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Omkara (Lectures, BG)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

Adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. Therefore the human civilization means to make progress towards the quality of goodness. That will help him for making farther progress. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Ūrdhvam means higher planetary system. Here it is said that api trailokya-rājyasya hetoḥ. Trailokya. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. This is bhūr-loka. Above this, bhuvar-loka, and above that, svar-loka, heavenly planets. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. This is Gāyatrī-mantra.

So Arjuna is speaking of trailokya-rājyasya. He is ascertaining that "Even if I get the kingdom of the three worlds, what to speak of only this earthly planet, what is insignificant, even if I get the kingdom of trailokya, svarga, martya, pātāla, like that, still, I am not prepared to fight with my kinsmen, what to speak of this earthly planet." He decided like that. This is called family attachment.

Lecture on BG 2.1-5 -- Germany, June 16, 1974:

Prabhupāda: (prema-dhvani)

Satsvarūpa: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeating). Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

sañjaya uvāca
taṁ tathā kṛpayāviṣṭam
aśru-pūrṇākulekṣaṇam
viṣīdantam idaṁ vākyam
uvāca madhusūdanaḥ
(BG 2.1)

Prabhupāda: Next. Next. Next verse.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973:

Actually, he's self-realized, who is working for the Lord, from satām. Satām means devotees. Satāṁ prasaṅga. Therefore is called satsaṅga. Satsaṅga means the association of the devotees. Sat means devotee. Sat means God. Oṁ tat sat. Or everything is asat. Asat means temporary. This material world is temporary. And sat means spiritual. So sat-saṅga means spiritual association. Sat-saṅgān mukta-duḥ-saṅgaḥ. The more you associate with sat, with devotees, then you become, more you become liberated. Sat-saṅgān mukta-duḥ-saṅgaḥ. Duḥ-saṅga. We are in the material world, we are simply in association, bad association, duḥ-saṅga. So if we want to get rid of this bad association, we must associate with the devotees. Sat-sangat mukta duhsanga. And satāṁ prasaṅgāt mama vīrya-samvido, if we hear in really devotee's association, then the... (break)

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972:

Viṣṇujana: If you like...

Prabhupāda: Where is Pradyumna? Yes. Read dehino 'smin yathā dehe from Bhagavad-gītā (BG 2.13). Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Pradyumna: I should do oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting)

Prabhupāda: That's all. Give me my spectacles.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:

So Brahmā is not self-sufficient. Factually, we are supposed to get knowledge, Vedic knowledge, from Brahmā, beginning from Brahmā. But actually it is not the, from Brahmā. Brahmā got the knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. Tene brahma. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ (SB 1.1.1). So actually knowledge is coming from Kṛṣṇa. So our proposal is, we are receiving knowledge, this Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is directly giving you the knowledge. So we have to accept it as it is. We cannot interpret Bhagavad-gītā in my own way. That is not Bhagavad-gītā. That is something else. They take advantage of the Bhagavad-gītā and put their own conclusion. That is not Bhagavad-gītā. If you want to study Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to study as it is. Then it is nice.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Germany, June 18, 1974:
(Prabhupāda chants oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya and verse with devotees)

Prabhupāda: So

dehino 'smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati
(BG 2.13)

So dehinaḥ. Dehinaḥ means the one who possesses this body. That is meaning, the dehinaḥ. Just like in Sanskrit word, guṇinaḥ. Guṇinaḥ means one who has got some special attributes. (child cries, Prabhupāda chuckles, devotees laugh) He, she is understanding more than anyone else. (laughter) Yes, yes. So asmin dehe. (child cries again) Now... (laughter) You will create disturbance. Yes. So one profit, one loss. You get a child, and another side, you cannot hear. This is karma-kāṇḍīya. This is the material world. As soon as you get some profit here, another side loss. As soon as you want to construct a big skyscraper, another side, digging earth. (laughter)

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

Indian: ...that is oṁkāra. Oṁkāra-svarūpa. But what I want to know is who is Lord Śiva, Viṣṇu and Brahmā? Whether these three of them are gods?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They're expansion of God. Just like the earth. And then, from earth, you find trees, wood. And then, in the tree, you can set fire. It becomes smoke. Then comes out the fire. When you get the fire, you can take your work from the fire. So the, everything is one, but... Just the same example: from earth, the wood; from wood, the smoke; from smoke, the fire. But if you have to take business, then it is required the fire, although the, all of them, are the one. Similarly, there are demigods, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. So if you have to take business, then you have to go to the fire, Viṣṇu, sattama, sattva-guṇa. This is the process. Although they are one, but your business can be completed with Viṣṇu, not with others. What is my business? My business is to get out of these material clutches. So if anyone is eager to be free from these material clutches, then he must take shelter of Viṣṇu, not others.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

It is a... Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. And Kṛṣṇa Himself says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births of struggling, if one actually becomes jñānavān, then he surrenders unto Me." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). These are the Vedic information.

So vāsudeva-parāyaṇa, vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ. These are the śāstric injunctions. So a person can take intelligence from studying Bhagavad-gītā. And Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births... Because foolish rascals, they will have to transmigrate from one body to another, and there are 8,400,000's of different forms of body. And he has to go through the cycle of this birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Take birth once, and becomes, defy God: "I don't care for God."

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

Indian: ...oṁ bhagavate fails. (?)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi for a few minutes, then:) Everyone has prema, love. This propensity to love others. That is... There is, everywhere. But that prema, that love, is originally for Kṛṣṇa. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That is the original prema. But because we are illusioned, that prema is being applied or used for so many māyā. Prema I have got. I have got my love. That is a fact. But I do not know where to repose that love. That is my misfortune. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You have got prema. You apply it to Me. Then you'll be benefited." Prema is already there.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

Yes. Simply by mechanical japa, we'll not be ha... We have to hear from the śāstra what is self. Of course, those who are actually following the rules and regulation of gāyatrī-mantra, they'll be, gradually come to the spiritual understanding. But not as official chanting. That will not help. "Because I have got gāyatrī-mantra, oh, om-burble bura burra..." (makes sound) Finish. Not like that. Don't cheat yourself. Try to understand.

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

Madhudviṣa: Prabhupāda, I have heard from different sources that there is a vibration that is going on in the universe at all times. When they refer to this vibration, are they referring to the om, the sacred om vibration?

Prabhupāda: First of all, you should stop to receive any knowledge from any other source.

Madhudviṣa: Well, I'm not taking it as knowledge, I'm just...

Prabhupāda: No, you said that "I have heard from different sources."

Madhudviṣa: From people on the street that I've talked to.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So what is the question?

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, any vibration, there is sound. So there is... The sound is heard oṁkāra. That is also accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā. So there is no objection accepting this...

Madhudviṣa: They talk about this as the ultimate stage of...

Prabhupāda: Then you have to accept their statement, not the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore I say that you don't hear from all sources. Because they have said that that is the ultimate, would you accept that?

Madhudviṣa: No, I don't accept. I just want to know if it is the om vibration that they're referring to.

Prabhupāda: Om vibration is there. Om is also representation of Kṛṣṇa. That is also accepted. But that is not ultimate. Ultimate is Kṛṣṇa. Just like there is some vibration, some source. You go, go, proceed, wherefrom this vibration is coming? If you find whether here is a horn. From this..., or conchshell.

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

The conchshell sound is going beyond this temple. Does it mean that conchshell sound is bigger than the conchshell? The vibration of the conchshell, apparently it seems to be very great, but does it mean it is great? The great is the conchshell wherefrom the vibration is coming. That is the ultimate source. So oṁkāra vibration is all over the universe, that's all right; but wherefrom it is coming? That you have to search out. When you search out you'll find Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate. Not the vibration. Is that clear? Yes. The same example. The sunshine, all over the universe it is spread. Does it make it is greater than the sun? The sun is the source of the sunshine. So similarly, brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham, "I am the source of Brahman, the effulgence." That's a fact. Brahman is not greater than Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is greater than Brahman. Mattaḥ parataro nāsti. You will find in the Bhagavad-gītā, "There is no more greater truth than Me."

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

Prabhupāda: (leads chanting of "oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya")

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate
(BG 3.27)

Kṛṣṇa says that all these living entities... We are all living entities... Actually, every one of us is spirit soul, living entities. It does not matter whether I am a human being or other than human being, lower animals, birds, beasts, trees or higher celestial beings. There are many varieties of life. 8,400,000. Nine... Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. In the water there are living entities of 900,000 varieties. We simply know that there are some fishes and crocodiles or sharks in the water, but śāstra, Vedic śāstras, they give definite information, how many forms and varieties of life are there within the water: 900,000. How many we have seen? Our scientists, our botanists, how many they have seen? So actually you cannot have perfect knowledge by the experimental method.

Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:

Why He does not change? That is described in the śāstra. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Vigrahaḥ means body, form. This transcendental form is made of sac-cid-ānanda. Sac-cid-ānanda. Sat means eternal, eternity. Oṁ tat sat. So sat, cit. Cit means full of knowledge. Full of knowledge here, tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi. This is called cit. He knows everything, past, present and future. Sat, cit, and ānanda. You see Kṛṣṇa's form here, ānanda. He's enjoying. This is real Kṛṣṇa's form. He is always enjoying. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said. He's ānandamaya. Kṛṣṇa, real form...

The Kṛṣṇa's form in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, that is not Kṛṣṇa's real form. That is Kṛṣṇa's Vāsudeva form. Kṛṣṇa expands Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, in that say. So this is a great science, Kṛṣṇa science. If you are interested, there are books you can study and you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

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

And at the present moment this Kṛṣṇa has descended in His holy name. You should understand that. Kṛṣṇa kali-kāle nāma-rūpe kṛṣṇa-avatāra. This is the statement of Lord Caitanya, that in this age of Kali, Kṛṣṇa has descended in the sound vibration form. Sound is also one of the form. Just like oṁkāra is the form of Kṛṣṇa. Akṣarāṇām oṁkāro 'smi. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, now, at the present moment, has descended in the form of His holy name. His name and He, there is no difference. So why? Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). People are now forgetting his relationship with God. Now this incarnation of Kṛṣṇa in the form of His holy name, this chanting of Kṛṣṇa will deliver all people of the world from this forgetfulness.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968:

Why he is standing there? Come. Come here.

Om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā, cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena... Sit down. Tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ.

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:

Prabhupāda:

om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ
sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale
svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ
dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Bombay, April 1, 1974:

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (twice—devotees respond). (leads chanting of verse, Bg. 4.12, with devotees responding)

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ
yajanta iha devatāḥ
kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke
siddhir bhavati karma-jā

(break) "...world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world."

Prabhupāda:

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ
yajanta iha devatāḥ
kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke
siddhir bhavati karma-jā

So last night we were discussing,

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante
tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante
manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ
(BG 4.11)

Everyone is seeking the Absolute Truth in different way. So the worship of the demigods, that is also, in one way, searching after the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore in the Vedas, the demigod worship is also recommended. Upāsanā-kāṇḍa.

Lecture on BG 4.17 -- Bombay, April 6, 1974:

Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). If you have got the qualification of rajo-guṇa, creative energy, then you remain in the middle planetary system, Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ. Those who are brāhmaṇas know gāyatrī-mantra, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ.

And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. Tāmasāḥ, tamo-guṇa, jaghanya, abominable, nasty, unclean, eating nasty things... Then jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. They go to the lower planetary system, Tala, Atala, Vitala, Pātāla, Rasātala, Talātala. There are so many planets. Or in the animal kingdom. So we are creating our next body, karmaṇā, by our work. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, karmaṇo hy api boddhavyam.

You must know, because you have to accept next body. You can talk foolishly, "No, there is no body." Bhasmī-bhūtasya...

Lecture on BG 4.20 -- Bombay, April 9, 1974:

There are many demigods. The demigods worshiper are also demons. Only viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daivaḥ. Viṣṇu-bhakta, those who are devotee of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead, daiva. Viṣṇu... Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. This is Ṛg Veda mantra. Sūrayaḥ and asūrayaḥ. Those who are sūraya, deva, demigods, they are simply worshiping, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. And asura means just opposite number. Opposite number means those who are not interested in Viṣṇu worship. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that ultimate goal of life—to approach Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

Devotee (2): It says in the Bhagavad-gītā that the om sound, oṁkāra, is a representation of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (2): Is it different from the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra?

Prabhupāda: No.

Devotee (2): No. Would it have the same meaning?

Prabhupāda: Not same effect. If you chant om, then you go to impersonal Brahman. But if you chant Kṛṣṇa, then you reach Kṛṣṇa, person. Just now I explained Bhagavān..., Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. If you chant om, then you reach Brahman or Paramātmā. But if you chant Kṛṣṇa, then you reach Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 6.40-42 -- New York, September 16, 1966:

Prabhupāda tells the devotees to chant one round—someone yells "I'm God" and yells something that sounds like "Om" over and over but sounds more like a cow mooing real slow. He yells and screams, "I'm God! I'm God!" and leaves. Devotees and Prabhupāda continue japa. Prabhupāda chants first prayer of Śikṣāṣṭaka. Then this class begins:)

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

These are the nine different kinds of executing devotional service. So kṛṣṇasya, viṣṇoḥ. The Ṛg Veda also says, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. So the chanting means not that any name I select, I can chant. No. Chanting means kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam viṣṇoḥ. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

So this prescription has been given by Lord Caitanya. He has described, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
(sarvātmā-snapanaṁ) paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam
(CC Antya 20.12)

So my appeal is to you, and especially the two Justices, please try to understand, serious vicāra, not that whimsically to accept by sentiment. No. Vicāra. Vicāra means śāstra-vicāra. We have to accept the Vedic authorities, what the Vedic injunction is there.

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

Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor of all the lokas. Lokas means where the people or living entities live. So there are so many planets. Everywhere there are living entities. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. There are Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. Seven, fourteen planetary system. Then down: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talātala, Pātāla, Rasātala. There are so many. This is only one universe. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Koṭi, we Indians understand, millions. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). And each and every universe there are millions of planets, and each planet is different from the other.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (devotees respond). Ladies and gentlemen, I am just going to speak before you about knowledge of the Absolute. It is from the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā.

This human form of life is obtained after many, many millions of years by evolutionary process: aquatics, then insects, reptiles, birds, beasts, uncivilized men, and then civilized form of human being. They are called the Aryans. So the human being, civilized human being, is the topmost of the creation, and the consciousness is developed than the lower animals. Therefore the Vedānta philosophy says that this human form of life is meant for understanding knowledge Absolute, knowledge of the Absolute. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahman means the Absolute.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

So out of the ten kinds of offenses, as explained by Subala Mahārāja, this is the most important item. One should not commit any sinful activity because he is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Go on. Next. (break)

...Oṁ Viṣṇupāda Paramahaṁsa Parivrājakācārya Aṣṭottara-śata Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Mahārāja Prabhupāda. He was creating more brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs for preaching work, but I am creating more gṛhasthas (applause), because in Europe and America the boys and girls intermingle so quickly and intimately that it is very difficult to keep one brahmacārī. So there is no need of artificial brahmacārīs. It is sanctioned. My Guru Mahārāja wanted to establish daiva-varṇāśrama. So married life is called gṛhastha-āśrama. It is as good as sannyāsa-āśrama. Āśrama means where there is bhagavad-bhajana. It doesn't matter whether one is sannyāsī or one is gṛhastha or a brahmacārī.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

So in Europe and America I am especially creating more gṛhasthas, families, so that they can take up this movement very seriously and preach, and I am glad to inform you that this process has become very successful. Thank you very much. (applause)

om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave-namaḥ

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

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

One should understand... Therefore, to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, one has to devote, studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam nine cantos. In the Tenth Canto Kṛṣṇa is described because... Try. First of all become fit to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is called tattvataḥ. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is there. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not superficially. Of course, the ultimate goal is to understand Kṛṣṇa's pastimes in Vṛndāvana. Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi... But that... First of all, you become siddha. Without becoming siddha, you cannot understand. So long you are asiddha, imperfect, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. But if you try, if you associate with the siddhas... Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). You have to associate... Just like in the morning: munibhir mahātmabhiḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

So therefore our duty is to follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa as it is given. So Kṛṣṇa says, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. The oṁkāra, praṇava... oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. The Vedic mantras, oṁ bhagavate vāsudevāya namaḥ. This oṁkāra, this praṇava, is Kṛṣṇa. So anyone who is chanting the Vedic hymns, and as soon as he vibrates this sound, transcendental sound, om, here is Kṛṣṇa. So how we can avoid Kṛṣṇa? Simply we have to know. You have to purify your eyes. You have to purify your ears. You have to purify your hands. You have to purify your legs. In this way, when your senses are purified in every step, in every moment, you will see Kṛṣṇa, nothing but Kṛṣṇa. The purificatory process—just to purify the eyes. Kṛṣṇa is present before you in arcā-mūrti, arcāvatāra, nicely dressed by the devotees. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā **.

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

Or take another example. The sunshine is impersonal, but the sun is personal. Sun is not imperson. Wherefrom the sunshine is coming? It is coming from the sun globe. And within the sun globe there is the sun-god. His name is there also—Vivasvān. Name means person. As the sun is person and we worship the sun, Savitā... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam... So this is the worship of the sun-god, the morning sunrise. So the sun-god is also person.

So we can study what is the nature of the Absolute Person by studying the sun. The sun globe is localized. The sunshine is spread all over the universe, and within the sun globe there is the sun-god, Vivasvān. Similarly, the original planet is Goloka Vṛndāvana. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Vaikuṇṭhaloka.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "O son of Kuntī, Arjuna, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras. I am the sound in ether and ability in man."

Prabhupāda:

raso 'ham apsu kaunteya
prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ
praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu
śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu
(BG 7.8)

This is all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should mark the important word in this verse: aham. Aham means the person. Kṛṣṇa never says that "I am imperson." Imperson is the feature of Kṛṣṇa. Just like in the Ninth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). Mayā, "I am all-pervasive by My energy."

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

The another method, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. As soon as, early in the morning, you find the sunshine, you remember "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa." Or at night, when there is no sun, there is moonlight, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Then praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. If you are a student, serious student of Vedic mantras... Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūra... If you chant the Vedic mantras... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. The oṁkāra, that is Kṛṣṇa. Many people are very much fond of chanting oṁkāra. That is also nice. That is Kṛṣṇa. But if we simply remember that "This oṁkāra is Kṛṣṇa," then we become perfect. Because the process is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

Therefore it has to be purified. Or the nature of forgetfulness has to be removed. That's all. This is the process. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). If you follow this process, that "Here is drinking water, the taste is Kṛṣṇa," that means some percentage of your forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa is removed. Similarly, when you see the sunshine, the moonshine, or you chant oṁkāra... There are other, so many ways prescribed in the later verses. So try to understand Kṛṣṇa in this way. It doesn't require any advancement of education or Vedic knowledge. A simple thing.

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

Because in the spiritual sky everything is illuminated, so there is no need. So we can remember God, or Kṛṣṇa, when you see some illuminating property.

Praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. When we chant Vedic mantra, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. Now, this oṁkāra, om, that is the beginning. This oṁkāra is addressing. Just like we are addressing, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," this is also addressing, "O Harā, O Kṛṣṇa." This oṁkāra is also addressing. So this oṁkāra is Kṛṣṇa, is God. Praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu. And śabda means sound. Whenever you hear some sound, you should know, "This is vibration of the transcendental sound." The sound which we are vibrating, that is pure spiritual sound. But any sound in the material world, that is reflection of that spiritual sound. So when you hear sound, you can remember God. When you drink water, you can remember God.

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

So Kṛṣṇa is giving us intelligence that "If you do not go to the temple or do not hear to the ācārya, you can at least try to understand My presence when you see a flower or smell a flower." Is that very difficult job? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Even drinking water, even by seeing the sunshine, even by seeing the moonshine, or, if you are a Vedic scholar, by chanting om, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, or even by hearing the sound vibration, or by seeing a flower, or smelling a flower, something brilliant... Just like the sun is brilliant, the moon is brilliant. Tejaś cāsmi. So wherefrom this brilliance comes? The brilliance is imitation, reflection of the bodily brilliance of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Brahma-sūtra, Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40).

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

Prabhupāda: Oh. Then they might have received.

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: (starting to play karatālas) Jaya oṁ viṣṇu-pāda paramahaṁsa parivrājakācārya aṣṭottara-śata śrī śrīmad bhaktisiddhānta sarasvatī gosvāmī... (chants gurvaṣṭaka, kīrtana, prema-dhvani)

om ajñāna-timirāndhasya
jñānāñjana-śalākayā
cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena
tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.)

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

Pratyāhāra means "just the opposite." Now, the senses, my eye, my eyes are engaged in seeing the worldly beauty. Now I have to retract from enjoying that beauty, and I have to see inside the beauty. That is called pratyāhāra. Similarly, I have to hear the oṁkāra sound from within. So all the senses are to be stopped in their external activities—that is the perfection of yoga—and concentrate the mind on Viṣṇu-mūrti. Mano hṛdi. The mind is very agitating, so it has to be fixed up on the heart. Mano hṛdi-nirudhya. Nirudhya means just arresting the mind within the heart. Mūrdhni, mūrdhny ādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām. And in this way, when we transfer the air—life on the top of our head, that is the perfection of yoga. And a perfect yogi, then he fixes up where he shall go. There are innumerable planets, and beyond the planets, there are spiritual world.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

At the time of death, point of death, "Ommmm," if he can pronounce om, oṁkāra... Oṁkāra is the concise form of transcendental vibration, oṁkāra. So om ity ekākṣaraṁ brahma vyāharan. If he can vibrate this sound, oṁkāra, at the same time, mām anusmaran, plus he remembers Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu... The whole yoga system is to concentrate his mind to Viṣṇu. But the impersonalists, they imagine that this is the form of Viṣṇu, or the Lord. But those who are personalists, they do not imagine; they see actual form of the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

So similarly, these four kinds of external afflictions—birth, death, disease and old age—they are due to this material body. And if we can get out of this material body, then we can get out of these implications.

So for the yogi, those who are impersonalists, for them, this process is recommended. What is that? Om ity ekākṣaraṁ brahma vyāharan: "Just vibrating this transcendental sound, om, and leave this body." Then yaḥ prayāti: "Anyone who is able..." (aside:) Where is the watch? That's all right. "Anyone who is able to quit this material body in these circumstances, simply by uttering this transcendental sound, om, with full consciousness of the Supreme Lord, then he's sure to be transferred, to transmigrate in the spiritual world."

Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966:

Last day we have been discussing the, how the impersonalists, they transfer themselves in the spiritual kingdom. The yogis and the jñānīs, they are generally impersonalists. So for them, the process—at the time of death, they vibrate the transcendental sound om, oṁkāra, and by that way they transfer to the spiritual world, but they do not enter into the spiritual planet. This point we have discussed. And the risk is that if we do not have any rest in the spiritual planet, if we remain in the outer space only, then there is risk of coming down again in this material world.

Lecture on BG 13.1-3 -- Durban, October 13, 1975:

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. We are reading one chapter from Bhagavad-gītā, thirteenth chapter. The subject matter is nature, the enjoyer, and consciousness. In Sanskrit it is called kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. Kṣetra means the field. Just like an agriculturist. They work on the field. The worker or the agriculturist owns the land, and he works there, and according to his labor he enjoys the fruits. Similarly, we have been given this body as the field of activity. Every one of us, not only human being, but also other living entities...

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). They are yogis. Yogis, dhyānāvasthita, in meditation the mind is absorbed always. Tad-gatena manasā. Tad-gatena means viṣṇu-gatena. Oṁ tat sat. Tad-gatena manasā, by the mind, absorbed in Viṣṇu understanding. Tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yasyānta na viduḥ surāsura-gaṇā devāya tasmai namaḥ, devāya tasmai namaḥ. Yaṁ brahmā-varuṇendra-rudrāḥ stuvanti divyaiḥ stavair vedaiḥ sāṅgopad-kramopaniṣadair gāyanti yaṁ sāma-gāḥ.

Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:

The eyes of the eyes is the sun. Yac cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. Every planetary system there are many millions and trillions of living entities. They can see only when there is sunrise.

This gāyatrī-mantra is, therefore, offering prayer to the savitā. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. Sunshine. So sunshine is... But there are many suns, not only one sun. As there are many universes, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Koṭi means innumerable. Numberless universes. And in each and every universe there is sunshine.

So this sunshine is reflection of the brahma-jyotir. Yasya prabhā prabhavataḥ (Bs. 5.40). When the bodily rays, shining rays, of Kṛṣṇa is there, then all these universes are generated.

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

You take God's advice and try to see Him as He advises. Then you will see God. That's a fact. I do not... Why do they say that "We have not seen God"? You are seeing always God. You are seeing the sunlight. You are seeing the moonlight. You are smelling the good flavor of flower. You are reading, if you are scholar, you are reading Vedas. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ... He says, "This om," praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, "in the Vedic mantra, the oṁkāra is I am." Then, pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu. Any wonderful work, if somebody has done, that is Kṛṣṇa. So you have to see Kṛṣṇa in this way, as Kṛṣṇa advises. Then very soon you will see Kṛṣṇa. There is no question of not seeing Him. You will see in every moment. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva (Bs. 5.38), twenty-four hours. Those who are actually Kṛṣṇa devotees, they are seeing Kṛṣṇa. They are seeing nothing but Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (recites verses with devotees).
arjuna uvāca
ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya
yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ
teṣāṁ niṣṭhā tu kā kṛṣṇa
sattvam āho rajas tamaḥ
śrī bhagavān uvāca
tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā
dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā
sāttvikī rājasī caiva
tāmasī ceti tāṁ śṛṇu
sattvānurūpā sarvasya
śraddhā bhavati bhārata
śraddhāmayo 'yaṁ puruṣo
yo yac chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ

So arjuna uvāca means Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is teacher, and Arjuna is student. So this is the process of spiritual advancement. As it is indicated in the Vedas, tad-vijñānārtham. Tad-vijñānārtham means "To understand that transcendental science," gurum eva abhigacchet "one must take shelter of guru." It cannot be manufactured. Those who manufacture the method of understanding transcendental science, they are not bona fide. So we have already discussed many times that śāstra-vidhi. Guru means one who teaches the regulative principle from śāstra, from authorized scripture. That is guru. Guru cannot be anyone.

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

So unless one has attained the brahminical qualification, what he will understand, the Vedas? It is not that Mr. Max Muller translates Vedas. This is all nonsense. What Max Muller will understand Bhagavad, uh, Vedas? It is, these are not the subject matter of advanced in A-B-C-D. No. These are transcendental subject matter. Tat. Oṁ tat sat. Unless one is advanced... Everything... Just like on our ordinary life also, unless one has graduated, he cannot enter into the law college. So it is not prohibition. The law college is open for everyone. But he must be properly qualified to get entrance. Similarly, one must be properly qualified to enter into the transcendental subject matter. Everyone and anyone cannot. Śūdras, those who are in śūdra qualification, how they can understand Vedas? It is not possible.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa knows that mostly they are persons contaminated.

Page Title:Omkara (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:27 of Jun, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=47, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:47