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Omkara (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"om" |"omkara"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 6, 1971:

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (three times with response)

Prabhupāda:

janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ
tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ
tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā
dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi
(SB 1.1.1)

So Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances to satyaṁ param, the Absolute Supreme Truth, not to the relative truth. Everyone has to offer obeisances to somebody. Somebody... In our practical life, at least, we have to offer obeisances to the police constable. When you go on the street, as soon as they, "Stop!" So we have to obey. So how you can avoid obeying? They are saying that "We don't believe in God. God is dead. I am God."

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Bhagavate, "unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Vāsudeva." Vāsudeva means the son of Vasudeva. Even the leader of the impersonalists, namely Śaṅkarācārya, he has accepted that the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī. People may not misunderstand. Just like we give identification by giving the name of father, mother, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's identification is that He is son of Vasudeva or son of Nanda Mahārāja, friend of Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā, lover of Rādhārāṇī. In so many ways He has got hundreds of thousands of names.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

Not that because in this temple Kṛṣṇa is there, He is finished. Just like we are present in this room, not in other room. That means in one room. Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore Bhāgavata is trying to inform you about Kṛṣṇa, beginning janmādy asya... (SB 1.1.1). Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva is Kṛṣṇa, svayaṁ bhagavān. Now, what kind of Vāsudeva? Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). From whom everything is there. What is that everything? Means birth, sustenance, and death—everything you can understand, any material object we can understand by these three symptoms. Just like your body, my body, or everyone's body: it has got a date of birth, it continues to live for some time, and there is annihilation. That is called janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1). Janma ādi. First of all birth, then sustenance, then death. This is three summary. But actually there are six.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- New York, July 6, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Come on. Hm. What is that?

Devotee: Sanskrit.

Prabhupāda: Bhāgavata? So from the very beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).

Pradyumna: (chants oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya and then the verse one word at a time with devotees and Śrīla Prabhupāda repeating until Śrīla Prabhupāda stops him at the word abhijñaḥ.)

Prabhupāda: (chants whole verse one word at a time with devotees repeating) Like that.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

Nature has given us the opportunity now to enquire about the Absolute Truth. And what is that Absolute Truth? Because this is our only enquiry, that "What is the Absolute Truth, or the origin of everything?" Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, first of all the obeisances or the respect is offered to Vāsudeva. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya means "I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa." This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is being presented by Vyāsadeva, the most exalted personality, the guru, Vyāsa guru or Vedavyāsa, for the all advanced spiritually conscious men. The spiritual master is called, therefore, representative of Vyāsa, Vyāsadeva. Therefore, on the birthday of spiritual master, it is said, Vyāsa-pūjā. So this understanding, that Vāsudeva is the origin of everything, is available in human life.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

So if one is fortunate, if one is intelligent, if he accepts Kṛṣṇa's version—Kṛṣṇa says at last, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)—he accepts it. So one who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme source, Absolute Truth, for them, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is there. Here it is beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, means "I offer my respectful obeisances to You, Kṛṣṇa, because I surrender unto You." One who is fortunate, he immediately accepts Kṛṣṇa's version, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but one who is unfortunate or less intelligent, he makes research work for many, many births, and then he will come to the same conclusion, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). So you accept Kṛṣṇa in both ways, either on good faith... As Kṛṣṇa says that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ, "Don't worry.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

And those who are awaiting for chemical examination, they will get it. They will also know, but it will take time.

So in this Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa Himself explains Himself, analytical study, and Vyāsadeva presents Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa." Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Now it is up to you to take it or reject it. That is your business, but things are ready for acceptance. So everyone is searching after what is God. Somebody says, "There is no God." Somebody says, "God is dead." Somebody, "Something, something," but no. God is neither dead nor the action, action that "There is no God"—both of them foolishness. God is not dead; neither we are dead. Because we are part and parcel of God. So if God is alive, then part and parcel are alive.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

Last night we discussed about the origin, source of everything. So it is explained here, namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (SB 1.1.1). This is already ascertained, that Vāsudeva, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Lord is Vāsudeva because He is present everywhere. This evening there was some discussion that God has no particular name, but His names are there on account of His different type of activities. Just like God is present everywhere, therefore His name is Vāsudeva. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that God is within this universe, aṇḍāntara-stham, and not only within the universe, but He is in everyone's heart, and also He is within the atom. Therefore God is unlimited.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

Here in this material world we are struggling for existence, and therefore we are not happy here. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all these rascal engagement; you simply just surrender unto Me." And when we are surrendered, that surrender is oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. That means "Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, I accept Your proposal. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You." Then begin your loving service to render to Kṛṣṇa, and gradually you will get instruction from within, "You do like this, you do like this, you do like this." So it is not difficult for anyone. It is very simple thing. And what is that simple thing? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), means "Always think of Me, man-manāḥ. You just become My devotee." Unless one is devotee he cannot always think of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:

He also accepted Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I am surrendered unto You, my dear Kṛṣṇa. I have become Your disciple. Please teach me."

So this is the Vedic process. This is the Vedic process. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Janmādy asya yataḥ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). So the... If you, instead of making speculation, if you simply surrender to Vyāsadeva, his writings, śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte, then the result will be kiṁ vā paraiḥ: you do not require to study any other literature. The result will be, if you surrender to the study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that Īśvara, the supreme controller, sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate... Īśvara is already there, but here it is used, the word avarudhyate, "He is locked up." He wants to be locked up. Kṛṣṇa, Paramātmā, He wants to be, but we don't care.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to understand the Absolute Truth as the ultimate issue. That means to understand the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Person.

Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is describing the Absolute Truth in the beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva. He appeared as the son of Vasudeva, but spiritually, unless one becomes on the position of vasudeva, nobody can understand Vāsudeva. Vasudeva is the name of śuddha-sattva, pure goodness. Not contaminated goodness. Here in this material world there are three types of status: goodness, passion, and ignorance. So ignorance and passion, they're simply material. The symptom of ignorance and passion is greediness and lust. Above this greediness and lust there is another platform, which is Vedānta platform—to understand everything clearly. That is called goodness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You are suffering; you simply surrender unto Me."

So what Kṛṣṇa says, the Bhāgavata also says the same thing. Bhāgavata begins, paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi: "The Supreme, I offer my respect to the Supreme." Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya: "I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Vāsudeva." Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa. So saṁsāriṇāṁ karuṇayāha purāṇa-guhyam. Purāṇa. Purāṇa means, sometimes the Māyāvādīs, they say these Purāṇas are stories. No. They are not stories. It comes from the Purāṇa. Purāṇa means filling up, supplementary, to complete it. Purāṇas, they are not out of the Vedic literatures. Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Purāṇa, they are all belonging to the Vedic literature. Especially Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is called Mahā-Purāṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

So this is called purāṇa-guhyam because in this Purāṇa you won't find any recommendation for worshiping any other demigod. Simply satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). Only the absolute. Satyaṁ param. The ultimate Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Saṁsāriṇāṁ karuṇayāha purāṇa-guhyam. He first of all spoke Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to, being compassionate to the people suffering from these material pangs. Taṁ vyāsa-sūnum upayāmi guruṁ munīnām. Guruṁ munīnām. "He's not only my guru, but he is guru, spiritual master, of great sages and saintly persons." Even Vyāsadeva also considered his son greater than himself. When Śukadeva Gosvāmī appeared in the assembly where many saintly persons were present at the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, so at the time all the munis stood up to receive him. All the munis. Even there was Vyāsadeva, he also stood up.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

These prayers, although it is in Sanskrit language, simply by hearing, the effect is made by the vibration. They're symbolical representation of the Supreme Spirit. Just like you are acquainted with the oṁkāra, om, that is also an alphabetical representation. But the sound, oṁkāra, has a specific significance. So, even sometimes you do not understand the meaning, by hearing the vibration you will be benefited.

There was a meeting in the Naimiṣāraṇya. Naimiṣāraṇya is a place in northern India. Still that Naimiṣāraṇya is still existing. There is a railway station of the name Nimsar. So formerly, at least five thousand, six thousand years before, all the sages and saintly persons used to gather there and perform ritualistic rituals or discuss on the matter of spiritual progress.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974:

Not at all. Simply you have to agree. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). And as soon as in the morning you see the sunshine, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." As soon as in the evening you see the moonshine, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." And what to speak of when the Vedic reciters, brāhmaṇas, are chanting, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam..., in the morning, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is oṁkāra." In this way you simply think of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and your life will be successful.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

The quality or..., the quality has been polished, but actually the human civilization has not improved, because the quality... Eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is given special stress, but not to the point of, goal of life, reaching Viṣṇu, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paranaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayo. That we have neglected.

Therefore, at the present moment we are not happy. This social system, observing the varṇāśrama-dharma, was so perfectly made as the king would see that they are actually being executed. In that way people were very, very happy, even in this material life, because everyone was confident that he was making progress to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is human civilization. But the aim was Viṣṇu.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

So this is the material nature. Therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita advises, san-nimitte varaṁ tyāgo vināśe niyate sati: "If you are actually religious, then don't spoil your money for sense gratification." Use it for sat karyam. Sat karya means for service of Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ tat sat paraṁ brahma. San-nimi. San-nimitte varaṁ tyāgo vināśe niyate sati. That is Vedic civilization. If money comes, you don't hate it. Welcome. But it should be used properly. That is proper use. If you use properly your money, then you make your path parapavarga, clear. And if you misuse your money, then you become again entangled in the 8,400,000's of species of life.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

The jñānīs, they are interested in Brahman realization, and the yogis, they are interested in... (break) ...realization cannot be continued if you do not realize the other two things, namely Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Cit and ānanda. Simply realization of sat, oṁ tat sat, will not satisfy you because you are part and parcel of the sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Vigraha means form. So you are also form. Because you are part and parcel of the form, therefore you have got a form. The form may be different in the material world. Kṛṣṇa therefore claims all forms. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). Sarva-yoniṣu. There are different, 8,400,000 forms of living entities, and Kṛṣṇa claims, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ, "As many forms are there," tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the seed-giving father."

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:

Otherwise, please excuse me. Don't tell me, don't give me instructions." This is eagerness, a five-year-old boy, "I must see God. If you can give me some clue how I find out God then talk. Otherwise excuse." This is seriousness. Then this mantra was given to Dhruva Mahārāja: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. So he, by that eagerness, within six months he saw Kṛṣṇa.

So it is possible. One has to accept the proper person who can let him know what is God. And if he is determined, then it is not difficult. But when you see God, what is your next business? Suppose you see God, what you will do? The business is to ask God, "Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." That is wanted. When Nṛsiṁha-deva was seen by Prahlāda Mahārāja, He wanted to give him. Actually his father was dead, he was to be king, so Prahlāda Mahārāja was offered, "Anything you want. You have suffered for Me so much.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

The whole aim of life is to achieve the favor of Viṣṇu. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is the Ṛg-Veda mantra. To reach Viṣṇu. But they do not know the goal of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know. Anyone, or any society who does not know the aim of life, they are in the darkness. Actually, at the present moment especially, the whole human society has missed the point. They are trying to be happy by material adjustment. By social adjustment, by political adjustment, by economic adjustment, or by religious adjustment, they are trying to make the whole human society happy, but Bhāgavata says, durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. This is something which is beyond the fulfillment of hopes. This hope will never be fulfilled. Durāśayā. Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Because they have accepted the external energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bahir-artha.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

So the sun is our eyes, actually. Not only this planet, all the planets within this universe. Therefore it is said in the Brahma..., yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. The gāyatrī-mantra, gāyatrī-mantra, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, that is worshiping the sun, sun-god, savitā, savitṛ. So, yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. Rājā samasta-grahāṇām. Just like there is king, president, similarly, the sun planet is the king of all planets. (aside:) Those who are standing, they can stand near the wall; don't block. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-sura-mūrtiḥ. All the demigods, they are worshiping. This gāyatrī-mantra... Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ. Unlimited temperature, unlimited temperature.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

They worshiped Him to become free from material conditions. Whoever follows such sages is also eligible for liberation from the material world."

So, in the beginning, there was no impersonalists or voidists. These are later additions. In the Vedas it is stated oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. It is a Vedic mantra. Sūrayaḥ, those who are great sages, they're always looking forward to see the lotus feet of Viṣṇu, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. So, in another Vedic mantra there is:

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

And out of that twenty-five percent, mostly they are fruitive actors. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3).

So, in this fallen age, they have manufactured so many things. But actually in the beginning, agre, in the beginning—agre means in the beginning—all the sages, they worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Bhejire munayo 'thāgre bhagavantam. There are... Absolute Truth is manifested in three phases: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11). So Bhagavān is the last word in the Absolute Truth. So here it is said they did not worship Brahman or Paramātmā; they worshiped directly bhagavantam adhokṣajam. Adhokṣajam.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

We are relative. Relative truth. On the existence of the Absolute Truth, we are existing, but we have no independent existence, neither we have got independent knowledge. We are all dependent. The independent knowledge, Absolute Truth, is Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. That is the beginning of Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore, bhejire munayo 'thāgre bhagavantam adhokṣajam. Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, beyond the sense perception. This impersonal concept of the Absolute Truth is in negation of the material duality. But that is not absolute knowledge. Absolute knowledge is that when we reach bhagavantam adhokṣajam. Sattvaṁ viśuddham. His existence is viśuddha, not contaminated. Our existence in this material existence, this is not viśuddha. This is contaminated by the modes of material nature. But His existence is viśuddha.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Somebody's coming to kill me?" That is explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja: sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). The living entities in this material world, they are full of anxieties. Why? Asad-grahāt. Why? Because they have accepted something which will not exist. Asad-grahāt. There are two things: asat and sat. So oṁ tat sat. Paraṁbrahma Bhagavān, He's sat. And this material world, asat. Asat means "that which does not exist."

So because we have accepted this material body, asad-grahāt, therefore we must be always in anxiety. This is the law. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām, dehinām. One who has accepted this material body, he must be full of anxiety. He may be the King of heaven, Indra, or he may be a small ant in the stool. It doesn't matter. Everyone is full of anxiety. So Prahlāda Mahārāja recommended that when his father asked him: "What is the best thing, my dear boy, you have learned?" He explained, "My dear father..." He did not say "father."

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

That is religion. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is religion. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Dharma, here it is said that it should be given by Vāsudeva, or it must be approved by Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeva means son of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. So oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

So either you perform dharma, either you perform yajña, either you study Vedas, either you work, whatever you do, it must be targeted—the ultimate goal should be Vāsudeva. Then it is perfect. In many places it is explained. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). You may accept any kind of dharma. It doesn't matter. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. But the perfection, how you are becoming perfect in executing your dharma, will be tested how far you have satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Therefore in the, from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from the beginning, Vyāsadeva offers his obeisances to the Supreme, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "I am just offering my obeisances unto the Supreme Absolute Truth, who is the source of everything." And in the beginning he also writes, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Then he aims Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa. But he explains philosophically what Kṛṣṇa is: janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). "Kṛṣṇa, the Vāsudeva, is the original source of everything." Janmādy asya yataḥ. That is the Vedānta philosophy.

So under instruction of Nārada he... So Nārada says that "If you do not, I mean to say, cent percent simply be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it will be faulty. I admit that you have mentioned something about Kṛṣṇa's activities in other literatures like Mahābhārata and other Purāṇas, but that will not do."

Lecture on SB 1.5.36 -- Vrndavana, August 17, 1974:

Is there any land within this universe where there is no sunshine, moonshine? Everywhere. So where is the difficulty to become Kṛṣṇa conscious? You are practicing meditation. Why not this simple meditation? "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is light, here is Kṛṣṇa. Oh, here is Vedic study. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam." Or oṁkāra. Oṁkāra sarva-vedeṣu. (break) If you, as soon as you get a nice flower, you smell it, Kṛṣṇa says, "That fragrance I am." You can remember Kṛṣṇa. So any part of the world, anywhere. You may be whatever you are.

Another point is as soon as you try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your purification begins immediately. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If you simply remember or say that "I have heard it from my spiritual master or from a saintly person, that while drinking water, that taste is Kṛṣṇa. So you accept it," this is preaching. This is preaching.

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

Nowadays meditation has become a fashion, but meditation is described in the Vedic literature, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they meditate, dhyānāvasthita. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, the mind becomes fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tad-gatena. Tat means transcendental Absolute Truth, oṁ tat sat. So tad-gatena manasā, mind being... Our mind is very restless, so it is very difficult. Five thousand years ago, when Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna to concentrate his mind, meditate, or meditate upon Supersoul, so Arjuna frankly admitted that it was not possible for him. He said to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are advising. That is nice. But it is not possible for me." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham (BG 6.34). "Mind is so restless, just like wind blowing. So to capture the mind, to make him pacified, it is very difficult job. I don't think I shall be able to do it." Arjuna refused.

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

Prabhupāda together with devotees: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Nitāi: (recites verse word for word with devotees responding; then line by line twice with devotees responding)

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād
bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje
lokasyājānato vidvāṁś
cakre sātvata-saṁhitām
(SB 1.7.6)

(break) "The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyāsadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth."

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1976:

Vidvān. Vaiṣṇava is always vidvān. Vid means knowledge and vān means one who has knowledge. That is called vidvān. Vidvān. So Vyāsadeva, he's known as Veda-vyāsa. He's the giver of Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is not given by him. The Vedic knowledge is given by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, He gave the knowledge to Lord Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. Ādi-kavi, the original learned person. Just like this modern nonsense theory that there was in the beginning no life. But that is nonsense. In the beginning there was Brahmā, the most learned person.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1976:

That is Vedic knowledge. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is Vedic knowledge. To understand the Supreme Lord, the original person. That is the end of Vedic knowledge. So that Vedic knowledge is presented in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and therefore in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Vyāsadeva offers his respectful obeisances, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva is the origin. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). One who has known that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti, "Vāsudeva is everything," sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. He's not only ordinary mahātmā, he is su-durlabhaḥ. Durlabhaḥ means "very rare," and when you add this word su, it is "very, very difficult." Su-durlabhaḥ. That kind of mahātmā... (aside:) You sit down properly. Who is that man? You sit down properly. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).

Lecture on SB 1.7.8 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1976:

Prabhupāda: He's not here? Paṇḍita? Where he is?

Hari-śauri: Oh, he's here.

Prabhupāda: Read it. (hums)

Pradyumna: (chants oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya) Yasyām?

Prabhupāda: No, that is finished. Number three. Number eight.

Lecture on SB 1.7.20-21 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1976:

He was not working in a laboratory, finding out so many chemicals to make an atomic nuclear weapon. Simply water. You see. Here it is said, atha upaspṛśya salilam. Just like we do, oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṁ gato 'pi. Then if we do it properly, then it has got immense potency. Immense potency. Don't think it is childish, it is formality. No. Just see here. Atha upaspṛśya salilaṁ sandadhe tat samāhitaḥ. This is wanted. Samāhita, completely in trance. This is the process. So these things are required, how to become samāhita, samādhi-stha, in trance. If we take it as childish play, formality, then it will act, but it will take long time. But if you do it properly, you'll be quickly successful. In one life you'll be successful. You don't require to wait.

Lecture on SB 1.7.28-29 -- Vrndavana, September 25, 1976:

"You release this saṁhārāstra," how to counteract. Unnaddham astra-jñaḥ. Unnaddham: "You know better than him how to counteract." Hy astra-tejasā: "By another..." (break) ...different astras are released by different expert military men. So that science is not yet discovered. By mantra. Just like here it is said that he took water, āpaḥ. Spṛṣṭvāpas taṁ parikramya. Āpaḥ. Just like we take, oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāsvasthāṁ gato 'pi vā. Similarly, mantra and water can be utilized for very, very important purpose. Simply mantra and water. So this is the science. This is called subtle science, not gross. They have discovered this atomic weapon—they require so many chemicals. But when you come to the higher stage, subtle, then mantra and water will do. Nothing more. No more chemicals. Simply mantra and water. That is yet you have to learn.

But these things are there in the Vedas. If you are a serious student of Veda you can also learn, you can also fight like Arjuna. There is no difficulty.

Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

There is no difficulty. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. This is the simple process. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). This is for ordinary class of men. But if you think that you are very advanced in learning, in Vedic literature, and Vedic mantras, yes, then Kṛṣṇa says, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. That praṇava-oṁkāra, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. That praṇava is Kṛṣṇa. Praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu.

So either you become a highly learned scholar in Vedic literature or you are simply an ordinary person, you can think of Kṛṣṇa and you become successful in your life. There is no difficulty. Raso 'ham. If you are ordinary person... Any, every, every person drinks water or drinks something. Let him immediately think of, as soon as he tastes, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. A flower, a rose flower, very fragrant. As soon as you smell you can remember Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, this smell is Kṛṣṇa." Actually, that is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Devotees: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Devotees: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Devotees: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Prabhupāda: (leads Sanskrit word-for-word with devotees responding) This is a prayer offered by Kuntī to Kṛṣṇa. After finishing the battle of Kurukṣetra, when Kṛṣṇa was leaving for His own kingdom, Dvārakā, at that time He went to take blessings from Kuntī. Kuntī happened to be Kṛṣṇa's aunt, father's sister. So He went to take leave from aunt. At that time Kuntī offered this prayer. Kuntī, although she knew that Kṛṣṇa is her nephew, brother's son, but still she knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974:

So struggle is going on. So therefore this word is used, that you are struggling in this material world so much, even beginning from your life. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Asat. The spiritual world is called sat. Oṁ tat sat. So we should transfer ourself to the spiritual world. Asato mā gama, sad gama. Asato mā sad gama. This is the Vedic injunction. "Don't keep yourself in this asat." Asat means bad. Asat means which will not exist. That is called asat. Asad-grahāt. So because we have accepted this asat, grahāt, with very great eagerness, that "We shall become very happy; we shall live here very happily," therefore there is all... Actually there is no happiness. Suppose if you get some money all of a sudden, actually this is also asat, because when you did not get money, you were anxious to get it, and as soon as you get it, how to preserve it? "Shall I keep it in the bank?

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So jñāne prayāsam udapā..., namanta eva. And what is the next business? San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. One should hear bhavadīya-vārtām, the message of Kṛṣṇa, from a realized soul, not a professional man. A realized soul. San-mukharitām. Sat. Oṁ tat sat. That same, again. That is the way. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended, bhāgavata paro giya bhāgavata sthāne.(?) Don't go and hear Bhāgavata-saptāha by a professional man. That is useless waste of time. If you want to learn about Bhāgavata, then bhāgavata paro giya bhāgavata sthāne-realized soul. Grantha-bhāgavata and... That is the recommendation of Brahmā, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted it.

Lecture on SB 1.8.50 -- Los Angeles, May 12, 1973:

Pradyumna: Nama om... (recites praṇāma mantras) The first part of this verse, the first half of this verse, naino rājñaḥ prajā-bhartur dharma-yuddhe vadho dviṣām iti, this is a statement or an injunction of śāstra, that for the killing, or the vadha, dviṣām, of the enemies, dharma-yuddhe, in religious fight, rājñaḥ prajā-bhartur, of a king who is maintaining his citizens He has to maintain his citizens. So if there is some danger, then he has to eliminate the enemy.

Prabhupāda: What is religious fight? Religious fight means you have got right to kill your aggressor. If somebody takes your property, if somebody sets fire in your house, if somebody kidnaps your wife, or somebody is trying to kill you, they are called aggressor. So aggressor should be killed immediately. It is not that somebody has become an aggressor, and if I say, "Now I have become a Vaiṣṇava, I'll not be violent. I shall tolerate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us to be tolerant like the tree or the grass. So I shall become tolerant. Let him do." Just like Gandhi used to say. Somebody questioned him that "If somebody comes and violates the chastity of your daughter in your presence, what will you do?" He said, "I shall remain nonviolent." But that is not śāstric injunction. This is foolishness.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:

The, all bogus. Therefore Bhāgavata says: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). This so-called cheating type of religious system is kicked out in Bhāgavatam. Real dharma. What is that real dharma? Paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. Namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. This is dharma. Namo bhagavate vāsu... Beginning. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, Vyāsadeva is offering respect. Why? Now satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi. He is the Supreme Truth. What is that Supreme Truth? Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That Supreme Truth from whom everything emanates. And this is confirmed in the Bhāgavatam, uh, Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). This is confirmed. The Vedānta-sūtra gives hint that the Absolute Truth, Brahman, is that which is the original source of all emanations. That is Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is Brahman? Brahman means the original source of everything. So this is the Vedānta-sūtra.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

Therefore the Vedas are called śruti. San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. This is recommended, that Kṛṣṇa's kathā should be heard from the realized source. San-mukharitām. Sat means devotee. Sat. Oṁ tat sat. San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. Then sthāne sthitāḥ, you can remain in your place. It doesn't matter whether you are a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or American or Indian or... It doesn't matter. You keep yourself in your position. Simply go there. Where these things are discussed authoritatively, you hear. Śruti-gatām. Śruti-gatām. Śruti means the ear. You just give the aural reception of the words of realized soul. San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtāṁ sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatām. You can keep yourself... It doesn't require that you have to change your position. Simply you have to hear from the right source.

Lecture on SB 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973:

Not like animals, unrestricted. Animals are also restricted. So vaidha-avaidha. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has strongly restricted that: "Don't associate with these rascals. Asat." Asat means those who are interested in material affairs. Asato mā sad gama. The Vedic injunction. That is Vedic injunction: sad gama. Just try to make progress towards sat. Oṁ tat sat. Don't be interested in asat. Asato mā sad gama. Jyotir gama. So these are the Vedic injunctions.

So because these Pāṇḍavas and their families were all sat by association of Kṛṣṇa, therefore they were all perplexed within their mind, that "Kṛṣṇa is going back to His home. How we shall live? How we can give up Kṛṣṇa?" Those who are actually devotee of Kṛṣṇa, they cannot give up Kṛṣṇa at any risk. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, and the Haridāsa Ṭhākura in this Navadvīpa area.

Lecture on SB 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

Then there is guarantee that you don't degrade yourself; you get higher status of life in the higher planetary system: Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka. Then you will get... But if you keep yourself as it is, then you will remain in this planetary system. This is called bhūr-loka. Bhūr-loka. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat-savituḥ. You have gāyatrī-mantra. This is called bhū-loka. Bhuvar-loka. Then, above this, there is bhuvar-loka; then, above this, the heavenly planets. There is system. And if you keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, or foolishness, then you go down. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). Jaghanya-guṇa. Tāmasika means abominable character. The abominable character means these four things: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. This is tamo-guṇa, exhibition of tamo-guṇa. So, if you continue to keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, then you are going to become adhaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

And balance months and years he has to die. Simply he has to wait for that death. So this kind of duration of life is called asat. And this kind of existence, the material existence, it also asat. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore sings, sat-saṅga chāḍi' kainu asate vilāsa, te-kāraṇe lāgila ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa. "I gave up sat-saṅga, oṁ tat sat, spiritual society. I associated myself with the material society. Therefore I am now entangled by karma by karma, one after another, one after another."

So spiritual realization is difficult for persons, asadbhiḥ. Why it is difficult? Viṣayātmabhiḥ. Because they are simply attracted by the four principles of material life: eating, sleeping, sex life and, one day, death. They cannot. One must be above this interest. One must be very sane man, that "These kinds of interests are there in the animals. So if I am also interested in only these things, then where is the difference between this dog and me?" Something more.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

Aśoṣya, it cannot be dried up by air. Acchedya, it cannot be cut into pieces. These things are there. So we are firmly convinced that in the sun planet there is also living entity, and the king or the president there is called Vivasvān, his name is Vivasvān. And our gāyatrī-mantra is worshiping the sun planet. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. So this is the Vedic conception. Every planet there is king, and the king's duty is to see that everyone is executing his professional occupational duty.

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit also, he used to go for examining. Therefore it is said, digvijaye kvacit. Not that at a particular time he went out to, for touring. But he was going, say, yearly, or six-monthly. And one of his tour he found that a person dressed like a king was attempting to kill cows, and he punished him. So this is the statement.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1974:

Because in this age our activities are all sinful, lower grade. Therefore you cannot expect higher-grade life. That is not possible. Higher grade life you can get. You can go in the higher planetary systems. You can get long duration of life, better comforts, better nice body. There are arrangement. Svargaloka. Bhūr bhuva... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi... This is gāyatrī. There are three lokas: bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. So svaḥ, heavenly, they've no some information, there is heavenly planet. Actually there is. There are... Svargaloka is not so very comfortable. Above the Svargaloka there is Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka, like that, seven lokas. So who will go there? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you are situated in the modes of goodness, then you can be promoted to the higher planetary systems. And madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ, and if you are in the modes of passion, then you'll remain within this bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, three worlds.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- New York, April 10, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Feeling all right?

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Mantra?

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhaga...

Prabhupāda: Not this. First of all Īśopaniṣad. Yes. Īśopaniṣad. (devotees and Prabhupāda chant together Invocation and first two mantras of Īśopaniṣad (Īśo mantra 1, Īśo mantra 2) That's all. That's all. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Now oṁ namo bhagavate, chant.

Devotees: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Prabhupāda: Yes? (Prabhupāda leads devotees in chanting SB 2.1.1-5)

Prabhupāda: Again from the beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. So we have got new book, The First Step in God-Realization. Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: First, Invocation. (devotees repeating each word) Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo vāsudeva. Text one. (devotees repeating)

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1970:

Prabhupāda: First, Invocation. (devotees repeating each word) Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo vāsudeva. Text one. (devotees repeating)

śrī-śuka uvāca
varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ
kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa
ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ
śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ
(SB 2.1.1)
Now you recite independently. Oṁ namo bhagavate.

Devotees: (recite oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya and the verse.)

Prabhupāda: Very good. All right. Again.

(devotees repeat)

Prabhupāda: This last line, it is śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ.

Devotees: Śrotavyādiṣu...

Prabhupāda: Diṣu, short. Śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Now chant independently.

Devotees: (recite oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya and the verse.)

Prabhupāda: Again. (devotees repeat) Very good. So read the translation. Yes.

Gargamuni: First with the Invocation?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: Translation: "O my Lord, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You."

Prabhupāda: Purport. Go on.

Gargamuni: Purport. "Vāsudevāya means to Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva. As by chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, one can achieve all the good results of charity, austerity, and penances, so by the chanting of this mantra, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, it is to be understood that the author or the speaker or any one of the readers of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam offer respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of all pleasure.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1970:

So this om means addressing the Lord. In the all the Vedic mantras they are addressing. Our this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, mahā-mantra, that is also addressing. Hare, Hare, addressing the energy of the Lord, Harā. The energy is Harā, Rādhā, Sītā. So when a female is addressed, it is like that: Hare, Late, Sīte, Rādhe. So Hare means addressing first, first of all the energy. The impersonalists, they do not know this, this addressing first of all Kṛṣṇa's energy. We Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, we don't worship Kṛṣṇa alone, ekala-vāsudeva. No. We must worship Kṛṣṇa along with His energy. Just like Kṛṣṇārjuna, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Arjuna is also energy, living entity, and Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, His internal energy, and marginal energy. So Kṛṣṇa means with His energy. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. This bhagavate means full of energies. I have several times explained bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1970:

It is not like that "beauty but, (?) beauty put." No. If you say "beauty but," then you must say "peauty put." But in English, "beauty but, peauty put." So in Sanskrit language, you cannot do like that. If you have to follow the rules, then the same rule will go on. So bhagavate address, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudevāya. This is the form of, fourth form of, śabda, sound vibration, fourth form. Just like kṛṣṇāya. When I offer something, kṛṣṇāya, viṣṇave. Similarly, bhagavate, vāsudevāya.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Vrndavana, March 18, 1974:

Prabhupāda: Anyone else? Hm? You can speak.

Devotee: This verse indicates that... (break)

Prabhupāda: Hm. Anyone else who will speak? Pradyumna Mahārāja?

Pradyumna: Nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya...

Prabhupāda: Hm. You have to speak. Try to speak.

Pradyumna: This is a continuation of the previous verse. It said that...

Prabhupāda: I have a question now. You are maintaining your institution by the grace of the householders. You are begging. So how you can condemn householders? If the householders do not become your life members, your institution will be stopped. So how do you condemn the householders?

Lecture on SB 2.1.11 -- Los Angeles, August 1, 1970:

Still more, when he meets or associates with his Lord, still more blissfulness. That is the position of the theist devotee. Whereas the atheist nondevotee, he's always feeling like a strike of the chisel, like what do you call? Stone cutting chisel. Nakha. Nakhālaye. Simply by the nails of His finger. All right. Where is that book? Now this Bhāgavatam. Yes. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (with devotees-begins with chanting of verses S.B. 2.1.1 through 2.1.10) Then text number 11. (chanting responsively)

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

They cannot follow the prohibit.

But so far our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there, we are not like that māyāvādī-sannyāsa. Our sannyāsīs completely devote life for serving Kṛṣṇa. Sannyāsa. Sannyāsa means sat, nyāsa. Nyāsa means to give up. And sat, oṁ tat sat, the Absolute Truth. So for the service of the Absolute, Kṛṣṇa, we give up all family life. Family life means to give up the whole world, because people are struggling hard just to maintain the family.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1 -- Los Angeles, May 19, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: All right, take it. Begin.

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, (etc. leads chanting of verse and synonyms:)

śrī-śuka uvāca
evam etan nigaditaṁ
pṛṣṭavān yad bhavān mama
nṛṇāṁ yan mriyamāṇānāṁ
manuṣyeṣu manīṣiṇām
(SB 2.3.1)

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: "Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as you have inquired from me as to the duty of the intelligent man who is on the threshold of death, so I have answered you."

Prabhupāda: (interrupts the chanting of the śloka) Repeat once, twice more. (chanting resumes) Next? Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja, you can.

Lecture on SB 2.3.10 -- Los Angeles, May 28, 1972:

I'm so rascal, I cannot accept." Just see. "I am kṣatriya. Your, this brahminical instruction will not be accepted by me. So if you can give me any mantra by which I can see the Supreme Lord, just talk of that. I want to see Him." Then Nārada Muni saw, "Oh, he's so determined, he's not going back." Then he gave him: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. "Chant this." And he saw Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, within six months. He was so determined. But when Kṛṣṇa offered him, "Now, you ask Me whatever you like. You can take from Me. You have undergone such severe austerities. You can take." So he was sorry. "Oh..." Now, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). "My dear Lord, I have no more any desire. I don't want anything. I have got everything. Not only everything, more than everything. I have seen You. So I don't want anything."

Lecture on SB 2.3.15 -- Los Angeles, June 1, 1972:

The chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is the business of liberated soul, not for the conditioned soul. But even in our conditioned life, we chant, we become gradually purified.

Therefore it is recommended that everyone should chant. Never mind. Nama oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam. Anyone who remembers the Puṇḍarīkākṣa. By chanting, you'll remember. So nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhāt (SB 10.1.4). It is the medicine for our, this bhava-roga, repeated birth and ... Such a nice thing. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. Not only it is medicine ... Medicine is always bitter. But it is not bitter. Mano 'bhirāmāt. It is very pleasing to the mind, to the senses. Otherwise, how we become ecstatic in chanting unless it is pleasing? It is medicine, but pleasing medicine.

Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

That is Vedic knowledge. It gives you right knowledge. You cannot conclude that "Stool of animal is impure, so why this animal's stool can be pure?" No. Vedic knowledge is so perfect that you can accept it as it is and you'll be profited. You'll profit. In the Vedic knowledge, the viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. The supreme goal is Viṣṇu. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. This Ṛg Veda mantra. The, some rascals, scholars, so-called, they say, "These Vedas, these mantras, are some primitive. Now we are advanced. We shall create our own mantra." You see? This is going on. The primitive... Primitive, we have to study. Primitive means very, very old. So whether in the days gone by, people were actually happy or now they are happy?

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

Therefore the Kṛṣṇa's dealing with the gopīs have been described in the middle of Tenth Canto. And nine cantos have been devoted, describe, so that one may understand what is Kṛṣṇa. What is Kṛṣṇa. The beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Begins, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). What is this Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa? Janmādy asya yataḥ. "He the origin of everything." And we, if we take Kṛṣṇa as ordinary person and He's dancing with the gopīs just like ordinary thing, then what Bhāgavata he will understand? He will go to hell. He's deriding, taking Kṛṣṇa very insignificantly. Avajña. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). "These rascals, because I observe My pastimes just like human being, they're accepting Me as human being, ordinary." Mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.25.2 -- Bombay, November 2, 1974:

That should be the only one business.

Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). (aside:) Let them sit down. Upary adhaḥ. Upari adhaḥ. Upari means higher planetary system. There are seven planetary system. This is in the middle. We are in the Bhūrloka. Those who are chanting gāyatrī-mantra, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi... So there are fourteen planetary systems within one universe. So we living entities, we are wandering in different types of forms of body and in different planets. That we are... According to our karma, sometimes down, sometimes up, in this way we are wandering. Therefore śāstra says, "Just like you are wandering in this way, your business is how to become materially happy, how to satisfy your senses. But don't do that. Don't do that." Then? What shall I do? Tasyaiva hetoḥ. "How to understand Kṛṣṇa—for that purpose you should endeavor."

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

Prahlāda Mahārāja immediately replied, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt: (SB 7.5.5) "Yes, I have learned the best thing is that these materialistic persons, who have accepted the asad-vastu..." Sat and asat. Sad gama asato mā: "Don't keep yourself in the asat; go to the sat." Oṁ tat sat. That is the Vedic injunction. So... Material world means asad-vastu. Asad-vastu means not good or which will not stay. Asat. Sat means which exists, and asat means not existing. So in the material world nothing will exist. It exists for some time, temporary. The Māyāvādī philosopher says that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. We Vaiṣṇavas, we do not say mithyā, because God, or the Supreme Brahman, is truth, so there can be anything untruth from the truth. That is not possible. Just like if you prepare something from gold, an earring, that earring is also gold. You cannot say it is something else. So yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. That is the Vedic instruction.

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

Arjuna said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12), he accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Para-brahman, the Supreme Person. So one may say that "Arjuna was friend of Kṛṣṇa; he might have accepted like that." No. He gave evidence that "Vyāsadeva also accepts You. Vyāsadeva also accepts You, 'You are the Para-brahman.' " Vyāsadeva begins the comments on Vedānta-sūtra: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. He begins, janmādy asya yataḥ, paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1).

So if we actually are interested to understand spiritual knowledge, we must approach the representative of ācārya. Pratijāne. And ācārya means who follows Vyāsadeva. Just like Maitreya, dvaipāyana-sakha. Maitreyo bhagavān. He has been addressed as Bhagavān. Of course, the Supreme Bhagavān is Bhaga... Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).

Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:

And how he'll be happy? He cannot become happy by mental concoction. That is not possible. Manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). If one is situated on the mental platform, speculating, he will simply go to the asat. Asat means this material world. Asato mā sad gama. Vedic says, "Don't remain in this asat. Come to the sat. Oṁ tat sat."

So if one is on the mental speculation, manufacturing something for the welfare of the human society, that is not possible. Human society cannot be happy without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's a fact.

Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

If Kṛṣṇa wants to kill somebody, nobody can give protection. It is not possible. And if Kṛṣṇa wants to protect somebody, nobody can kill him. This is the...

So asura and deva, there are two kinds of men. Viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva āsuras tad... It is Vedic injunction. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ... Ṛg-veda mantra. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. This is the Vedic mantra. Sūrayaḥ, those who are learned, advanced people, they look forward for the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu. So this viṣṇu-bhakta... Here it is said, tasya tvaṁ tamasaḥ and andhasya duṣpārasyādya pāragam. If you want to get relief from this duṣpārasya andhasya... We have already tried to understand that this material world is andha, andhakāra. It is simply darkness. Just see, now it is dark. Because the sun is not visible, it is just on the opposite side of the sun, therefore we are in darkness.

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:

So everything is within that, the Absolute Truth.

Now, Devahūti has understood. Therefore she says, ya ādyaḥ bhagavān, "My dear son, Kapiladeva, I know that You are the, the same Supreme Person, Bhagavān." And the Bhagavān is ādyam. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva is ādya. Arjuna, when he understood Bhagavad-gītā, he accepted Kṛṣṇa as all in... Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣam ādyam: (BG 10.12) "You are the Supreme Person, original person." Now, Brahmā says, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. He says that "I worship the original person, Govinda." Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Everywhere you'll find. And the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa says also, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat... (BG 7.7). "I..." Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādir ādiḥ (Bs. 5.1). He has no ādi.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (etc.)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc.) "The Personality of Godhead answered: The yoga system which relates to the Lord and the individual soul, which is meant for the ultimate benefit of the living entity, and which causes detachment from all happiness and distress in the material world, is the highest yoga system."

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

What is that? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Very nice family, brāhmaṇa family. Brāhmaṇa family means Vaiṣṇava family. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa means he must be learned and he must be a Vaiṣṇava. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Viṣṇu. Therefore in every brāhmaṇa house there is viṣṇu-pūjā, Viṣṇu-śālagrāma. Still. From descent, I mean to say, generation, it is coming down. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are supposed to worship Lord Viṣṇu. Not only brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... Śūdra also. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). This is statement of Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Varṇāśrama, the execution of duty in the institution of varṇa and āśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas, what is the meaning? The meaning is viṣṇur ārādhyate, Viṣṇu becomes very pleased. That is varṇāśrama-dharma.

Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:

The process is that you try to hear about kṛṣṇa-kathā. Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Kṛṣṇa-kathā is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. That is kṛṣṇa-kathā. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. About Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, janmādy asya yataḥ... (SB 1.1.1). Speaking about Kṛṣṇa, the original person.

So we have to hear the kṛṣṇa-kathā. This temple, or this center, is open to give chance to the people in general, "Come and hear kṛṣṇa-kathā." The sat-saṅga. This is called sat-saṅga. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). If you hear, gradually... Because we do not hear kṛṣṇa-kathā on account of dirty things in the heart. So we have to cleanse the dirt. That process is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam.

Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:

Then if you are not disturbed by these kāma and lobha, then sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Then you will be pleased, you'll feel happiness, when you are on the sattva-guṇa. And then you have to surpass the sattva-guṇa. Śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. The vasudeva platform. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Then you will understand your relationship with Kṛṣṇa and then you'll be happy.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says to Rūpa Gosvāmī that we are wandering in this way, brahmāṇḍa, whole universe. There are different types, or forms, of body, 8,400,000. And there are millions and trillions of planets, up and down. Oṁ bhūr... Bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka. Then Tala, Atala, Vitala, Pātāla, Rasātala... There are so many planetary systems. Caturdaśa-bhuvana. This universe is called fourteen different planetary systems, and we are wandering in these different planetary systems. If we are pious, then we are promoted to the higher planetary system, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka. There are so many... Siddhaloka. And if we are impious, then we are downtrodden. We go down more and more. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18).

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

Tattva-darśī means who has actually seen the truth. Oṁ tat sat. One who has seen the Supreme Truth. That Supreme Truth is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "You are searching after the truth. You are studying the Vedic literature, Vedānta-darśana. That is very good. But what is the goal of Vedānta-darśana?" Veda means knowledge, and anta means the end, Vedānta, the ultimate knowledge. What is that? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says that "If you are actually studying Vedānta, then ultimately you have to understand Me." Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I understand. I am the knower of Vedānta." So if you hear from Kṛṣṇa what is Kṛṣṇa, that is actually understanding Vedānta. If you do not understand Kṛṣṇa and if you simply advertise yourself Vedāntī, that will not help you.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

If you engage yourself in the devotional service of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, if you enter, then vāsudeve bhagavati. Vāsudeva means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). If you apply yourself, engage yourself in bhakti-yoga, then janayaty āśu vairāgyam, cause and effect. As soon as you engage yourself in devotional service of Vāsudeva under the direction of śāstra and spiritual master, then janayaty āśu vairāgyam. As you are practically experiencing that since you have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement you have no more interest material activities no more interest, that is vairāgya. You are simply meant for service of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.4 -- Bombay, December 16, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of God, He has nothing to do. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samaḥ. Nobody is equal to Him. Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcit: (BG 7.7) "There is nothing superior than Me, the Supreme." In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is said, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). That is the Supreme Truth.

So all the śāstras will say that Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has got different expansions unlimited. Although Kṛṣṇa is one, but He can expand Himself into many, many millions. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta-rūpam. And each rūpam is acting in some universe. Just like at this time, here, you find darkness in Bombay, but the sun is present in all his different phases all over the world. Sun rises in the morning at, say, seven o'clock.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you develop sattva-guṇa, then gradually you can be elevated to the higher planetary system where the demigods live. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. If you are affected by the rajo-guṇa, then the middle planetary system, means bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya. So..., and lower planet, then Tala, Atala, Vitala, Pātāla, Rasātala, Talātala—there are so many down planetary system. There are fourteen planetary system, seven down, seven up.

So this is going on. This is going on. Therefore it is called guṇair vicitrāḥ. All these living entities and their living condition, their mode of life, standard of life, everything, they are simply contamination of the three guṇas: tri-guṇair vicitrāḥ. Sṛjatīṁ sa-rūpāḥ prakṛtiṁ prajāḥ. Sa-rūpāḥ prakṛtim. They are getting this form according to the tendency of the mind, sa-rūpāḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.26.21 -- Bombay, December 30, 1974:

This state, vāsudevākhyam or cittam, always filled up with Vāsudeva consciousness... Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa... Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. So our present position of consciousness is polluted by the three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. Here sattva-guṇa, the mode of goodness, the brahminical qualification... Satyaṁ śamo damaḥ śaucam ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Still it has to be purified. That is called svaccham. Svaccham means completely crystallike clear. Just like we have got experience: If you go into the mid-ocean, you can see within the water very deep, twenty feet, thirty feet, very clear. Those who have gone through a sea, they have experienced. Very clear.

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

Asat. Asat means those who are nondevotees. They are asat. They are asat. Why asat? Because they will remain in this material world. Therefore they are asat. And those who will go to the spiritual, who will be promoted to the spiritual world, back to home, back to Godhead, they are sat, oṁ tat sat, because they are being promoted to the eternal kingdom. That is sat. This is the distinction between asat and sat. Those who will perpetually remain within this material world, they are called asat. The karmīs, jñānīs, and yogis. Yogis, they... Just like... What is that big yogis? That ṛṣi, great ṛṣi?

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

When it is mixed with tamas, tamo-guṇa, then the material creation begins. So similarly, if you directly catch up that sound... The sound is śabda-brahma. Sound is actually spiritual, the Vedic sound om, oṁkāra. Oṁkārāsmi sarva-vedeṣu. So Vedic sound begins: om. So that is a sound. So if we capture that sound and make further progress, śabdād anāvṛtti... In the Vedānta-sūtra it is there, anāvṛtti, no more repetition of birth and death, oṁkāra. If one can chant oṁkāra at the time of death, immediately transferred to the spiritual world, impersonal spiritual effulgence. But if you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then immediately you go to the spiritual planet. These are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Anta-kāle, at the time of death, if you can capture this sound, oṁkāra or Hare Kṛṣṇa... If you capture oṁkāra, then you are transferred to the spiritual sky. As it is said, the sky. Śabdāt... Śabda-mātram abhūt tasmān nabhaḥ. Nabha is sky. So there is a point wherefrom the sky, the material sky, begins and there is spiritual sky.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

This nature, this sky, is temporary. It has got a duration of life, maybe millions and trillions of years, but it is not permanent. It is emanating from the Supreme Lord's breathing period. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). So after this sky, there is another sky, and the sound produced from that sky is oṁkāra and Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is the sound vibration from the spiritual sky. Therefore it is effective immediately. Just like you contact thousands of miles away—somebody is speaking, and you can contact by the sound vibration you catch up with your machine, radio machine—similarly, the sound vibration from the spiritual sky you can also receive. That is Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has described this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, "not of this material sky." Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. Hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, this is not a material sound. And in the Vedānta it is stated, śabdād anāvṛtti. By chanting the spiritual sound... The impersonalists, they chant oṁkāra. Praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. All Vedic mantras are preceded by the spiritual oṁkāra. That oṁkāra... Kṛṣṇa says, akṣarāṇām akāro 'smi. Vedeṣu, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, A, U, M, These are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. So either you vibrate oṁkāra or Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they belong to the spiritual world. This sound does not belong to this material. Material sound, if you chant once, twice, thrice, you will feel disgusted. But spiritual sound, if you chant twenty-four hours, you will never feel disgusted, but you will feel more and more spiritual bliss. That is the difference.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

So we can enter into the spiritual world, the spiritual sky. The spiritual sky is there. Sanātana. That is eternal. Sanātana. Everything eternal there. In the material world they are, everything, temporary, asat. And everything in the spiritual world, that is called sat. Oṁ tat sat. That is spiritual world. So the Vedic injunction is asato mā sad gama: "Try to transcend from this asat, material world, to go to the spiritual world, sat." Oṁ tat sat. That is actually our business. In the human form of life this is the only business: "How to transfer me to the spiritual world." Sanātana. "Because I am sanātana." Jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). Jīva is sanātana, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The jīva is never destroyed after the destruction or annihilation of this body. He is eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So this is our business, that "I am eternal.

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

Prabhupāda: You have got book? (break)

Devotee: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees respond) (break)

Prabhupāda: Word meaning.

Devotee: (leads chanting of synonyms) "The Personality of Godhead said:. My dear mother, O daughter of the King, now I shall explain to you the system of yoga, the object of which is to concentrate the mind. By practicing this system one can become joyful and progressively advance towards the path of the Absolute Truth."

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:

If we can understand God on the transcendental platform, not in this material platform by imagination or speculation—that is not God. One has to understand God on the transcendental platform, śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. On the vasudeva platform we can understand Vāsudeva. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. So here it is advised: tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). The whole business is... Everyone is hankering after happiness. That's a fact. The karmīs, the ordinary workers, fruitive workers... Just like big, big city, they are whole day and night the motorcars going this way and that way, this way and that way... "Whoosh, woosh, woosh, woosh, woosh, woosh, woosh..." Why? For finding out, "Where is happiness? Where is happiness? Where is happiness?" Happiness. But happiness we are not receiving because in this contaminated world happiness is not possible; therefore we have to get out of this body, material body. Then there will be happiness.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Guest (1): Why is Oṁ not figured in your play(?) ? All should come to the banner of Oṁ instead of praying to so many gods. By doing so there would be unity throughout the land.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa says praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, "I am the oṁkāra in all Vedic mantras." Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti. Oṁkāra is as good. That is also Kṛṣṇa. So either you chant oṁkāra or "Kṛṣṇa," there is no difference. But in the śāstras it is recommended that you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, not oṁkāra. So you have to accept śāstra. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu practically demonstrated. He was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam, kṛṣṇaṁ varṇayati, Hare Kṛṣṇa. So we have to follow the śāstra and the great saintly person. Otherwise there is no difference between oṁkāra and Kṛṣṇa. But because śāstra recommends harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21), we have to accept it.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

The jñānis, they are after Brahman realization. So Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). "After many, many births of this Brahman realization or Paramātmā realization, one may come to the platform of realizing the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Who is that Supreme Per...? Vāsudeva, the son of Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeva. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That is mahātmā. One who knows vāsudeva sarvam iti, that mahātmā is required. And if we can serve such mahātmā, then our path of liberation, mukti, will be open. That is stated here. mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). And the other way. One path to mukti, another path is bondage. Two things are there: bondage and mukti. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānās te'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Baddhā means bound up. We are, in our material condition of life, we are bound up tight, hands and legs are bound up.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (5): Swami, what is om?

Prabhupāda: Om is the concentrated name of God.

Guest (5): Can one say om instead of "Kṛṣṇa" and gain the same benefit?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But why instead of Kṛṣṇa? If one Kṛṣṇa is the same, why not Kṛṣṇa? Why stick to om? Om. Om is formless but Kṛṣṇa has got beautiful form, enjoying. And we are addicted to beautiful form. Why something (chuckling) which is not beautiful? Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, akṣarāṇām akāro 'smi: "Amongst the alphabets I am oṁkāra." So Kṛṣṇa says that "I am oṁkāra." So in one sense oṁkāra and Kṛṣṇa the same. But I can see Kṛṣṇa very beautiful and so many things, but I do not see in oṁkāra that thing. Therefore my preference should be to Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I stick to om? Yes.

Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976:

Therefore we have to take shelter of such person who has taken Kṛṣṇa as the only shelter, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā (BG 7.19). We have to take shelter of such mahātmā. Not others. Mad-deva these are the different items, mad-deva-saṅgād guṇa-kīrtanān me. Not that now they have invented that, why Hare Kṛṣṇa, we can chant śivo 'ham, śivo 'ham, om, om, kālī, kālī, durgā. They (are) all nonsense. They are all nonsense. Here bhakti-yoga means, here it is, guṇa-kīrtanān me. Not others. You cannot (indistinct), "This is also good, that is also good." No compromise, kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Just like Gosvāmīs, they said, kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. Not others. Utkīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). These are the instructions. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), not of Śiva, not of Durgā, not of any other demigod. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. Here (indistinct) says, guṇa-kīrtanān me.

Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976:

Even the birds and beasts, you'll find, they are full of anxiety. Why? Asad-grahāt. Because he accepted this material body, which is asat, which is temporary. Asato mā sad gamaḥ. Therefore Vedic injunction is, "Don't stay in this material existence. Come to the spiritual existence, sat." Oṁ tat sat. This is the civilization, not to keep the people in ignorance and flatter them that "You are making very good advance." There is no advance unless one is interested in spiritual life. There is no... Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). In this way we are wandering within this universe in different forms of life, in different planets, in different social positions, in so many varieties.

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

Yogis' meditation means to see Viṣṇu mūrti. That is wanted. But they are impersonalists: "Viṣṇu is māyā. Why shall I think of Viṣṇu? Let me see some light." What is that nonsense light? That is also māyā. So what is the wrong there, instead of seeing the light if you see the Viṣṇu form? "No, the light is good. Oṁ is good." But when there is question of personal meditation, they protest.

Therefore tad-vijñānarthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). In order to learn everything very clearly, he must have the shelter of a bona fide guru. Ādau gurvāśrayam. If we want release from all this disturbance of the material world, then the first and foremost thing is ādau gurvāśrayam.

Lecture on SB 5.6.6 -- Vrndavana, November 28, 1976:

This māyā is criminal department, and Vaikuṇṭha is civil department. Vaikuṇṭha means there is no anxiety, and māyā means always anxiety. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Because we accepted the jurisdiction of māyā, they are asad-grahāt. Asato mā sad gamaḥ. Therefore the Vedic instruction is, "Don't remain in this asat." Oṁ tat sat. "Go to the real life." Jyotir gama. "Don't remain in the darkness." This is Vedic instruction.

So anyone who has accepted this material world as very comfortable... It is not comfortable; it is simply suffering. Kṛṣṇa says, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). And still, if we want to be happy in this material world, bahir-artha-māninaḥ. These fools, they are trying to be happy within this material world. Material means external energy. Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31).

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (chants three times with devotees responding) (chants verse word for word with devotees responding:)

adhuneha mahā-bhāga
yathaiva narakān naraḥ
nānogra-yātanān neyāt
tan me vyākhyātum arhasi
(SB 6.1.6)

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī... The whole Bhāgavata is talking between the spiritual master and the disciple. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the spiritual master, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit, king, is the disciple. At the time of his death he had only seven days remaining. He was aware that only seven days remaining. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit left his kingdom and sat down on the bank of the Ganges, and fortunately his spiritual master also came.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Six, Chapter One, verse number six. (devotees repeat)

adhuneha mahā-bhāga
yathaiva narakān naraḥ
nānogra-yātanān neyāt
tan me vyākhyātum arhasi
(SB 6.1.6)

Adhuna—"just now"; mahā-bhāga—"O the most fortunate." Parīkṣit Mahārāja is addressed as mahā-bhāga. Mahā means great, and bhāga, the same bhāga from the word bhaga, bhāga. Bhagavān and bhāgyavān, mahā-bhāga—these terms are applicable to the very, very great fortunate, opulent. Actually Bhagavān, this word, is applicable to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā, you will find, whenever Kṛṣṇa is speaking, Vyāsadeva has written, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Real Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Everyone has got little fortune, opulence, but nobody is comparable with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: "Real Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa," The supreme controller.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

And in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, śabdāt anāvṛttiḥ. As from the sound the whole material existence has come into being, similarly, from sound also, you can go back to the spiritual existence. So this sound vibration... The oṁkāra is also the same sound as..., om, but this is easier, Hare Kṛṣṇa. You cannot have so ecstasy by vibrating om, but because it was chanted by the greatest authority, Lord Caitanya, it has got special power. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). The scriptures indicate that we have to follow the footprints of great authorities. Tarko apratiṣṭham. You cannot come to the right conclusion simply by arguing. You may be a very good logician and you can argue very nicely, but another man, he may be a greater logician than you. He can nullify all your arguments. There is possibility. So tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (chants twice with devotees responding) (chants verse word for word with devotees responding:)

na ced ihaivāpacitiṁ yathāṁhasaḥ
kṛtasya kuryān mana-ukta-pāṇibhiḥ
dhruvaṁ sa vai pretya narakān upaiti
ye kīrtitā me bhavatas tigma-yātanāḥ
(SB 6.1.7)

So last week we discussed Parīkṣit Mahārāja's sympathy with the suffering humanity. This is Vaiṣṇava. The Vaiṣṇava, or devotee, he is the perfect sympathizer for all suffering humanity. Others' sympathy is not perfect. They are planning so many things—opening hospitals or charitable dispensaries, schools, lunatic asylum. These are all public sympathetic activities. But they are not... They are, of course, good to some extent. If a man is suffering from the bodily ailments, if he is given some relief in the hospital, or if the society is not educated, give him education, this is all good work undoubtedly. But the ultimate good work is not known to them.

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Honolulu, May 11, 1976:

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, First Chapter, verse number ten. (devotees repeat)

kvacin nivartate 'bhadrāt
kvacic carati tat punaḥ
prāyaścittam atho 'pārthaṁ
manye kuñjara-śaucavat
(SB 6.1.10)

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he said that everyone in this material world know what is, to some extent at least, or to his capacity, knows "This is right" or "This is wrong." May not be very advanced in knowledge, but something they know, "This is right; this is wrong."

So criminality we have described. Everyone knows "This is not good," but he is punished. Again he does that. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja said, "What is the use of this atonement?" He further explains in this verse that kvacin nivartate abhadrāt. Abhadra means unclean, wrong things. Bhadra means right thing. Bhadra and abhadra. In India bhadra means gentleman and abhadra means uncivilized man. So sometimes he does like gentlemen and sometimes like foolish rascal. Kvacin nivartate 'bhadrāt kvacic carati tat punaḥ (SB 6.1.10).

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- Honolulu, May 12, 1976:

Prabhupāda: (devotees repeat) Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Six, Chapter, One, verse number 12.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Eleven?

Prabhupāda: Thirteen? Eh?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Eleven?

Prabhupāda: Eleven. No, eleven I have discussed. Yes. You have got eleven there?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Hari-śauri: We did ten yesterday.

Prabhupāda: All right. (devotees repeat)

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Honolulu, May 13, 1976:

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Devotees: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Prabhupāda: So, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Six, Chapter One, text number twelve. (devotees repeat)

nāśnataḥ pathyam evānnaṁ
vyādhayo abhibhavanti hi
evaṁ niyamakṛd rājan
śanaiḥ kṣemāya kalpate
(SB 6.1.12)

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is explaining how to become perfect gentleman. That is culture. If we do not accept education, culture, then where is the difference between a man and dog? There is no difference. So the Vedic civilization means everything under rules and regulation. That is Vedic civilization. Animal cannot be brought under rules and regulations.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Honolulu, May 14, 1976:
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Texts number thirteen and fourteen.
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
deha-vāg-buddhijaṁ dhīrā
dharmajñāḥ śraddhayānvitāḥ
kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api
veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ
(SB 6.1.13-14)

So, how to become advanced. These are the prescribed methods. Tapasā. Tapasya. Tapa means voluntarily taking some disadvantage. That is tapa. Tapa. Tapa means, just like if there is fire, so there is heat, but the method of tapasya is that during summer season they ignite some firewood all round and sit down. Already there is scorching heat, and still, all round fire, and one has to sit. These are some of the examples of tapasya. Similarly, in the winter season it is very cold: one has to go down the water up to neck. This is the meaning of tapasya, voluntarily accepting some severe condition of life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Honolulu, May 15, 1976:

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Six, Chapter One, verse number fifteen.

kecit kevalayā bhaktyā
vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ
aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena
nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ
(SB 6.1.15)

So karma, jñāna, yoga, then bhakti. So karmaṇā, karma niyahara na tantritaṁ bhaviṣyati(?). We have discussed this. By karma you cannot nullify another... (break) Everyone has got that tendency. The śāstra gives them chance to act, fruitive activities, because while working, working, one day it will come when he will be not interested, working any more. Then athāto brahma jijñāsā, jñāna. Jñāna also, theoretical. It has been seen that theoretical knowledge, even one has come to the platform of Brahman... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho (SB 10.2.32). There are many examples. Simply theoretical knowledge will not help us. Our main aim is how to become perfect.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Honolulu, May 16, 1976:

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Six, chapter one, verse number sixteen.

na tathā hy aghavān rājan
pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ
yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas
tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā
(SB 6.1.16)

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī said already that kecit kevalayā bhaktyā (SB 6.1.15), "Simply by devotional service," vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ, "one has become attached to Vāsudeva." This stage is very difficult but very easy also. For the simple person it is very easy, and those who are crooked, demons, for them it is very difficult.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Honolulu, May 17, 1976:

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevaya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevaya. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, Chapter One, verse number seventeen.

sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke
panthāḥ kṣemo 'kuto-bhayaḥ
suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra
nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ
(SB 6.1.17)

"The path followed by pure devotees, who are well behaved and fully endowed with the best qualifications, is certainly the most auspicious path in this material world. It is free from fear, and it is authorized by the śāstras."

So this is the summarization of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that the path followed by pure devotees. Pure devotees means who has no material desire. That is pure devotee. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Śūnya means zero, one who has made all material desires zero. That is the way. In the Buddha philosophy it is called nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa means make zero, śūnyavādi. But we cannot remain in the śūnya. That is not possible. Śūnyavādī-nirvāṇa means to give up material desires. It is not possible to give up desires. That is not possible. To give up desires means I am dead body, a stone. If I have got life, if I am not a stone, there must be desires. Where is the living entity who has no desires?

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, Chapter One, text number 22. (aside:) Get on the... Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevaya, (devotees repeating) oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevaya, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevaya.

bandy-akṣaiḥ kaitavaiś cauryair
garhitāṁ vṛttim āsthitaḥ
bibhrat kuṭumbam aśucir
yātayām āsa dehinaḥ
(SB 6.1.22)

So gradually the history of Ajāmila. We have already narrated, he was inhabitant of Kānyakubja. It is historical incidence. It is not a fiction, manufactured something. No. History, itihāsa. So in the Vedic literature they are... Everything is itihāsa, history. Just like in the park we were talking of the Milk Ocean. The Milk Ocean is there in some part of the universe, top, near Brahmaloka. So it is not fiction; it is itihāsa, means history. We do not know the universal history. We may know some history of our country or this planet, that's all. But there are millions and trillions of planets.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Chicago, July 11, 1975:
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (repeats twice with devotees responding).
bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan
bālakaṁ sneha-yantritaḥ
bhojayan pāyayan mūḍho
na vedāgatam antakam
(SB 6.1.26)

Bhuñjāna, by raising him very affectionately, by giving him all necessities of life, bhuñjānaḥ prapiban, all kinds of drinks, milk, fruit juice, khādan, solid food... There are four kinds of foodstuff: something we chew, something we swallow, something we lick up, and something we drink. So everything was being supplied, bālakam, to that small boy. Every mother, every father does so. It is very natural. Sneha-yantritaḥ. Why do they do so? That is God's arrangement. If the father and mother hasn't got such affection, then the helpless child... In the beginning there is no other means of living. Even cats and dogs, even tigers, they also take care. So this is not very extraordinary thing, that human being has got affection. That affection is there even in tiger. So you are not very in that way advanced. That is natural.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Honolulu, May 31, 1976:

Savitā, the sun, you, those who are initiated, so oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. That savitā, the sun, they (indistinct) from the sun. What is that? Yac-cakṣur eṣa, this is God's eyes. As soon as there is sunlight, you see everything. You cannot avoid His eyes. You think that "Nobody's here. Let me steal this." No. Immediately recorded. At night the moon is there. There are so many witnesses. And the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also witnessing within. So we cannot escape His witnessing. He's witnessing from inside, from outside. So how He's escape your sinful activities? No. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

Revatīnandana: In the First Chapter, God Realization booklet, First Chapter, Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the process described there where it says that the gross materialists can begin meditating on the syllable om and then try to contemplate the universal form. That is not recommended for this age, right?

Prabhupāda: No, that is not for the advanced stage. Those who cannot... Just like the materialistic persons, they cannot understand why we are worshiping Deity. They are puzzled. They think, "Why these fools are taking one brass doll and worshiping as God?" They laugh. You see? They cannot understand. They are hard... What is called? It is impossible for them. Therefore they have been recommended that "You think of God, the universal form." That they like, their meditation, that universal form. They cannot understand or concentrate on this form, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), dvi-bhuja-muralīdhāra, Śyāmasundara form. They cannot.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Los Angeles, June 11, 1976:

It has been very broadly described by Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī. Read all this. Don't try to imitate. That is sahajiyā. We should know the position of Kṛṣṇa. His expansion of pleasure potency. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's līlā is put into the middle of the Tenth Canto. First of all, try to understand Kṛṣṇa from the very beginning. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). What is Kṛṣṇa? Vāsudeve, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. So what is Vāsudeva? Janmādy asya yato. Here is the original source of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). First of all, try to understand Kṛṣṇa. So therefore Vyāsadeva has dedicated full nine cantos for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3).

Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:

So this vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), we are distributing on the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. People may take that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that we are preaching vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—no compromise, only Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If people can take it without any hesitation... As Kṛṣṇa says, mā śucaḥ: "Don't be worried." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa says Even out of sentiment we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, believing on the word of Kṛṣṇa, out of sentiment, still, we are benefited. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). It is said that if by sentiment one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmam Everyone has got his occupational duty. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or anyone—everyone has got some particular duty, obligation.

Lecture on SB 6.2.9-10 -- Allahabad, January 15, 1971:

Prabhupāda: (break) ...gain commit the sins, then you have to suffer.

Guest: We say, "oṁ namaḥ śivāya, oṁ namaḥ śivāya." What is the difference, oṁ namaḥ śivāya, oṁ namo hare rāma? You say Hare Rāma mokṣa. Oṁ namaḥ śivāya is no mokṣa?

Prabhupāda: No.

Guest: Who is Śiva?

Prabhupāda: Śiva is Śiva.

Guest: No, Kārttikeya, who...? Daitya...?

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but Śiva is Śiva.

Guest: Śiva, is he not a god?

Prabhupāda: He's a demigod.

Lecture on SB 6.2.15 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1975:

And the conclusion is kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaṁ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. This is the conclusion. Kṛṣṇa also confirms that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjayaḥ, praṇava (BG 7.7). Sometimes they take praṇavaḥ as the Supreme. Kṛṣṇa says, praṇavaḥ ahaṁ sarva vedeṣu: "This praṇava, oṁkāra, in all the Vedas, that is I am. That is My sound representation." So this holy name of Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that simply by chanting, one can become liberated. This is the blessing of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said, ihā haite sarva siddhi haibe tomāra. All siddhis. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Siddhi means to cleanse the heart. That is siddhi. Because we are now materially obsessed, we are thinking, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this and that," all material—upādhi. And bhakti means when you are freed from the upādhi, then bhakti begins.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:

Revatīnandana: In the Bhāgavatam and also in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya you talk about the oṁkāra and tat tvam asi vibration. Now, the impersonalists improperly emphasize tat tvam asi over the original oṁkāra. I was wondering what are the significance of these two vibrations and what is their relationship to Kṛṣṇa? What is tat tvam asi?

Prabhupāda: Oṁkāra is Kṛṣṇa also. Kṛṣṇa is everything. Why not oṁkāra? So tat tvam asi means "You are the same." Tat tvam asi. That means you are spirit soul. So what is the objection? And for every Vedic mantra, the oṁkāra is there. Praṇāma. Every Vedic mantra. Just like we also chant oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramam. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. So every Vedic mantra is preceded by the oṁkāra.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

Because Lord Viṣṇu killed his brother Hiraṇyākṣa, so Hiraṇyakaśipu always considered Viṣṇu as the enemy. So he did not like that his son Prahlāda Mahārāja should become a Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means viṣṇur asya devatā iti vaiṣṇava. One who has taken, accepted Lord Viṣṇu... That is the Vedic instruction, to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. This is Ṛg mantra, Ṛg-veda mantra. Viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Those who are sūraya, sūri or devatā, they are always aiming at the lotus feet of Viṣṇu. Tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is the highest perfection of life. Other demigods, they are not our goal of life. That is also condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Anya-devatāḥ. Who are the worshipers of the anya-devatā, other demigods? Those who are lost of their senses.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Hong Kong, April 18, 1972:

Why? Manorathena asato dhāvato bahiḥ. Because he is on the mental platform. So by speculation on the mental platform, he will accept which is not spiritual. Asata.

Asato māṁ sad gamaḥ. That is the Vedic injunction. Don't keep yourself in the asata, but you try to transcend to the sat platform, oṁ tat sat. That means spiritual platform. So those who have no spiritual knowledge, they are on the mental platform. There are many platforms of our life. Indriyānī parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ manasas tu parā buddhir (BG 3.42). So ordinarily we are bodily, we think I am this body. This is called... Body means my senses. So civilization based on this bodily concept of life are interested only sense gratification. That is their aim of life. Indriya. Sense gratification. And those who are disgusted with sense gratification, they go little higher on the mental platform, mental speculation. Just like philosophy, poetry, like that.

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

Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi (BG 18.65). The real aim of life is how to go back to home, back to Godhead. They do not know it. Na te viduḥ. Generally, people do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuḥ. All the Vedic mantra says. The Ṛg Veda mantra says, om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is the... Everyone must meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu. Meditation means to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. I think we have seen many pictures that īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), the Supreme Lord is sitting in everyone's heart, and that Lord's mūrti form is Viṣṇu-mūrti. So dhyāna, yoga, all this means to concentrate the mind in Viṣṇu-mūrti.

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

Uttamam. Uttamam means ud-gata tamam: transcendental to this darkness. This material world is called darkness, ignorance. Actually it is dark. Because it is dark, material world, therefore we require the sun. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, we have got the sun. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā. Savitā means sun. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. This is Gāyatrī-mantra. So who requires a guru? Jijñāsuḥ śreyaḥ uttamam. One who wants to go beyond this world of darkness. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. This is Vedic injunction. Don't remain in this darkness. Jyotir gama. Go to the world where light is there.

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

Prabhupāda: And there is no secret; it is open. It is open.

Guest (1): I don't think there's just one mantra, sir. I feel that the entire mantra would be Om. And so Hare Kṛṣṇa Rāma would be just one part of Om. Now, isn't that true?

Prabhupāda: Is there any difference between Om and Hare Kṛṣṇa?

Guest (1): Yeah, Om is the total, isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Guest (1): Well, okay. I'll reword that. Isn't Om the total expression sound of nature?

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

Guest (1): Well, okay. I'll reword that. Isn't Om the total expression sound of nature?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Do you know the definition of Om?

Guest (1): The Bhagavad-gītā defines it.

Prabhupāda: It is in the Bhagavad-gītā said, akṣarāṇām oṁkāro 'smi. Kṛṣṇa says that "Amongst the alphabets, I am oṁkāra." Therefore oṁkāra is not different from Kṛṣṇa. As soon as we say "Kṛṣṇa," the oṁkāra is there.

Guest (1): Right. And I imagine that as soon as I say my mantra, Om is also there, is it not?

Prabhupāda: So oṁkāra... In every Vedic mantra the oṁkāra is there. But when Kṛṣṇa is there, oṁkāra is automatically there. Because it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, akṣarāṇām oṁkāro 'smi: "Amongst the alphabets, I am oṁkāra." So when you speak of Kṛṣṇa, the oṁkāra is automatically there. When there is fire, the heat is automatically there.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

That is also, Prahlāda Mahārāja says in another place, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇoḥ durāśayā ye bahir-arthah-māninaḥ. People, general, people in general, they do not know what is the aim of life. The aim of life is this: back to home, back to Godhead. This is aim of life. There is no other aim. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūraya. That is the aim of life: how to reach Viṣṇu-pada. And here it is also said, mukunda-caraṇāmbujam. This is aim of life. Without attempting how to regain the shelter of mukunda-caraṇāmbujam, if you simply waste your time for economic development or improving the standard of your living, it is simply waste of time. This is the law of nature. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says, tat-prayāso na kartavyo. Tat-prayāso means in the previous verse it is said that sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā. Everyone is trying. Why they are working so hard? Sukham aindriyakam. Just to get some sense gratification. That's all. This is the only aim.

Lecture on SB 7.6.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, July 1, 1976:

They do not know that they cannot enter even there. They are not meant for ordinary persons. At least those who are sinless, very straightforward, not envious. So anyway, even if we go, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna... (BG 8.16). It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, this is Svargaloka. And above that... Bhūr, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ. You have got the Gāyatrī, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya. There are other higher planets also: Svargaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. There are fourteen status of different planetary systems. Catur-daśa-bhuvana. And the topmost is the Brahmaloka. So even if you go there, there is no relief. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). You have to come back again.

Lecture on SB 7.9.2 -- Mayapur, February 12, 1977:

So this has become a fashion, to equalize Nārāyaṇa with everyone. So in this way India's culture has been dismantled. Nārāyaṇa cannot be equal. Nārāyaṇa personally says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Another word is used: asamaurdhva. Nobody can be equal with Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu-tattva. No. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. This is Ṛg mantra. Viṣṇoḥ padaṁ paramaṁ padam. Bhagavān is addressed by Arjuna, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Paramaṁ bhavān. So this paśandi imagination will kill one's advancement, spiritual life. Māyāvāda. Māyāvāda. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has strictly forbidden to associate with Māyāvādī. Māyāvādī bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-naśa: (CC Madhya 6.169) "Anyone who has associated with the Māyāvādī, his spiritual life is finished." Sarva-naśa. Māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhi. You should be very, very careful to avoid these Māyāvādī rascals.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

Bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). He is the origin of everything. Then Bhāgavata begins. And one who has understood Bhāgavata, or he has made his relationship well established with Kṛṣṇa and is functioning in that relationship, then he is passed on the subject matter of Bhāgavata, and then you begin Caitanya-caritāmṛta. That is postgraduate study. After getting your degree, as you try for your Ph.D. or M.A., similarly, Caitanya-caritāmṛta is like that, post-graduate study. And the author of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he places himself that "I am lower than the worm in the stool." Just see how humble. This is the nature of Vaiṣṇava. That is not artificial. He says. Every Vaiṣṇava thinks himself as very insignificant. Actually, every one of us is very insignificant in comparison to the Supreme Lord. What we are? Nothing. But if we establish our loving relationship, which is already there, then we will become the greatest. By relationship with the greatest, we become the greatest.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

All others, they are... (break) ...it is said, śiva-viriñci-nutaṁ śaraṇyam bhṛtyārti-ham, vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam (SB 11.5.33). Śiva-viriñci-nutaṁ. Brahma, viriñci means Brahma and śivaḥ means Lord Siva. They also offer obeisances unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is Ṛg Veda mantra, that Viṣṇu is paraṁ padam, supreme. And Viṣṇu is partial expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Mahā-Viṣṇu, not ordinary Viṣṇu. There are different types of Viṣṇu also. Mahā-Viṣṇu, from Mahā-Viṣṇu there is Garbhodak... Mahā-Viṣṇu is called Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. And this Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu enters in every universe as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. And this Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu again expands as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. These are viṣṇu-tattvas. But this original Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

If there is opportunity, we shall do, the Siddhas, and the sura-gaṇās and the munayas. But because they are on the planetary system, higher planetary system... There are three planetary systems. One is called higher, ūrdhvaloka, and middle, madhyaloka, bhūr, bhuvaḥ, sva, up to Svargaloka... We are chanting Gāyatrī, om bhūr bhuvaḥ sva tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. These are praising the lokas, different planetary system, of which the sunlight is the chief. Savitur sakala-grahāṇām. He is the chief of all planets.

Lecture on SB 7.9.34 -- Mayapur, March 12, 1976:

This is real reasoning. And Kṛṣṇa confirms it. Not only your contemplation. Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: (BG 2.13) "In this way you'll have another body." The Kṛṣṇa, the great authority, He says, from whom Brahmā, the first creature, he learned. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva... Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. He... Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. He taught this Vedic literature to the heart of Brahmā. He can teach you through the heart also because He is sitting there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe (BG 18.61).

A particularly mention, hṛd-deśe, "within the core of the heart." He doesn't say that "Īśvara is situated on your finger." No. Within the heart. The particular place is mentioned. Therefore the yogis' practice, real yoga practice, means to find out Kṛṣṇa within the heart. That is real yoga. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). This is yogi.

Lecture on SB 7.9.49 -- Vrndavana, April 4, 1976:

So ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada Pañcarātra). Viramanti śabdāt. There are so many prescribed mantras for liberation. Oṁkāra-sarva-vedeṣu. Every Vedic mantra begins with oṁkāra, and He is Kṛṣṇa. Vedic mantra, we chant Vedic mantra. There are many, many Vedic mantras in Upaniṣad and tantras, saṁhitā. So the (indistinct) begins with the combination of alphabets a, u, ma-Om. Oṁ tad viṣṇuṁ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Everything. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Every Vedic mantra begins with the oṁkāra. Some of them are very much fond of chanting omkara instead of Hare Kṛṣṇa. So there is no objection. Kṛṣṇa says, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. Praṇava means oṁkāra.

Lecture on SB 7.9.54 -- Vrndavana, April 9, 1976:

That is the general rule. So his mother was devotee, so he'll naturally become a devotee by the advice of the mother. He went to the forest. So..., but he had no spiritual master. Out of sentiment went to the forest. But Kṛṣṇa saw from within that "This child is so serious about Me. Oh, send him Nārada. 'Nārada, you go there. Initiate him.' " Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, this mantra was given to Dhruva Mahārāja by Nārada Muni. So he practiced that mantra, and with austerity, and he saw Kṛṣṇa. And when he saw Kṛṣṇa, he's completely pure from all material desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). When Kṛṣṇa wanted to give him benediction, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "I am fully satisfied. I don't want anything." This is Kṛṣṇa conscious, dhīra. No more want. Why want? Here it is said that śreyas-kāmā mahā-bhāga sarvāsām aśiṣāṁ patim. Such persons who are dhīra and most fortunate and sees Kṛṣṇa, then what remains to possess?

Lecture on SB 11.3.21 -- New York, April 13, 1969:

Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam, to whom? Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam: (SB 11.3.21) one who has actually taken full bath in the ocean of transcendental knowledge. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. Śābde means the transcendental sound. The Vedic words, hymns, are called transcendental sound, and the gist of all such sound is om, or Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma... So one has to take bath in the ocean of this transcendental sound, then he is bona fide spiritual master. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. And what is the symptom? Everyone can say that "I have taken full bath in this transcendental sound," but the symptom is there. What is that symptom? Śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. He has taken shelter of the Supreme Brahman, finishing all material activities. He has no more any material activities. He is simply after the Supreme Brahman or Kṛṣṇa. This is the qualification.

Page Title:Omkara (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:27 of Jun, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=127, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:127