Vedic information, and we become perfect, śruti.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

This is intelligent question. He says: dṛṣṭvā, dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyāṁ yat pāpam (SB 6.1.9). Dṛṣṭa means just like one man sees this man has committed murder and he's hanged. Everyone sees. And in the lawbook it is said that if a man commits murder he'll be hanged. So śruta means we have heard it from authoritative sources; lawbook is authoritative source. Just like śāstra. Śāstra and lawbook is the same. Śāstra means that which controls. Śās-dhātu. Śāstra, śastra, śāsana, śiṣya comes from the same root. Śiṣya. Śiṣya also comes from the same root. Śiṣya means one agrees voluntarily to be governed by the spiritual master. He's called śiṣya. And śāsana, the government.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

So śruta, śruta means hearing from authoritative sources, either you take a scripture or lawbook. So one knows that in every śāstra, every scripture, every lawbook, man is warned: "Don't commit theft; you'll be punished. Don't tell lie; you'll be punished. Don't do this; you'll be punished. Don't kill. Thou shalt not kill. Otherwise, you'll be punished." But nobody's caring. Why? What is the remedy for that? Everything is there. Dṛṣṭa, practical experience, and śruta,... Śruta means heard also from authoritative sources. So he says, dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyāṁ yat pāpam (SB 6.1.9). Everyone knows it, jānan, everyone knows that this is pāpa, this is sinful activity. Everyone knows. Nobody can say that "I do not know that is sinful activities."

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

Human being, human life means voluntarily accepting the laws, the rules and regulation. That is human life. But now the propaganda is that everyone, one wants to be free, no regulative life. This is animal life. Just try to understand. The regulations, lawbooks, restrictions, they are meant for human being, not for animals. And if you want freedom from all restrictions, then you come to the animal life. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī recommends first tapasya. If you want to stop the problems of life, then you have to accept the life of austerity, tapasya.

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

The law is not perfect because it is man-made, and judges, because he is human, he is also not perfect. So that imperfectness you must find. But I am speaking of the procedure. You have to speak on the lawbooks. You cannot... In the law court you cannot speak beyond the lawbooks. And the lawbooks... Suppose one section is not very clear. You fight: "This should be interpreted like this. This should be interpreted..." I am taking that procedure. But when it is clear, do you interpret?

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- San Francisco, July 20, 1975:

There is crowd, and the cows enter there, and they eat the vegetables to their heart's content. But he is not punishable. Still the cow is not punishable. But if a man takes one potato without the permission, he is punishable. So the animals are not punishable. All the lawbooks are meant for the men, for the human being, not for the animals. Just like in your country the police law is: "Keep to the right your car." But if a animal goes, keep to the left, it is not punishable. So everyone not punishable. Then again, human being, all of them, not punishable. Those who are criminals, those who have violated laws, they are punishable.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

So we have to follow the Vedic principles. That is dharma. And why Vedic principles are to be accepted as supreme? That is also explained here. Veda-praṇihito dharmo hy adharmas tad viparyayaḥ vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt (SB 6.1.40). Veda means Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly. Just like lawbook is directly government, similarly, veda nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt svayambhūr iti śuśruma. Again he says, susruma, "I have heard it. I have heard it." When I say, "I have heard it," that means I have heard it from a superior authority. Śuśruma. No follower of Vedic principle will say, "It is my opinion." Your opinion is nonsense. What you are? This is the way of understanding Vedas. Śuśruma. Therefore Veda is known as śruti, śruti and smṛti.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

Surrender means you must abide strictly the orders, sad-dharma-pṛcchā, ādau gurvāśrayam. To accept a guru means... Śiṣya means one must agree to be governed by the spiritual master. That is called śiṣya. Śiṣya... Śās-dhātu. From śās-dhātu all these terms—śāstra, śiṣya, śāsana. These are words derived from the root śās-dhātu. Śās-dhātu means śāsana, governing. The governing is done by military, governing is done by lawbooks, governing is done by personal instruction, so many things. So śiṣya means who voluntarily accepts to be guided or being governed by the representative of God. That is śiṣya.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

Just like a thief: because he has adopted the means of earning money by sinful activities, he cannot take to honest work. He can work, but he is accustomed to steal. He knows that "This work is not good." If he is arrested, he will be punished. He has seen that one thief arrested and punished, and he has heard also that if one steals, he will be punished. And he has heard also from the śāstra, either law book or Vedic literature, that "Stealing is not good. It is punishable." But still, he does it. That means a sinful man cannot restrain himself from sinful activity. He has to do it. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Unless you give up the particular situation with the modes of nature, it is not possible for him to restrain himself from committing sinful activities.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- Vrndavana, December 12, 1975:

Knowledge is gathered by hearing and by seeing. Hm? In Hindi it is called 'dekha śuna'-dekhavyair śunavyair, that "Have you seen or heard it?" That is experience. So thief knows he has heard it from lawbooks that stealing is not good, and from religious scripture also, that "It is sinful. Do not commit theft. Do not become criminal." But still he does, at the risk of ad At night he goes in the house of rich man and risk his life. Especially in Western countries, there is fire gun, and trespassers, even without permission, if anyone enters anyone's house, he can kill him. Is it not the law in your country? Trespassing? So there is risk of life, but he has entered the house for stealing. And why stealing? The family affection. That is the impetus for economic development.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

According to ordinary, I mean to say, dealings, suppose in the law court there are two parties. Two lawyers are fighting on the principle of one clause or section in the lawbook. One is interpreting in a different way, one is interpreting in a different way, and the judges give their judgment. Now, the opportunity for interpretation is there when the meaning is not clear. A very good example is given by the grammarians, or Sanskrit scholars, that gaṅgayaṁ ghoṣapali, that "There is a neighborhood which is called Ghoṣapali on the Ganges." Now somebody may ask, "How there can be a quarter on the Ganges? Ganges is water." So there is interpretation required. So somebody says, " 'On the Ganges' means on the bank of the Ganges." That makes it clear. "On the Ganges" does not mean that in the middle water there is a, I mean to say, residential quarter. No. "On the Ganges" means on the bank of the Ganges.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

The Bhagavad-gītā is the book of evidence. Lord Caitanya is citing. Because it is Vedic. Just like in the law court you have to cite section from the law book, not from your concocted mind. No foolish man can argue in the law court, because he has to refer in every step from the law book. Sādhu means that he has to give evidence from the scriptures. Not that "I think... In my opinion you can do this." He's not a sādhu; he's a fool. What is your opinion? You are a conditioned soul. Can you manufacture something? No. You cannot manufacture anything. You have to give reference from authorized scripture. So Lord Caitanya is giving evidence from Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

We are not creating anything. It is not a manufactured thing, concocted thing. It is standard, followed by great ācāryas like Caitanya. So we have to accept. That is the way. We have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and follow, as the śāstra says. Sometimes, as we... The law books are there. As we take help of a lawyer, how to utilize the law book, similarly you have to utilize the scriptures by accepting a spiritual master who can guide you. He's a lawyer. These are the process. If you don't accept, then go on suffering. If you accept, then everything is there. That is the way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

To find out in different information from different scriptures, it is very difficult, but if we become in the line of disciplic succession, all the experience is at once achieved. If you want to fight in the law court and if you want to find out all the law sections from the law book, it is very difficult for you. Better to go to a lawyer who knows the law section and take help and it is all right. Similarly, there are different kinds of descriptions of the Supreme Lord. The experienced spiritual master gives us the information in one place.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

In Indian spiritual society the evidences are given from Vedic literature. Then it is accepted, not that mental speculationist's theory, "I think this. I think that..." No. Just the same example I have several times cited before you, that the law court, they give evidences from the lawbook, sections from the lawbook. Similarly, the process is whenever we speak something transcendental subject, if we can pick up evidences from Vedic literatures... There are many authentic Vedic literatures. They are accepted by the spiritual societies. And one's learning is proved if he can give evidences from these Vedic literatures. Similarly Lord Caitanya, whatever He is speaking, He's giving immediately references from Vedic literature.

Festival Lectures

Varaha-dvadasi, Lord Varaha's Appearance Day Lecture Dasavatara-stotra Purport -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1970:

Just like a big lawyer takes the protection of the lawbook and he makes the law unlawful. Similarly, the demons are so intelligent that they take advantage of scriptural injunction and do all nonsense. So these things were going on. In the name of Vedic sacrifice, they were killing animals like anything. So Lord became very much compassionate these poor animals, and He appeared as Lord Buddha, and His philosophy was nonviolence. His philosophy was atheist because He said that "There is no God. This combination of matter is a manifestation, and you dismantle the material elements, there will be void and there will be no sense of pleasure and pain. That is the nirvāṇa, ultimate goal of life."

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to transfer everyone to that platform of full joyful life. So in order to give them facility for acquiring this highest goal of life, we have introduced the marriage... The marriage system is there also according to our Vaiṣṇava smṛti. Smṛti means regulative, the law book, the statute book. Married life is there. We are preaching the cult of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He also married. All the five associates of Lord Caitanya, they also married. Kṛṣṇa also married. So marriage is not bad. Marriage is... It is not that unless one becomes a sannyāsī or a strict brahmacārī, he cannot attain the highest perfection of life. No. Even in married life.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Simply you have to read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you'll understand. There is no question of interpretation. Then the authority is gone. As soon as you interpret, then there is no authority. Lawbook. Do you mean to say in the court if you say before the judge, "My dear lord, I interpret this passage in this way," will it be accepted? The judge will at once say, "Who are you to interpret? You have no right." Then what is the authority of this lawbook if everyone comes, "I interpret in this way"? And interpretation when required? When a thing is not understood. If I say, "It is watch," and everyone understands that "This is watch, yes," then where is the opportunity of interpreting that this is spectacle?

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

A woman, by nature, is dependent. Artificially, if woman wants liberty, then his (her) life is unhappy, her life is unhappy. Therefore Vedic system is... I am not manufacturing, I am speaking authorizedly on the Vedic principle. The Manu-saṁhitā, the law of Vedas, Manu, the master of the humankind, Manu... Manu is the father of the mankind. So he has got his lawbook. That Manu-saṁhitā lawbook is still followed in India so far as the Hindus are concerned. So in that book Manu-saṁhitā, it is stated, na striyaṁ svatantram arhati. He gives the law that woman should not be given independence. Then? What should be the life? The life should be so long she's not married, she must live under the guidance, dependent on the parents. And as soon as she is married, she should live dependent on her husband.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

The Lord is present by His words. Just like in your Bible, there are ten commandments. So if you follow... Just like the state is present by the lawbooks. If you follow the law, then you are satisfying the state. Just like "Keep to the right." If you are following the rules, you are keeping your car on the right side, you are stopping when there is red light, that means if you are satisfying the regulation, then you are satisfying the state. Similarly, if you satisfy the regulative principles, then you are satisfying the Lord. It is very nice. It is very simple thing.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

If saintly persons have accepted... They have not denied. Authorities, they have accepted, "Yes." This is called sādhu. And because sādhu, saintly persons have accepted, therefore it is scripture. That is the test. Just like... It is common sense affair. If the lawyers accept some book, then it is to be understood that this is lawbook. You cannot say that "How can I accept this is law?" The evidence is the lawyers are accepting. Medical... If the medical practitioners accept, then that is authoritative medical. Similarly, if saintly persons are accepting Bhagavad-gītā as scripture, you cannot deny it.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

What is spoken in the scripture is accepted by saintly person, and what is spoken in the scripture, the spiritual master explains only that thing. That's all. So via media is the scripture. Just like lawyer and the litigants-via media is the lawbook. Similarly, the spiritual master, the scripture... Saintly person means who confirms the Vedic injunction, who accepts. And scripture means what is accepted by the saintly person. And spiritual master means who follows the scriptures. So things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. This is axiomatic truth.

Lecture -- Montreal, October 26, 1968:

"If you commit such and such sinful activities... If you steal, then you will be imprisoned for six months. If you cheat, you'll be imprisoned for such and such period. If you commit murder, then you'll be hanged." These things are taught some way or other. Either in religious scripture or by lawbooks or by morality or ethical principle, they are taught to the human, civilized human society. And he sees also practically that "This man has committed this kind of criminality, and he is punished." And again why does he commit? That is the problem. So kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ. Kāma and krodha. Kāma means desire, lust. Kāma. And when the desire or lust is not fulfilled, then there is krodha. Krodha means anger. There are so many cases of criminality, when the lust is not fulfilled, one commits some criminal action and he is punished and so many things happen.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

Śastra means weapons, armaments. That is called śastra. Just like sword, guns, they are called śastra. These two things are rulings. The state has got lawbooks, authoritative books, and one who does not obey the lawbooks, then the next word is gun and sword. This, these two words, means to accept authority. So śiṣya means one who accepts the authority of the spiritual master. He voluntarily accepts the rulings or the punishment of the spiritual master. That is called śiṣya. One voluntarily agrees to the spiritual master... This initiation is going on. This is the beginning of voluntary acceptance of the spiritual master. That means he agrees that he will abide by the orders of the spiritual master.

Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:

You have to select the authoritative books, not "kind." Just like lawbooks. Oh, there is no "one kind" of lawbook. Lawbooks means that is given by the state. That is one lawbook, only one. That cannot be two. It is not that you take lawbook from other state or other authority. No. Lawbooks means it is the books, it is the laws, which is given by the state. Similarly, our process is to accept the Vedas, not other kind of books. There is no question of other kind of books. Only Vedas. Just like we are speaking of Bhagavad-gītā. So that is one, not "other kind of Bhagavad-gītā." Bhagavad-gītā is one.

Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

So ruling by instruction, ruling by laws, and ruling by force, weapon. There are three kinds of ruling. If instruction fails, then evidences from lawbooks. And when that also fails, then force. That is the whole arrangement everywhere. The instruction is that you should not kill. But if you violate, then according to law you are arrested. If you still violate, then you are punished in so many ways by force. As this is going on in our ordinary life, the same thing is going on by God's will also. The kingdom of God... Here is also kingdom of God, and there is another, spiritual sky. That is also kingdom of God.

Lecture -- San Francisco, June 28, 1971:

The Vedic literature governs. There is a verbal root which is called śāst. Śāst means to rule. The ruling, there are three kinds of ruling. One ruling is śāstra, law codes. Just like every civilized country is ruled by the laws of the state, and the statute book which contains all the rules, that is called law books. That is also śāstra. That is śāstra. And then another śāsdhātu is śastra. Śastra means weapons, that like guns, swords. Śāstra and śastra. So there are two sections of people: those who are civilized, they are ruled by the śāstra, by the law codes, and those who are law-breakers, they are ruled by the śastra, weapons. Both things are required, śāstra and śastra. And sasam, sasam means government.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

Just like in law court, two lawyers are arguing. One lawyer who quotes from the lawbook various bona fide quotations, the judgment is given in his favor because that is authorized. Similarly, a Vedic statement is accepted in Indian spiritual society. There are hundreds and thousands of men who are still dedicated. Practically the whole population of India, they are dedicated to spiritual life. Perhaps you may not know, but anyone who has taken birth in India, he has got a natural inheritance of spiritual life.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

God inspiration comes for every work. That's a fact. But we deny... Just like... You take this simple exam, example. Just like a thief. From within, he's forbidden: "Don't commit theft." But he does it. He does it. You have got all experience about these things. God says from within, "Don't do it," but we do it. That is the defect of without being Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like a thief. He knows that for his criminal activities he'll be punished. He has seen it, that a thief is arrested and he's taken to the prison house. And he has heard from the śāstra and from lawbooks that committing theft is not good. Why does he commit it? He knows and he has seen it. Why does he do it? Can you answer? He knows that it is not good, and he has heard it from śāstra and from learned lawyers.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

Therefore we have to understand dharma from scriptures. Veda, veda means the book of knowledge. Veda means knowledge. Vetti veda vido jñānam. Jñāna. So we have to take knowledge from authorized scriptures, authorized lawbook. A big lawyer means who is quite aware of the laws of the state. Similarly, a religious person means who knows completely, at least partially also, the laws of God. That is dharmic.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

So we must know what is dharma and... A cat, dog cannot understand dharma, but a human being is supposed to understand dharma. Lawbooks are made for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. "Keep to the left" or "Keep to the right," the signboard is there in the street. Or the red light is there, blue light is there—for whom? For the human beings, not for the cats and dogs. The cats and dogs may disobey; there is no criminality on their part because they are cats and dogs. So there is law of God, there is God. If human being does not know what is God and what is the law of God, then he's no better than the cats and dogs. He must know. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19).

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Prabhupāda: They would be punished, but they don't care for punishment. Just like it says in the lawbook that if you steal, you'll be arrested, but they don't care for your lawbook, the thief. What can you do? That independence is already there. The lawbook says that if you commit theft you will be punished, and he is actually punished. But if he doesn't care for punishment, then what can you do? Punishment is already there.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Prabhupāda: This is the (indistinct), that the thief has learned from the lawbooks, from the religious books, that stealing is bad. If one steals he'll be punished. Because in the human society the scriptures that they have got. No scripture will say that you should steal, for example, neither the lawbook will say that you steal. So if you have heard from scriptures and from lawbooks that stealing is criminal, and by committing this sinful activity I shall be punished, and if you have seen also that anyone who has violated this law and stolen others' property has been arrested and policeman has taken him to the jail, he has seen, he has heard, he has completely experienced, but still, why does he steal?