Not very much... (Lectures, Other)

Expressions researched:
"not very much"

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Pradyumna: "It is only for our guidance that Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī prepared this book, the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, which is now presented in the form of The Nectar of Devotion. Persons engaged in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement may take advantage of this great literature and be very solidly situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhakti means devotional service. Every service has some attractive feature which drives the servitor progressively on and on. Every one of us within this material world..."

Prabhupāda: Without, without some attractive feature, nobody is interested. Just like we are talking here about Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, but people in general, they're not very much attracted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So they do not care to come. There must be some attractive feature. Otherwise... So different people have got different attractive features. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścid māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

This attraction for Kṛṣṇa can be developed in the association of devotees, satāṁ prasaṅgāt. Automatically, nobody's attracted for Kṛṣṇa. The whole world is like that. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to give these people a chance to associate with devotees and thus become attracted to Kṛṣṇa. That is required. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayy āsakta, to become attracted by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means attractive, Kṛṣṇa. Akasatira-śakti. Kṛṣṇa means attractive. Just like magnetic stone, attractive, naturally the iron... But the iron, if it is rusty, it cannot attract. It cannot attract. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is attractive, and we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are also attracted by Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

They're not human beings. They're... That was our Indian, Vedic civilization. Now they have manufactured their religion: yata mat tata path. You can manufacture your own way and you be satisfied. This is being... So many. You can see in Bombay, so many rascals are preaching. They, there is no standard thing. So it is very difficult for us to give us the right thing, but we are certain. Because we are not cheating people, so it may take some time, but people are gradually coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because this is right thing.

So varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). This is the beginning of actual human life. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately replied, ihā bāhya āge kaha āra. Ihā bāhya. Bāhya means this is external. This will not very much help at the present moment. And actually that is being done. Just like we are preaching in the Western countries. If we wanted to establish varṇāśrama-dharma in the beginning, that "You become brāhmaṇa, you become gṛhastha, you become sannyāsī..." No. Then everyone would have rejected: "Sir, we are prepared for this purpose." But the process introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu... It is not introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is the sanction in the śāstras: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). This is standard method. Because we gave them the chance of hearing, gradually they're coming. Not that immediately you become brāhmaṇa. Now they are becoming more than brāhmaṇas. Here, in India, the brāhmaṇas, they are doing everything. Still they are going in the name of brāhmaṇa. But here, these European brāhmaṇas, American brāhmaṇas, they're real brāhmaṇas, because they have given up all sinful activities.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

I am spirit. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe. Asmin dehe, dehinaḥ (BG 2.13). There is the proprietor. We have several times explained, but people do not know this. As soon as one understands that "I am not this body. I am different from this body," then his interest becomes different. Because he is under ignorance that "I am this body," therefore he's acting, working for this body. And as soon as he comes to the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ, he is no more interested in bodily comforts. That is the Vedic civilization, that one is educated to become introspective. He is educated to become introspective. The brāhmaṇas, just like they are happy in any condition of life. That is our Vedic civilization. They accept poverty... Not accept poverty. They are not very much interested. Either lie down on the ground or lie down on the sofa—they don't find any difference, because they are not interested with these bodily comforts. People may say, "Oh, this is very uncivilized way, the primitive way of life, that he is lying down on the ground just like animal." But he does not know that he is not interested either lying down..., because when we sleep he forgets whether he lying down on the ground or lying on... (laughter) So that is not very important thing. But at the present moment they have taken that lying down on a very nice bedstead, cot, and silken bed, that is advancement of civilization. But that is not advancement of civilization—yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13)—because he is under the bodily concept of life. So what is this body? It is made of tri-dhātu: kapha, pitta, vāyu. So I am kapha-pitta-vāyu? No. I am different. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This knowledge is lacking.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 8, 1973:

Just like sunshine, and if you are put into the sunshine, what benefit do you get? Simply to have scorching heat on, that's all. What benefit would you get? And mukti is like that. That is light. Sunshine is light. Similarly from darkness, if I go to the light and don't get any shelter, anywhere, simply I remain in that sunshine, what benefit do I get?

So, for a devotee, the mukti is bothersome. Therefore Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī Prabhupāda says that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Mukti means kaivalya. Simply ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that's all. Kaivalya. This perception, Brahman perception, brāhmaṇanda. But for a devotee, he says kaivalyaṁ narakāyate tri-daśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate (Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5). So for devotee, these things are not very much alluring, mukti, bhukti, siddhi. It is so sublime, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so sublime, that other things very insignificant in the front of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate 'smān dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa samaya-pratīkṣāḥ. People are after dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), but this bhakti is above these four kinds of principles. Dharma. Actually, human life begins when he is religious, dharma. And artha, when he is economically developed, and when he can satisfy the senses very nicely. And then becomes mukta, liberated. But for a devotee, these four things are not very important. Bhukti, mukti, siddhi. Now siddhi means mukti. Siddhi means yogic siddhi.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The impersonalists sometimes misunderstand devotional service in such a way that they divide Kṛṣṇa from His paraphernalia and pastimes. For example, the Bhagavad-gītā is spoken on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and the impersonalists say that although Kṛṣṇa is of interest, the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra isn't. The devotees, however, also know that the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra by itself has nothing to do with their business, but in addition they know that 'Kṛṣṇa' does not mean just Kṛṣṇa alone. He is always with His associates and paraphernalia."

Prabhupāda: There are so-called pseudo devotees. They say, "What we have to do with Bhagavad-gītā?" They think that they are so advanced that they will jump over immediately to the Kṛṣṇa's rasa-līlā. That means Kṛṣṇa's līlā in the Kurukṣetra is not very much important for them. But no. Kṛṣṇa's līlā, either in the Kurukṣetra or in Vṛndāvana, the same thing. We should know. Abhinnatvād nāma-nāminoḥ. So better, first of all, read Bhagavad-gītā, the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Try to read, or try to learn. Of course, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is everything. But for ordinary persons, because Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD of spiritual knowledge... People even commit mistakes in studying the ABCD of spiritual knowledge. People have become so much degraded that they cannot understand even ABCD of spiritual knowledge. They'll make their own interpretation. Such is the horrible condition. They'll try to make minus Kṛṣṇa Bhagavad-gītā, go on reading Bhagavad-gītā for millions of years, setting aside Kṛṣṇa. That is scholarly. This is going on. Scholar means they say, openly... I have seen Dr. Radhakrishnan. When he's explaining man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), he's saying openly, "It is not to the person Kṛṣṇa." He's saying. Just see the attempt. He's writing comments on Bhagavad-gītā and he's trying to make Kṛṣṇa away, minus Kṛṣṇa. Simply mental speculation. This is going on. We should be very careful. What is that? Go on. The impersonalists... The impersonalists, they do not know that Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's body, not different. They take it for acceptance that when God, Brahman comes, He accepts a material body. That is Māyāvādī philosophy.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

They realize, actually, the impersonal Brahman, nirbheda-brahmānusandhana. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ patanty adhaḥ. Again they fall down from that platform. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they could not adore the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. On account of their impersonal impression, they could not appreciate the transcendental, sac-cid-ananda vigraha (Bs. 5.1) of Kṛṣṇa, and could not surrender there. Kṛṣṇa therefore says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births of such struggle, when actually one becomes wise, jñānavān, he surrenders unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection of knowledge.

So impersonal Brahman realization, nirbheda-brahmānu-sandhana, is good attempt, but, above that, if one cannot make progress... Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is realized as impersonal Brahman, then Paramātmā, then the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So unless a wise jñānavān, jñānī, does not reach to the platform of understanding the personality, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his intelligence is still not very much purified.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

That is called niṣkiñcana. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajanonmukha, those who are actually desiring to be entered into the path of devotional service, must be niṣkiñcana. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya pāraṁ paraṁ jigamisor bhava-sāgarasya. Bhagavad-bhajana means to go on the other side of the ocean of nescience, not in this material world. Anyone who is desiring to be promoted to the heavenly planet, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka... There are so many higher planetary systems. But a bhagavad-bhakta, devotee, knows that they are unnecessary. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Again we have to come back. Kṣīṇe kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). So this botheration is not very much liked by the pure devotee. Pure devotee does not... Even if he's offered such... Of course, a pure devotee (is) never offered such material benefits. Because Kṛṣṇa says, "The pure devotee, after giving up this body..." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Punar janma means to take birth in one of the planets, or in one of the species of, out of eight million four hundred thousand species of life. That is called punar janma. But the devotees who are following Caitanya Mahaprābhu's instruction, they do not mind, even there is birth again. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, janmani janmani bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi. So even there is birth... Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, kīṭa janma hao yathā tuyā dāsa. "My dear Lord, if You like that I shall take birth again, so kindly give my birth in a place where there is Your devotee." That is wanted. Bahir-mukha-brahma-janma nāhi mora āśa. "And if I become nondevotee and take my birth as Lord Brahmā, I don't want it. Let me become an insect in the house of a devotee." This is the aspiration... The same thing is explained here. Because without the benediction of a pure devotee, it is not possible to enter into the path of devotional service.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.11 -- Mayapur, April 4, 1975:

Those who are devotees of Lord Viṣṇu, they are called devaḥ, or demigods. And those who are just the opposite number... The opposite number, also, they have got some god. Just like the demons, they worship especially Lord Śiva. Or Rāvaṇa, the example... We are not accusing unnecessarily. Rāvaṇa was a great demon, but he was devotee... Worshiping Lord Śiva means to gain some material profit. And in the worshiping Viṣṇu there is material profit. That is given by Viṣṇu. That is not karma. But Vaiṣṇava, they are not aspiring after any material profit. The material profit automatically comes. But they, they do not desire. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Material profit is not their aim of life. Their aim of life—how to satisfy Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu. That is Vaiṣṇava. Viṣṇur asya devataḥ. Na te... And the demons, they do not know that to become Vaiṣṇava, that is the highest perfection of life. They do not know it.

So anyway, our request is that you all young men who have taken to this path of Vaiṣṇavism, and there is very good chance to preach this cult in your country, so even if you are not very much successful in other countries, in your country you'll be very successful. There is good potency. And try to make them stronger to fight with the demonic principles.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:

This is, of course, Sanskrit. This book is full of Sanskrit verses. Some of them are composed by the author himself, Kavirāja Gosvāmī, and some of them are quoted from various literature, Vedic literature.

So the author is accepting Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, agaty-eka-gatim. Agati. Agati means... Gati means movement, and gati means also destination. So agati. At the present moment, especially in this age of Kali, people are not moving. Moving means... We are moving. This moving is not very good. Moving means material movement. Moving... We are not... Not that we are not moving, but we are moving, but agati—we do not know what is the destination of the movement in this age. The trees are not moving, but we are moving. But that movement has not very much improved our condition. Real movement means to go forward to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Svārtha-gatim. This gatim again. As it is said gatim, the same word is used in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, svārtha-gatim. Why one should move? Unless one knows the destination, the goal of life, why one should move forward? So at the present moment they are moving, but they do not know which side they should move. That is the defect of this age, Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ, sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ. Because they are moving, but not very rapidly... The real purpose of movement is svārtha-gatim, Viṣṇu. That they do not know. They do not know. The materialistic world, at the present moment, that they do not know that where the movement should terminate, where is the destination. That they do not know.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:

"I am not this body," then where is my tāpa-traya, miserable condition? Because miserable condition is due to this body. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). We feel sometimes cold, sometimes warm. What is the reason? The reason is on account of the body. Mātrā-sparśās. The water is the same, but according to the seasonal changes the water is sometimes very pleasing and sometimes it is not pleasing. So according to the seasonal changes...The water does not change its chemical compound, but these seasonal changes, my body becomes susceptible to the condition. And therefore the same water sometimes gives me pleasure and sometimes gives me distress.

So when one understands that "I am not this body," he is not very much affected. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra-bandhana kāhāṅ tāra. Deha-smṛti: it is simply to understand. Just like I have given several times this example: you are in a very nice car, Cadillac, and you are very proud of it, and if by chance the car is by accident broken then your heart breaks. Why? You are not the car. But because your thoughts are absorbed in the car, that "This is my car," therefore your heart becomes broken. Actually you have nothing to do with the car. Even the car is broken into pieces, you are not affected. But because I have got affection for the car, therefore I am... So this affection can be withdrawn by cultivation of knowledge. That I am not this car, it is a fact, but on account of my ignorance and attachment I am thinking, "Now I am finished because my car is broken." It is simple truth. Similarly those who are too much absorbed in the thought that "I am this body," their sufferings are more on account of this misconception that "I am this body."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.334-341 -- New York, December 24, 1966:

So this ignorance has to be removed if we actually want to be happy and peaceful. Nobody in ignorance can be happy. We have got experience here. Those who are advanced in knowledge, they are comparatively happy in this world, and those who are ignorance, they are not happy. Of course, by the spell of this illusory energy, although he is not happy, he thinks, "I am happy." Just like in the Bowery Row, street, you will see, so many drunkards, they are lying. They are thinking happy, but others, those are passing on the street, they are seeing they are not happy. So this is going on. So this mode of ignorance and passion has to be removed. Unless we remove that, the modes of passion and ignorance, there is no chance of become peaceful and happy. Because in goodness everything is... Just like we have got experience: when the sky is cloudy, we are not very much happy, and as soon as there is sunrise, clear sky, we say, "Oh, today is very nice day." Why? Because the light is there. So when we come to goodness, the light of knowledge is there, and therefore we see, "Oh, it is very nice." But if we stay on that point, "Oh, it is very nice. It is very nice day," that is not all. But you must utilize the very nice day. Otherwise what is very nice day to you? Similarly, knowledge has to be also fully utilized. And what is the full utilization of knowledge? The full utilization of knowledge is to understand God. That is full utilization. So long one does not come to the point of Kṛṣṇa understanding, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he is more or less in the ignorance.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 6 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1970:

Prākṛtaḥ means, from material platform, one is coming to the spiritual platform at that stage one is taught or trained to worship the Deity with great faith and devotion under regulative principle. But in the neophyte stage, na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu, he, the neophyte devotee, cannot understand who is highly elevated or devotee or what is his interest with other people. He cannot discriminate. Na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. That neophyte devotee is almost material. Then next stage is to make friendship, to love God, and to make friendship with devotees, and to be merciful to the innocent and to reject the atheist. Four classes of men. You have to offer all your love for Kṛṣṇa and you have to make friendship with the devotees of Kṛṣṇa. And those who are innocent, just preach this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and try to attract them to Kṛṣṇa. And another class, atheists, don't go there. Don't try there. Hopeless. Not hopeless. For a person who is not very much elevated, for him it is hopeless.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

It is kevalayā bhaktyā, kecid kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. Similarly, vāsudeva parāyaṇāḥ means vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). One who has known perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa, Vasudeva, is the source of everything, sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ, such kind of mahātmā is very rare. You can find out so-called mahātmās with great beard, mustaches and... But that is different mahātmā. That is not mahātmā. They are sometimes durātmā, because they want to encroach on the rightful position of Kṛṣṇa. They want to become one with Kṛṣṇa. Suppose if there is servant in your office, and if he tries to occupy your seat, would you like him, if you understand that your, "This servant is trying to occupy my seat"? Similarly, any living entity who is trying to become God, he's not very much liked by God. He cannot become God, but this very endeavor, to become God, to become a competitor of God, is not very much liked. That person is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā as dviṣataḥ, envious. Tān aham dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram andhā yoniṣu (BG 16.19). Such persons, envious persons, are put into the hellish condition of life. They are envious of God's position. They want to occupy high position in this material world, and when they are frustrated, they think "Now I shall occupy the position of God." But that will be also frustrated. Nobody can become God. God is God, and living entity's living entity. He's supreme, He's infinite; we are infinitesimal. Our position is to serve God. That is our perfect position. That will make us happy. Not otherwise. Not by imitating how to become God. That is impossible. How you can become God? Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). There are innumerable universes, and within the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu so many universes are coming out by exhaling. And when He inhales, so many universes are dissolved within His body. So how we can become God? God is not so cheap.

Festival Lectures

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

Yes, you can request Him. And He sometimes forces. He puts you in such circumstances that you have no other way than to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Yes. That is special favor. That is special favor. Yes. My spiritual master wanted me to preach, but I did not like it, but he forced me. Yes. That is my practical experience. I had no desire to accept the sannyāsa order and preach, but my spiritual master wanted it. I am not very much inclined, but he forced me. That is also done. That is special favor. When he forced me, at that time, I thought that "What is this? What...? I am committing some mistake or what is that?" I was puzzled. But a little after, I could understand that it is the greatest favor shown to me. You see? So when Kṛṣṇa forces somebody to surrender, that is a great favor. But generally, He does not do so. But He does so to a person who is very sincere to Kṛṣṇa's service but at the same time he has got slight desire for material enjoyment. In that case He does, that "This foolish person does not know that material facility will never make him happy, and he is sincerely seeking My favor. So he is foolish. Therefore whatever resource, little resource he has got for material enjoyment, break it. Then he will have no other alternative than to surrender unto Me." That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, er, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yasyāham anughṛnāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ sanaiḥ. Kṛṣṇa says that "If I do somebody special favor, then I make him poverty-stricken. I take away all his means of sense enjoyment." You see? That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because here in this material world everyone is trying to be happy by earning more money, by business, by service, by this way or that way. But in special cases Kṛṣṇa makes his business or service unsuccessful. Do you like that? (laughs) At that time he has no other alternative than to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

"Everyone is acting according to the modes of nature he has acquired, so whatever nature we have acquired..." His purpose is that "By nature we are mercantile people." Because His father was maintaining cows, so he is considered a mercantile man. Vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So He is giving stress that "Let us perform our duty as mercantile men honestly, and that will bring us result. Why should we go to worship these demigods?"

Now, here is a point, that Kṛṣṇa does not approve the worship of demigods. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñāna yajanty anya-devataḥ: (BG 7.20) "Those who are out of intelligence, they simply worship the demigods." In the Bhagavad-gītā or in the Bhāgavata, anywhere, worship of demigods is not very much recommended. So here also the same thing, that svabhāva-tantro hi janaḥ: "Everyone is carried by the modes of nature." Svabhāvam anuvartate: "And he cannot surpass the spell of the modes of nature." Svabhāvam anuvartante, svabhāvas tam idaṁ sarvam: "Everyone is under the control of the nature he has acquired." And sa-devāsura mānusaḥ. Sa-devāsura. "Always, either he is man or superman or animal, everyone is being controlled by the modes of nature."

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

Before that, even the ācāryas, Rūpānuga Gosvāmīs, they left literature, but they did not attempt to preach practically. And Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he was very, very anxious to preach this Caitanya cult in the western countries. This is Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura's special contribution.

So when I met Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura... It is a long story, how I met him. One of my friends, he dragged me. (laughing) (laughter) I was at that time nationalist and manager in a big chemical factory. My age was about twenty-four years. So one of my friends, he asked me that "There is a nice sādhu, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He has come in Calcutta. So let us go and see." So I was reluctant. I thought just like so, there are so many sādhus. So I was not very much... Because I had very bad experience, not very good. So I said, "Oh these kind of sādhus, there are many." You'll be glad to know that even my in young age or early age—it was Kṛṣṇa's grace—even amongst my young friends, I was considered the leader. (laughing) (laughter) In my school days, in my college days, in my private friendship, some way or other I became their leader. And one astrologer sometimes he read my hand. He said in Hindi, kukum calena(?). Kukum calena means "Your hand speaks that your order will be executed."

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

So Dr. Bose liked that dress, khādar dress. He told me one day that "Out of your whole Gandhi's movement, I like this khādar only." Dr. Bose said. And why? "No, because this will give impetus to industry. This hand spinning will gradually give impetus to India." Actually that happened. He was himself an industrialist. Actually in India the chemical industry was given birth by Dr. Kartik Chandra Bose. He was very important man. He started this Bengal Chemical.

So 1922 I met my Guru Mahārāja through the exigency of my intimate friend, Mr. Narendranath Mullik. And I would not go. He told me information, "There is a nice sādhu. Let us go and see." I did not like very much these sādhus in those days, national spirit. So I said, "I have seen many sādhus. They come at my father's care. I was not very much pleased with their behavior." So he dragged me forcibly: "No, I have heard this person is very exalted." So I went. And his first opening version was that "You are educated young men. Why don't you preach Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gospel in the Western countries?" I did not know. So this was his blessing in the first meeting. I did not know, but because we belonged to a Vaiṣṇava family we were very much worshiper of Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, our family Deity. So I was very much pleased that "Here is a personality who is going to preach Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gospel." I was very much pleased.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

Forty-three years. So it is better late than never. Yes. So he desired me. I thought, "Now I am a family man. Let me adjust things." I would have accepted immediately, but I was not so intelligent at that time. I thought "My responsibility to family is there. Let me wait." But still, Guru Mahārāja was so kind to me that when I was gṛhastha, I was seeing him in dreaming and I was... He asked me, "You come with me." So I was going, and after that, I was thinking, "Oh, I will have to take sannyāsa and go with him?" So it appeared to me very horrible. I was not very much inclined to take sannyāsa, but Guru Mahārāja is so kind that he ultimately forced me to take sannyāsa and do this work. So it is all his kindness. So this is the memory of his kindness.

So forty years ago I remember the same thing as it is in 1922, and still the same thing is going on. There is nothing new. We have nothing to do, new. Simply let us present as it is; it will be successful. There is no... You see. The spirit of my writing is the same. "Misled we are, all going astray." This soul-killing civilization is misleading us. We must know this, this very misleading civilization. Our real aim of life is to understand our spiritual identification and search out our relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa. That is our real business. But this modern civilization is misleading us in different ways. So I wrote this, that "Misled we are, all going astray. Save us, lord, our fervent pray. Wonder thy ways to turn our face, adore they feet, Your Divine Grace." So this portion he very much appreciated.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

So I thought like that. So that's a long history. Then in 1954, no, not 1954, 1968, when I was fifty-four years old... Nineteen fifty-four, yes. Nineteen fifty-four, I was at that time fifty-eight years. So I left home, and I was living alone. Then, 1958, I took sannyāsa, and then I decided to take up the responsibility of my Guru Mahārāja. I thought that "My other Godbrothers are trying, so I am not capable to do it. They are better situated." But somehow or other, they could not do very much, appreciative activities, in this connection.

So when I was seventy years old I decided, "Now I must do and execute the order of my Guru Mahārāja. And thus this movement was started in 1965 from New York. And I was not very much hopeful because it is very difficult task, just opposite the European and Western culture. I came... When I first came, I had no money. So I got a free passage through some Indian steam navigation company. So I came by ship. So when I was on the ship at Boston port, Commonwealth port, I was thinking that "I have come here. I do not know what is the purpose because how the people will accept this movement? They are differently educated, and as soon as I will say, 'So, my dear sir, you have to give up meat-eating and illicit sex and no intoxication and gambling,' they will say, 'Please go home.' " (laughter) Because that was the experience of one of my Godbrother. He went to London, and he had the opportunity to talk with one big man, Marquis of Zetland. Marquis of Zetland was formerly governor of Bengal. At that time I was student. He was Scotsman, and I was student of the Scottish Churches' College. So he came to see our college, and he was standing in front of me in the second-year class. So he was very nice, good gentleman. So he proposed to my Godbrother, "Whether you can make me a brāhmaṇa?" So my Godbrother proposed, "Yes, we can make anyone brāhmaṇa provided you follow this principle: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling." So that Lord Zetland immediately replied, "Impossible." (laughter) So I was thinking that "I will propose something which is impossible. Anyway, let me try."

Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda Deity Installation -- London, August 21, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa is so kind, as we can see... We can see stone, we can see wood, we can see earth, we can see water, we can see color. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa comes before us just quite suitable for our vision. But He's Kṛṣṇa. So this Deity worship, those who are in charge of Deity worship, they never should think that here is a statue. No. Here is Kṛṣṇa. The honor, the respect, the samra (indistinct), means with great honor... You must always think that here is Kṛṣṇa personally. Don't think that it is statue. Kṛṣṇa personally. So you should honor and think also and be cautious so that you may not commit offense. Kṛṣṇa worship, if you neglect the process, then it will be offensive. There are sixty-four kinds of offenses. You have seen it in The Nectar of Devotion. So not very much... You should be very much clean, first thing is. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Very much clean, rise early in the morning, take your bath and perform maṅgala ārātrika, then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then read scriptures. In this way remain twenty-four hours engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. This is the purpose of installing Deity. Not that after few days you think it is a burden. No, then it will be great offense. It is not burden. It is a great opportunity to serve Kṛṣṇa. As the gopīs are serving in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He has come here to accept your service in a manner in which you can handle Him. You can dress Kṛṣṇa, you can offer prasāda, you can chant His glory. In this way, always remain engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and gradually you'll find how you are advancing in spiritual life. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- London, September 11, 1969:

Prabhupāda: ...but I'm not very much fond of reception. I want to know how people give reception to this movement. That is my concern.

Devotees: Haribol!

Reporter: How long will you be in England, sir?

Prabhupāda: England, I think I am coming for the second time. Last time, in 1967, when I was going to India I stayed here for two days only and then went away. Practically, this is the first time I have come.

Reporter: And for how long?

Prabhupāda: That I do not know.

Devotees: Haribol!

Prabhupāda: I have got so many fathers and mothers to take care, so as long as they keep me, I can be.

Mukunda: If any of you gentlemen have questions, you can ask them of Prabhupāda.

Reporter: Yes. Can I ask is this is a very special welcome for you, or is this a performance that you go through each day?

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

Otherwise, the simple method—simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma, Rāma, Hare Hare, and you'll realize the whole thing. The child can take part, the philosopher can take part, the scientist can take part, the politician can take part, the religionist can take part, the public can take part. It is so universal. And it is open; there is no secrecy. It is not that "I shall give you some secret mantra, and give me some money, I go away." It is open.

So I especially appeal to the Americans, whose boys and girls are helping me so much, please take this philosophy, try to understand this philosophy. Make your life successful—your country and the whole world. You are helping other parts of the world who are not very much developed with money, resources. That is a very good idea. But in your country you do not see how the younger generation are going astray, how they're baffled and confused. You should take care of this. The flower of your country, they are becoming hopeless, confused. Try to save them. And this is the only remedy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that can save your country and the whole world.

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1975:

So anywhere... It doesn't matter, either in India or outside. People thought like that, that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the monopoly business for the Indians or for the Hindus. They were thinking like that: "It cannot be preached. Nobody will take it." But I thought, "If Kṛṣṇa is God, why it will not be taken by everyone? It must be taken." So I was not very much hopeful to become successful. When I was in Boston port, I wrote one poetry that "I do not know why I have been brought here. How these people will take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? As soon as I will say these four regulative principles, they will ask me to go away." (laughter) It is very difficult for this country or this part of the world to follow the four principles of regulative life: no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, and no intoxication. Even Lord Zetland, when he was given this formula for becoming advanced in spiritual consciousness, he flatly replied, "It is impossible for us." Yes. But impossible thing can be made possible by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. That is possible—Kṛṣṇa is all powerful—provided we are serious and sincere. That is the main business. We must be very serious and sincere. Then Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

And I am sure he will be pleased to see so many young boys and girls are seriously engaged in preaching the gospel of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That is my success.

So, His Divine Grace, my spiritual master, somehow or other liked me, that I should take up this responsibility. And on the first day I met him, I was at (that) time a very young man, a nationalist, and engaged in a very responsible office. So one of my friends casually took me. I did not like to go. But I am very much thankful to that friend, who is still living in Calcutta, that he forcibly took me to His Divine Grace. I was reluctant to see because in our house my father used to receive so many sannyāsīns, but I was not very much satisfied with their dealings. So I thought that Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja might be a similar man. So what business I have got to see him? But this friend took me forcibly, that "Why not see the man?"

So I went on his request, and I was so profited. So on the first visit he asked me that "Educated boys like you, you should go to foreign countries and preach the gospel of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There is great necessity." So I replied that "We are foreign-dominated nation, India. Who will hear about our message?" Actually, at that time the foreigners were thinking Indians as very nonsignificant because in the face of so many independent nations, India was dependent. There was one poet, Bengali poet. He lamented that "Even uncivilized nations like China, Japan and Burmese..." Not Burma. Burma was also dependent. "They are independent, and only India is dependent on the Britishers." So anyway, my Guru Mahārāja, he convinced me that "Dependence, independence, they are temporary. But we are concerned with the eternal benefit of the human kind, and therefore you should take up this matter."

Initiations -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973:

Prabhupāda: It is a great example. He could ask him for money, but no. "Give me benediction. You are offering me benediction, so give me this benediction, that my mind may always remain attached to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa." Come on. So what are the rules and regulation? (girl answers) That's nice. Revatī dāsī. Regulative principles? (boy answers) Everyone is giving up meat-eating. The slaughterhouse will be closed. (laughter) And the butchers are not very much pleased with us. (laughter) Never mind. We have to do this. Come on. What is the name?

Brahmānanda: Bṛhadbhānu dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Vratabhānu dāsa. That's nice. So everyone is unpleased except the devotees, for our movement. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulation? (girl answers) All right, come on. What is the...?

Brahmānanda: Rasaparagni dāsī.

Prabhupāda: Rasa...?

Brahmānanda: Rasaparagni.

Prabhupāda: Rasapara... Rasa-parāyaṇī. Rasa-parāyaṇī. Correct it. One of the gopīs. Rasa-parāyaṇī dāsī, "one who wants to dance with Kṛṣṇa in rasa dance." No ball dance. Finished? All right. Now who shall explain the ten kinds of offenses and the meaning of the oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā and then perform yajña?

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

So... And the process is very easy. We are... Not we are. It is recommended by Lord Caitanya that in this age, for self-realization it is this process:

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

Lord Caitanya says that in this age, when our life is very short, we are not very much enlightened in spiritual matters and we are very lazy at the same time, and at the same time we are unfortunate, so under these conditions the people are recommended simply to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam. Now this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, you may say that "This 'Kṛṣṇa' is Indian name or Hindu name. Why shall we chant 'Kṛṣṇa'?" But if you have got any name of God, you can chant that also. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that God has millions and billions of names. So any name is as good as "Kṛṣṇa." It doesn't matter. Then why we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? Because we are following the footprints of Lord Caitanya, and He chanted this holy name, we are chanting. So we shall request you most humbly that it is..., there is no loss on your part, but the gain is immense. If you take to this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, then gradually your misconception of this life will be cleared off. You will understand your real identity and you will act in that way. And the technology is so nice that you may remain in your business, that doesn't matter. Simply you have to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Suppose you are walking on the street. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, nobody is taxing you, nobody is bothering you. But if by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you derive some benefit, why do you neglect it? That is our submission. So this movement is for making solution of the problems of life, and it can be easily done. And anyone can accept it. It doesn't matter whether he is Indian or American or Hindu or Muslim or Christian. It doesn't matter. Simply this vibration: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:

And they expect something from India because... It is a fact. I have read one book written by one Chinese gentleman. That book is recommended in the New York University for study. That Chinese gentleman is very learned man. He has given comparative studies of all religion and philosophies, but he recommends that "If you want to study religion as it is, then you have to go to India." So our Indian spiritual culture is still adored and worshiped by the learned section of every part of the world. And especially in America and Germany and England, they are hankering after it. We should be little careful that this knowledge, transcendental knowledge, as distributed by Lord Caitanya, should be seriously taken up by the responsible Indians present here. Unfortunately, I see that Indians are not very much interested, but that is our misfortune. Actually, Caitanya Mahāprabhu entrusted this mission that anyone who has taken birth as human being on the land of Bhārata-varṣa should learn this spiritual science very seriously, make his life successful, and distribute all over the world so that people of the world may become happy. That was His mission. Now, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started on this mission, on the mission of Lord Caitanya, that to distribute,

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

That in this age of Kali there are many differences of opinion for self-realization, or transcendental life, or religious life, but this common formula, chanting of the holy name of God, can be accepted by everyone.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

So where do you find the difference? If Lord Jesus Christ says, "Through me," that means he's representative of God, and hari-nāma is God. So either through the representative of God or God, the same thing. God and God's representative, there is no difference. Even in these ordinary dealings, if I send some representative, if he signs something on my behalf, I have to accept that, because he is my representative. Similarly, God has to be approached through God or through His representative. The same thing. Only the difference may be of understanding. Because Lord Jesus Christ spoke to a society that was not very much advanced. You can understand that such a great personality, God conscious person, was crucified. Just see the condition of the society. In other words, they were low-grade society. So they were not able to understand the whole philosophy of God. That is sufficient. "God created. Just take it." They were not intelligent to understand how the creation took place. Had they been intelligent, they would not have crucified such a great personality like Jesus Christ. So we have to understand what is the condition of the society. Just like in the Koran it is said by Muhammad that "From this day you have no sex intercourse with your mother." Just find out the condition of the society. So we have to take account of the time, circumstances, society, and then preaching. So to society like that it is not possible to understand the high philosophical things as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. But the primary fact, the authority is God, that is accepted both in Bible and Bhagavad-gītā. Bible begins, "God is the supreme authority," and Bhagavad-gītā concludes, "You surrender." Where is the difference? Simply the description is according to the time, society, and place and people. That's all. They are not Arjuna. You see? So the things to be understood by Arjuna is not possible by the persons who had crucified Lord Jesus Christ. You have to study in that light.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

Young man (4): No, I didn't mean the hair. I meant does a sādhu who lives in the woods, does he have a spiritual master or...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Young man (4): How does he live in the woods without a spiritual master and learn?

Prabhupāda: No. In the woods also there are many saintly persons. People go there, accept spiritual master, and live with the spiritual master. But that is not very much convenient in this age. So in this age nobody is going to the forest to find out spiritual master, but the spiritual master has to come and canvass from India to New York. (laughter) This is a different position. Yes?

Young man (5): You said that everybody who has laws should live under them. Does an individual have a right to choose his own laws?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like when you go pass "Keep to the right," you have got the right also to go to the left. But as soon as you go to the left, you are criminal. That's all.

Young man (5): But taking one of the commandments of the Christian Bible, "Thou shall not kill," and applying that to a federal law or our American scriptures, there you have two laws that are not stemming from the same law, with different interpretations...

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The law in the Bible says, "Thou shalt not kill." But the federal law of the United States says you must go into the Army and kill. So which to follow? There is a difference. They both say opposite things.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1969:

So real thing is to develop love for Kṛṣṇa. That is the Vṛndāvana standard. In Vṛndāvana, Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā-mayī, Rādhārāṇī, gopīs, the cowherdsmen, boys, cows, calves, trees, they do know that Kṛṣṇa is God. You have read in Kṛṣṇa book, sometimes when Kṛṣṇa does something wonderful, they take Him as a wonderful child, boy, that's all, or child. They do not know that Kṛṣṇa is God. But they love Kṛṣṇa more than anything. They do not know except Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Not very much philosophy. Whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not, whether the symptoms of God are there or not, the Vṛndāvana-vāsī, inhabitants, they do not care for it. Kṛṣṇa may be God or a man, but they love Him. That's all. That is wanted. We have to increase our love for Kṛṣṇa; therefore this worship, temple worship. If you always be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, naturally you develop love for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Premā pumartho mahān. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that prema, love for Kṛṣṇa, love for God, that is the highest achievement in human life. Premā pumartho mahān. It is not religiosity. Religiosity is different thing. Everyone goes to church or temple with some material purpose generally, to get... Just like in church they go: "God, give us our daily bread." That is material purpose. Not only church, everywhere, that is the system. Ārto arthārthī. Of course, that is good. Four classes of men whose background is pious life, they go to God, church or temple, when they're distressed. Others, those whose background is not piety, simply mischief, they cannot go. Therefore even one goes to God for praying something material, they're better than those who do not go to God. Just like in Communist country, they do not believe in God: "Why we shall go to God? We shall create things. We shall create bread." In the Communist country the propaganda was that these Communists would go to villages, ask the villagers to come to church and pray to God, "Give us our daily bread," and they would ask, "Whether you have got bread?" Of course, in the church where is the bread?

Lecture -- New York, April 17, 1969:

That is Hari. Hara. Hara means taking away. Harate. So just like thief also takes away, but he takes away the valuable things, material consideration, sometimes Kṛṣṇa also takes away your material valuables just to show you special favor. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja inquired from Kṛṣṇa that "We are supposed to be very pious. My brothers are great warriors, my wife is exactly the goddess of fortune, and above all, You are our personal friend. So how is this that we have lost everything? (chuckling) We have lost our kingdom, we have lost our wife, we have lost our honor—everything." So in reply to this, Kṛṣṇa said, yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ: "My first favor is that I take away all riches of My devotee." Therefore people are not very much enthusiastic to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But He does it. Just like the Pāṇḍavas were in the beginning put into difficulty, but later on they became the most exalted personalities throughout the whole history. That is Kṛṣṇa's favor. In the beginning, He may do like that because we have got attachment for our material acquisitions.

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

If you don't see, that is another thing. You have to see that "Why I am put into so many miserable conditions of life although I do not want it?" That should be your question. If this question does not arise in your mind, that means still you are in the animal state of life. That is the human stage of life, when one inquires that "I do not wish to suffer. I do not want this suffering, but I am put into this suffering. Why?" This "why," for this "why," there is Upaniṣad which is called Kena Upaniṣad. So this "why" question must be there in the developed stage of human consciousness. And when that "why" question comes, there is an answer. There is answer in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and all Vedic literatures. So although people are not very much interested with all these questions and answers, but they are essential. If they do not question and seek for the answers, then they are simply wasting their the opportunity of human life. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was only twenty-four years He gave up His young wife, mother, everything. There are various, many, many examples. India is land of tapasya, but we are forgetting that. We are forgetting. Now we are making it the land of technology. It is surprising that India has gone so down, forgetting its tapasya, the land of tapasya, the land of dharma. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). Dharma-kṣetre.

So it is not only in India. Everywhere in this age, everything is degraded, degraded in this sense, prāyeṇa kalau asmin alpāyeṣu yuge janāḥ. The duration of life is diminished. They are not very much active to understand what is self-realization. And if they are, some of them are very much active, oh, he is misled by so many misleading, so-called leaders. So the age is very corrupting. Therefore this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa is the best method and the simplest method. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam. Kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). There is no other alternative. In the Agni Purāṇa this verse appears, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam. Three times: "Simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa," kevalam, "only." You cannot offer any other alternative. No. Only. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam. Kalau: "In this age," nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā, "there is no other alternative for self-realization except this." So we have to accept. There is another version in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was instructed by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He described the faults of this age. There is... In the Twelfth Canto, Third Chapter, you will find. Everything is now being corroborated, what is described five thousand years ago. So in that conclusive portion, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kalau doṣa-nidhe rājann hy asti eko mahān guṇaḥ: "My dear King, this age, Kali, is full of faulty things, but there is one good opportunity." What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) "Simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one becomes liberated and he goes back to Godhead, back to home." So this is practical, this is authorized, and you can yourself test also how you become advanced simply by chanting.

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

The solution of the problems... Just like our bodily demands, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca samānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṇām. The problems of eating, problems of sleeping, problems of defending and problems of mating, or sex life, these problems are there in the animal life or amongst the living entities lower than the human beings. But those problems are solved automatically by laws of nature. The birds, beasts, they are also eating. They have no economic problem. They are also sleeping, and they are having their mates and sex life. And they are also defending in their own way. Human form of life, the most developed consciousness, intelligence, if we are also busy in solving these problems of life, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating, then we are not very much advanced than the animals, because they have got these problems and they are trying to solve them. So what advancement we have made, we human beings? We claim to be superior, to possess superior consciousness, and how we are utilizing our consciousness and superior intelligence? Simply just like animals. That requires meditation. That requires meditation, what is actually the problem.

Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). We have to get the religious principle by the disciplic succession, not that I become an authority automatically and I manufacture religion. That is not religion. So Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised that "Simply instruct what Kṛṣṇa has said." Kṛṣṇa has also said the same thing, ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati (Bg 18.68). Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). "Anyone who is engaged in preaching the cult of Bhagavad-gītā, no one is dearer to Me than he." (break) ...in preaching... (break) That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult. He says, marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanān: "You just break My heart by not being visible." The Vaiṣṇava devotees, they are not very much anxious to see God. They know, "Why God shall come to me? He is so busy, He has got so many business. Let me do my duty." The Gosvāmīs in Vṛndāvana... Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said, as I repeated the śloka, govinda-viraheṇa me. He was simply feeling separation. He never said that "I have seen God." He never said. Similarly, Gosvāmīs, the ṣaḍ-gosvāmīs, they are also following the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He rādhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ. Simply searching out, "Where Rādhārāṇī? Where You are? Where the Lalitā, Viśakha, where you are? Where is Nanda-sūna, the son of Mahārāja Nanda, Kṛṣṇa? Where You are all?" Śrī-govardhana-(kalpa)-pādapa-tale kālindī-vane kutaḥ. "Are you near Govardhana Hill or on the bank of Yamunā?" But they never said, "I have seen Kṛṣṇa." They never said. Not that, "Oh, last night I saw, Kṛṣṇa was dancing." Not cheap devotee. Be great, follow.

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

One paramparā system is coming from Brahma. Another paramparā system is coming from Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune. Another paramparā system is coming from Lord Śiva. Another paramparā system is coming from the Kumāras—they were unmarried, brahmacārīs, sons of Brahmā. So those paramparā system, line of disciplic succession, are still existing in India. Practically, India's spiritual life is still being controlling by these lines of disciplic succession. So all these ācāryas, according to the Vaiṣṇava ācārya... Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, there are four ācāryas. Śrī Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, and Viṣṇu Svāmī. And those who are not Vaiṣṇavas, impersonalists, they are represented by Śaṅkarācārya. Even Śaṅkarācārya, from whom we differ in philosophical discussion... Not very much different—so far the procedure is concerned, the regulative principles are concerned, they are all the same. The only difference is that Śaṅkarācārya's sampradāya, they take the ultimate Absolute Truth as impersonal, and we Vaiṣṇavas, we take the Absolute Truth as person. But Śaṅkarācārya, in his later stage, he also admitted in a different way. He said in his last prayer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,

bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ

bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate

samprāpte sannihite kāle marane

na hi na hi rakṣati ḍukṛñ-karaṇe

So he said to his disciples, "You foolish, mūḍha-mate..."—mūḍha-mate means "you rascals and fools"—"you just take to Govinda. You just worship Govinda, personal Govinda." Bhaja govindam, three times. Three times means he is giving stress.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

Why you have given the title Shah Jahan?" He could not understand it. So I'm just trying to explain that the purpose of the book must be known to the author, not others. So the author replied, "My dear friend, the actual hero is Shah Jahan, not Aurangzeb." Although the Shah Jahan book is full of the activities of Aurangzeb, the fact is that Shah Jahan was the emperor. He had many, four or five sons, and his wife died, Mumtaz, at an early age. You have seen, those who have gone to India, you have seen the Taj Mahal building. That building was constructed in the memory of that Mumtaz by Shah Jahan. He spent all his money for constructing that building. So it is one of the seven wonders of the world. So that Shah Jahan lost his wife at an early age. She (he) was very fond of his wife. And because, affectionate father, he did not very much chastise his sons, and he spent all his money in constructing the memory of his wife, so when the sons grew up, the third son, Aurangzeb, came out very crooked. And he made a plan how to usurp the empire. He killed his elder brother and other brothers. He arrested his father, Shah Jahan. So this is the book subject matter, Shah Jahan. So whole activities. But the author says that "Aurangzeb is not the hero; hero is Shah Jahan." Then he explained why. "Now, because Shah Jahan was living, sitting in the Agra Fort as a prisoner, and all the reactions of Aurangzeb's activities, killing of his other sons, usurping the empire, that was beating on his heart; therefore he was suffering. He is the hero."

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

Kalau, in this Kali-yuga, when people are very, very fallen... Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are very unfortunate also, and manda-bhāgyā, and although unfortunate, they are disturbed by so many external factors. So it is very difficult to execute yoga system or yajña system, sacrifice. It is very costly affair. Or even arcana, temple worship, it is also very difficult, because people are not very much interested even, worshiping the Deity in the temple. In India there are thousands and thousands of temples, temple or mosque or church, at the same time, for offering prayers, obeisances to the Lord. People are losing interest in that arcana-mārga. There are many temples I have seen, there is no caretaker. People are losing interest. Many temples. They are open; a dog is living within the temple and passing stool. I have seen it.

So people are gradually losing interest in temple worship even, what to speak of yoga or offering sacrifices. Everything is now finished. Therefore kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. This is prescribed in the śāstra. That system was introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because other system will not be successful in this age. May be successful in one or two cases, but not for the general mass of people. Therefore śāstra recommends... There are different incarnation of God, but one incarnation is there, it is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other places also, in Upaniṣad and Mahābhārata. These are approved Vedic scriptures. So the Vedic knowledge is summarized in the Vedānta system, Brahma-sūtra, everything done by Vyāsadeva.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: A priori we are not born with knowledge of what is right?

Prabhupāda: No. A priori, in this sense, that imperceptively I have got obedience to Kṛṣṇa, or God—everyone. That is manifested even in uncivilized men. Whenever they see a thunderbolt, they offer prayer. Just like these Africans, they are coming here, offering obeisances. That is inborn. Although we say they are not civilized, but that thing is there, that we are sādhus, or here is God. So that is there. But it is not very much manifest.

Śyāmasundara: So we don't really know, but we have some idea.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is there, everywhere.

Śyāmasundara: He says it is not the act itself which is good or bad but the will behind the act.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That will is sometimes not manifest. Therefore one has to take the help of superior person to develop that willingness.

Śyāmasundara: He says when we see an activity, it's not the act that's good or bad...

Prabhupāda: Just like a child: its will is there, but it has to be developed by the teacher. So he develops his willingness to study more and more and he becomes a scholar. But the will is there already.

Śyāmasundara: But he says when you see an action, the act itself cannot be judged as good or bad, but the will behind the act may be good or bad. That's how we have to judge good or bad, by the will behind the act.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: So beauty in the material world is Kṛṣṇa's, Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa's perverted reflection. Just like now the sky is clear, now the sunshine is bright, but even if the sky is covered by clouds, you will understand it is daytime because the glaring, shining of the sun is still to be understood. Similarly, whatever little beauty we find in this material world, that is a perverted reflection of Kṛṣṇa's beauty.

Śyāmasundara: We still understand it's beauty, but not very much.

Prabhupāda: Yes, not very much.

Śyāmasundara: Just a few more minutes and then it's finished. He says that art is a combination of spiritual content and sensuous form, that this is really art, that the artist should try to form spiritual content with these material...

Prabhupāda: That we are doing, whenever we are painting picture, art, music, we are praising Kṛṣṇa with it. Our music, our painting, our anything, we center Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: He says that of all arts, that music and poetry are the highest.

Prabhupāda: Yes, so therefore we write, Vyāsadeva has written so many nice poetries in praise of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmā is writing, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). All sages, they write praise of Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: Poetry.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Yes. For some period, Elizabeth to Queen Victoria, the English nation advanced in so many ways. They wanted to record it that they are the greatest nation in the world. But the basic principle was how to get money from outside in London. That was the basic thing. By advertising there... Actually by nature they are very impoverished. They have no sufficient food, even; their nature. And they wanted to be greatest nation. By nature they are not very much favored. Now they are coming again in the lap of nature.

Śyāmasundara: Darwin's theory about them would be that because their environment was not very suitable for farming or mining, no natural resources, therefore their brains developed and they were able to survive.

Prabhupāda: That we accept. That we accept, that we have to adjust things according to circumstances. That is acceptable. But finally, if God does not approve of it, it does not happen. Pratividhi. Pratividhi, counteraction. Tavat tanu-bhrtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām. Pratividhi. We make counteractivities for adjusting things, but unless it is approved by the Supreme Lord, that adjustment also will not be very much helpful. Bālasya neha pitarau nṛsiṁha. Just like a small child, the nature's way is the parent has got affection to take care. At that time, if the parents do not take care, the child cannot live. But the parents' taking care is not all. If the child is condemned by the Supreme Lord, in spite of the parents taking care, it will not be happy, or it will not exist. Parents' care is natural. Generally it so happens by the parents' care the child is happy, but in spite of parents' care the child is unhappy, then you have to go to the Lord. Is it not? Just like when a man is diseased, the counteraction is physician, medicine. Generally it is expected by attendance of good physician or using good medicine, diet, the patient becomes cured. But it is also seen that in spite of all careful attention, scientific medicine, he dies. Then what is that?

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. After one day of Brahmā there is devastation. So Brahmā lives for one hundred years according to his calculation. So each day there is devastation. So so many devastation passes in one month of Brahmā, then such twelve months makes one year, and such hundred years will be. So there is no calculation of devastation, how many devastations. In Brahmā's one day it is calculated 5,400 Manus are born in one month of Brahmā. So our calculation is like that. We are not very much amazed of hearing millions and trillions. It is nothing. In our historical reference is billions and trillions of years. They are nothing.

Śyāmasundara: So even though several million years ago they find no evidence in the rocks...

Prabhupāda: That does not mean that there is no civilization. That is their imperfect knowledge.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually, our so-called modern scientific stories, knowledge is so empiric it's now (indistinct) on complete proof. It is always stands to have objectionable work, sides; so it is not perfect at all. Just like from Śrīla Prabhupāda's book on the Easy Journey to Other Planets, Śrīla Prabhupāda mentioned the discovery of the anti-proton, by the scientists who got the Nobel Prizes in 1959, and Prabhupāda gives all information from Bhagavad-gītā, anything, is already there; Prabhupāda has said it. They say anti-proton... They just discovered the anti-proton, but they still think it is some matter, that is not..., they say anti-proton but still they think that it is connected with matter. But Prabhupāda said it is not matter, it is spirit. Differentiation between matter and anti-matter. Matter is material thing; anti-matter is spirit or (indistinct). So Prabhupāda comments so nicely about the so-called modern scientists to do further research on this concept of anti-matter. Perhaps they will come to an understanding about the spirit, they come to a point. Our knowledge is what you call a modern scientific findings or evidences always subject to changes also...

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: A feeling of being in a wider life than that of this world's selfish little interest.

Prabhupāda: Yes. God, the definition of God is there in the Vedic literature, that God is the great. The Christian idea is also that. That greatness, that if we soberly think what is the greatness, the greatness in six opulences, that God is the richest, God is the strongest, and God is the famous, and God is the wisest, and God is the most beautiful, and God is the perfect renounced. He has got so many states, sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29), but still He is not very much interested within this material world. He is in spiritual world along with associates. Therefore our proposition is, let us go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is perfection of life.

Hayagrīva: His second characteristic of a sādhu is thus: "He has a sense of the friendly continuity of the ideal power with our own life in a willing self-surrender to its control."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the ideal. Kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi' anācāra. We are member of the same family. God is the supreme father. That is ideal society. What does he say further?

Hayagrīva: The uh... What?

Prabhupāda: Second point.

Hayagrīva: Oh, the second point again? "A sense of the friendly continuity."

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: That is explained in Bhāgavatam, apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Those who are not seeing the position of spiritual, as the spirit soul, they are so much attached in this family life, worldly life, national life, (indistinct) material life, this life, that life. They are all false, but because he has no knowledge of the soul, he is attached to all these things. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Ātma-tattvam means the science of soul. That he does not know; therefore he is attached, gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. These are different types of gṛha. Just like a man is not very much advanced in nationalism, he thinks "This my house is everything." And one who has developed that like Gandhi, his family life developed into nationalism. So that is also gṛha. He is asking, I mean to say, Englishman, "Go away! It is mine." But that mahātmā, that greatness is simply expanding beyond the gṛha. He's a still gṛha-medhi. We don't say like that, "Oh, you Englishman, you cannot have Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So that, therefore, those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they are mahātmā. (indistinct) These kind of mahātmās, they are not mahātmā, they are gṛha-medhis, but they have been given the title, false title. Just like in Bengali we say, the mother's love is child, and the child is blind. Still, "Oh, my child's eyes are just like lotus flower." (greets guests) (break)

Śyāmasundara: So in other words, Jung is saying that we have our personality that we show to the world but we also have a personality which we don't show to the world, which is secret which is repressed, which we don't like to reveal.

Prabhupāda: That is, that is called cheating. Yes. In Sanskrit it is called bhrama, pramāda, vipralipsā, karaṇā. Vipralipsa, that is one of the tendencies of the conditioned soul, that he wants to cheat others. So their confidential means cheating.

Śyāmasundara: For instance, someone may have some kind of desire which he does not like to reveal to others, so he keeps it suppressed, unconscious.