Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


One who is serious, he'll inquire. Otherwise, the formula is all right, "God is great. There is no more greater than Him." But inquire, "How He is great?" Therefore society is required, association is required, to inquire

Expressions researched:
"One who is serious, he'll inquire. Otherwise, the formula is all right, "God is great. There is no more greater than Him." But inquire, "How He is great" |"Therefore society is required, association is required, to inquire"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

People are not interested. Officially, go to church, go to mosque, go to temple and do something. Then drop it and go to your own business and do whatever you like. No discrimination. They're not serious. (greets guests) Aiye. Not very serious. One who is serious, he'll inquire. Otherwise, the formula is all right, "God is great. There is no more greater than Him." But inquire, "How He is great?" (guests enter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Oh, thank you very much. Jaya. Therefore society is required, association is required, to inquire. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). (greets guests) Aiye. There is need of association for discussing how God is great. That is needed—jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Unless one is inquisitive . . . Sharmajī, you can come here. So, that is the . . . simply we should not remain satisfied to understand . . . that is not proper understanding: officially, "God is great." No. Try to inquire how great He is, why He is great. Then your regard for God, your devotion for God will increase.

Prabhupāda: The Vedic prayer it is like this. Yasyāntaṁ na viduḥ surāsura-gaṇāḥ. Yasya antam, the glories of the Lord, unlimited. So nobody can go to the limit of His glorification, either the sura or asura, the demons or the demigods. Nobody can reach. But He's glorified by the demigods, like yaṁ brahmā, Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, Śiva, Varuṇa, the predominating deity of air, fire, Lord Brahmā. Everyone worships Him, yaṁ brahmā varuṇendra-rudra stunvanti divyaiḥ stavaiḥ, by glorified prayers. And gāyanti yaṁ sāma-gāḥ. Vedaiḥ sāṅga-pada-kramopaniṣadaiḥ—Vedaiḥ, by Vedic hymns, by Upaniṣad, by Vedic literature. Gāyanti yaṁ sāma-gāḥ. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogīs in meditation try to find out Him within the core of the heart. Yasyāntaṁ na viduḥ surāsura-gaṇā devāya tasmai namaḥ. The same prayer. The difference is the action. Difference is in the action. So far prayer is concerned, God is great, accepted, either by the Christian or the Muhammadan or the Hindus or the followers of Vedic principles. Now "God is great, glorify Him, and that is the business of human life," that they are not taking, practically. That is the defect. And that is to be done. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma means the great. Brhavad brhanantvad iti brahma. Brahma means the greatest. Now here we get the information God is great. So naturally one should be inquisitive to know how He is great. That is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Just like if I introduce, "Here is a gentleman, very rich." So naturally next inquiry will be, "How he is rich? What is the position that he is very rich?" These inquiries are natural. If I simply remain satisfied by hearing that he is rich, that is also good. You have got some respect. But if you know how he is rich, to what extent he is rich, then your respect will be increased.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Your love also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If I understand that he is rich, I may consider, "Well, I have got one thousand dollars, so he may have one hundred thousand dollars," that's all. But if you understand that he has got millions and millions of dollars, then you'll appreciate, "Oh, so rich!" Then your regard for him will increase. That is not being done. Stereotyped, "God is great." How He is great, to what extent He is great, what is His greatness, activities, if you know more and more, then your regard for God will increase. But that they are not doing. Simply officially, "God is great, God is great," finished. No jijñāsā, no inquiry. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One should be inquisitive. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One who has become inquisitive of the uttamam, the most exalted subject matter, he requires a guru. Otherwise, who will answer his inquiries? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. If he's not jijñāsuḥ, what is the need of guru? And where is the question of advancement? He must be jijñāsuḥ.

And that is . . . people are not interested. Officially, go to church, go to mosque, go to temple and do something. Then drop it and go to your own business and do whatever you like. No discrimination. They're not serious. (greets guests) Aiye. Not very serious. One who is serious, he'll inquire. Otherwise, the formula is all right, "God is great. There is no more greater than Him." But inquire, "How He is great?" (guests enter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Oh, thank you very much. Jaya. Therefore society is required, association is required, to inquire. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). (greets guests) Aiye. There is need of association for discussing how God is great. That is needed—jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Unless one is inquisitive . . . Sharmajī, you can come here. So, that is the . . . simply we should not remain satisfied to understand . . . that is not proper understanding: officially, "God is great." No. Try to inquire how great He is, why He is great. Then your regard for God, your devotion for God will increase. And because we do not inquire how God is great, therefore cheap gods are coming. Any rascal, he is repre . . . "I am God." Because we do not know actually what is God.

Page Title:One who is serious, he'll inquire. Otherwise, the formula is all right, "God is great. There is no more greater than Him." But inquire, "How He is great?" Therefore society is required, association is required, to inquire
Compiler:Soham
Created:2023-02-10, 13:04:58
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1