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Not that we... (Lectures, BG)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

Now anyone who can approach that spiritual sky will not be required to come back again in this material sky. So long we are in the material sky, what to speak of approaching the moon planet.... The moon planet, of course, is the nearest planet, but even we approach the highest planet, which is called Brahmaloka, there also we have the same miseries of material life, I mean to say, the miseries of birth, death, old age, and diseases. No planets in the material universe is free from the four principles of material existence. The Lord therefore says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). The living entities are traveling from one planet to another. It is not that we can simply go to other planets by the mechanical arrangement of the sputnik. Anyone who desires to go to other planet, there is process. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). If anyone wants to go to any other planet, say, moon planet, we need not try to go by the sputnik. The Bhagavad-gītā instructs us, yānti deva-vratā devān. These moon planets or sun planets or the planets above this Bhūloka, they are called Svargaloka. Svargaloka. Bhūloka, Bhuvarloka, Svargaloka. There are different status of planets. So Devaloka, they are known just like that. The Bhagavad-gītā gives a very simple formula that you can go to the higher planets, Devaloka. Yānti deva-vratā devān. Yānti deva-vratā devān. Deva-vratā, if we practice the process of worshiping the particular demigod, then we can go to that particular planet also. We can go to the sun planet even, we can go to the moon planet, we can go to the heavenly planet, but Bhagavad-gītā does not advise us to go to any one of these planets in the material world because even we go to the Brahmaloka, the highest planet, which is calculated by the modern scientist that we can reach the highest planet by traveling with sputniks for 40,000 years. Now it is not possible to live 40,000 years and reach the highest planet of this material universe. But if one devotes his life in the worshipment of the particular demigod he can approach the particular planet, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25).

Lecture on BG 1.30 -- London, July 23, 1973:

I came here to fight for some useful purpose, but now I see that viparītāni, just opposite. It will be useless." Why useless? Because one tries to become rich man, opulent—this is material nature—just to show to his relatives, to his friends, to his family members, "Just see how I have become rich, opulent." This is the psychology. A man works very hard day and night to become rich just to make a show that "My dear friends, my dear relatives, you see that how I have become now rich." This is the only purpose. Nobody is working hard for serving Kṛṣṇa. This is māyā. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness means, the same hardship we shall take, but take for Kṛṣṇa. Just like our Mrs. Sharma. She was working in the family, but now she has come to work for Kṛṣṇa. And this is salvation. This is mukti. Not that we have to stop our working capacity. Simply we have to change the position. In the family life we work uselessly for so-called relatives, but the same labor, when we employ for the service of Kṛṣṇa, every inch of it is utilized.

There is song by Govinda dāsa, śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa e dina jāminī jāgi re, biphale sevinu kṛpaṇa durajana, capala sukha-laba lāgi re. He says that śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa: "I have worked without caring for scorching heat and severe cold." Actually people work so hard. He has to go to office. Suppose there is snowfall. So he cannot stop. He has to go. Or there is scorching heat. You have no experience in your country, scorching heat. But India, 122 degrees. Just imagine, this year. Still they have to go to work. So somewhere it is severe cold and somewhere it is severe scorching heat. This is nature's law. You have to suffer. While you are in cold country, you think that "India is very warm. They are very happy." (laughs) And in India they are thinking, "In England they are very happy." This is the way. This is illusion. Nobody thinks that there is no happiness within these three worlds, beginning from Brahmaloka down to the Pātālaloka.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

The cats and the hogs, a big family. Because a hog begets, at a time, one dozen children. What you beget? You are afraid of begetting one child even. This contraceptive method. But they are not afraid. They beget one dozen children at a time, twice in a year. So to live with family, wife, children... Then the hog accepts family life. No. That is not family life. You live with wife, children, peacefully, if you like, but bring in Kṛṣṇa in the center. That is gṛhastha-āśrama.

So Arjuna is talking of the ultimate good. But he is talking ultimate good with the point of view from material conception. He does not know... He knows, but he is playing the part of a person who does not know that ultimate śreyas, ultimate good, is Kṛṣṇa. Ultimate good is not that "We live with family—that is good." No. When you live with family because you cannot renounce, so that is allowed. But you live with family with Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is there, but he is thinking in terms of material role, that "If my kinsmen are dead, I kill them, then where is my good? It is no good. What shall I do with the victory and happiness? Where is happiness? I cannot live without them." This is the conception. Ataḥ gṛha... Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This is illusion. Everyone is trying to become happy with society, friendship and love, children, wife, friends, money and house and land. This is the conception of material.... So Arjuna is thinking in material concept of life. He is not thinking that "My ultimate good is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa." This is the Bhagavad-gītā's purport. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One has to change to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, not to satisfy himself or the family or the society or the nation, no. Whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, that is the criterion. That is ultimate good. Kasmin tuṣṭe jagat tuṣṭam. If Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then other things will be automatically satisfied. But they do not know. They are thinking that "I can bring Kṛṣṇa in the midst of my family provided Kṛṣṇa helps me to enjoy this material life." They are thinking like that. That is ārta. But that is also good.

Lecture on BG 2.8 -- London, August 8, 1973:

Because I have got hand, therefore my dress has got a hand. Because I have got my legs, therefore my covering, dress, has got legs, pant. It is a common-sense affair. Wherefrom this body came? This body's described: vāsāṁsi, garments. So garment means it is cut according to the body. That is garment. Not that my body is made according to the garment. It is a commonsense affair. So when I have got hands of my shirt, this is my subtle body or gross body, therefore originally, spiritually, I have got my hands and legs. Otherwise, how it comes? How do you develop?

So originally we are all persons, no imperson. Kṛṣṇa also says... He'll say that: "These soldiers, these kings, you and Me, My dear Arjuna, it is not that we did not exist in the past. Neither it is that in future we shall cease to exist." So this particular instruction of Kṛṣṇa, that: "I, You and all these kings and soldiers who have assembled here, they existed. As we are existing now, individual persons; similarly, they existed, individual persons. And in future also we shall exist as individual persons." So where is the question of imperson? These nonsense impersonalists, voidists. Therefore, the principle is to understand things in reality one has to approach Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna has approached, śiṣyas te 'ham: (BG 2.7) "Now I am Your disciple. You just teach me. Śādhi māṁ prapannam. I am surrendering. I am not trying to talk with You on equal level."

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

Now, what is your answer, Dīnadayāla? Kṛṣṇa says never we were mixed up. We are all individuals. And He says, "Never we shall remain... Never there will be time when we shall not exist." That means in the past we existed as individuals, in the present there is no doubt we are existing as individual, and in the future also, we shall continue to remain as individuals. Then when the impersonal conception comes at all? In the past, present, future, there are three times. Huh? In all the times we are individuals. Then when God becomes impersonal or I become impersonal or you become impersonal? Where is the chance? Kṛṣṇa clearly says, "There was never time when I, you, and all these individual kings or soldiers... It was not that we did not exist in the past." So in the past we existed as individual, and in the present there is no doubt. We are existing as individual. You are my disciple, I am your spiritual master, but you have got your individuality, I have got my individuality. If you don't agree with me, you can leave me. That is your individuality. So if you don't like Kṛṣṇa, you cannot become in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is your individuality. So this individuality continues. Similarly Kṛṣṇa, if He does not like you, He may refuse you Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that because you are following all the rules and regulations, Kṛṣṇa is obliged to accept you. No. If He thinks that "He's nonsense; I cannot accept him," He'll reject you.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

If you inquire whether I am perfect or my disciples who are preaching this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, they are perfect, we may be imperfect. We are imperfect. We accept we are imperfect. But we are distributing the perfect knowledge. Kindly try to understand. We may be imperfect, but perfection means one who assimilates the perfect knowledge, he is perfect. I shall give you one example. Just like a post peon delivers you one hundred dollars. The post peon is not rich man. He cannot deliver you the hundred dollars. But he... The money is sent by some, your friend. He is honestly carrying that money and delivering you. That is the post peon's business. Similarly, our duty to receive perfect knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and distribute it. Then it is perfect. This knowledge, what we are distributing, it is not that we have created this knowledge by research work or by so many other ways, by inductive process. No. Our knowledge is from the deductive process. Kṛṣṇa said, "This is this." We accept. That is our movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We may be imperfect, but Kṛṣṇa is perfect. Therefore, whatever Kṛṣṇa says, if we accept it and if we.... Not accept blindly, but you can employ your logic and argument and try to understand, then your knowledge is perfect.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

Yes. It is, it is... I'll, I'll, I'll give you, I'll give you the exact meaning. Na tu eva aham: "Neither Myself." Aham means "myself." Jātu. Jātu means "at any time." At any time means present, past, future. Jātu kadācit. Kadācit means "at any time." Nāsam: "Not that we did not exist." So na tvam. So this aham, "myself and yourself," na ime, "neither these janādhipāḥ, all these kings." Now, this plural: "Myself," first person, "yourself," second person, "and these janādhipāḥ," third person. Na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ: "It is not that in future also we shall not exist like this, Myself, yourself and all these." You see? Sarve. Now, here it is called sarve. They never becomes one. Sarve means all, plural number. Here means janādhipāḥ. "As they are now plural numbers, Myself, yourself, and they, similarly, in future also, we shall remain like that. We shall remain like that." Sarve vayam ataḥ param: "After this." This is the clear version of number—you can note down—number twelve verse of the Second Verse, er, Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā.

Now, now I have already explained that because Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because He has got clear vision, and because He has full knowledge, He cannot give us misdirection. And what is given, that is perfect. So we have to believe that in future, even after liberation... Now, one thing we must also explain—the liberation, the conception of liberation. So there are different, five kinds of liberation. One of them, liberation, is to become one with the Lord, one with the Supreme. That is called sāyujya-mukti, to merge into the existence of, of the Supreme. That is also another. That is one of the five liberations. That is not the only liberation. That means we all individual beings, we are individual constitutionally. God is the father or creator or whatever, or the source of all life, or source of our existence.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is giving more enlightenment on the living entity, soul. "Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be." Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "In the past I existed. So also you. And so also all these soldiers and the kings who have assembled in this fighting. They existed in the past. For the present, there is no question of asking... We are existing. And in the future also, it is not that we shall not exist." That means, "We shall exist." So what is "I," "you," and "others"? I am individual person. You are individual person, and all others, they're also, each and every one of them, individual persons. So in the past we were all individuals; at present we are all individuals; and in the future also, we shall remain individuals. So where there is question of merging, become one? Here Kṛṣṇa says that "In the past we are individual persons, in the present we are all individual persons, and in future also, we shall remain individuals."

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

"The same Vedic truth given to Arjuna is given to all persons in the world who pose themselves as very learned but factually have but a poor fund of knowledge." This is poor fund of knowledge that "God and I, we one. Now, because we are illusioned, we are thinking that God is different from me, but when the illusion is over, then I and God become one." This is Māyāvādī theory, monism. But actually this is not clear knowledge. God is..., God is always distinct from me. He's the Supreme. It is not that we are equal to God. We are equal to God in quality, not in quantity. Therefore those who are thinking that they are equal to God in every respect, they are illusioned. Māyā, māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. They have been called, they have been designated by Kṛṣṇa as māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. Although they appear to be very learned scholars, but the essence of the knowledge is taken away by māyā. Therefore they say that God and ordinary human being is the same. Māyayā apahṛta... Asura. This is called āsura-bhāva. Āsura-bhāva means not to accept the supremacy of the Lord but think Him as one with all individual souls. But that is not the fact. That is poor fund of knowledge. Actually, when one becomes advanced in knowledge, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). In due course of time, after many, many births, when he actually comes to the platform of knowledge, he can understand that "Vāsudeva is great and I am small, I am insignificant." Therefore he surrenders. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. This is the sign of knowledge. When one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is to be understood that he has actually attained knowledge. Otherwise it is ignorance. To think of Kṛṣṇa and ordinary person as equal is not knowledge; it is illusion.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- London, August 18, 1973:

We never die, that will be explained later on more clearly, we do not die. Nāsam. At any time. It is not that sometimes we die and sometimes... No. Any time, jātu. At any time. So: "Sir, You are Supreme Personality of Godhead, You may not die. But we die, we are ordinary living entities." So Kṛṣṇa says, nāsam, na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvam: "Neither you nor I. We never die." "So it may be I am Your friend and You are Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the others will die." No. Neme janādhipāḥ: "Neither these, all these people, all these soldiers, (and) the kings who have assembled here, they'll also not die. There is no end. They'll never die." So, na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ, it is not that we did not exist in the past, and we are existing at present. That is everyone knows. So in the future, don't think that we may not exist. Na bhaviṣyāmaḥ. It is not that we shall not exist in the future. Na bhaviṣyāmaḥ, not exist, and another not. Two nots make one yes. Two negatives make one positive. So therefore, we have two negatives. Na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ. Na bhaviṣyāmaḥ means not to exist in the future; that is not. That means we shall exist. Na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve... all of us. All of us, you, not that "Because I am God, because you are My friend, God's friend, and all others..." No, everyone. This is knowledge. In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad there is the verse nityo nityānām. Nityo nityānām. Nityānām means ever existing. Nitya means ever, always. So either Kṛṣṇa or we, every one of us are ever-existing, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, if Kṛṣṇa is ever-existing, so we are also ever-existing.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

So all these duration of life, different types of duration of life, are there within this material world, but still, it is not permanent. Even if you live for ten billions of years or you live for ten minutes or ten seconds, it is nonpermanent. That is being explained here. Nāsato vidyate bhāvaḥ. Asataḥ, or this material body, it has no endurance, it will not endure, it will not be permanently existing. Nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ: And the soul is permanent. He, it has no change; it will never be nonexistent. Kṛṣṇa is explaining. When Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna, you, Me, and all these kings and soldiers assembled here, it is not that we did not exist in the past," so what is that? That means we are not this body. This body was not existing in the past in my past life, or duration of life. But as I am soul, I am existing now, I did exist in the past, and I will exist in the future. That is sat. Therefore, spirit has no such change.

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, sat-saṅga chāḍi' kainu asate vilāsa te kāraṇa lagilā mora karma-bandha-phāṅsa. Karma-bandha-phāṅsa means entangled. Sometimes we have got experience, that threads, they become entangled. It is very difficult to find out where the beginning is. Sometimes spoiled. So, on account of our attachment to this material body, we are becoming entangled. Sat-saṅga chāḍi' kainu asate vilāsa. This meeting, as we are holding, this is called sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅga because here there is no other business, talking all nonsense, some material things. Here only we talk about the spirit soul, about Kṛṣṇa, about relationship with Kṛṣṇa, how to act to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. This is the business here. That is the reference. (?) Formerly, this place, Manor, was known as Piggot's Manor. Now we have named Bhaktivedanta Manor. What is the difference? Formerly, it was for sense gratification. Now it is meant for elevating one to the spiritual standard of life. So anything can be changed like that for sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅgāt mukta duḥsaṅga. If you continue sat, as it is said, sat-saṅga, then you advance in spiritual life. And if you associate with asat, then you become degraded.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa says, just imagine, tat, that. Yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. Idam, this body, tatam. Tatam means expanded, spread. We can understand the consciousness that if I press, if I pinch, or otherwise we feel pinch or... That is consciousness. So Kṛṣṇa clearly says that that thing is avināśi, imperishable. Now Kṛṣṇa has said previously that we, I, you and all others, we existed in the past. So we existed in the past. That means we are all individuals. In the past also, we were individuals, and at the present, we are individuals, and we shall continue to be individuals in the future. There is no such thing as the Māyāvādī philosophers or rascals, they say that after liberation they all intermingle, becomes a homogeneous lump. No. Even after liberation, we remain individual, particles. It is not that we mix up, homogeneous mixing up. Even in matter, what to speak of spirit. It will be explained that spirit cannot be cut into pieces. That means we are all spirit soul. It is not we are lumped together at one time, now we have been cut into pieces, and therefore we are individual—this Māyāvādī philosophy. It is not that. We are individuals, sanātana, eternally. That will be explained. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhutaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). Eternally, we are individuals.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

Now, for the last few days, we were discussing these symptoms, symptom of the person who is situated on the platform of pure consciousness. So this is... We, we should remember that this is spoken as the basis of when we attain the stage of perfection, the symptom. It is not that we have already attained that perfection. Of course, some of you might have attained that perfection, but how to attain that perfection, that will be described in the Third Chapter. We are reading the Second Chapter. We are just giving the contents, how it will be. We have discussed to some extent, and we are still proceeding.

So the Lord says that kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān. The mental speculation, so long we are on the platform of mental speculation, we should understand that we are on the material plane, because mind is material. Mind is not spiritual. So mano-gatān. The special word is used here, mano-gatān. Whatever we create in our mind, that is material, all creations. Mind is the leader of the senses. So the activities of the mind—thinking, feeling and willing—are expressed through our senses. And these sensual activities are known as our living condition. Therefore the Lord says, "When one shall be free from mental speculation, then he's to be understood that he is in the perfect stage of spiritual consciousness." Mental speculation. So by mental speculation we cannot understand what is our position. Generally, people, they indulge in mental speculation. Different philosophy of the world, they are established on the principle of mental speculation, especially in Europe, Aristotle, Schopenhauer, Kant. They're more or less... And, imitating the Western philosophers, in India also, recently, the persons who are very well known... Perhaps you know Śrī Aurobindo. He's, he's also speculated very nicely on the mental platform.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

Suppose seventy years, my age, seventy years before, the body had no existence, and, say, after five or ten years more the body will have no existence, so for seventy or eighty years this manifestation of the body...

So what is this manifestation in the course of this material world, so many things coming? Just like a bubble in the ocean. Just like... If you travel over the seas you will find so many waves are tossing each other, and so many bubbles are formed, and again it is submerged in the water—no account of it. Similarly, all these manifestations are coming and going and coming and going and, packed within this coming and going, there is the actual spirit soul, which na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), which exists, and we are that permanent existent. We are that permanent form, not that we are formless. We have got form, but it is very minute. We cannot see with these eyes. Our eyes is..., eyes are always imperfect. What we can see? We cannot see very, which is situated in very long, distant place. We cannot see even our eyelid. So these eyes are very conditional. So how we can see what is our, what is my constitution? These things are to be considered. One should take account of the spiritual. Now begins from that consciousness, that "What I am? I am this consciousness. I am not this body." That education begins from there. And the whole practice, whole idea, should be to detach myself from this misconception of life.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

"Because I do not see Kṛṣṇa, I do not know whether Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." No. That word is sufficient. This is called niścayāt. Utsāhād dhairyān niścayād tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt.

But you must follow the rules and regulation as it is enjoined in the śāstra. Not that "Kṛṣṇa will give me protection and I may do whatever I like. I can eat anything I like, I can do anything I like." Just some rascal advises that "There is no such thing, restriction, in the self realization. You can eat anything, you can do anything." People like that program. And as soon as there is restriction, they do not like. Because we put so many restriction, I am called in the western world, "Swamiji, you are very conservative." So we have to become conservative, follow the rules. Not that we give liberty, that "Whatever you like, you do, and at the same time you make progress, spiritual life." That is not possible.

Because spiritual life means tapasya. Formerly great, great saintly persons, they underwent very, very severe tapasya for thousands of years, hundreds of years. Then they attained success. In the Kali-yuga it is not possible to undergo such severe tapasya. There is concession. The concession is that you live a pure life and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This will make sufficient. A pure life: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. This is pure life. These boys and girls who have joined this movement, they have given up. They are not dying. Nobody will die if he lives a pure life. Anyone will make progress. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). These are the injunction of the śāstra. If you want to be happy, this is the.... Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1).

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

Mahā-prasāde govinde. And Govinda, Kṛṣṇa. And mahā-prasāde govinde nāma-brahmaṇi. And in the holy name of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Mahā-prasāde govinde nāma-brahmaṇi vaiṣṇave. As also in Vaiṣṇava. Svalpa-puṇyavatāṁ rājan viśvāso naiva jāyate. Those who are less pious, they cannot believe in these things. So this is the indirectly speaking Kṛṣṇa, yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ.

You establish Kṛṣṇa at home. This center, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness center, what is the purpose? You can also establish at home Deity. You can also perform the Deity worship. You can also perform kīrtana at home. You can also read Bhagavad-gītā at home. It is not that we are, we have made this business that you come here and pay something and we profit by your payment. No. It is education, how one should be satisfied by accepting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, for working Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be feeling satisfaction. You do business for Kṛṣṇa, you do your occupational duty for Kṛṣṇa, you cook for Kṛṣṇa, you offer to Kṛṣṇa, take prasādam of Kṛṣṇa. You will feel very happy. That is the description. Yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ.

A Vaiṣṇava is never matsaraḥ. Matsaraḥ means.... It is described by Śrīdhara Svāmī. Matsaratā parā utkarṣaṇam asahanam.(?) The material world is such that if your even own brother becomes prosperous, you will be envious, "Oh, my brother has become so prosperous. I could not." This is natural here. Jealousy. Because the jealousy has begun from Kṛṣṇa, "Why Kṛṣṇa shall be the enjoyer? I shall also enjoy." This jealousy has begun. Therefore the whole material life is full of jealousy. I am jealous of you, you are jealous of me. This is the business of material world. So here it is called vimatsaraḥ, no jealousy. How one can be jealousless unless he is a Kṛṣṇa devotee? He must be jealous. This is the nature.

Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:

So spiritual self-realization means that energy should be transferred for Kṛṣṇa, or God. That's all. Energy. We have got some stock of energy. That energy should be transferred. You can transfer that energy in so many ways. In whatever way you can do it, it doesn't matter. You have to transfer your energy for Kṛṣṇa.

Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was military man. He had his energy—to fight. So he fought for Kṛṣṇa. That means he engaged his energy for Kṛṣṇa. He did not change his military position. So we haven't got to change our position. Simply we have to transfer the energy for Kṛṣṇa. That is called yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇam.

Not that we cease to work. Work you must. Without work, nothing can be done. But if you spare your energy in that way, for Kṛṣṇa's work, then yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaṁ jñāna-sañchinna-saṁśayam. And in that position... Why I shall engage my energy to Kṛṣṇa? That requires knowledge. That is real knowledge, that "Why? Why I shall...?" Because you are a part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you are meant for. Your energy is for Kṛṣṇa, nothing else.

Several times we have discussed this point, that this hand, this work of my hand, is a kind of energy of my body. Now, this hand is meant for working for this body. Similarly, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). The living entities, they are all parts and parcels of the Supreme, and therefore the energy... That is ... That energy also part and parcel. That energy also part of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got unlimited energy, and our energy is just a part of energy. That's all, part of energy. Therefore our energy should be spent for Kṛṣṇa. Jñāna-sañchinna-saṁśayam. And that, I mean to say, utilizing the energy for Kṛṣṇa should be based on pure knowledge, pure knowledge that how... What is that pure knowledge? That "I am meant for Kṛṣṇa" or I am meant for God, so I should utilize my energy for that purpose." Ātmavantaṁ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya. So anyone who is working in this way, then he hasn't got to suffer the consequence, good or bad, for any work. He is free from the reaction of this work.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

No, this is a fact. (laughter) It is not an association or vision, this is a fact. When you see a cat, when you see a dog, you see Kṛṣṇa in him. Why? You know that here is cat, living being. He, by his deeds, past deed he has got this body cat, forgetfulness. So let me help this cat, give it some Kṛṣṇa prasāda so that in some day he will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is to see in him Kṛṣṇa. Not that, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, let me embrace this cat." This is nonsense. Here is a tiger, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, come on Please eat me." This is rascaldom. You should take sympathy with every living being, that he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca. Not that we shall embrace him, "Come on Kṛṣṇa." So "the true yogi observes Me in all beings." This is the seeing. Why we are welcoming these children? Because he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. You are giving them chance to, as much as possible, to take part in the kīrtana, to taste the prasāda. That child who comes, imitates like this, oh, don't think that it is growing in vain. Something done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, knowing or not knowing it will have it's effect. These children who are bowing down or trying to vibrate "Kṛṣṇa" or clap. These things are being accumulated in bank account of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like if the child touches this fire, it will act. It will not excuse the child, that, "Oh, he is child, he does not know." The fire will act. Similarly if Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit, a child who may take part in it, Kṛṣṇa will act. You may know it do not know it. It doesn't matter. Because Kṛṣṇa is there. So it is so nice. Therefore every living being should be given chance. These boys are inviting outsider, "Come on," this love feast. What is the idea? The idea, let them come, take little prasāda and it will act someday in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It will act. So that is their propaganda. They are seeing everyone. Kṛṣṇa, they are seeing Kṛṣṇa in everyone, in that way. Not that everyone is Kṛṣṇa. Don't make this mistake. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. Why in this human being, He is there in the atom also.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

If we are intoxicated, oh, mind will be more agitated. If you don't take, I mean to say, foodstuff in the goodness, very strong and pungent and animal foodstuff, then our mind will be more agitated. And so far gambling is concerned, oh, sometimes we have to commit suicide. There are history of gambling clubs that when a person loses everything he commits suicide and he is thrown away. I have heard that in Europe there are many clubs. They go for gambling, and they lose everything, whatever, and they commit suicide. And the club proprietor throws him in the street. There is no law. I have heard. Of course, I do not know. You may know better than me.

So if we want to control the mind, then we have to adopt these regulative principles of life. Not that we have to give up, but we have to make regulated. Vairāgya. Then it will be possible to adopt. And the best thing is that engage your mind always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are trying to engage our students twenty-four hours either in this way or that way, this way or that way, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is samādhi, trance, transcendental situation. You can eat, you can enjoy, you can dance, you can see, you can work—all things for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will automatically make you renounced order of life. But if you try to follow this yoga system which was possible in the Satya-yuga some millions of years before, and if you want to adopt that, oh, it is not possible. If you want to be satisfied becoming a showbottle, then that is a different thing. Remain a showbottle. But if you want really actual success, then you cannot adopt that process. Asaṁyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

That is a very difficult job. But you can do it. It is difficult. Just as we have got a few students here, sincere students, both boys and... They are developing. If not complete, but they are developing, Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, why they shall waste their time in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? They are developing. And it can be developed. You can develop love for anything if you try for it. But Kṛṣṇa development, Kṛṣṇa conscious development is very natural because Kṛṣṇa is not a thing belonging to a particular type of religion or sect or society. Kṛṣṇa claims that "I belong to everyone." Therefore, originally, you are all connected with Kṛṣṇa. Simply you have forgotten.

So this process of chanting is to invoke your remembrance for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. It is not that we are implementing something artificially in you. No. Kṛṣṇa is already connected with you. You have forgotten, and we are trying to give you the process how you can revive your original consciousness. So mayy āsakta-manāḥ. So when you come to this place, temple, this is the beginning. This the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you see Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees, if you chant "Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa is not different from the name because He's absolute. He is not different. The word "Kṛṣṇa" and the person Kṛṣṇa, or God Kṛṣṇa, is not different, because everything is Kṛṣṇa. The oneness, the philosophy of monism or pantheism, is perfect. When that oneness comes in understanding Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth from whom everything is emanating, then everything is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Whatever you do, if it is done for Kṛṣṇa, then you are in the highest perfectional stage of yoga. And anyone can do it. If Mr. Darwin or Chandramukhi is asked, "All right, you also dig," oh, she will imitate and become yogi immediately. Immediately yogi. Just try to understand. Is there any process of yoga system which can teach even a small child to practice and become yogi? No. If you ask a child or even the father does, "You sit down like me. Meditate. Press your nose," or this, that, oh, she'll be not, cannot do. Unable. Is there any... If I say a child, "Oh, my dear girl, my dear boy, please do like this. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," he immediately does. You see?

So this simple method and the highest method... Not that we are advertising our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Here the authority, the supreme authority, Kṛṣṇa, says, "Practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me." But if you make your own manufactured meaning of these words and cheat public, that is your business. Our business is not to cheat. We have to say frankly, "This is the fact," that's all. But you can cheat: "Oh, it is not Kṛṣṇa. It is this and that, so many things. This 'me' means I. 'I' means you are also I. I am also I." They explain in that way. "The 'me,' the word is me. So 'me' is coming from 'I.' So you are 'I,' I am 'I.' Therefore it is meant, 'me' means you think of yourself; I think of myself. Then you become yogi." That's all. And rascal persons will catch this very..., "Oh, then I am always thinking of me. That's all right. I am a yogi." That's all. Because the demons and the rascals, they are simply trying to avoid God. So if somebody teaches, "Oh, why you are thinking of Kṛṣṇa? This 'me' means you, I, I, you. That's all," "Oh, that's nice, very nice."

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

So why don't you accept? Why you comment in a different way? No. Why you comment like this? When Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī (BG 18.65), "Oh, it is not to Kṛṣṇa, it is something within Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is not divided in that way—"something within and something without." He is absolute. We are divided within our soul, outside of this material body, but not Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says one who thinks Him as ordinary human being, he is a mūḍhāḥ. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum... (BG 9.11). "Because I appeared as a human being, mūḍhās, those who are rascals, they think Me as ordinary human being." No. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto. He does not know what is immense power behind. That Kṛṣṇa showed. Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, when He was seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill. We have to accept that, not that we make some comment upon it, because we think Kṛṣṇa is ordinary boy, "How seven-years-old boy can lift?" But we forget that He is Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa can throw so many innumerable planets in the sky, floating just like cotton swab, is it very difficult for Kṛṣṇa to lift a mountain?

But they do not accept Kṛṣṇa as God. That is the difficulty. You do not accept Kṛṣṇa as God, but you accept Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being; therefore you are mūḍhāḥ. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāh. Again the same thing, mūḍhāḥ. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. He has used very strong word to tell you, because He is the father, and the father can chastise the son using very strong.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

This is a verse from Bhagavad-gītā, how to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. The Bhagavad-gītā, most of you have heard about the name of this book. It is very widely read book of knowledge throughout the whole world. Practically in every country there are many editions of Bhagavad-gītā. So the Bhagavad-gītā is the basic principle of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. What we are spreading as Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is only Bhagavad-gītā. It is not that we have manufactured anything. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is existing since the creation, but at least for the last five thousand years, when Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, He personally instructed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and the instruction is left behind Him, this is Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, this Bhagavad-gītā has been misused in so many ways by the so-called scholars and swamis. The impersonalist class, or atheist class of men, they have interpreted Bhagavad-gītā in their own way. When I was in America in 1966, one American lady asked me to recommend an English edition of Bhagavad-gītā so that she could read it. But honestly I could not recommend any one of them, on account of their whimsical explanation. That gave me impetus to write Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. And this present edition, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, is now published by Macmillan Company, the biggest publisher in the world. And we are doing very nice. We published this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is in 1968, in small edition. It was selling like anything. The trades manager of Macmillan Company reported that our books are selling more and more; others are reducing. Then recently, in this 1972, we have published this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, complete edition. And Macmillan Company published fifty thousand copies in others, but it was finished in three months and they are arranging for second edition.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Yes, there is... Vaiṣṇavas... Rāmāyaṇa is also approved. Rāmāyaṇa is also Vedic literature, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, not any other. So we discuss Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. In the Bhāgavata there is discussion about Rāmacandra's activities. So we are giving Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is Rāmacandra's activities there. Where is Rāmacandra, which planet He is now, that is also described in the Bhāgavatam. So it is not that we are without Rāma. And our direct worshipable Rāma is Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. We have opened the temple of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma in Vṛndāvana. So Rāma is there. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu (Bs. 5.39). Kṛṣṇa has got many, many incarnation. Rāma is also one of them. So when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, it means including all the incarnation—Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha—everything. Rāmādi... Therefore rāmādi, "taking Rāma as the original," mūrtiṣu, "in such forms," rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39), "He is existing." Kṛṣṇa is not alone. He is always existing with His different incarnations, Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Matsya, Kūrma—so many. So either you worship Kṛṣṇa or Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, Matsya, Kūrma, anyone you can worship. We don't say that don't worship Rāma. We never say, because Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, the same. We shall... In future we have got a hope we shall start an Rāma-Lakṣmaṇa mūrti, yes, in some temple. That is our worshipable Deity. We have got in my room Lord Rāmacandra's mūrti, Sītā-Rāma. So it is not that we are neglecting worship of Rāmacandra. There is. Yes? Somebody else?

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

We have been discussing this verse, what is knowledge. Knowledge means how this universe is working, what is the working force, what is the energy. Just like scientists, they are searching out different energies. Just like this earth is floating on weightlessness. Such a huge mass of material body with so many mountains, so many seas, oceans, skyscraper houses, cities, towns, countries, it is floating just like a swab, cotton swab, in the air. So if one understands how it is floating, that is knowledge.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to have all kinds of knowledge. Not that we Kṛṣṇa conscious people are being carried away by some sentiment. No. We have got philosophy, science, theology, ethics, morality, everything—everything that is required to be known in human form of life. So Kṛṣṇa says that "I'll speak to you all about knowledge." So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person should not be fool. If he is required to explain how these universal planets are floating, how this human body is rotating, how many species of life, how they are being evolved... These are all scientific knowledge. Physics, botanics, chemistry, astronomy, everything. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yaj jñātvā, if you understand this knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you'll have nothing to know. That means you'll have complete knowledge. We are hankering after knowledge, but if we are in knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if we know Kṛṣṇa, then all knowledge is included.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

"You do not take shelter of anything else. Simply depend on Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. "You haven't got to depend on anything else. I will give you protection." So we have to take faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa and put our complete faith and devotion at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That will make us happy and make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to achieve the highest goal of life, back to Godhead, back to home. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6).

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement purely based on the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. It is not a manufactured thing. As you are hearing for so many days, our basic principle is the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not that we have manufactured something, as there are so many manufactured processes. So if we actually take Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, as it is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā by the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, we are sure to achieve the result without any doubt. Kṛṣṇa assures, mā śucaḥ: "Don't be doubtful. Simply surrender unto Me. I shall take care of you." The whole Bhagavad-gītā is taught in that way. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca. In this way, in Bhagavad-gītā we'll find, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Personality of Godhead. So His instructions are there.

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

You can imagine even stool." They say like that. You see.

So... So neither God is limited to any five imaginative forms or this form or that form. His form nobody can imagine, neither He is within our perception. But He is as He is. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram (BG 9.11). Therefore we have to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead from authoritative sources, just like the Bhagavad-gītā. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself speaking, "What I am." This is the science of God. If we take Him as He is saying, then we become perfect knower of God. There is no difficulty. But if we deny, then we are in difficulty. Those who have accepted Kṛṣṇa as He is, God as He is, they have attained perfection also. It is practical. Not that we are. There are millions and billions followers of Kṛṣṇa in India. Not only ordinary followers. Just like many great stalwarts, educationists, I mean to say, saintly person like Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, great educated and learned scholars, they have accepted. Lord Caitanya has accepted. And... There are so many others also. And there are millions and millions of temples of Kṛṣṇa. They are being worshiped by millions and billions of devotees still. Still, if you go some Kṛṣṇa temple in South India, you'll find thousands of thousands of people always assembled. You have no imagination. You see? In Jaipur temple, Jaipur temple, the king's palace... Within the king's palace there is Jaipur temple. So whenever you go in that Jaipur temple, you'll find at least one thousand men assembled. At least. If you go Jagannātha Purī, you'll find at least two thousand men, daily coming and going. If you go to Vṛndāvana, you'll find at least five thousand men, daily coming and going. So... And in Vṛndāvana itself there are five thousand temples. Out of that only seven or eight temples are very big temples. In other words, each and every house is Kṛṣṇa temple. So it is not that... Somebody asked me, "How many there are in India Kṛṣṇa conscious people?" Oh, the Kṛṣṇa conscious men in India, at least, the Hindus, oh, they are ninety percent, at least, all Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

So we have to work here. So we can prepare ourself to being promoted to the higher planetary system or lower animal kingdom. We can become pig; we can become hog; we can become demigod; we can become so on, so on. Whatever we desire, Kṛṣṇa will give us opportunity. But that will not make us happy. If we go back to home, back to Godhead, without the tribulation of repetition of birth and death, that will make us happy. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving opportunity to everyone how to go back to home, back to Godhead, after giving up this body. One has to give up this body. That is certain. But why this body should be wasted for propensities like the animals? It should be fully utilized how to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our propaganda, and we base on these authorities of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. It is not that we have manufactured it. There is no question of manufacturing. It is authoritative. It is accepted by all the ācāryas. So our request is that you also take this opportunity and be Kṛṣṇa conscious, and next life you go back to home, back to Godhead, and be eternally happy. Thank you very much.

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "You don't try to see God." Just try to understand. "Just work in such a way that God may see you." This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Everyone is busy to see God. Of course, it is not so easy to see God. But a devotee is not busy to see God, but he wants God to see him. Because just like if you are working in some establishment, if you are working very nicely, faithfully, than the proprietor will automatically see you. Don't try to see the proprietor. Work in such a way that the proprietor will be inclined, "Well, this man is working very nicely. Who is this man?" So that is our business.

That is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, not that we go to God and beg our daily bread. That is also good because... That is good in the sense that the atheists, they do not even agree to accept the authority of God. Better than them, anyone who is going to the temple or the church and asking for bread or something, material benefit, that is good. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna: "Those who are pious, whose background is piety, such persons, divided into four classes..." Ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī, four classes. Ārtaḥ means distressed, and arthārthī means in need of money. Ārto arthārthī. Or some material benefit. And jñānī, one who is searching after knowledge. And jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive.

These four classes of men, if their background is life of piety, they go to God to pray, "My Lord, my Lord, give me some money. I am very poor. I am very distressed. Kindly mitigate my distress." Or jñānī, they are searching after actually what is God. Or inquisitive, simply inquiring what is God. So there are four classes. Whose background is life of pious activities, they go to God. And those who are...

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

There are books. There are explanations. There are teachers. So the human life is meant for this purpose, to understand how God is working, what is God, even what is His name, where does He live, what is our relationship with Him, how things are being managed. These are...

Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Therefore the Vedānta-sūtra says that "This life is simply meant for inquiring about the Supreme." That's all. The animal cannot do it. So simply if I waste our time just like the animals... The animals' life is simply busy for four things: eating, sleeping, mating, and defense. That's all. They do not know anything more than that. So human life, if we simply... Of course, so long we have got this body, we have to be seeking after eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. But not that we shall waste our time simply for these four things. There is a fifth platform which is brahma-jijñāsā, inquiry about the Supreme. And there are information, perfect knowledge. If you want to consult, you want to take it, then your life will be perfect.

Otherwise if we simply waste our time for the animal propensities of life, then again we glide down to the animal life. That is a great loss. After many, many births, we have got this human form of life. If we simply waste like cats and dogs, then again we become cats and dogs or tree or anything. There are so many species of life. That will be great mistake, great loss. Havoc it will be.

Therefore our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to educate people to God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that his life may be success. Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

The real aim is to satisfy the Supreme. This is very easy. Now, there are so many grades of officer in a big establishment. Either the manager or the orderly or the servant. Because the whole thing is to satisfy the supreme authority of the office, everything is all right.

Similarly, according to the capacity, one is ordinary servant, one is manager, one is clerk, one is this and that. That, That's all right. Similarly, according to our particular quality, one may be a brāhmaṇa, one may be a kṣatriya, nor be a śūdra, or vaiśya. It doesn't matter. But the whole society, if they are engaged in satisfying Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not that we are asking everyone to become a sannyāsī like me, and give up everything. No. That is not our program. You act as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya or a vaiśya or a śūdra. It doesn't matter. But you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is the program.

That is enjoined in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: ataḥ pumbhiḥ... In the Naimiṣāraṇya meeting, great meeting of great saintly persons and brāhmaṇas, And Sūta Gosvāmī was president. He was speaking. And he says: ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ (SB 1.2.13). You all people, assembled here, you are the best of the brāhmaṇas. Dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. My dear dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ." The ordinary, not ordinary men. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. He's referring to that, varṇāśrama. You cannot. If you want to, if you want to maintain, keep the perfect human civilization, then you must maintain this varṇāśrama. Otherwise, there will be chaos. You have to adjust. Nobody's lower. Nobody's higher.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

So material nature is actually the field of activities in our conditioned life. We have—manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). In the fifteenth chapter you'll find it, that, who are these living entities, we? Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo: "They are all my parts and parcels." Mamaivāṁśo. Just like father and the son. A father has got many sons. Similarly, we are all sons of God. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7), sanātanaḥ. Sanātanaḥ means eternally. It is not that we are now part and parcel and after liberation we'll become one, or equal, the Māyāvādī theory. No. That is not. Therefore this very word is used, sanātana, eternally. Eternally, we are part and parcel.

Then why they are not with You? Why they are here in this material world? Now manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). They have preferred to enjoy this material world, to lord it over the material world. Therefore, mind and senses, manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi , with these senses and mind, karṣati. manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni. Karṣati (BG 15.7), karṣati means struggling. Struggle for existence. This is our position. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Now we have given up by misuse of our independence. We wanted to imitate Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer, so when we become envious of Kṛṣṇa, tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krurān (BG 16.19), the demons are envious. They want to become Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, you will find so many demons. They will say, "Why Kṛṣṇa is alone God? I am God, you are God, all of us, we are God." So they are demons. So demons cannot be allowed in the spiritual world. They are sent in this material world.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu (BG 13.3). The difference—we are individual soul. We are living, every one of us, living within this body, and there is another living entity. God is also living entity like you and me. The difference is that He is great, and we are subordinate. Otherwise... Just like you have got your president. He is a big man of your nation, and we are small men or you are a small man. But he is also a human being; I am also a human being or you are also. Similarly, God is exactly like us, with two hands and two legs. To see Kṛṣṇa, He hasn't got a hundred legs or a hundred... He has got the same, two legs and two hands, exactly like our body. In the Bible also it says, I think, that "Man is made after the feature of God"? So it is not that we have imagined God with two legs and two hands like us, no. Our this body is made imitating God's body. And the animals, they are also imitating God's body. God has got many forms. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). He has got many other forms, innumerable.

So anyway, this is knowledge, that "I am occupying this body, I have got this body according to my desire, and this desire has been fulfilled by God. God is with me, with you. He is within your heart. He understands what you desire. You have come, we have come in this material world to satisfy our different desires. Therefore, there are so many different forms of body." Now you can calculate also. What is that? There are three qualities within this material world. You know, everyone. Some are in goodness, and some are in passion, and some are in ignorance. In the animal or in the vegetable kingdom, in the human society, you will find these three types of men.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

We find nowadays, big, big philosophers write volumes of book, simply theorizing without any understanding of the spirit soul. Big, big philosopher. And Kṛṣṇa says that if one simply puts philosophical theories for some utopian ideas, "Now time is coming which will be like this, like that." No. Time is there already. You cannot manufacture time like this or like that. It will go on. It is eternal. It is eternal.

Just like Kṛṣṇa has said in the second chapter of Bhagavad-gītā that "Arjuna, you and me and all the soldiers and kings who have assembled here, it is not that we did not exist in the past. We are existing now, and we shall continue to exist in the future." So this eternity of the soul we do not know. We are simply identifying ourself with this body, and we are simply interested for the bodily comforts of life. This is the civilization, going on.

So although we have got this Bhagavad-gītā, at least in India the education should have been on the line of Bhagavad-gītā for the benefit of the people of India. Unfortunately nobody is taking care. Even though there are some propaganda of understanding Bhagavad-gītā, they are interpreting in their own way to fulfill their own ambition. This is going on. So here Kṛṣṇa says, amānitvam, amānitvam. What is that amānitvam? Read the purport.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 5, 1973:

In another place Kṛṣṇa says, satataṁ kīrtayanto mām, "always glorifying Me." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Always we have to glorify Kṛṣṇa. We should go, meet people, preach, and glorify Kṛṣṇa. We beg for Kṛṣṇa. We print books for Kṛṣṇa. We distribute book for Kṛṣṇa. We type for Kṛṣṇa. We eat for Kṛṣṇa. We sleep for Kṛṣṇa. So everything should be dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa. That is called ananya-yogena, without any break, constantly, twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Avyabhicāriṇī.

Vivikta-deśa-sevitvam aratir jana-saṁsadi (BG 13.11). Aratir jana-saṁsadi, not very much attached with general public, because they are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. We can meet them as far as possible, as far as required. Not that we have to sit down and talk all nonsense with these general people. No. Aratir jana-samsadi, and vivikta-deśa-sevitvam (BG 13.11). Naturally, we shall be inclined to avoid such company. But preaching work, we have to go. Not to associate with him, but to give your association to him. That should be the principle. Because you have learned something about devotional service, you should give your experience to such person, but not to accept their behavior. If you keep this in view, then you will be preacher. And if you become victimized by his association, then you are doomed. You should give him the opportunity of your association, whatever you know, whatever you have learned about bhakti-yoga. When you go to meet a person, you should try to inform him, "This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You also take to it." As Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa-upadeśa' (CC Madhya 7.128). Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa-upadeśa'.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974:

So because you cannot see Kṛṣṇa otherwise, therefore Kṛṣṇa has appeared before you just like a stone statue. Because you cannot see Kṛṣṇa, without His becoming a stone statue or wooden statue. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. But that does not mean Kṛṣṇa is stone. Kṛṣṇa is everything. So mad-yājinaḥ. To accept your worship, Kṛṣṇa is here. Don't consider that "Here is a stone Deity." No, He's Kṛṣṇa. He has agreed. Because mad-yājinaḥ. Kṛṣṇa say "One who worships Me..." Now, ordinarily, where is Kṛṣṇa? We don't find. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is available in this form. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, that "You take Me. You offer Me service." Mad-yājinaḥ. "I will accept." We should worship Kṛṣṇa in that spirit, not that "We are worshiping a stone. He cannot see. Let me do all nonsense in the Deity room." No. He is seeing. Don't be so much cunning. He's more cunning than you. You see. He can see.

Just like in that story, the old brāhmaṇa and the young brāhmaṇa, Sākṣi-gopāla. Sākṣi-gopāla. So the young man came to Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, "Sir, You have to go to give witness because the old man is not keeping his promise." So Kṛṣṇa said to the young devotee that "How you are proposing that I shall go? Can a stone Deity, He can walk? Do you think?" He said, "Yes, if the stone Deity can speak, He can walk also." (laughter) So devotee is so strong. So Kṛṣṇa had to... "Yes, I'll go." First of all, He wanted to avoid. Then when He saw that "He's not ordinary devotee," He said, "All right, I'll go." So He came from Vṛndāvana to Kataka.

Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra: (CC Adi 9.41) "Anyone who has taken birth in this land of Bhāratavarṣa..." Janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra: "First of all make your life perfect by taking advantage of this Vedic facility, and then distribute this knowledge all over the world." This is injunction. This is the mission of Lord Caitanya.

So it is practically being utilized in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are giving the knowledge, this knowledge, to the western world in different ways. For the mass of people simply by chanting, making them purified. And the class of people, we have got books. We have got many important books. Let them understand our philosophy with, I mean to say, scientific knowledge, with philosophical vision. Not that we are simply sentimentalists, simply dancing. We have got... Dancing is not sentimental. It is spiritual ecstasy. It is not ordinary dancing. This dancing is not ordinary dancing. So anyway, if you think that this dancing is a sentimental caricature, you may think like that, but if you want to understand through philosophy and science, we can supply you immense literature.

So this is the duty. This is the duty of all responsible Indians, how to make his life perfect, utilizing Vedic knowledge, and then distribute it throughout the whole world. Because in other parts of the world they have no such advantage. Why these American boys are coming to us? Because they did not get the advantage of spiritual life, but they are seeking after spiritual life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. They are fed up with this materialistic way of life. They want something spiritual. But because there is no such information, there is no such leader, they are becoming hippies, frustrated, confused. And because here is something substantial, they are taking it. This is the secret of success of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

So this is our main business. This is the business of every Indian. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

Janma sārthaka kari. First of all we have to make our life perfect by following these principles. Not that we shall remain all along gṛhastha. No. That is not Vedic injunction. At a certain age you must give up your gṛhastha life. Whatever is done is done. That's all. Finished. That is Vedic civilization. Brahmacārī, vānaprastha, uh..., gṛhastha, vānaprastha, then sannyāsa. Four orders of spiritual life and four orders of material life, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. So India, it is especially practiced, India. This bhārata-bhūmi specially. Therefore bhārata-bhūmi is called puṇya-bhūmi. But we are giving up all this. We are becoming allured by something else. That is our misfortune. (end)

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

We are born some years ago. How is that—You instructed the sun-god, Vivasvān, this philosophy?" This inquiry was made by Arjuna. Why? How Kṛṣṇa knows the past so long, long years ago? So Kṛṣṇa replied that "Yes, at that time, you were also present, but you have forgotten. I have not forgotten." That is the difference between ordinary human being and God. That is the difference. God does not forget past, present, future. God knows future. God knows past. And present, what to speak of? In the Second Chapter you'll find also. Kṛṣṇa says that "It is not that you, Me and all these kings and soldiers were not existing in the past. And we are existing at present. And it is not that we shall not existed in the future." These are the things.

So if you try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then we get some benefit. Not some benefit: the ultimate benefit. What is the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā? Kṛṣṇa has come. Kṛṣṇa's instructing Arjuna. Aiming at Arjuna, He's instructing the whole world. What is the position of the living entities, what is our constitutional position? We are all living entities, and Kṛṣṇa is God. What is Kṛṣṇa's position? What is our position? What is this material nature? What is the time factor? What is our activities? These things are very nicely explained. Prakṛti, puruṣa, jīva, and time, and karma. These five things are very nicely described. So prakṛti is also eternal. Prakṛti means the energy, energy of the Supreme.

Page Title:Not that we... (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:20 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=39, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:39