Not understand (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"never understand" |"never understands" |"no understanding" |"not have understood" |"not understand" |"not understands" |"not understood"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "not understand" or "not understood" or "not understands" or "no understanding" or "not have understood" or "never understand" or "never understands" not "do not understand" not "don't understand" not "does not understand" not "doesn't understand" not "did not understand"not "didn't understand"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

After reading Bhagavad-gītā, they are accusing Kṛṣṇa as immoral. One professor in Oxford University, he is a student or professor of Bhagavad-gītā, has written book. Now his conclusion is that Kṛṣṇa is immoral. That means he could not understand Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā cannot be understood by any demon or third-class man. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna that: "I am speaking to you the same Bhagavad-gītā (BG 4.1), science of God, which I spoke millions of years ago to the sun-god, because the paramparā is lost and I have picked up you because bhakto 'si me priyo 'si (BG 4.3), you are very dear friend and bhakta."

So Bhagavad-gītā is not meant for the demons or the abhaktas. The first condition is that he must be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be revealed. Otherwise it is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛitaḥ (BG 7.25). Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhā prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). These things are there. So if one is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can understand Bhagavad-gītā very easily. Just like Arjuna understood within half an hour. Others, they cannot understand.

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

Because Kṛṣṇa is the supreme. These universes, they are Kṛṣṇa's kingdom. There are many kingdoms. Just like we have got many universes within this material world, similarly, there are many spiritual planets in the spiritual world. These are common-sense affairs. Why people will not understand? Therefore our business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, to become perfect, satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). So how viṣṇur ārādhyate? This is the philosophy. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Suppose in an office your immediate boss, some superintendent of the office, you follow his orders, although he is not final. Above the superintendent of the office, there is another secretary. Above the secretary, there is one other director. Above the director, there is managing director. These are common-sense things. Similarly there are many, many controllers, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. So it is common-sense affair that our aim of life is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. This is common sense.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

We do not misinterpret in that way. There is no question of misinterpretation. We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change by our whimsical imagination, concoction. We do not interpret the words of the Bhagavad-gītā according to our own desire. No. Actually, from literary point of view, interpretation is required when things are not understood very clearly. The interpretation required. In the law court, when the lawyers try to interpret before the judge, when the terms are not very clear... That is the same way, in, in, amongst the associates and society of learned scholars. Interpretation is not required when the things are very clear. Just like the sun, sunshine, sunlight. There is no need of a lamp to show the sun. The sun is self-effulgent. It is already there. Light is there. Why one should take a lamp to show the sun? This misinterpretation has killed the spirit, the real essence, of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

So this sympathy is like Arjuna's sympathy. The sympathy... Now the state is sympathizing with the murderer not to be killed. This is Arjuna. That is hṛdaya-daurbalyam. That is not duty. One has to discharge the duty ordered by the superior authority very strictly, without any consideration. So these are weakness of the heart, this kind of sympathy. But ordinary person will not understand. Therefore to understand Kṛṣṇa, one requires special senses, special senses, not ordinary senses. Special senses means you have to pluck your eyes and you have to put another eyes? No. You have to purify. Tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Just like if you have got some disease in the eyes, you apply medicine, and when it is clear, you can see clearly everything; similarly, with these blunt senses, we cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). As śrī-kṛṣṇasya nāmādau, Kṛṣṇa's name, form, quality, etc., is not understand by these blunt senses, so how it is to be done? Now, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau.

Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

Those who are demons, those who are sinful, nature's law is to place him in such condition that he will become more and more a demon so that he will never be able to understand what is God. This is nature's law. If you want to forget God, then God will put you in such a condition that you can never understand what is God. That is demonic life. That time is also coming. At the present moment, still a few men are interested, what is God. Arto arthārtī jijñāsu jñānī (CC Madhya 24.95). But time is coming ahead when there will be no sense to understand God. That is the last stage of Kali-yuga, and at that time Kalkī avatāra, Kalkī avatāra will come. At that time there is no preaching of God consciousness, simply killing, simply killing. Kalkī avatāra with His sword will simply massacre. Then again Satya-yuga will come. Again golden age will come.

So this problem of fighting... We have to understand that fighting spirit is there in everyone. You cannot check it, you cannot stop it. We do not say stop. The Māyāvādī philosopher says that "You stop this thing," but that is not possible. You cannot stop. Because you are living entity, you have got all these propensities. How you can stop it?

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

Then what, what is the way of having the real thing? So it says that dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: "The truth of religiosity is very confidential, very secret." So how to know it? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "We have simply to see that great personalities, as they have taken up, we have to follow. That's all." Just like in your Christian religion you may not understand all the Biblical injunctions or you may not have the time, but you'll simply, if you follow the ideal life of Lord Jesus Christ, then you get the same result. Similarly, the Muhammadans, if they follow the ideal life of Muhammad, Hazrat Muhammad, so they get the result. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Just like in a unknown path, in a village, especially when there is a field... Now, in, in the city, you can know that "I have come so far" because the streets are numbered and the, you have got the location and there are some symptoms, this house or that house.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

So this human life especially meant for understanding what is that "I." In the bodily concept of life, just like animals, they fight with some piece of flesh, two dogs fighting. The one dog is claiming, "It is my flesh," another dog claiming, "My flesh." But they cannot understand what is that "I." They are claiming "my," but they have no understanding of "I." Therefore, if a human being simply claims "my," "my country, my society, my wife, my husband, my body, my dress, my furniture, my home," where is "I"? This they do not think. They have no knowledge. In the school, college, university, there is no such knowledge what is that "I." Simply "my." So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for educating, educate people what is that "I." Everyone is engrossed with things, illusory thinking "my," but he has no identification what is that "I."

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

Now that īśvara, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, how He appears sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha? Those who are present, of course, they saw the sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, but because not all of them were devotees, they could not understand Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because He appeared just like a human being, so mūḍhas... Mūḍhas means less intelligent, or, in plain word, asses. Mūḍha means ass. So this class of men could not understand Kṛṣṇa, that He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the defect of the mūḍhas. They may be very great scholars, academic scholar, but in the matter of understanding God, they're mūḍhas, asses. Why? Māyayā apahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (BG 7.15). At the present moment, people are mostly āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Āsuri, āsuri bhāva means to defy God: "There is no God. God is dead. I am God. You are God. So many Gods are loitering in the street. Why you are finding out God?" These are so many statements. So God has become so cheap. There are so many incarnations of God, especially in India. It is a breeding ground of Gods, so many. So that is, means they do not know what is God.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Germany, June 18, 1974:

Therefore no illicit sex. The cats and dogs, they can have illicit sex, and if the human being also have the same process, then where is the difference between cats and dogs? Therefore you have to be cautious not to become cats and dogs, but to remain as human being. Then you'll be dhīra, sober, not agitated. Therefore this very word is used. It is not understood by the cats and dogs. If I say to the cats and dog that, "You are not this body. You are simply possessing this body," it is useless because he has got a certain body that he cannot understand even instructing him for one thousand years, because he has got a different body, cats' and dogs' body. But in the human form of body there is possibility. That is the difference between cats' and dogs' body and human body.

So to become dhīra means not to use this, I mean to say, very important, very useful body, human body, to pass as cats and dogs. That is very dangerous. It is a great loss. Prahlāda Mahārāja instructed this. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma.

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

This is the beginning of instruction of Bhagavad-gītā or spiritual instruction. Unless one understands this simple fact, that the soul is different from this body, the soul is eternal, the body is temporary, changing... 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 2.14 -- Germany, June 21, 1974:

This is atheistic view, that they are trying to forget that there is... Therefore they deny, "There is no life." Why not? Kṛṣṇa says that "You had a childhood body. You had a baby... Now you have... Where is that body? You have left that. You are in different body. Similarly, this body you'll change. You will get another body." And who says? Kṛṣṇa says. The most superior authority, he says. I may not understand, but when He says... This is the process of our knowledge. We accept knowledge from the perfect person. I may be fool, but the knowledge received from the perfect person is perfect. This is our process. We don't try to speculate. That may or may not be successful, but if you accept knowledge from the perfect authority, that knowledge is perfect. Just like we are speculating, "Who is my father?" You can speculate who is your father, but that speculation will not help you. You will never understand who is your father. But you go to your mother, the supreme authority. She'll immediately, "Here is your father." That's all. And you cannot know father in any other way.

Lecture on BG 2.18 -- London, August 24, 1973:

Vinā paśughnāt (SB 10.1.4). Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānāt. You'll find those who are animal killers, the so-called Christians and Mohammedans, they cannot understand. They (are) simply fanatics. Cannot understand what is soul, what is God. They have got some theories and they are thinking we are religionists. What is sin, what is pious activities, these things are not understood by them because they are animal killers. It is not possible. Therefore Lord Buddha propagated ahiṁsā. Ahiṁsā. Because he saw the whole human race is going to hell by this animal killing. "Let me stop them so that they may, in future, they may become sober." Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita: Two sides. First of all he was very much compassionate, that poor animals, they are being killed. And another side, he saw "The whole human race is going to hell. So let me do something." Therefore he had to deny the existence of the soul because their brain will not tolerate such things. Therefore he did not say anything about the soul or God. He said that "You stop animal killing."

Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

The aim is the same, ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti, ultimately solution of all miseries. In a different way. So Kṛṣṇa says, putting forward the Buddha philosophy which was formerly known as lokāyatikas and vaibhāṣikas... These two kinds of philosophers, they did not believe. Mostly the materialistic philosophers, they have no understanding of the soul. Therefore they have different kinds of theories which we do not accept. Kṛṣṇa says that if you are not sanātanist or followers of the Vedic principles, if you think that your principle and views are different, that by combination of matter this existence coming, atha cainaṁ nitya-jātam... Nityam means by combination of... Just like so many things are taking place by interaction of different material elements. Similarly, if you don't believe in this existence of the soul, if you think that there is no soul, the life is the result of combination of matter, nitya-jātam, and when this combination of matter is some way or other dismantled, then there is no more soul, it is finished. It began at a point by combination of matter, and it ends in a point by disintegration of matter. If you think like that, then also tathāpi tvaṁ mahā-bāho. Kṛṣṇa is criticizing Arjuna, mahā-bāhu. Actually he is mahā-bāhu. Mahā-bāhu means mighty-armed.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "And similarly, if one has not understood that the purpose of the Vedas is to reach Kṛṣṇa and simply engages in the rituals, then he is uselessly wasting time in such engagements. Persons in Kṛṣṇa consciousness transcend the limit of śabda-brahma."

Prabhupāda: Śabda-brahma, sound vibration. Sound—brahma, Brahman in sound. Just like Brahman means all-pervading. All-pervading. So the sound is all-pervading. You'll find sound... Beginning from the sky to the earth, you'll find sound, all-pervading. In the sky, there is sound. You have got experience. In the fire there is sound, in the air there is sound, in the earth there is sound, every metal, wood. You take everything, there is sound. So Brahman means all-pervading. But this transcendental sound... Just like your radio message, television sound, they cannot go beyond this earthly planet, at most. But there is sound which can penetrate the whole universe and go to the spiritual world. Sound is all-pervading, that is a fact, scientific fact. If that sound is potent, then it can penetrate even this material sky and go to the spiritual sky and go to Kṛṣṇa directly. That sound is Hare Kṛṣṇa. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāya. I've given that. He has translated very nice, Hayagrīva.

Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966:

Now, suppose one has given up all material enjoyment but he's engaged in the spiritual service, in the transcendental service of the Lord. So materialists, they see what a nonsense he is, that he has given up all material enjoyment. He's now engaged in something which is vague or which is... There is no understanding whether he's right or wrong. He sees like that. So the materialist sees the spiritualist sleeping in the enjoyment of life. And the spiritualist sees the materialist that "What nonsense he is, that he has got this elevated, conscious life of human form of life, and he's spoiling in the material senses, in the material enjoyment. He's not taking interest in spiritual life. So he sees that he's sleeping, and he sees that he's sleeping. The materialist sees the spiritualist that he's nonsense; he's sleeping. And the spiritualist sees the materialist, nonsense that he's spoiling. Yā niśā sarva niśā, sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī, yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā paśyato muneḥ.

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

Nonsense means he has no requisition for all these things. He has come to the highest stage. Ārādhito yadi hariḥ.

And nārādhito yadi hariḥ. And after performing all these penances, and jñāna, yoga, meditation, ultimately end there is no understanding of Kṛṣṇa, then whole thing is spoiled. Tapasā tataḥ kim: "What is the use of all this nonsense if you have not understood the real thing?" If you understood the real thing, then also these things are nonsense. And if you have not understood the real thing, then these things are also nonsense.

So there are two stages. But that is the ultimate, but one has to come to that very point, understanding of Kṛṣṇa, ātma-rati, because he is Paramātmā. He is the Supreme Soul, and I am ātmā. I am individual soul. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. That relationship is there, eternal. And that is congenial, and that is my real happiness. We have forgotten that.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Simply. So similarly, if one is not bhakta, if one is not Kṛṣṇa's devotee, that rascal cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. Plainly. Plainly it is stated here. First of all, try to become the devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then try to understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Not by your scholarship or by your speculation. Then you'll never understand Bhagavad-gītā. If you have to understand Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to understand by the process as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, not by your own mental speculation. This is the process of understanding. Bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti.

Bhakta means... Who is bhakta? Bhakta means one who has revived his eternal relationship with God. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Now in this body I am thinking, "I am American." How long I am American? I am American so long this body is there. That's all. I am thinking, "I am Indian." I am thinking, "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am this or that." Whatever I may think. How long? So long this body is there. And the next life? If you get a dog's body, then you'll think, "I am dog." If you get a cat's body, then you'll think "I am cat." So bhakta means not that superficial relationship.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Indian: I have no understanding. I want to know this. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi ātma-saṁyama. This yoga, the haṭha-yoga system means to control the senses and control the mind. Sarvāṇi karmāṇi indriyāni, karmendriya. The yoga system's basic principle is to stop the material activities. Sarvāṇīndriya karmāṇi prāṇa-karmāṇi cāpare. There are the controlling of different airs passing within this body. Apāna-vāyu, prāṇa-vāyu, vyāna-vāyu. That is the yoga system, controlling the breathing. Ātma-saṁyama. The whole thing is for ātma-saṁyama, for controlling the mind and senses. If one is unable to control the mind and senses, then he is simply wasting time. And that ātma-saṁyama can be directly practiced by bhakti yoga. What is that? Now the same example can be given, that Arjuna was a fighter. So in the beginning he was considering, "Whether I shall fight or not." That was also ātma-saṁyama. But actually ātma-saṁyama was when he did not fight for his sense gratification. That is. Similarly, when we engage our senses... Because senses means they want some activity. Just like our eyes. If... The eyes want to see something beautiful. The tongue, tongue wants to taste something very sweet. The ear, it wants to hear something very melodious. In this way we have got our different senses. But the yoga system is trying to stop them. Now, just try to understand.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

"Whatever I've spoken, they are all nonsense. There is sense, but the truth which I am speaking to you just now, 'You just become My devotee, just think of Me, just offer your obeisances unto Me, just work for Me,' this is the most confidential." But those who are not able to understand, they are not to be spoken. They are to be instructed that "You become a yogi, you practice your breathing, you sit like this, you sit like that." Because he's unable to understand. Therefore He says, idaṁ te na atapaskāya. One who has not undergone severe austerities, don't speak this final knowledge. He'll not understand. He'll misunderstand. Just like scholars, like Radhakrishnan, misunderstands because he has no tapasya. It requires tapasya to understand this philosophy. Therefore Bhāgavata says tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). "My dear boys, just accept austerity voluntarily. Restrain."

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

That is called dvija. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Veda pathād bhaved vipra, and when he is allowed to study this Vedic literature... Without becoming dvija, one cannot understand this Vedic literature. Just like without becoming a graduate, you are not allowed to enter in the law court. Similarly, without becoming a dvija, you are not allowed to study the Vedas, because you will not understand. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ veda-pathād bhaved vipro, and when by studying the Vedic literature, he understands Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes a brāhmaṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15), because the purpose of studying Vedas means to understand Kṛṣṇa, or God. When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, you understand God. So when one understands what is God, what is Brahman, what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Paramātmā, then he is a brāhmaṇa. This is the process.

So, the Garga Upaniṣad says that anyone who dies after becoming a brāhmaṇa, his life is successful. And anyone who dies without becoming a brāhmaṇa, he dies like a cat and dog. That is the difference. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is that don't die like cats and dog, die like a brāhmaṇa. That is our request. Don't think it is any sectarian religion. It is a science. It is a culture. You are trying to educate people how to become brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.3 -- Bombay, March 23, 1974:

We are not destroyed simply by destruction of this body. We remain. We accept another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13).

This is Bhagavad-gītā. Nobody wants to know this. They manufacture their own commentaries. In that way you'll never understand. You'll understand as Kṛṣṇa says, sa eva ayaṁ purātanaḥ. The same thing. What is that same thing? That "I am God. I am Kṛṣṇa. You are My part and parcel." This is an eternal relationship. It cannot be broken, but you have forgotten. You have forgotten your relationship with Kṛṣṇa. You have made your relationship with your family, so-called family, so-called country, so-called society, and so on, so on, so on, so on. This is all temporary. Suppose I am Indian today. You are American tomo..., today. But is there guarantee after your death you'll become American or I'll become Indian? Or I'll take my birth in the same family? No. According to my karma, I may become cats and dogs. You may become demigods. You may become something else. But dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Dehāntara-prāptiḥ (means) you'll have to accept another body. And there are 8,400,000 species of forms of bodies. Any of them you'll have to accept. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27).

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

So in answer to this question, "Who am I?" or "Who are all these living entities?" Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately answered that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). The real identity of the living entity is that he is eternally servant of God. We should not understand this word servant in the meaning of materialistic servant. To become servant of God is a great position. That is not ordinary position. Just like people try to get some government servitorship. Government service. That is also servant, to become servant. Why? Or people try to get some service in some established firm, well-reputed business firm. Why? That service is comfortable, there is great profit in such kind of service. So if people are satisfied by getting a government service or service in some good establishment, then just think over if you become servant of God then what is your position? Because God is the government of all government. So to become servant of God... We are servant of God constitutionally. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109).

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

Pradyumna: ...the Bhagavad-gītā if they weren't in the disciplic succession... Dharma isn't mentioned at all. Because "dharma" is used twice there. Once when Kṛṣṇa comes because of discrepancy of dharma and then in the end, "Give up dharma." And they'd never understand that.

Prabhupāda: Well, dharma, of course, as enunciated by Lord Caitanya, the dharma is that your perfec... (break) ...but those who have got money, they'll purchase it.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Lord Kṛṣṇa said that out of many, many thousands of people, one becomes interested in perfection of life. And out of many, many thousands of persons who have attained perfection, they can understand Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa understanding is also very difficult. Kṛṣṇa is personally explaining Himself, His devotees are presenting Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and right manner. But people are unfortunate. It will take some... But it is our duty to canvass. That is our business. Either they may accept or not accept, it is our duty. Just like in the university sometimes some particular class is maintained even at a loss. So there is no question of loss and gain. It is our duty to serve Kṛṣṇa; therefore we shall go on trying, trying for it, to distribute Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

When he's serving favorably, he is happy. When he is serving unfavorably or being forced, that is not bhakti, that is māyā. He has to serve. That is his constitutional position. Either outside or inside, but he cannot but serve Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa. He's eternally servant. Either he understands or not understands, he is servant. But when he's serving consciousness, conscientiously, then he's deriving the real profit. And that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now chant. (kīrtana) (end)

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

They are thinking like that. Māninaḥ means falsely thinking. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād... "They have no information of Your lotus feet or You. They do not accept Your personality." Tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). "Their intelligence is not clear." Aviśuddha. It is still impure. Because they could not understand.

The full knowledge is brahmeti bhagavān iti, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11). The three things one must know. That is full knowledge. But if you understand partially, either Brahman or Paramātmā... But if you understand Bhagavān... Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. This is Vedic injunction. If you understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you understand Brahman and Paramātmā. But if you simply understand Brahman or Paramātmā, you do not understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, intelligence is not yet pure.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

So let him be awakened. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. This is paṇḍita's business, to educate. Just like the human being, one who hasn't got the spiritual knowledge, it is the business of the paṇḍita to educate him.

Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata: "You have got now this human body. In the animal body you could not understand what is spirit soul, what is God. Now you have got the opportunity." Uttiṣṭhata: "Now get up." Prāpya varān nibodhata. "You have got this opportunity to understand." Athāto brahma jijñāsā. "Now it is your opportunity to inquire about jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā." These are the instruction in the Vedic literature. Tattva-jijñāsā. The human life is only meant for tattva-jijñāsā, to understand the Absolute Truth.

That requires brahminical culture, not the dull brain of śūdras and caṇḍālas. They cannot understand. Therefore there must be an institution to educate a brāhmaṇa, to educate kṣatriya. That is required. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13).

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

Because in this world, the world of duality, dual world, everything is to be understood by duality. We cannot understand what is honor if there is no dishonor. If I am not insulted, I cannot understand what is honor. So mānāpamānayoḥ. Similarly, I cannot understand what is misery if I have not tasted happiness. Or I cannot understand what is happiness if I have not understood misery. So similarly... I cannot understand what is cold if I have not tasted hot. This world is, world is of duality. So one has to transcend. So long this body is there, this duality feeling will continue.

So because I am trying to get out of this body, bodily conception—not exactly out of the body, but bodily conception—so I will have to practice to tolerate these dualities. As in the Second Chapter we have, Kṛṣṇa has advised Arjuna, mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). This duality of distress and happiness, this is due to the skin. This is skin disease. Just like itching, itching of the skin.

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

So athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta... jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan (SB 10.14.29). Therefore it is said, "My dear Lord, a person who has received a little favor from You, he can understand You very quickly. And others who are trying to understand You by the ascending process, they may go on speculating for millions of years, they will never understand." They will never understand. They will come to the point of frustration and confusion. "Oh, God is zero." That's all, finished. If God is zero, then how from zero so many, I mean to say, figures coming out? God is zero. Bhāgavata says, Vedānta says janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything is generates from the Supreme. Now we have to study how it is generated. That is also explained, what is the way, what is the process, how to know it. This is Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta means the ultimate knowledge. Veda means knowledge and anta means ultimate. So Vedānta means the ultimate knowledge. The ultimate knowledge is the Supreme Lord. Yes?

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

Generally this yoga practice goes on in the name of improving health. Somebody goes to reduce fat. You see? Reduce fat. Because you are rich nation, you eat more and become fatty and again pay yoga practice fees and reduce your fat. That is going on. I have seen some advertisement the other day, "Reduce your fat." Why you increase your fat? The nonsense they will not understand. That if I have to reduce it, why I increase it? Why not be satisfied with simple foodstuff? If you eat grains and vegetables and light foodstuffs, you'll never get fatty. You see? You'll never get fatty. Reduce eating as much as possible. Don't eat at night. Practice yoga like this. If you become voracious eater, you'll be—there are two kinds of diseases. The voracious eaters, they are attacked with diabetes and those who cannot eat sufficiently, they are tuberculists (?). So you cannot eat more or you cannot eat less. You just eat what you require. If you eat more then you must be diseased. And if you eat less, you must be diseased. That will be explained. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi....

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

He is direct friend of Kṛṣṇa, and he is a great warrior. He has got administrative capacity, and at the same time his knowledge... Comparing his knowledge, this Bhagavad-gītā he understood within one hour. This Bhagavad-gītā, which is not understood in one life at the present moment, he understood this Bhagavad-gītā in one hour. So how much intelligent he was. And he belong to the royal family. All facilities were there. And he... He is accepting that "It is not possible for me." But do you think what was impossible for Arjuna five thousand years before in such favorable circumstances, is it possible for you to discharge? Do you belong to the Arjuna category? No. We are thousand times lower than Arjuna's category. And what was impossible for Arjuna, do you think it is possible for you? Any sane man will do that thing, that, what was... In a Bengal, Bengali payar(?) (proverb?) there is a very nice comparison like this, that bara bara ghonai gela rasatal beta gonra bale kata jala.(?) That means... You know.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

Because he knows, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa is everything. Whatever we see, it is simply a manifestation of the energy of Vāsudeva. One must be convinced on this fact, and then he becomes a devotee. Prapadyate. Kṛṣṇa therefore advises that you understand or not understand, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Simply surrender unto Me."

So what Kṛṣṇa taught in the Bhagavad-gītā, we are teaching the same thing without any different manufactured ideas. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is open to everyone. The process is very simple. We have got our center here. If you want to take advantage of this movement, you are welcome. You'll be happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (applause)

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

If you contemplate and try to understand with your body, mind, then gradually you'll... Because your aim is self-realization. So self means Superself. The Supreme Lord, He's the Supreme Self. We are part and parcel. So by this process, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, God, Ajita, one who is never conquered... If you... By challenge, if you want to know God, you'll never understand. God never accepts challenge. Because God is great. Why should He accept your challenge. If you say, "Oh, my dear God, please come here. I shall see You," so God is not like that, that He will carry your order. You must carry His order. Then God realization. God says: "You surrender," sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That process, you'll learn God. Not that "Oh, I shall know God. I have got good intelligence, speculate." No.

So this hearing... We are talking of the hearing. The hearing process is so important. All our, this institute, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has spread because the students who have joined us, they have given aural reception, by hearing.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

Now, leaving aside these material teachers I am taking the, taking one spiritual guru who gave me Kṛṣṇa consciousness first and who taught me to worship God, Kṛṣṇa, and to maintain a temple at my own house and to learn the ślokas from Gītā or the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. And I have learned by rote the grandness of adhyāyas of Bhāgavatam and the Gītā. But you see I could not understand anything. Now, after going through your literatures, complete literatures, now the whole light has come to me, and I have began to understand even that the guru who gave me such Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I don't challenge or question the other findings of their(?) gurus. Just like a boy who absent from class, not attending his class, there is no fault of the guru. Guru has been attending his lectures. But I am truant. I am not attending class. So you see I can't blame that guru. But now I have understood everything from Your Grace, and now that ajñāna has been removed. I have now become more Kṛṣṇa conscious than before.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

So I thank you very much for your giving time. But my only request is that all of you try to chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and, if possible, read Kṛṣṇa book, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Don't read Bhagavad-gītā where the attempt is to kill Kṛṣṇa. Don't read. Then it will be spoiled. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said: māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). Sarva-nāśa. If you hear the rascal commentary that "Kṛṣṇa means this, Kurukṣetra means this, body means, Pāṇḍava means this," in this way, if you drag some concocted meaning, then you'll never understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. You'll simply spoil your time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). That is simply wasting time. Read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme."

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

Otherwise they do not know Kṛṣṇa; they do not know what is Bhagavad-gītā. But they take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā and push their nonsense philosophy through Bhagavad-gītā. The purpose is to kill Kṛṣṇa, Kaṁsa philosophy. So, then, that way, they'll never get Kṛṣṇa. They'll never understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that "If you want to know Me," asaṁśayaṁ samagram, "if you want to know Me in full, completely, without any doubt, then you have to follow this yoga system," mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Otherwise it is not possible.

So all these nonsense speculators... We use purposefully "nonsense," because they have no sense, simply speculating. God is unlimited. How you...? Your mind is limited. What you can speculate? "May be like this, may be like that," that's all. "Perhaps it is like this." All simply theoretical. It is never possible to know Kṛṣṇa, God, perfectly and completely by the speculating method. It is not possible. If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, or God—when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, God—so then Kṛṣṇa's formula must be followed, as it is said here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. The principal factor is to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Attached means become a lover of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

Now, why this jñānam required? Because our mission of life is to... You can not understand with your foolish brain what is God. That is not possible. They are trying to understand God by the limited senses. How you can understand? We are defective in so many ways. First of all we commit mistakes, and we are illusioned, we try to cheat others, and our senses are imperfect. So, how you can understand with your limited senses, with so many defects? That is not possible. Therefore you have to understand God from God Himself, or from His representative. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ: "directly under My direction, or under the direction of My representative." You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa if you remain under your personal intelligence. Everyone says that "I shall understand this by my own dint of knowledge, by speculation." That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa says that you have to understand. Here also it is the same thing said, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam vakṣyāmy aham, "I shall speak to you." So this is the secret of success, if you want to understand God, what is God. Everyone, there are many philosophers, scientists, they are trying to understand God by research, but that research will not help you.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

We can imitate also. We can do also." This kind of understanding means he's a rascal; he's a fool. That is, of course, Kṛṣṇa's, one of the pastimes. But that is not this ordinary young boy and young girl's pastime. That is cinmaya. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. That is ānanda-cinmaya-rasa.

We have no understanding what is ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. We are accustomed to taste this material ānanda, sense gratification. There are... Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). Here, in this material world, the ānanda is sex gratification, sex intercourse. Maithuna. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. This is the most abominable ānanda. This is not ānanda. Although the whole world is mohita... Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvair mohitam. This is the ānanda. In the Western world we have seen even old men, seventy-five years old, eighty years old, they are going to the naked dance club, the sex ānanda. Because in the material world there is no ānanda except this. But in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam (BG 6.21).

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

So these are the inquiries of the intelligent person. That is the beginning of philosophical life. Therefore those who are thoughtful human being, gradually they are inquisitive of understanding the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa.

So Kṛṣṇa is there, and Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself, "I am like this." But unfortunately we'll not understand Kṛṣṇa, but we'll try to speculate what is God. This is our disease. Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself; God is explaining Himself. We shall not take that statement, but either we shall deny or we shall accept God without any head and leg and so on, so many things. This is our disease. Therefore in the previous verse it has been explained,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Out of many millions and millions of persons, actually they are serious to understand, "What is the aim of life? What is God? What is my relation..." Nobody is interested. Just like... Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Everyone is interested with this bodily conception of life like cats and dogs. This is the position. Not only now, always, this is the material condition. But somebody, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu, out of millions, one tries to understand, to make his life perfect. And out of such perfection...

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

Therefore so long I am in this body, I feel pains and pleasure because the consciousness is spread. In the same way... As Kṛṣṇa says, He's the Supreme Soul. I am individual, very, very minute, small particle, and Kṛṣṇa is the supreme whole. So as I am controlling over this body, so where is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa is controlling over the whole universe. Where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. But we'll not understand. That is the difficulty. Here it is clearly said, mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva. There is no difficulty. In another place also, Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Mayā, the original is person, mayā, aham. Mayā. So "by Me." Sarvam idaṁ tatam. How? That is already explained. By the two energies, the spiritual energy and the material energy. Parā and aparā-prakṛti. That is expanded all over the universe, creation. So where is the difficulty? Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Anything, that is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore those who are devotee, Vaiṣṇava, they can understand that everything is Kṛṣṇa's. I am also Kṛṣṇa's energy. You are also Kṛṣṇa's energy, jīva-bhūtaḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

This is the way of studying Bhagavad-gītā. So if you study Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as it is said in the..., and if you accept it, then your life is successful. Otherwise, panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām (Bs. 5.34), you'll never understand what is God or what is ultimate source, what is Absolute Truth.

So the Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of all Vedic literatures because, after all, Vedic literature means vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15), to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the purpose of Vedic study. So the Supreme Personality Himself is giving the knowledge of the Supreme by Himself, personally. Therefore we are preaching this Bhagavad-gītā as it is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the easiest method is to chant Kṛṣṇa's name. Easiest method. It is recommended. It is not our manufacture. It is said. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit learned all the defects of this Kali-yuga, then he was little disappointed, "How these men or the persons...?" Men means human beings. "How they will be relieved from the miserable condition of materialistic life in this age of Kali?" Because it is all defective.

Lecture on BG 7.14 -- Hamburg, September 8, 1969:

There is song: jāy sakal bipod bhaktivinod bole jakhon o-nām gāi. He says, "As soon as I chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, I become immediately free from all dangers."

So the means is there. We have to utilize it. That requires intelligence. So my request to you all boys, that you try to understand and... You understand or not understand, it is a standard method. Try to induce people to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. They will be happy. They will get the... Real thing will be delivered to them. That is a fact. So such a simple method and such sublime gain, so why one should lose this opportunity? There is no loss, but the gain is very great. So why should you lose this opportunity? Let us make an experiment, chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa. And those who are making, those who are chanting, they are being convinced, they are being advanced. They are realizing. Otherwise... They are not wasting time. Here is a boy, he is postgraduate. He is teacher. So he's not a fool. So why he's sticking unless he's feeling that "Yes, I am advancing"?

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

And very learned scholar, especially in this Vaiṣṇava philosophy. So Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was the royal scholar in Mahārāja Pratāparudra's assembly house. Royal scholar. So in the beginning this Rāmānanda Raya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya had some talks on bhakti. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, being great logician, he could not understand the bhakti philosophy, but when he became a student of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he could understand how much elevated was Rāmānanda Raya. At that time before, "I could not realize," but when he become himself a devotee, he could understand. Therefore when Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was going to the South Indian tour he recommended, "Sir, if You can meet Rāmānanda Raya, You'll be very much pleased. He's a great, advanced student in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu met him on the bank of Godāvarī River. And the talk was going on, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu took the position of the student, and he was offered, Rāmānanda Raya was offered the position of the teacher, although he was gṛhastha, governor, and according to our social custom, karaṇa, śūdra. So he was hesitant.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

The last perfection is to become zero, to become zero." Because they cannot think, those who are materialist, they cannot think that there is another, spiritual world. They, they cannot think. Therefore this zero theory, śūnyavāda, was propounded by Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha propounded śūnyavāda, because the people are so rascal, they could not understand. There was no necessity. There was no necessity. He simply said nirvāṇa: "Stop this nonsense material life." But after material life, what is there, that He did not reveal, because these fools and rascal will not understand. Therefore He did not say. Śūnyavāda: make it śūnya. Just like foolish person suffering from some disease, he wants to kill himself, sometimes commit suicide, because he does not know that after suicide, the policy, there is no stoppage; he will have to become a ghost because you have disobeyed. God has given you certain type of body. You have to stay in that body for certain period. That is obedience to God. If you untimely kill this body, then it is sinful. Just like you are put into prison house for a certain number of months or years. Before that period, if you flee away, then you are again punished. Is it not? Because you did not fulfill the terms of your prison life, then again you become criminal.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

This is the beginning of this chapter. Rāja-vidyā, the king of education. Rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyam. And very confidential. It is not understood by any ordinary man. Because it is very confidential. You go anywhere. Suppose you go to a bank. A few persons in the bank, like the manager or the cashier or the accountant, they know everything confidential. Not the clerks or the customers, no. So this is, also Kṛṣṇa concludes Bhagavad-gītā with these words, guhya guhyatamam. This knowledge is very confidential. This means when one thing is very confidential means it is very, very important. So Kṛṣṇa says therefore that aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ (BG 9.3). "This is so nice confidential. And I am speaking personally to enlighten the people in general." Not general, but people like Arjuna. Arjuna was not ordinary person. He was born in royal family and he was so exalted that he could speak with Kṛṣṇa face to face. He's not an ordinary person. So this confidential knowledge is not for ordinary person, but it is so easy. As it is said, susukhaṁ kartum avyayam. It is so easy to perform that everyone can do it.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

Stone is also Kṛṣṇa, because bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). So one who knows the art, by worshiping stone also, he can worship Kṛṣṇa. By worshiping stone also. It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Because at the present moment, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By your blunt senses, you can not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa's name, what is Kṛṣṇa's form, what is Kṛṣṇa's activity. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, by His causeless mercy, has come before us in the form of stone so that we can see Him. Because we cannot see beyond stone. We cannot see beyond wood. And wood and stone is also not beyond Kṛṣṇa. That is also Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa has given us the facility to worship Him in the way as we can understand. It is not that Kṛṣṇa.... Kṛṣṇa is stone, because Kṛṣṇa says bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ. He can take service from this, any form. There are eight kinds of forms. Either you paint, either you make a form from wood, from stone, from jewels, and according to Vedic system there are so many different types of Deities. So Kṛṣṇa can accept your service in any way. That is Kṛṣṇa's omnipotency. He has got omnipotency. But we can handle. If we simply, if we want to worship the gigantic virāṭ-rūpa of Kṛṣṇa, if you want to dress Him with cloth, where is such..., where is there such amount of cloth? How you can do it?

Lecture on BG 9.11 -- Calcutta, June 30, 1973:

Those who are budhas, they are Kṛṣṇa conscious. They are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa ye bhaje sei baḍa catura. Without being very, very intelligent, nobody can become Kṛṣṇa conscious, devotee of Kṛṣṇa. These mūḍhas cannot become. It is not possible. If you want to remain a mūḍha, then you can not understand. When your mūḍhatvam, your "unwisdom" will go... How it will go? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). If you cultivate knowledge, spiritual knowledge for many, many births, bahūnāṁ janma. Because you will not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by saying by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead." If you don't believe it, then you have to cultivate knowledge for many, many births. You have to take birth and cultivate spiritual knowledge, again die, again come, again come, again take birth. This will go on continuously. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). And if you are fortunate enough to become wise enough, then you will understand, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "Oh, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa is everything."

Lecture on BG 9.15 -- New York, December 1, 1966:

Similarly, although we are very minute fragments of the Supreme, still, the quality is the same.

So if I study myself, then I can study God also because I can, I can understand the quality of God. I may not understand the quantity. Suppose if you receive some good grains of rice. You do not concern, think of what is the quantity in the stock, but the, from the sample, you can understand that "This quality rice is there. I can purchase." Then you make your transaction, "How many pounds you have got in your stock? I can take." So quantity is different. But quality, from quality, you can select. You can make your selection, what sort of rice you shall purchase. So you are qualitatively one with God. Therefore, if you study yourself that "I am God," and if you study your all propensities, all qualities, then you can understand God. So that is a process. But you cannot preach that "I am God." Because if you preach yourself as God, then people may ask you, "If you God, if you are God, then show me your all-powerfulness." That you cannot show. So you cannot preach that "I am God."

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

Therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you'll find in a very nice verse, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Catura means very intelligent. One who worships Kṛṣṇa directly, he's very intelligent. Why he's very intelligent? He does not take so much round about way. He goes directly. If it is a fact that one has to come to this point for perfection of knowledge, why not take it immediately? I may not understand anything. I accept it. Let me accept it blindly. Some scientist, and some layman... And the teacher says, "This is fire." Oh, scientist says, "Oh, I'll see the characteristics of fire. I must see. Then I shall accept." All right, you can see. And somebody says, "All right, you are teacher. You are saying it is fire. All right, I accept it." But the scientist who, after studying the characteristics fire may come to the fire, he'll also feel the warmth of the fire, the heat of the fire, the light of the fire. He'll also understand. And this man, blindly or by devotion, by love, accepts... The result is the same, because fire is fire.

Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

That is called paripraśna. These are the process. So everything is there. We have simply to adopt it. But if we don't adopt the process and simply waste our time by intoxication and speculation and all nonsensical activities, oh, that is not possible ever. You'll never understand what is God. Because God is not understandable even by the demigods and by the great sages. What is our teeny efforts?

So these are the process. And if you follow, asammūḍhaḥ, asammūḍhaḥ, if you follow the principles and slow but sure, asammūḍhaḥ, without any doubt, if you make... That is the... Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. If you follow, you'll understand, yourself, "Yes. I am getting something." It is not that you are in blindness, you are blindly following. As you follow the principles, you'll understand.

Just like if you eat proper nourishing foodstuff, you'll feel yourself strength and your hunger satisfied. You haven't got to ask anybody. You'll feel yourself. Similarly, if you come to the proper path and if you follow the principle, you'll understand, "Yes, I am making progress." Pratyakṣa... In the ninth chapter He has said pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukham.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

"From Me, one remembers, one forgets." When you forget something, that is also Kṛṣṇa's trick. Because... Just like there are some persons who are devotees and some persons who are demons. So if anyone wants to become a demons, Kṛṣṇa is within. He'll give him intelligence in such a way that he becomes a first-class demon. What is the duty of the first-class demon? That he'll never understand Kṛṣṇa. (laughter) That is first-class demon. And if you want to hear Kṛṣṇa, then he will give you such instruction as you will be relieved from this miserable condition of material life and go back to home, back to Godhead. He's ready. But He does not speak generally, to the nondevotee. If you become a devotee, pure devotee, without any motive, then Kṛṣṇa is sitting within your heart. He says: teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). "Persons who are twenty-four hours engaged in My service with love and faith," buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam: "I give him such intelligence by which he can come back to home, back to Godhead." He'll give you.

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

As we see generally, "Oh, I have read Bhagavad-gītā hundred times." But you ask him what is Kṛṣṇa, he cannot say. Because he has not approached the ācārya. This is the difficulty. He might have read Bhagavad-gītā a thousand times, but he will not understand a single word because he has not approached.

Therefore Vedic literature says tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet." This word is used when the sense is "You must." This is vidhi-lin form of verb, gacchet, abhigacchet. You must. There is no excuse. You cannot learn. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). If you want to know uttamam subject matter... Ut, ut means udgatam, transcending. Tamaḥ means this material world. This material world is tama, darkness. But if you are interested in the matter which is transcendental to this material world, that means spiritual world, then tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta, you must surrender to a guru.

Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Not ordinary jijñāsuḥ. Just like we go to the market, "What is the rate of this share? What is the rate of rice? What is the rate of dahl?" Not that kind of jij... Brahma jijñāsuḥ. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human life is meant for inquiring about Brahman, not this rice, dahl, share market. No.

Lecture on BG 13.16 -- Bombay, October 10, 1973:

If you want to understand the Absolute Truth by simply studying the Vedas, although the Vedas mean vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ... (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa is to be understood. That is the Vedic object. But if you have no devotional feeling, then, even if you go on reading Vedic literature for many millions of years, you'll not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. Although it is the objective of Vedic study is to understand Kṛṣṇa, so vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). But if you go through the mercy of a devotee, ātma-bhaktau... Or He is very easily available to the devotees. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).

If you simply speculate He'll remain dūre. Dūrastham antike ca. But if you surrender as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja... (BG 18.66). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Simply by this process... He confirms it, that "Anyone who has taken this process..." Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. So simply by this process... Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). These are things in the Bhagavad-gītā, plainly said. Unfortunately we do not read it, or even if we read it, we misinterpret it, or somebody mislead me.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

Otherwise he is not guru. Guru is not so easy thing. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ (BG 10.8). One who has understood Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, the supreme maintainer, the Supreme Person, everything, only one, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—that is guru. But otherwise, he is not guru, one who has not understood Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). One who has understood Kṛṣṇa as the supreme controller, the Supreme Person, the supreme maintainer, and everything, the supreme, ultimate, then he can become guru.

Otherwise don't try to become guru. Impersonalists, half-understood, partially understood, he cannot become guru. This is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's formula. Therefore first of all try to understand Kṛṣṇa. You will understand in such a way that you can refute all others' argument, all others' opposition. There are so many opposing elements. Then you are guru. Otherwise you cannot become a guru.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

The honey must be opened. Then if you taste, you will know what is honey. Similarly, simply by taking Bhagavad-gītā and trying to understand it by so-called scholarship is licking up the honey bottle. That's all. There will be no taste. There will be no taste. You go on for many millions of years, licking up that bottle. You'll never understand. If you want to understand, then Kṛṣṇa says here:

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

The same tattva. You have to approach a person who has seen tattva, tattva-darśinaḥ. So that tattva-darśī already explained. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). One can become tattva-darśī simply by devotional service. So for coming to the platform of devotional service one has to make some sacrifice. That is called tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting some difficult things. That is called tapasya. Therefore those who have not taken to that, those who have taken Bhagavad-gītā as a table talk, they cannot understand. Not Bhagavad-gītā should be preached amongst them. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is warning: idaṁ te na atapaskāya nābhaktāya.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa said in the previous verse... People will not be able to understand. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This simple fact cannot be understood by any man who has not undergone some austerities, penances, and who has not become a devotee. It is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is warning: "Don't speak to these nonsense. They will not understand." But a devotee of Kṛṣṇa tries to make them devotee. Because Kṛṣṇa, in the next verse, says, ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati (Bg 18.68). Mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. Here, in this verse, it is said, nābhaktāya: "Don't speak this truth of Bhagavad-gītā to the abhaktas," but if you can speak to the bhaktas... Ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyam. Paramaṁ guhyam. It is the most confidential knowledge, most confidential part of Vedic knowledge. It is said in the beginning: sarva-guhyatamam. Sarva-guhyatamam: "most confidential." So paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣu. Because from the beginning it is simply said, "Only the bhaktas can understand."

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

So Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa, the same, identical. So therefore incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, Vyāsadeva, wrote Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa knows what is Vedānta. And if we accept Kṛṣṇa as He's saying, that, then we become actually vedāntī. Not artificially.

So here Kṛṣṇa says that idaṁ te na atapaskāya na abhaktāya. Abhakta, rascal, will not understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Nābhaktāya. In the beginning also, Kṛṣṇa, before speaking Bhagavad-gītā, He selected Arjuna because... He said, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyam etad uttamam: (BG 4.3) "The mystery of Bhagavad-gītā, it is very transcendental subject matter. Therefore I shall speak to you." "Why? Why You are selecting me? I am not a Vedantist. I am not a sannyāsī. I am ordinary gṛhastha. That also, I am a soldier, fighting man. Why You are selecting me?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." Nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā unless he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. It is not a rascaldom, that you speculate some interpretation, speculation.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

Therefore He's warning, "Don't talk this thing, this surrender unto Me, or surrender to Kṛṣṇa, to the rascals and nonsense. They'll not accept it." Therefore He has warned. But if you say, "Why you are preaching?" we are taking the risk. We know that ordinary person, they'll not understand, but it has become our duty because we are servant of Kṛṣṇa. The servant of Kṛṣṇa, we are going from country to country, from door to door, and flattering them, falling them, falling down on their lotus feet.

Just like Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī said, dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya. He was a great devotee of Lord Caitanya. Caitanya and Kṛṣṇa, the same. So he says, "I have taken a grass on my mouth." That is a Indian system, you know. To accept a grass, that means to become very humble. Dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya. "And falling down on your feet," kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā cāhaṁ bravīmi, "I am flattering you hundred times. I am just appealing to you one thing." "What is that?" He sādhavaḥ: "You are a very great man. You are a very pious man. But I request you: 'You give up everything. Whatever you nonsense, you have learned, please give up.' " "Then what I have to do?"

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

You present the thing as it is. Don't adulterate it. Then it will be accepted. Just like paramānna, kṣīra. Kṣīra is very nice food, but if you adulterate it with some grains of sand, it is spoiled. It is spoiled.

So that was being done. Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God, the spiritual science. But it was being adulterated by so many grains of sands. So people could not understand it. We do not present Bhagavad-gītā with some adulteration. Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si arjuna. Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna to begin the paramparā system because the paramparā system was supposed to be broken. People misunderstood. Or some way or other, it was broken. As it is going on now also. So Kṛṣṇa said that "I shall speak to you this same old philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā again." "Why unto me?" Why Kṛṣṇa selected Arjuna? There are many others, learned scholars. Now, Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si. Kṛṣṇa was a military man, er, Arjuna was a military man. He was not a Vedantist. He was a gṛhastha, not even a sannyāsī. Why Kṛṣṇa selected to instruct Arjuna as the disciple of the renovated paramparā system? That is also spoken by Kṛṣṇa: bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3), rahasyam etad uttamam: "Because you are My dear friend, because you are My devotee, you can understand the mysteries of Bhagavad-gītā."