Meditation means

Expressions researched:
"Meditation means"

SB Canto 4

SB 4.6.33, Purport:

In this verse the word mahā-yogamaye is very significant. Yoga means meditation on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and mahā-yoga means those who engage in the devotional service of Viṣṇu. Meditation means remembering, smaraṇam. There are nine different kinds of devotional service, of which smaraṇam is one process; the yogī remembers the form of Viṣṇu within his heart. Thus there were many devotees engaged in meditation on Lord Viṣṇu under the big banyan tree.

SB 4.8.44, Purport:

The process by which we give up our thoughts of material things is called pratyāhāra, which entails being freed from all material thoughts and engagements. The word abhidhyāyet, which is used in this verse, indicates that unless one's mind is fixed, one cannot meditate. The conclusion, therefore, is that meditation means thinking of the Lord within. Whether one comes to that stage by the aṣṭāṅga-yoga system or by the method recommended in the śāstras especially for this present age—to constantly chant the holy name of the Lord—the goal is to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Nectar of Instruction

Nectar of Instruction 3, Purport:

Cultivation of spirituality does not mean sitting down idly for meditation, as some pseudo-yogīs teach. Such idle meditation may be good for those who have no information of devotional service, and for this reason it is sometimes recommended as a way to check distracting materialistic activities. Meditation means stopping all nonsensical activities, at least for the time being. Devotional service, however, not only puts an end to all nonsensical mundane activities, but also engages one in meaningful devotional activities. Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends:

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 2:

Because the great saintly persons are compassionate toward all conditioned souls, the boat is still lying on this side. In other words, one can meditate upon the lotus feet of the Lord at any time, and by so doing one can cross over the great ocean of material existence.

Meditation means concentration upon the lotus feet of the Lord. Lotus feet indicate the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But those who are impersonalists do not recognize the lotus feet of the Lord, and therefore their object of meditation is something impersonal. The demigods express their mature verdict that persons who are interested in meditating on something void or impersonal cannot cross over the ocean of nescience.

Krsna Book 87:

"Dear Lord," the personified Vedas continued, "if saintly persons do not take care to eradicate completely the roots of sinful desires, they cannot experience the Supersoul, although He is sitting side by side with the individual soul. Samādhi, or meditation, means that one has to find the Supersoul within himself. One who is not free from sinful reactions cannot see the Supersoul. If a person has a jeweled locket in his necklace but forgets the jewel, it is almost as though he does not possess it. Similarly, if an individual soul meditates but does not actually perceive the presence of the Supersoul within himself, his meditation is useless." Persons who have taken to the path of self-realization must therefore be very careful to avoid contamination by the influence of māyā. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says that a devotee should be completely free from all sorts of material desires.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976:

And next yuga? Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). By performing the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the Vedas, yajña... And the next yuga, by paricarya, by Deity worship. And next yuga, this Kali-yuga, hari-kīrtanāt, simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Otherwise... And meditation means kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Meditation means to think of Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu. That is the recommendation. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they think of the Supreme Person, dhyānāvasthita manasā, mind absorbed, surcharged with thinking of Viṣṇu. That is called meditation. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). And in the Bhagavad-gītā this dhyāna is recommended in the sixth chapter:

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

Because without understanding this, there is no spiritual education. A false education. If one identifies with this body, there is no understanding of spiritual knowledge.

So the yogis, they are trying to come to this point by meditation, "Whether I am this body or not." Meditation means that. First meditation, concentration of the mind, the different kinds of sitting posture, that helps me to concentrate my mind. And if I concentrate my mind, meditation, so am I this body? Then if I am not this body, where I am in this body? Then if he analyzes, he'll find himself within this heart. Within this heart the soul is also there, and the Supersoul is also there. Kṛṣṇa is also there. So the perfectional stage of yoga is to see the Supersoul and understand oneself that "I am individual soul."

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

The jñānīs, the yogis and the bhaktas. Jñānī means those who are trying to realize spiritual self through speculation of metaphysics and philosophy. They are called jñānīs. And yogis—those who are trying to realize spiritual self by meditation and controlling the senses. Yoga indriya-saṁyama. This haṭha-yoga meditation means that our senses are engaged in varieties of work, so by that haṭha-yoga gymnastic, the process, the mind is concentrated into the Paramātmā, Supersoul. That means those who are too much bodily addicted, for them, this haṭha-yoga process is good, recommended. So yogi, the jñānī and the yogi and the bhakta. Bhakta means devotees, devotees, spiritual realization. The objective of spiritual goal is realized in three different phases: Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Brahman is impersonal conception of the Supreme.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

If you are engaged in His worshiping, in chanting, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). If you simply follow these four principles, simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa, simply, always, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). Simply meditate. This is meditation.

Meditation means as you see the form of Kṛṣṇa, and whenever you go, the impression of the form will be within your eyes, and if you think of Kṛṣṇa, your life is succesful. Therefore the Deity of Kṛṣṇa should be seen. That is the benefit of the eyes. The ears should be engaged hearing about Kṛṣṇa. The tongue should be engaged for eating Kṛṣṇa's remnants of foddstuff, prasādam. The nose should be engaged for smelling the flower which is offered to Kṛṣṇa, or the tulasī. In this way, when you engage all your senses, the legs should be utilized for coming to this temple to see Kṛṣṇa. Not to going to the cinema rascal. Then your life will be successful. You'll understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

People were very restrained, all paramahaṁsas. In those days it was possible to meditate. At the present moment our mind is so disturbed, we are disturbed in so many ways. Meditation is not possible in this age. Maybe there may be one or two persons who can meditate. The real meditation means to think of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). That is real meditation. So in this way, if we engage our life, that means bhakti-yoga, then Kṛṣṇa reveals, ataḥ sri-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If you simply speculate, tax your senses to understand Kṛṣṇa by so-called scholarship, that will not help you. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. You engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then He'll reveal.

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Then you have no conception of the absolute. You cannot explain.

Guest: It's...

Prabhupāda: You are simply... Your meditation means you are simply in the relative.

Guest: It's not...

Prabhupāda: You are giving definition in the... Just like you do not know what it is. You say simply "It is not this," that's all. But you do not know what it is. That is not concrete definition. If I say, "This is not watch. This is not book. This is not light. This is not microphone." I can go on thousands of years saying, "This is not, this is not, this is not," but that does not mean it is this. And if you know it immediately say, "It is glass, spectacle." That means you do not know it.

Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:

To engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to work—for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not say, of course in this chapter Kṛṣṇa will say something about, He never says Arjuna, "My dear friend Arjuna, you don't care for this war. Sit down and meditate upon Me." Have you seen in the Bhagavad-gītā? This meditation means to stop all nonsense work, sit down tightly. But those who are advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they have to work for Kṛṣṇa. Just like child. Simply disturbing. The mother says, "My dear child, sit down here." But if he can work nicely, "Oh yes," mother asks, "My dear boy, you have to do this, you have to do that, you have to do that." Sit down tightly for the nonsense. Not for the sensible. For the nonsense, the more he sits down, at least he does not commit any nonsense, that's all. Negation of nonsense. That is not positive. Here is positive activities.

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

The same thing. Paramātmā is sitting with me in the heart. I, the soul, the atomic spark, spirit spark, that is also in this heart, and side by side, in the similar smallest way, the Supreme Lord is also with me. Paramātmā samāhitaḥ. This paramātmā samāhitaḥ is the yoga. Now, Kṛṣṇa will gradually come, Paramātmā. The yoga system is, meditation means to control all the senses and concentrate the mind to focus on the Paramātmā. That is the whole yoga system. So here it is hinted, paramātmā samāhitaḥ, "completely absorbed in the Paramātmā." Praśānta. Praśānta means ceases, cease from all nonpermanent activities. And jitātmanaḥ. Jitātmanaḥ means conquered over the senses.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

This sāṅkhya-yoga was first practiced by Kapiladeva. He is incarnation of God, Kṛṣṇa. So this is the secret of yoga. That this, I mean to say, process of sitting and seeing the tip of your nose and sitting straight, all these means will help you to concentrate your mind on the Viṣṇu form, or Kṛṣṇa. One should meditate upon Me. This meditation means meditation on Kṛṣṇa. So here in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it is directly simply on Kṛṣṇa. There is nothing, therefore nobody is better meditator than these boys. They are simply concentrating on Kṛṣṇa. Their whole business is Kṛṣṇa. They're working in the garden, digging the earth, "Oh, there will be nice rose, we shall offer to Kṛṣṇa." Meditation. Practical meditation. I shall grow rose and it will be offered to Kṛṣṇa. Even in the digging there is meditation. You see?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

Here is positive proposition, that you concentrate on the form of Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān... Antar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). One has to fix up the form... Actual yoga system is to concentrate on the form of Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā. By... Meditation means to concentrate the mind without being diverted to any other subject. Simply thinking of Lord Viṣṇu. That is the yoga meditation recommended in Vedic literature. So here also, Kṛṣṇa says "Me." Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu, the same. Viṣṇu is expansion of Kṛṣṇa. So when we concentrate our mind upon Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu is included there. Go on.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:

"Those who are attached to Me, that is perfect yoga." That is yoga. The yogis... You have heard the names of so many yogis, meditation. The meditation is good, but most of them do not know what is meditation. Most of them. How? Now, they do not meditate upon Kṛṣṇa. Meditation means to fix up one's mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. First of all they do not know who is the Personality of Godhead. But the yoga practice, according to śāstra, is that. Here it is: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. This is yoga. In other Vedic literature that is also stated, the same thing. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi means who meditates. It is the business of the yogis to meditate. But if you do not know upon whom to meditate, then what is the meaning of your yoga? Therefore I have seen practically in America.

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Something material and something spiritual. Material means which has no sense or which has no moving power, and spiritual means which has got sense and which has got moving power. That is the difference between material and spiritual. So if we try to understand simply our body, actually that is meditation. Meditation means to understand, "what is this body and what I am." If you know these things...

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hawaii, February 2, 1975:

Very simple. Īśvaraḥ, that God, in His Paramātmā feature is sitting within everyone's heart, your heart, my heart, everyone's. God is... You haven't got to find out God somewhere else. Therefore the yogis, they practice, "How to find out God within myself?" That is called meditation. Meditation means to find out... It is heard from the śāstra, "The God is within my heart. Now let me find out where is God within my heart." That is called yoga, yoga system. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi's business is to become engaged in meditation, dhyānāvasthita. Now this meditation is very profusely used in your country especially. But what is the meditation? This is meditation. When you fix up your mind to find out God, Kṛṣṇa, within your heart, that is called meditation, not thinking some foolish objective is meditation. This is meditation. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Edinburgh, July 17, 1972:

Neither by understanding or seeing the Paramātmā, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. To see the Paramātmā is the business of the yogis. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ, the yogis they are trying to see Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu within their heart by meditation. Meditation means this. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). And the jñānīs they want to stop these material varieties, make it impersonal, and merge into the existence of Brahman effulgence. But devotees, they do not, neither of them, neither they even want to be transferred to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. They are satisfied in any condition life, provided they have got the opportunity to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is the ambition. Hmm. Then?

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

"Whatever you like you can do. You just meditate," what meditation you'll do? That is not possible in this age. Next stage of elevation is sacrifice. These are statement of the Vedic literature. (break)

...kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Meditation means meditating on Viṣṇu, on the Supreme Lord, this Viṣṇu form, as you have got in my front. Meditation. That is called yoga. By meditating on Viṣṇu, one realizes everything and gets some power, wonderful power. So Bhāgavata says that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. The perfection of life (is) attained in the Satya-yuga, or golden age, by meditating on Viṣṇu. That is meditation.

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

That is called upaspṛśya. So he did it. Āsīnaḥ apaḥ upaspṛśya praṇidadhyau manaḥ: then he began to concentrate his mind, meditation.

So that is called yoga. This meditation means bhakti-yoga. Meditation, that is the real meaning. Nowadays meditation has become a fashion, but meditation is described in the Vedic literature, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they meditate, dhyānāvasthita. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, the mind becomes fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tad-gatena. Tat means transcendental Absolute Truth, oṁ tat sat. So tad-gatena manasā, mind being... Our mind is very restless, so it is very difficult. Five thousand years ago, when Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna to concentrate his mind, meditate, or meditate upon Supersoul, so Arjuna frankly admitted that it was not possible for him.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

The Bhagavān means pūrṇam. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ. Complete. So we cannot accept anyone as Bhagavān unless he is pūrṇam. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ. That is Kṛṣṇa. Ṣaḍ-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān (CC Adi 1.3). So by bhakti-yoge, bhakti-yogena, by practicing... That is called meditation. Meditation means to find out the Supreme Complete Person. That is called meditation, not that anything you meditate, any nonsense. No, that is not meditation. Meditation is described, dhyānāvasthita. Dhyānāvasthita, engaged in meditation. Tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogis, they by meditation, tries to find out the Supreme Person who is within everyone. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So by meditation to find out the supreme Paramātmā within yourself, that is called yoga practice. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). This is yogi. So that yoga is perfect when you see Kṛṣṇa. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

This is a bodily exercise. Real yoga is that God is within me, but He is invisible, alakṣyam. Antar bahiḥ, although He is within and without, still I cannot see.

So meditation means concentrating the mind to find out God, where He is within my heart. That is real perfection of yoga. So people do not know this science. Here it is nicely explained that antar bahir avasthitam. The virāḍ-rūpa... Just like Arjuna wanted to see the gigantic form of God. He showed him. So we can see the gigantic form in this universe. That is described in the Bhāgavatam. You have read that the big, big mountains, hills, they are the bones of the gigantic form. So they are described. The highest planetary system, Brahmaloka, is the head, or what it is called? Skull?

Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973:

Kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). They are simply, they are simply laboring, adhikataraḥ, more and more. They cannot get anything substantial. Therefore after meditation: "Come on, give me cigarette. Come on. My throat is now dried up. Give me cigarette." That is not meditation. Meditation means, this is: namaḥ paṅkaja-netrāya.

So if you think of Kṛṣṇa always, satataṁ cintayanto mām (BG 9.14), "always thinking of Me," yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ, and endeavoring to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness with vow, then we have to remain purified. Because Kṛṣṇa is purified. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). You cannot approach Kṛṣṇa impurified. But if you think of Kṛṣṇa always, in this way, meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be purified. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). That meditation can be possible by hearing and chanting.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Los Angeles, April 20, 1973:

God is present everywhere. Antar bahiḥ. Antaḥ means within and bahiḥ means without. "Those who are less intelligent, they simply try to find out God within, and those who are advanced in intelligence, they can see You within and without." That is the difference.

Meditation is meant for the less intelligent class of men. Meditation means you have to control the senses. Yoga practice means yoga indriya-saṁyama. Our senses are very restless. By yoga practice, by, I mean to say, practicing different āsanas, so mind is controlled, the senses are controlled. Then we can concentrate upon the form of Viṣṇu with our heart. That is yoga system. Or those who are too much in bodily concept of life, for them the yoga system is recommended, practicing the bodily exercise, and find out the Supreme Lord within the heart. But bhaktas, those who are devotees, who are still more advanced, they don't require to control their senses separately, because to be engaged in devotional service means controlling the senses.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Los Angeles, April 28, 1973:

Otherwise, what about, meditation? Therefore we must first of all hear about the subject matter of meditation. If you do not know the subject matter of meditation, where is the question of meditation? And that is chanting. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). About Lord Viṣṇu. Actually yoga meditation means to see the form of the Lord, four-handed viṣṇu-mūrti within the heart. That is real meditation. Now these rascals, they have manufactured so-called meditation. That is not meditation. Meditation means to see the form of the Lord within your heart. Because in, in the heart there is the Lord. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So by controlling all the senses. The senses are very restless. They are going this way and that way, this way and that way.

Lecture on SB 3.26.15 -- Bombay, December 24, 1974:

The Māyāvādī theory is saguṇa worship and nirguṇa worship. Saguṇa worship means when you worship a deity, in form, that is called saguṇa worship. And when you meditate upon impersonal, that is nirguṇa. That is their theory. But meditation is not possible unless there is form. Without form, meditation means... That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām: "One who is trying to meditate upon the impersonal Brahman," kleśaḥ, "it is very troublesome," because we are not accustomed to concentrate our mind, meditate upon anything which is impersonal. That is not possible. We simply try to do that under labor, under trouble, kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām, whereas devotee, he immediately sees Kṛṣṇa in the temple: "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Rādhārāṇī.'

Lecture on SB 3.26.31 -- Bombay, January 8, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa is there within your heart, and as soon as you engage yourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, beginning with sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18) concentrating your mind, that is the yoga system.

Meditation means to concentrate the mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, not something fictitious, but this is tangible. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). That is the yoga practice of meditation, but not that he, the yogi, does not know what he is thinking. That is not yoga. This is simply show. Real yoga is to meditate upon the lotus feel of Kṛṣṇa. That is real yoga. Dhyānāvasthita. Dhyāna. Dhyāna means meditation. So they sit down in dhyāna. What is the subject matter of dhyāna?

Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

This is the character of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, that whenever he would talk, he would talk about Kṛṣṇa. This is kīrtana. He won't talk anything else. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). Whenever he will think, he will think of Kṛṣṇa—His lotus feet, His body, His hands, His flute. This is meditation. Meditation means that... Trance means when your mind is so fixed up on Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu that not for a second your mind is deviated from the Kṛṣṇa's form. That is called trance. Not artificially. You can practice it. If you see Kṛṣṇa daily in the temple, if you worship, you offer your obeisances—man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65)—naturally you will think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours, and that will make you more pious, because without being pious, nobody can think of Kṛṣṇa.

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

Don't think that material nature is working automatically. No. This is not possible. Behind this material nature, the big machine, there is the operator, God. That you should understand. (break) This is meditation. If you become sober and think of everything, that is meditation. Meditation means the subject matter must be very sober and you think over and find out the solution. That is meditation.

Lecture on SB 5.6.3 -- Vrndavana, November 25, 1976:

The real meditation is dhyāyato viṣṇu, the Viṣṇu form, four-handed Viṣṇu form, and always try to see Him. That is wanted. These rascals have manufactured something, some light, some this, some that—yoga practice, sleeping. This will not help. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogis' meditation means to see Viṣṇu mūrti. That is wanted. But they are impersonalists: "Viṣṇu is māyā. Why shall I think of Viṣṇu? Let me see some light." What is that nonsense light? That is also māyā. So what is the wrong there, instead of seeing the light if you see the Viṣṇu form? "No, the light is good. Oṁ is good." But when there is question of personal meditation, they protest.

Lecture on SB 5.6.5 -- Vrndavana, November 27, 1976:

That is wanted. That is wanted. Not that "No, I shall not see." Even meditation, so-called meditation, that is also seeing. Real meditation, seeing within. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasaḥ paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ. Paśyanti, this word is used. Paśyanti means sees, but within, not without. Meditation means seeing within. Not that without seeing. Concentrating the mind to see the form of Lord Viṣṇu, that is real meditation. And without seeing Lord Viṣṇu, that is (indistinct). If you want to fix up my mind into nothing, they say nothingness, that is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Honolulu, May 14, 1976:

And now, in the Kali-yuga, it is one hundred years. So it is very difficult to perform tapasya. But the recommendation is there, tapasā brahmacaryena (SB 6.1.13).

So brahmacarya, tapasya begins—brahmacarya, celibacy, no sex life. That is the beginning of tapasya. Meditation means tapasya. So tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena (SB 6.1.13). Śama, to control the senses, to keep in equilibrium. Senses may not be agitated. Damena, even it is agitated, by my knowledge I have to curb down. Just like if I become agitated by seeing a beautiful girl, or for woman, a beautiful boy... That is natural. Yuvatīnāṁ yathā yunor yunor yathā yuvaḥ(?). Young boy, young girl, they are naturally attracted. There is nothing surprising. But tapasya means that "I have taken vow, no illicit sex."

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- Los Angeles, June 3, 1976:

So this word is a very important word, vāsudevokta-kāriṇaḥ. A devotee has nothing to do anything more except to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is transcendental platform. They do not know what is transcendental plat... Transcendental meditation means to think of Kṛṣṇa always. That is transcendental meditation. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, June 16, 1976:

Therefore our business is... "Artificially, I shall not see anything." Now how it is possible? You'll see in the mind. Suppose you close your eyes, but there are so many impressions, they will come within the mind. Even if you close your eyes. The so-called meditation means he has closed his eyes but he's thinking of his beloved or his business or something like, something like that. So is not possible. First of all, you have to fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. That is advised by Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. These four principles guarantees, Kṛṣṇa says. Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.68). If you simply execute these four things, then Kṛṣṇa guarantees, asaṁśaya, without any doubt you are coming back to me, back to home, back to Godhead. It is so nice. So mind engaged in Kṛṣṇa.

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

Kalau tad hari-kīrtanāt. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). This is the injunction of the śāstra, that in the Satya-yuga, meditation on Viṣṇu... Now they have manufactured meditation in so many ways, but actually meditation means dhyāyato viṣṇu. Viṣṇu-mūrti, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, meditation, focusing the mind on the form of four-handed Viṣṇu, that is yoga.

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

This is the process. You have to remember always Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu. That is called meditation. That is called samādhi.

The samādhi, the meditation which is going on, some rascaldom, that is not meditation. Meditation means always thinking of Viṣṇu. That is meditation. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is perfect meditation. Always thinking. And it is certified in Bhagavad-gītā, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā (BG 6.47). Mad-gatenāntarātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ. So Kṛṣṇa said, he is first-class yogi who is constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām. With faith and devotion, always remembering Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, sa me yuktatamo mataḥ.

Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Toronto, June 18, 1976:

They do not know it. Na te viduḥ. Generally, people do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuḥ. All the Vedic mantra says. The Ṛg Veda mantra says, om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is the... Everyone must meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu. Meditation means to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. I think we have seen many pictures that īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), the Supreme Lord is sitting in everyone's heart, and that Lord's mūrti form is Viṣṇu-mūrti. So dhyāna, yoga, all this means to concentrate the mind in Viṣṇu-mūrti. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi, what is their business? Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā. Concentrating the mind, meditating upon the Viṣṇu-mūrti. Nowadays, they have invented some system of yoga, some light, something like that. But that is not the sastric injunction. Sastric injunction is to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart.

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

So here also the same thing is repeated. Tat-prayāso na kartavyo yata āyur-vyayaḥ param: you should not try to spoil your life, spoil your valuable life for something which is not very much beneficial for you. And what is that thing beneficial? Self-realization. Self-realization, "What I am." This is the product of meditation. If you want to meditate, meditation means to attempt to understand oneself, "What I am." That is real meditation. Meditation does not mean that... Of course, this voidness, meditation in voidness, is another negative attempt that "This body is nothing." But actually, I am not void. I am spirit soul. And because I have no information of the spirit soul, therefore I simply try to think of the negative side of this bodily existence. That is called voidness. Simply negative... Now, "I am not this body. I am not this body." "I am not this body," that's all right.

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

It does not stop to act. Because that is the active principle. Because the spirit is there within this body, therefore the body's acting. Now, suppose I am not this body. Then does it mean that the spirit has no activity? So this is now wrong theory. Spirit has various activities, but you do not know. That is illusion. So meditation means to understand oneself, that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," and farther advancement of that meditation is to know that what are the activities of the spirit soul, and when one is actually engaged in those spiritual activities, that is the perfection of meditation.

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

He frankly admitted. But we are so proud that we want to surpass even a personality like Arjuna.

So these things are not possible in this age. If somebody is imitating, that is simply imitation. So imitation has no value. The real thing is this meditation: you chant and hear. This meditation. Meditation means to absorb your mind in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is meditation, real meditation. In all the standard scriptures and in yoga practice formula, the whole aim is to concentrate one's mind in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is called samādhi, samādhi, ecstasy. So that ecstasy is immediately brought by this chanting process. You begin chanting and hear for the few seconds or few minutes: you immediately become on the platform of ecstasy.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

So, as the poor man goes to the river side and by straining the water by—they have a specific process, they find out some gold—similarly, a person kṣetreṣu deheṣu ātma adhyātma-vid brahma-gatiṁ labheta (?). This meditation means thinking very deeply what I am, what I am. And the process of the yoga system is the same system as you strain water and find out gold. Similarly, if you follow the yoga system, dhyāna, dhāraṇa, āsana, prāṇāyāma—that is mechanical—then you will find that "I am the spirit soul and there is Supreme Soul, Kṛṣṇa." That is possible. That is really perfection of yoga practice. Not that simply pressing the nose, no. Actually perfection of yogic meditation is to understand the self; the soul is there and the Supersoul is there. The process is there.

Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 12, 1976:

The ācāryas wanted to give facility to the common man to enter into spiritual life. That is the idea.

It is not childish. Rather the so-called meditation is childish. You cannot, if you do not know what is God, how you can meditate upon Him? Meditation means, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yogino. The yogis perform meditation. Why? To concentrate their mind on the Viṣṇu form. You'll find some picture that everyone is depicted with the Viṣṇu form in the core of the heart. That is real yoga. Indriya-samyamaḥ. Real yoga means indriya-samyamaḥ. Our senses are so much disturbed, agitated always. So if you can control your sensory organs to your, employ them in the matter of understanding God, yoga indriya-samyamaḥ.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

We do not recommend any man to go to the forest for spiritual realization. We simply recommend that you try to understand what is your constitutional position. If you actually think or meditate very cool-headed what is your actual position, first of all you shall realize that you are not this body. If you meditate in a solitary place... Meditation means to keep yourself alone and in a solitary place. So in the beginning, if you meditate as to "What I am? Am I this body? Am I this mind? Am I this intelligence?" in this way, if you search out, you will find that you are neither of these. Ultimately, you'll search out that you are consciousness.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

Yogic mystic meditation means to concentrate the mind upon Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi, those who are real yogis, they always observe the Viṣṇu form within the heart. That is the process of meditation and samādhi. Go on.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.31-38 -- San Francisco, January 22, 1967:

"This form is bhuvana-maṅgalam maṅgalāya. This form, Kṛṣṇa, is meant for all auspicity for everyone." Bhuvana-maṅgalāya dhyāne sma daraśitaṁ ta upāsakānām. "Those who are observing You in meditation..." Meditation means to concentrate the mind only on Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. This is meditation. I do not know Nowadays so many meditators are there, they have no objective. Something they try to think of impersonal, nonmanifested. And that is condemned in Bhagavad-gītā, that kleśādhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām. Those who are trying to meditate upon that impersonal void, they are simply, I mean to say, taking unnecessary trouble. If you want to meditate, just meditate on Kṛṣṇa or the$ Paramātmā, the catur-bhuja Viṣṇu, four-handed Viṣṇu. That is the process of meditation everywhere recommended. So why should we go to the impersonal or voidness of meditation and waste our time? Yes.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1971:

Similarly, we are nitya. Nitya means eternal. And we are nitya. Then why God should be dead? They say, "God is dead." And what is foolishness? You are part and parcel of God, you are living, you are existing, and why the original soul should be dead?

So these are our foolishness. Meditation means to think over all this subject matter very intelligently, not like a rascal, that "If I am person, why God should be imperson? If I am eternal, why God should be dead?" This is meditation, to study diligently. If I have got an instinct to love others, so why God shall not, God will not have this instinct to love others? If I have got attraction for the opposite sex, why God should not have?

Initiation Lectures

Sannyasa Initiation Lecture -- Calcutta, January 26, 1973:

If I simply by sentiment give up, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, "This world is false and Brahman is the real, reality," so there are so many sannyāsīs, we see, they give up the so-called mithyā world and come to the Brahman realization by meditation, by meditation, meditation... Then meditation means hospital and school. Because there is no Brahman, there is no reality. So after much meditation, (he) comes to the conclusion that "Now I am a sannyāsī. I must open schools, college and daridra-nārāyaṇa sevā and goat-nārāyaṇa killing." This kind of sannyāsa has no meaning. Daridra-nārāyaṇa sevā. By killing goat nārāyaṇa. Goat is not Nārāyaṇa. Simply daridras are Nārāyaṇa. If you accept one as Nārāyaṇa, why should you not accept the other as Nārāyaṇa?

General Lectures

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, June 29, 1968:

And there are 8,400,000's of bodies, and we are going through them in a cycle. And as soon as we become, I mean to say, devotee, or we look forward to the Paramātmā, then we can be free from the cycle of repeated birth and death. This yoga system is..., meditation means to find out the Paramātmā. The Paramātmā is described in the śāstras: His feature, His body, His hand, Supersoul. And one has to meditate. And by meditation, when one is in samādhi, always thinking of the Supersoul, then he becomes freed from this material entanglement. That is self-realization. That is liberation. So Paramātmā and individual ātmā, or the living creature, they are qualitatively one but quantitatively different. Yes. Yes?

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Because at the present moment mind is always disturbed, full of anxieties. You cannot concentrate. Therefore this process, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, it is forcibly. When you chant, I chant, loudly, at least you hear "Kṛṣṇa," your mind is immediately turned to Kṛṣṇa. So that is meditation. Because after all, meditation means you have to concentrate on the Supreme. The Supreme is nondifferent. Supreme name—Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name, nondifferent. So when you hear Kṛṣṇa, the name, you immediately remember the Kṛṣṇa person, and there is no difference between His name and the person. So immediately you associate with Kṛṣṇa. Forcibly. Even you don't like, I'll chant "Kṛṣṇa," you'll be forced to associate. You will chant "Kṛṣṇa," I'll be forced to associate. This is going on. One devotee is forcing another devotee to remember Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:

Therefore He specifically said, go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for the protection of brahminical culture and cows. Then automatically the peace of the world will come, if two things are done. This is Vedic literature. They pick up the essence of the things, and all other things follows. Just like meditation. Meditation means... Not meditation, the yoga system. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga system means to control the senses. This is the primary factor of practicing yoga. Now the senses, we have got five senses acquiring knowledge and five working senses. So of all the senses, the tongue is considered to be the most powerful sense. The Vaiṣṇava, they therefore try to control the tongue. They do not allow the tongue to eat everything and anything. No. Svāmī or gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Generally, people, they are servant of the senses.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

"He is present even within the atom." That is omnipresence. So He is present within you. It is not that you have to search out God anywhere else, but you can search out within yourself. And that searching process is called yoga. Our this subject matter today is yoga. That means to search out your self. Meditation means you have to meditate upon what you are. Are you this body? Are you this finger? Are you this head? You analyze one after another. You will find that you are not this. Then you analyze your mind, whether you are mind, you will find you are not mind also. If you analyze your beyond mind, your intelligence, then you will find that you are not intelligence. Beyond that intelligence, you are sitting. These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. And when you find out your self, that is self-realization. And as you become self-realized, the symptoms become that you become jolly and free of all anxieties.

Lecture -- London, September 26, 1969:

And if you are fortunate enough to make further progress, that is Paramātmā—to realize the Supersoul in everyone's heart: in your heart, in my heart, everywhere, all-pervading. Sunshine is also all-pervading. Brahman is also all-pervading. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Similarly, Paramātmā, the Supersoul, is also all-pervading. Meditation means to realize the Supersoul, and to realize that Supersoul is everywhere. How everywhere? Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). The Supersoul is within the aṇḍa. Aṇḍa means brahmāṇḍa, universe, and everybody up to the atom. He's within the atom also. Paramāṇu. Paramāṇu means atom. The Supersoul is within the atom. That is the power of God. He can become bigger than the universe. He can put many millions of universes within His belly. At the same time, He can enter within the atom.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Therefore meditation required. Accepting that you are God, now find out "I." Now what is that "I"? Is that "I" this body or this, that "I" the mind, or is that "I" the intelligence? So meditation means to find out that "I" who's claiming that "I am God."

So if you identify yourself with this body, then there is no need of meditation because body, you are actually seeing—this is body. No meditation means that you have to transcend the bodily platform, the mental platform, the intellectual platform. Then you find out what is the "I." That is meditation. But fortunately we get information directly. Instead of searching out what you are, what is your position, what is this "I," you get direct information from Kṛṣṇa. What is that? Kṛṣṇa says that "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." So as part and parcel, you may claim as God. How is that?

Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970:

We claim to be superior, to possess superior consciousness, and how we are utilizing our consciousness and superior intelligence? Simply just like animals. That requires meditation. That requires meditation, what is actually the problem.

So the meditation means, "What I am?" If you think, meditate, that "Am I this body?" then you'll come to understand that "I am not this body." If you think... Just to see, see your hand, "Am I this hand? Am I this finger? Am I this leg? Am I this body? Am I this head?" Every point you analyze, you'll say, "It is my hand, it is my finger, it is my head, it is my..." Everything "mine." And where is "I"? That you have to find out by meditation, where is "I." That is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā. How it is answered? It is said that avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. One thing, avināśi; and another, vināśi.

Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

Because this is the remedy for all calamities within this material world at the present moment. At the present moment, nobody can meditate. The so-called meditation is humbug. It is very difficult to meditate in this disturbing age of Kali. Therefore śāstra says, kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). Meditation means dhyāna, dhyāyato. So Kṛte, in the Satya-yuga, when people used to live for 100,000's of years... The Vālmīki Muni, he got perfection by meditation after meditating for sixty thousands of years. So there is no guarantee whether we are going to live for sixty years or sixty hours. So meditation is not possible in this age. That was possible in the Satya-yuga. Then the next path is performing rituals as they are enjoined in the Vedic śāstra. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ. Yajato makhaiḥ. Makhaiḥ means performing big, big sacrifices. It requires huge lots of money.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is a fact. Meditation means to analyze oneself—that is real meditation—and find out the Absolute Truth. That is the description in the Vedic literature. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yogino. Yogi means by his meditation he is seeing the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa, or God, within himself. Kṛṣṇa is there, and so a yogi consults Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa advises him. That is the relationship with yogi. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. One who is purified, he is seeing Kṛṣṇa always within himself. That is confirmed in the Brahmā-samhita, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). A saintly person, advanced, he is seeing Kṛṣṇa, yaṁ śyāmasundaram. The very word used, Kṛṣṇa is śyāmasundaram, very beautiful blackish, the Personality of Godhead, Śyāmasundaram. Śyāma means blackish, but extraordinarily beautiful.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: I do not know what is self-hypnosis.

Interviewer: Hypnotizing yourself.

Prabhupāda: No, it is no question of hypnotizing. Meditation means to search out what I am. Just like if you sit down quietly, if you see your body, first of all see your finger, and question whether I am hand? You'll say, no. Whether I am this head? You'll say no. Whether I am this leg? Because everywhere I will say, "It is my hand, it is my head, it is my leg, it is my sole." Everything "my." So you have to find out what is "I."

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 21, 1970, Surat:

Prabhupāda: Trance is... The actual meditation means concentrate one's mind on Viṣṇu form. That is real meditation. But now they have, the impersonalists and voidists, they have manufactured so many things, but actual meditation means...

Guest (3): Transcendental meditation. Trans...?

Prabhupāda: Transcendental meditation. The transcendental meditation means to think of Lord Viṣṇu.

Guest (3): These books will be available where?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 19, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: Many of these bogus groups, Prabhupāda, they claim that God is simply sound and light. So their meditation means seeing what they call ājñā-cakra, or point between eyebrows. They see there and they hear sounds, bells and thunder and flute all within. And that is their meditation. Hearing these sounds and see these lights.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but what do you gain by that?

Prajāpati: Supposedly they go to higher levels of existence, higher levels of consciousness. They change the sound and the colors change...

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Reporters Interview -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Yes, meditation is also one means, but you cannot meditate now because you do not know what is God. How you will meditate? Meditation upon something, but if you do not know what is God, upon whom you'll meditate? First of all you must know. Just like we know God, Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "Always think of Me." This is meditation. So we meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, so that is perfect meditation because meditation means to think of God. But if you do not know what is God, how you will think of Him?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Woman Sanskrit Professor -- February 13, 1975, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: Yes this is bhakti-yoga. Yes, bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yogena manasi. Bhakti-yogena manasi (SB 1.7.4). There is a verse in Bhāgavata. Real yoga means bhakti-yoga.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

Of all the yogis... There are different kinds of yogis. We receive this authorized version, that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ. Of all the yogis, the first-class yogi is he who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa always within the heart. Mad-gata antarātmanā, antarātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate. That is our process. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, so we're thinking of Kṛṣṇa. This is the first-class yoga system. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). In the Vedic... Yes. Dhyāna, meditation, means thinking of the Supreme. And that is real yoga, not this gymnastic. That is physical.

Morning Walk -- July 17, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: So meditation means "I am moving the earth, I am moving the sun..."

Jayatīrtha: From that Kundalini book.

Brahmānanda: Oh, in that prayer he says, "I created God." That Yogi Bhajan. In his book he says that, that that is the meditation.

Prabhupāda: "I created God."

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And you were created by dog. (laughter)

Room Conversation with Bill Faill (reporter) -- October 8, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: No. Meditation means this dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, mind saturated with God consciousness and thinking of God. But if you do not know God, then where is the meditation?

Faill: So it's a long...

Prabhupāda: No, it is very nice, but at the present moment in the name of meditation, simply cheating and bluffing going on. They do not know what is the subject matter of meditation. Besides that, in this age, mind is so agitated that you cannot concentrate. I have seen the so-called meditation. They are regularly sleeping and snoring. They do not know. Yes. This is going on. So unfortunately, in the name of God consciousness or this self-realization, so many not standardized methods are being presented by the so-called bluffers without any reference to the authoritative books and knowledge, Vedic knowledge. It is another type of exploitation.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: Meditation is not silence. That is wrong idea. Meditation means to think of God. That is meditation.

Indian man (2): Brahma-bhāvana.

Prabhupāda: Brahma-bhāvana is also not practical. Parabrahma-bhāvana, kṛṣṇa-bhāvana. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Indian man (2): Supreme Lord.

Prabhupāda: That is real meditation. Meditation does not mean to make the mind vacant. No, a wrong. People are thinking like that. It cannot be. One girl—that is written—"Sir, meditation to make the mind out of all thoughts." So she said, she thought that "How can I be without thoughts? This 'without thought,' I'll think—that is a thought.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: And these rascals are writing books, that "There is no need of book."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That happened. One swami said, "Now you.... Meditation means don't think of anything." So then one of our men at the meeting raised his hand and said, "Then why do we need you?" So he got very angry. He said, "If the mind should do nothing, what do we need you for?"

Prabhupāda: So what was his reply?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He told his men to usher our man out. His men got very agitated because there was no reply. He couldn't give a reply, so they asked our man to leave for disturbing the sleeping of the public.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says "Profit without any honor." He quotes you in here. It says "Swami Prabhupāda, spiritual leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and Bill Faill, Durban, South Africa, of the Natal Mercury Reporter, had the following dialogue: (reads from magazine) Bill Faill: 'Do you think that Transcendental Meditation is helping people?' Prabhupāda: 'They do not know what real meditation is. Their meditation is simply a farce, another cheating process by the so-called swamis and yogis. So everyone is talking about meditation, but no one knows what meditation really is. These bluffers use the word meditation, but they do not know the proper subject for meditation. They are simply talking bogus propaganda.' Bill Faill: 'But isn't meditation helpful in getting people to think straight?' Prabhupāda: 'No, real meditation means to achieve a state in which the mind is saturated by God consciousness.' "

Prabhupāda: Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). This is the Vedic version. When one man's mind is fully absorbed in the Supersoul, Viṣṇu, that is called meditation.

Morning Walk -- August 23, 1976, Hyderabad:

Indian man: But you will do so only so long as you are in your body, is it not? After you leave the body then probably you might attain mokṣa for a temporary period.

Prabhupāda: No. That is impersonalism. And those who actually go to Godhead, they remain in their spiritual body.

Indian man: Between meditation and kīrtana, which is the easier and...

Prabhupāda: Kīrtana. Yes. Meditation means you'll think of your business and all sleep, snoring. That is meditation. (laughter) (end)

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: No. It is in the hands of the young men. It is not possible for them to stop it. If, had it been a sentiment of some retired, just like other thing, that Vivekananda's, all these old fools and rascals, they assemble and meditate. It is not that. They are active. It is not so-called meditation, and snoring, (makes snoring sound) meditating! It is not that. I have seen, all these rascals go, yogis, they prescribe meditation, and meditation means sleeping and snoring, that's all. It is not that movement. We are sending in (indistinct), "Come, sell books." It is no question of meditation. Cheating himself and cheating others. What he will meditate and he requires so many primary rules and regulations before meditating, not that... In the Bhagavad-gītā before meditation it is clearly stated one should not close the eyes.

Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: That is not standard. If meditation is according to one's whims, that is not meditation.

Guest (4): But it depends upon the faith.

Prabhupāda: According to śāstra, meditation means to meditate upon God. That is meditation. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ, those who are yogis, they meditate upon the form of the Lord.

Guest (4): So through that, you...

Prabhupāda: That is meditation.

Guest (4): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Other things, they have manufactured concoctions.

Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Guest (4): You attain God or what is the concept?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Meditation means Kṛṣṇa. He says meditation. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "Just concentrate your mind upon Me." This is meditation.

Guest (4): Then, in due course of time, do you see Him? Or in what form?

Prabhupāda: Yes, immediately you see Him. Kṛṣṇa's picture is there. Kṛṣṇa's picture and Kṛṣṇa is not different. So if you concentrate upon Kṛṣṇa, you immediately see Him.

Guest (4): You see Him.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Vilasavigraha -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1969:

In this age the mind is so much agitated that it cannot be fixed up on the Supreme Objective. Real meditation means to fix up the mind on Krishna or on Krishna's Expansion, Lord Visnu. The modern so-called meditater has no information of Krishna or Visnu. They try to meditate on something void or impersonal which is simply troublesome. It is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita that those attached to the impersonal feature have their path to be very, very troublesome. Not only in this age when everything is troublesome, but it was so in former ages also, so what to speak of this age. Therefore, in this age, to fix up your ears upon the transcendental vibrations of Hare Krishna is the highest form of meditation, and the only one which will prove feasible for you.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Nityananda -- Delhi 12 November, 1971:

Bhakti Yoga is the process for all the ages, but the method is different in each age. The rascal people have got some idea of Bhakti according to their whims. Some meditate on light, but real meditation means to concentrate on Krishna.

An example of summary punishment is this: If you are sentenced to be hanged but instead you are given a simple pinprick, that is very nice. Krishna minimizes the devotee's suffering to the lowest. So long as one is engaged in devotional service, he is immune to the reactions of his past sinful activities, but if he chooses to give up this devotional service, then he has to undergo all these reactions.