Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Ordinary person (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"ordinary person" |"ordinary persons"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

So śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata is not some materialistic philosopher's or writer's as you have got... They are called grāmya-vastavaḥ. Grāmya-vastavaḥ means ordinarily these affairs. A man is meeting woman, woman is meeting man—that story, all these novels and fiction and dramas. It is not like that. Therefore it is said mahā-muni-kṛte śrīmad-bhāgavate. It is not ordinary persons writing whimsical, some, manufacturing some story, narration and puzzling the brain. No. Śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte: it is beyond all defects of human life. When an ordinary person writes, he writes with defective instruments. First of all, any man within this world, however great he may be, he must commit mistake. That's a fact. There are many instances, simply for little mistake. Just like Hitler. Hitler planned so gorgeously winning over the world. A little mistake, as soon as his attention was diverted toward Russia, he was finished. The Britishers tried to divert his attention toward the Russia. Little mistake. Otherwise Hitler would have come out victorious. There are many instances, in political field, in sociological field.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- Caracas, February 23, 1975:

On account of this material body, we have got three-fold miseries within this material world. One is called adhyātmika. Adhyātmika means miserable condition due to this material body and the mind. The... another miserable condition is adhibhautika: miserable condition offered by other living entities. And the third miserable condition is which is offered by the nature, just like earthquake, famine, pestilence and so many other things on which we have no control. We have no control in any kind of miserable condition, especially the miserable condition offered by nature. We cannot avoid it. So therefore here it is said that if you take up this religious system—means how to love God—then you will be transcendental to all this miserable condition of material existence. And these information, these practices, are given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam which is compiled by, not by any ordinary person, but śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte, the greatest sage, Vyāsadeva. He has given us. In ordinary literatures they are full of mistakes and cheating and illusion and imperfectness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.4 -- Rome, May 28, 1974:

So this is going on. Because people have no knowledge about the next life, they are not interested with the spiritual education. That is the difficulty. They are not at all interested. Why people do not come here? They think that "These people will say that there is life after death, and if you do not do nicely, you will have to suffer. All this nonsense we have to hear, utopian." They are not interested. They are so dull. The facts... Kṛṣṇa is giving example. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram... (BG 2.13). As you are changing your body... We have changed, every one of us, we have changed body. I was a baby. I was a child. I was a boy. I was young man. Now I have got a different body. Where have those bodies gone? They have no brain to think. I had all these bodies—that's a fact. And they are not existing now, that's a fact. And still I say, "There is no other body after death." What is the reason? What is the logic? How simple logic is given by... Not ordinary person, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says that "As you have changed so many bodies, passed through so many bodies..." Every... Medical science says every minute we are changing body. That's a fact.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973:

This is a speech of Sūta Gosvāmī in Naimiṣāraṇya. Formerly, great sages used to assemble in the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya. Those who are Indians, they will know Naimiṣāraṇya. There is a station, Nimsara, still. And it is near Lucknow. Still it is very nice place. So there was a great meeting of saintly persons. As nowadays ordinary persons meet together to find out the ways and means for people's prosperity, formerly the great saintly persons, sages, brāhmaṇas, they used to meet, and they used to give formula to the people, to the king, that "You follow this. You will be happy." This was the system, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So the brāhmaṇas will give the direction, and the kṣatriya king would execute it. And the vaiśyas will produce foodgrains. Vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). For vaiśyas, three work, three kinds of occupation: first of all, agriculture, produce food, and then, give protection to the cows. Because cow is important animal, cow protection is very necessary. So kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). And where there is scarcity of food, transport food there, make business. These three things for the vaiśyas.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

If we apply we apply our vāsu..., bhakti-yoga unto Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa-Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeve bhagavati. So Vāsudeva is not ordinary person, He is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To show us mercy, He descends. That is His mercy. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7), if you take to devotional service... What is that devotional service? It is also very easy. It is not very difficult thing, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). If anyone comes in this temple, simply (aside:) Sit down. Simply offers a little obeisances, just bow down, māṁ namaskuru. And if you think of these Deities, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, in this way, those who have become devotees, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī, you worship. These four principles, if you adopt, that is bhakti-yoga. That is bhakti-yoga. But the bhakti-yoga can be kept active by śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Just like you are hearing, I am speaking. This is kīrtanam, and you are hearing, both we are benefiting.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

So this is called bhakti-yoga. So here it is said, vāsudeve bhagavati. Vāsudeve, Kṛṣṇa. Who is Kṛṣṇa? Bhagavān, bhagavati. He is not ordinary person, ordinary person. He is bhagavān. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There are many bhagavāns, but the original bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). So in this way, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. Therefore here it is said, vāsudeve bhagavati. Don't consider Kṛṣṇa as human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because He comes to show actually what is God, He comes as human being. That does not mean He is like us, human being. Just like in the prison house, if sometimes the governor goes to inspect and the prisoners think, "Oh, now governor is also one of us. He has become prisoner..." Just like Mahatma Gandhi went to the prison house, and the pickpocket, if he thinks, "Now Mahatma Gandhi is also one of us," this is wrong. This is wrong. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Because he is mūḍha, the pickpocket, he is thinking that "Mahatma Gandhi is also like me." Or "The governor, he has come into the prison house; therefore he is also like one of us." No. Out of his mercy, he comes.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Tirupati, April 26, 1974:

So one has to learn the art of seeing the Absolute Truth in three features—as Bhagavān, as Paramātmā and as impersonal Brahman. That prescription is given here. Tac chraddadhānā munayaḥ. The ordinary person not. Munayaḥ. Those who are very much advanced in the process of thinking, munayaḥ, or great saintly persons... Tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). Jñāna and vairāgya—these two things are required. First of all, one must have sufficient knowledge and vairāgya, renunciation, detachment. Then he can see what is Bhagavān, what is Paramātmā, and what is impersonal Brahman. It is a very long subject matter, but as it is stated here by Vyāsadeva that paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā, through bhakti and śruti, by hearing the Vedic literature... Not whimsically, not by sentiment. One has to develop his dormant bhakti consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness by thorough study of the Vedic literature. Then he can understand what is Brahman, what is Paramātmā and what is Bhagavān. Otherwise it is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:
One who is inquisitive to understand the transcendental knowledge... The ordinary man does not require to search out the guru to find out astrology: "Guruji, kindly tell me what will be the price next...?" Not that guru. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is serious to understand about the transcendental knowledge. Uttamam. Udgata-tamam. Beyond this material world. This material world is tama, darkness. So if one is very serious to inquire about the world of light, for him there is need of guru, not for ordinary person. Guru, we should not make a guru as a fashion. Everyone makes a guru, "Let me have a guru also, any kind of..." No. That is not required. Guru is required by somebody who is serious to know about the transcendental world, the world of light. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. The world of jyoti. Na tad bhāsayate sūryo na candra (BG 15.6). That world, where there is no need of sun, moon, electricity.
Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

So we accept incarnation of God when all the descriptions are corroborated in terms of the authorized śāstra. Otherwise we reject. That is our business. So in this verse... Why we accept Vedic scripture as solid truth? Because there is no mistake. Otherwise, how it is predicting that yuga-sandhyāyām, "In the last conjunction of the yugas, there will appear the Lord"? Kalkir nāmnā, nāmnā kalkiḥ. "His name will be Kalki. But He is not ordinary person." Nāmnā kalkir jagat-patiḥ. "He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is not ordinary man. And His father's name is..." Janitā viṣṇu-yaśasaḥ. "His father's name will be Viṣṇu Yaśā." The Yaśā title are there in India still. One Mr. Yaśi (Joshi) corresponds with us. So the Josha, or Joshi, this title is already there. So they are brāhmaṇas. Here, all the descriptions are not there, but in other place, all the descriptions are there. Not only his father's name, name, His village or the place, Sambhal. There is still a place Sambhalpur in India. So everything is there. We should not be misled that "Here is another avatāra, here is another avatāra, here is... So many avatāras." No. So this is called śāstra: what will happen after 400,000's of years, that is mentioned. Future. Just like Lord Buddha's name was there. Bhaviṣyati yuga-sandhyāyām. Bhaviṣyati. Bhaviṣyati means "He will come." He was not visible. This is śāstra. Śāstra means tri-kāla-jña. The writer of śāstra should be a full cognizant of past, present, and future. That is called unmistakable. Past, present, and future. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I know past, present, and future."

Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

So to purify the eyes we require... That is meditation, how to search out. He is within my heart. Anywhere you sit down, you can see God, provided you have got the eyes to see. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who are saintly persons, they are twenty-four hours seeing God. They have nothing, no other business than to see God. But they have got eyes to see. That is the difference. Ordinary persons, they have no eyes. Therefore they cannot see God. But those who have developed consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, purified eyes, they can see always, twenty-four hours. They don't see anything else except God. Because God is everything. Whatever we see, if we have two eyes to see, then we can see God in every second, every moment. How? Oh, that you can practice.

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

And the whole world is problem for ordinary persons, but to us it is not problem. Because we see everything Kṛṣṇa's. If there is problem, it is Kṛṣṇa's problem. Why my problem? Kṛṣṇa can know how to solve problem. So we have no problem practically. Kṛṣṇa's problem. Kṛṣṇa will see to it. Just like Arjuna was encouraged that nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyasācin. "You don't worry about your victory. I have already arranged." So we should have such faith and conviction and let us try. Let us do very sincerely and seriously. Then everything Kṛṣṇa will do. I haven't got to do anything.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

They'll sit down on the stool. Mākṣikaṁ bhramarā icchanti. And the bees, they will try to take honey. Even in the animals you'll see. The honey... The bees will never come to the stool. And the ordinary flies, they never go to collect honey. Similarly, there are divisions in the birds, divisions in the beasts, divisions in human society. So you cannot expect that ordinary person will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You see? Because they have been trained to become flies, they will taste stool. You see? The modern education is to teach people to become flies, only stool. Not here, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But you make it a honeycomb. Those who are after, seeking after honey, they will find, "Here is something." You see? Don't make it a stool society. You see? Make it a honey society. At least, give chance, those who are seeking after honey. Don't cheat people. So they'll come.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

They are not like the crows, who are simply trying to take some pleasure from the garbage place. That's all. What is there in the garbage? They are all rejected, thrown away. But the crows will go there. They'll pull on something, "If there is something there, something?" So, as there is a natural distinction between the crows and the swans, similarly, there is distinction between a Kṛṣṇa conscious person and ordinary person. The ordinary persons are compared like the crows, and a fully Kṛṣṇa conscious person is just like swans and ducks.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

So Nārada Muni is inducing his disciple, Vyāsadeva, to write Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, will be, which will be heard and, śṛṇvanti, will be accepted, and gṛṇanti, and śṛṇvanti gāyanti, and chanted. So those who are actually in the transcen..., they accept Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam, yasmin pāramahaṁsyaṁ gīyate. Paramahaṁsa-saṁhitā. This is paramahaṁsa-saṁhitā. This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for the topmost transcendentalists. It is not for ordinary... Not for the impersonalists, or for the yogis. The topmost transcendentalist means devotees. Because Kṛṣṇa says... Who is transcendentalist? Who wants to know God, he is transcendentalist. Not ordinary person. No, no, who is topmost transcendentalist? The devotees. Why? Why not the yogis, and the jñānīs, impersonalists, and the, the meditators about...? Why they are not? Because Kṛṣṇa says that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55), "Only through devotional service one can understand Me."

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

Therefore the same principle, as Nārada is asking Vyāsadeva, that "You try to meditate upon the activities of the Supreme Lord." Tad-viceṣṭitam, samādhinā anusmara tad-viceṣṭitam. "And you are already..." This, this meditation cannot be done by ordinary person. And that qualification he has got. He has already said that "You have got so many qualifications. So you can do that. And why you are, you shall meditate?" Now, the reason is, urukramasya akhila-bandha-muktaye: "You shall yourself be liberated from all conditional stage of life, and you shall be able to make others also." Unless you become liberated from the conditional life, you cannot make others liberated. You cannot imitate.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

It is stated in the Bhāgavatam, apahinoti, bhaktiṁ pratilabhya apahinoti kāmam.. If one is eligible to hear the dealings of gopīs and Kṛṣṇa, the result will be he'll forget the lusty desires of this material world. Therefore it is not for all. These dealings of gopīs and Kṛṣṇa is meant for the liberated person. They can hear, not the ordinary persons. Therefore this kṛṣṇa-līlā is given in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So don't jump over. First of all you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, Acyuta. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). To understand Kṛṣṇa, not only... The Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins when one is actually Kṛṣṇa conscious. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins. So don't jump over the kṛṣṇa-līlā or jump over Rādhā-kuṇḍa unless you are a liberated person. This is the instruction. Acyuta. You must be also acyuta—not falling down from the standard of pure devotional service. Acyuta-gotra.

Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:

Pure devotion means to pray to the Lord, begging some service. "My Lord, kindly engage me in Your service." That is the perfection of life, when one is engaged in the service of the Lord in love. You can become a very great saint and live in a secluded place and become puffed-up that you have become very great personality, and people may come to see him, that "He's not to be seen, he's engaged in chanting." My Guru Mahārāja has condemned this. He said, mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. "My dear mind, your mental concoction, you are thinking that you have become a very big Vaiṣṇava. You do not do anything and sit down in a secluded place and imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura, chanting. So you are a nonsense." Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. Why? Nirjanera ghare, pratiṣṭhāra tare. To get some cheap adoration as a great chanter. Because if one is actually chanting, why he should be attracted by woman and biḍi? If he is actually in such position like Haridāsa Ṭhākura then why he should be attracted by material things? That is a false show only. That is not possible for ordinary person.

Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:

Therefore ordinary person must be physically engaged. That is not physical, that is also transcendental. Always busy in some business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Not that, "Oh, I have become a great scholar and I have now learned how to become a great Vaiṣṇava. I chant sixty-four rounds, and think of my wife somewhere, and then good-bye to Govindajī and leave Vṛndāvana." These rascaldom do not follow. Govindajī drives such rascals away from Vṛndāvana. So Vṛndāvana, one who is living in Vṛndāvana, he must be very anxious how to spread the glories of Vṛndāvana-candra all over the world. That is wanted. Not that Vṛndāvana-candra is my private property and I sit down in a place and lick up. No, that is not wanted. That is not wanted. That is condemned by my Guru Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

So Vyāsadeva... This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, mahā-muni-kṛte. It is not written by ordinary person. In the beginning it is said, śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte. Not only muni, but mahā-muni. Kim anyaiḥ śāstraiḥ: under the instruction of his spiritual master, Vyāsadeva, revealed the scripture by spiritual experience. Bhakti-yogena, praṇihite amale. Bhakti-yoga, he could realize. Nārada Muni asked him to write simply on the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He had written so many books—all the Vedas, Upaniṣads, Purāṇas. But he was not feeling satisfied even after writing the Vedānta-sūtra. So at that time Nārada Muni happened to come to him, and he chastised him that "You have written so many books, but they're not very useful." Because people are generally attracted to dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). They're attracted. Those who are civilized men, they are attracted with some sort of religion, system. It doesn't matter whether he's Hindu or Muslim or Christian. They have some sort of religious practice. That is the beginning of human civilization. When there is no religious practice, that is not civilized man. Just like in the jungle, aborigines, or the animals, they have no religious system. In the human society there is some religious system. Therefore when the human society becomes without any religious understanding, dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ, immediately they're animals. They're not human beings.

Lecture on SB 1.7.30-31 -- Vrndavana, September 26, 1976:

You have to approach such guru. And who is that guru? Vaiṣṇava. Not any ordinary person. Therefore anyone who is not Vaiṣṇava, you should not approach. It is false knowledge. Its knowledge has no value. Sanātana Gosvāmī has strictly forbidden: avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Don't hear. You'll be spoiled. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). If you hear from a Māyāvādī impersonalist, then your spiritual progress is doomed, finished. No more spiritual progress. Māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile. Māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhī. The Māyāvādīs, they are offenders to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person, and the Māyāvādī wants to make Him imperson; therefore they are offenders.

Lecture on SB 1.7.40 -- Vrndavana, October 1, 1976:

So here is Arjuna. He's being examined by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants to examine His devotees, how staunch devotee he is. Just like the Pāṇḍavas. They were put into so many troubles. They lost their kingdom, they lost their wife-insulted. The wife was endeavored to become naked. Never..., the Pāṇḍavas never said that "Kṛṣṇa, You are our friend. Why we are suffering so many troubles?" Never. Never. This is pure devotee. Kṛṣṇa is always with him. Kṛṣṇa could do anything, but still they never requested. Neither Kuntī nor Pāṇḍavas. This is pure devotion. A pure devotee will never try to take anything from Kṛṣṇa. He will try to give everything to Kṛṣṇa. So duye lagye hura huri. So here is a trial between the devotee and Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Arjuna has passed the examination. Therefore it is said, evaṁ parīkṣatā dharmaṁ pārthaḥ kṛṣṇena coditaḥ. He's being examined by kṛṣṇena, not ordinary person. But he passed the examination. Why? Naicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutam. In spite of Kṛṣṇa's, I mean to say, injection, that "Do it," he did not like to. Naicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutaṁ yadyapy ātma-hanaṁ mahān. Although he is the greatest criminal.

Lecture on SB 1.7.49-50 -- Vrndavana, October 7, 1976:

So, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is dharma-suta. He is not ordinary person. He is the son of Dharmarāja, Yamarāja. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's mother, Kuntī, had the power to call any demigod. She got this benediction from Durvāsā Muni. So he (she) had his (her) three sons, means Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, and Arjuna. She got Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira from Dharmarāja, Arjuna from Indra, and Bhīma from Varuṇa..., Vāyu, yes. Similarly, still she is one of the chaste women. These things are there. But still, they are not polluted. But in the Kali-yuga these things are prohibited. Devareṇa sutotpattiṁ kalau pañca vivarjayet (CC Adi 17.164).

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

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. You cannot create that smell. It is Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's art. That, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca, that gandha, that smell, flavor, is within the earth. Wherefrom the rose is coming? From this earth. But still the rose is so fragrant. You cannot take out the fragrance from the earth. Everything is there. Sarva-kāma-dughā-mahī. Everything is within the earth. But you cannot take out. It is Kṛṣṇa. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He has got this power to exact, to extract puṇya-gandha through the rose flower. You haven't. You may be very big chemist, but you cannot do that. So in this way, if we study Kṛṣṇa, if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your life is successful. That we are teaching. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And the śāstras will help you.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is the original king. Because He is stated here, puruṣam ādyam īśvaram. Īśvaram means controller. He's the original controller. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10). Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. Even this material nature, wonderful things are going on, that is being controlled by Kṛṣṇa. This is to be understood. So we are reading Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other Vedic literature. What is the purpose? The purpose is vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). The purpose is to understand Kṛṣṇa. If you don't understand Kṛṣṇa, then your reading of so-called Vedas and Vedāntas and Upaniṣads, they are useless waste of time. So here Kuntī is directly saying that "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are ādyaṁ puruṣam, the original person. And īśvaram. You are not ordinary person. You are the supreme controller." That is understanding of Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Everyone is controller, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa.

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

We are Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel, all living entities, but we do not see each other. You cannot see me, I do not see you. "No, I see you." What you see? You see my body. Then, when the soul is gone from the body, why you are crying "My father is gone"? Why father is gone? Father is lying here. Then what you have seen? You have seen the dead body of your father, not your father. So if you cannot see the particle of Kṛṣṇa, the soul, how you can see Kṛṣṇa? Therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). This blunt material eyes, he cannot see Kṛṣṇa, or cannot hear Kṛṣṇa's name, nāmādi. Nāma means name. Nāma means name, form, quality, pastime. These things cannot be understood by your material blunt eyes or senses. But if they are purified, sevonukhe hi jihvādau, if they are purified by the process of devotional service, you can see Kṛṣṇa at all times and everywhere. But for ordinary person, alakṣyam: not visible. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, God is everywhere, aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. So alakṣyam sarva-bhūtānām. Although Kṛṣṇa is outside and inside, both, still we cannot see Kṛṣṇa unless we have got the eyes to see Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

So not visible to whom? Not visible to the ordinary persons who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For them He is not visible. Although He is inside and outside, still, He is not visible. Alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (SB 1.8.18). Sarva-bhūtānām means all these ordinary living entities, they cannot see Kṛṣṇa, or God, either within or outside. Why? Kṛṣṇa says also in the Bhagavad-gītā, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ: (BG 7.25) "I am not visible to everyone because there is a curtain which is covering the eyes of the ordinary persons, yoga-māyā." Just like the cloud covering the eyes to see. One cannot see the sun in complete or in full vision when there is cloud. Similarly, māyā, yoga-māyā, has created a cloud on account of which we cannot see God. But the same eyes can be also, I mean to say, purified. The same eyes. Just like you have got cataract, you cannot see, you become blind. But if the cataract is operated, then your vision is again revived. So you can see. Ordinarily, you cannot see God, either inside or outside. Alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhūtānām antar bahiḥ (SB 1.8.18). Although we say that God is there within, God is outside, but why you cannot see? Because we are not devotees. But as soon as you become a devotee, you become a lover of God or Kṛṣṇa, then you can see.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

So parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He is so omnipotent that He can see from anywhere and everywhere what you are doing, what you are willing, what you want to do. You cannot conceal. That is not possible. Therefore it is said, daiva-netreṇa. You can bluff the material police, but you cannot bluff Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. If you are doing anything wrong, then it is being seen by the Supreme Personality. Samaṁ carantam. He's everywhere. Therefore those who are God conscious, as theists... That is the Indian culture. They think, "I am doing this nonsense. Kṛṣṇa, God, will see it." Even a... Even in ordinary person who has no education, still, he will admit, uparala dekhega(?): "God will see." That's a fact. That's a fact. So if everyone is God conscious, that "God is everywhere," then how he can act sinfully? It is not possible. If he is God conscious, if he knows that "God is everywhere, and He will see if I do something sinful by bluffing others..."

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

So the principle is the same. It is the distinction of deśa-kāla-pātra, things are... Just like the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are meant for highly developed conscious persons. They are not for ordinary persons. Paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra śrīmad-bhāgavatam, paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). People are envious, envious: "Oh, he's Christian," "He's Muhammadan," "He is this," "He is that." No. A paramo nirmatsara, paramahaṁsa, he does not see, "He is Muhammadan," "He is Christian," "He is Jew." Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). He will see everyone equal, the part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśa. He says this... Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "All living entities are My part and parcel." Why he shall take the skin? Because the skin is made by Muhammadan or the skin is made by Christian or skin is made by Hindu... He's not the skin-observer. He is observed the within. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). Within this body the spirit soul is there. This is the education of spiritual education in the beginning—just see inside, introspective, not outward seeing. Those who are seeing outwardly, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātu..., they are asses.

Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Los Angeles, April 21, 1973:

At the same time, to teach us that becoming enemy, enemy of Kṛṣṇa is not very profitable. Better become friend. That will be profitable. Therefore it is said that: na veda kaścid bhagavaṁś cikīrṣitam. "Nobody knows what is the purpose of Your appearance and disappearance." Tava īhamānasya nṛṇāṁ viḍambanam. "You are in this world just like ordinary human being. This is bewildering." Therefore ordinary man cannot believe. "How God can become ordinary person like...?" Kṛṣṇa is playing. Although He was not playing ordinary person. He was playing as God. Wherever there was necessity...

Just like He married 16,000 wives. When He married He was one, and 16,000 girls offered the surrender to Kṛṣṇa that: "We are now kidnapped. If we go home, nobody will marry us." That is a strict Vedic system. If an unmarried girls goes out of home even for one night, nobody will marry her. Still it is going on. Nobody will marry her. So this is the old system. All the 16,000 girls who were kidnapped by Bhaumāsura... So they prayed to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa came, killed the Bhaumāsura, delivered all the girls. So when Kṛṣṇa asked them: "Now you can safely go to your father's house," they replied: "Sir, if we go back to our father's house, what will be our fate? Nobody will marry us. Because this man, this rākṣasa, they kidnapped us." "Then what do you want."

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

Just like Arjuna is addressed by Kṛṣṇa, bhakto 'si priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My devotee and very dear friend." So our business is, somehow or other, to become very dear to Kṛṣṇa, as a servant, as a friend, or as father, mother, or as lover. Some way or other, you become... Make Kṛṣṇa your dear as master or as son or as father or... Father, they are taki..., doing, everyone. Even ordinary person, if he is God conscious, he takes Kṛṣṇa as supreme father. Just like the Christians, they take that "O Father, give us our daily..." Father means to ask Him, "Give me, give me, give me, give me." Nobody wants to give father, but wants to take from father. Sometimes our students, when they spend extravagantly and I point out, he says, "My father has sent money." Sometimes. "My father has sent money." Yes. "Why did you stay at Ashoka Hotel?" "My father sent money." "Why not ask your father to send money? Why you are collecting by making life member?" So means idea of father... Father means that "Whenever I want to stay in Ashoka Hotel, he'll send money," not that "I will send money to father. He may stay at Ashoka Hotel." Nobody thinks like that. "Father may send money, and I shall stay in Ashoka Hotel." This is the idea of father. Father means to exploit him, to exploit.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1973:

So what should be the inquisitiveness in this human form of life? Therefore the Vedānta-sūtra says: athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now this life is meant for inquiring about the Supreme Absolute Truth, or Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth, ultimate goal. So that is human life, when we inquire about. Therefore those who are inquisitive about God, they are not ordinary persons. They have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as sukṛtina. Sukṛtina means background is pious. Just like you are all. You have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on account of their, of your very nice background. In your past life you must have cultivated Kṛṣṇa consciousness, advanced, but it was not complete. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa has given the chance again: "Now come to this platform and make your life successful." Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Yoga-bhraṣṭa. Those who could not fulfill or finish the Kṛṣṇa consciousness business completely, they're given another chance, another chance.

Lecture on SB 1.9.49 -- Mayapura, June 15, 1973:

Then again, it was confirmed by Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva. Because a king is representative of God. King is not ordinary person. Just like spiritual master is representative of God, similarly, king is also representative of God. The father is also representative of God. These are the statements of the śāstras. Because they will guide. The king will guide. The spiritual master will guide. The father will guide. What is that guidance? That guidance is how one can become Kṛṣṇa conscious by education, by culture. This is guidance, not that to guide them how to become hippies. This is not guidance. This is misguidance. Guidance means... The whole system of human civilization is guide the people to become God conscious. This is the Vedic civilization, not to make them dog conscious, cat conscious, animal conscious. No. (aside:) Sleeping. You are feeling sleepy? Why not sleep? But don't make like that.

Lecture on SB 1.10.1 -- Mayapura, June 16, 1973:

Just like we are reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we are discussing about the warfares, the professionals, they will go immediately to rāsa-līlā, as if these things are not necessary. Anyone who hears Bhāgavatam from these professionals, they do not know what are the other subject matter in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because they haven't got the chance to hear. They do not discuss. Whenever there is recitation of Bhāgavatam, it means they are discussing some rāsa-līlā. Because the rāsa-līlā is very palatable to the rascals. They think that Kṛṣṇa is ordinary young boy, and the gopīs are young girls, and as they read novel and dramas, one man, one woman, their activities, they think Bhāgavata is like that. They think... Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matiḥ. They think like that. The gopīs, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs, it is most confidential part of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is to be relished by the liberated soul, not these ordinary persons who have got sex attraction. They are unfit for hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, rāsa-līlā. Unfit.

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

So the king, being the head, naradeva... Therefore king's another name is naradeva. He's God. King is considered as God, representative of God. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yes, Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī gave certificate to Nawab Hussain Shah that "You are representative of Kṛṣṇa." When Nawab Hussain Shah was inquiring about Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "This person is not ordinary person. We are kings. Sometimes when we give in charity so many men flock around us. But here is a person, wherever He's going, thousands of men are following Him. So He's not ordinary person." After all, he's a king. He has got intelligence. Even from diplomatic point of view, he can understand. So he inquired from his minister, Sanātana Gosvāmī, "So who is this person?" So Sanātana Gosvāmī replied that "Whom you accept as (indistinct), the profit is His. It is your fortune that during your reign, He has taken birth in Bengal. You are governor, you are the king of Bengal. And why you are asking me? You are king. You are representative of Kṛṣṇa. You ask your mind and you'll understand what He is." He gave the certificate immediately. Not that "Oh, you are Muhammadan. What you can know?" No. Muhammadan, Hindu, doesn't matter. If one is king he must be blessed by Kṛṣṇa. He has been given the opportunity to become... And if the king also remembers that "I am representative of God. God has given me this post to rule over this country, to make them dharmic, to follow, to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then that is my duty, first duty," then everything is all right.

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

It is also said that ordinary persons, they go to the holy places of pilgrimage, and they leave their sinful activities there in the holy place. That is the purpose of going to the holy place, that "During the whole life, whatever sinful activities I have done, now I leave it here, and I become purified." That's a fact. One becomes purified. But the ordinary man, he does not know how to keep purified life. Therefore again comes back home and again commits the sinful activities. And sometimes again he may go. Just like in your, the Christian church, they go to the church weekly, and they, what is called, atone, atonement. So this kind of business is not very good. Once purified, you remain purified. So when the holy places of pilgrimage become piled up with all the sinful reaction of common man, a saintly person when he goes there, he makes the holy place clean. The holy place becomes unclean due to the common men's coming there and leaving their sinful reaction. So holy place becomes overburdened with the sinful results of other people. But in that holy place, when a devotee goes, then again the holy place becomes cleansed. This is the idea. Bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatāḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.15.30 -- Los Angeles, December 8, 1973:

So Arjuna here says, bhagavatā, "What I heard from that personality, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān." Bhagavān means full of six opulences. I've described it many times. So here is the direct hearer, listener. He says bhagavatā. How you can say that Kṛṣṇa is not Bhagavān-ordinary person? How you can say? One who heard the message, he says directly. This is called paramparā system. This is called paramparā. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So if we understand Bhagavad-gītā, as Kṛṣṇa..., as Arjuna understood. that is perfect. That is Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. And if you try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as some rascal commentator says, then you are reading somebody else; rubbish. There's no meaning. You're simply wasting your time. He may be such scholar, such big politician, like this. In our country, big politician, they have commented; big, big yogis, they have commented; big, big scholars they have... They're all useless. Take it: useless. If you read such commentary of Bhagavad-gītā, it is simply waste of time. If you actually want to study Bhagavad-gītā, then as Arjuna understands. Arjuna directly listened from Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973:

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was not an ordinary person. He was mahā-bhāgavata. Mahīṁ mahā-bhāgavataḥ śaśāsa, ruled over, a great devotee. It does not mean a great devotee is simply engaged in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. No. A great devotee may be the chief of the executive function of the state. He can become. That is required. Not that only mahā-bhāgavata required in church or temples. No. Mahā-bhāgavata required also as the head of the chief executive function. That is also required. Otherwise how people will be happy? Every field, there must be mahā-bhāgavata. So my Guru Mahārāja used to say that when we shall see that the high-court judges are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, then our preaching will be somewhat forward. So that is the aim of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that everyone, at least those who are ruling, those who are on the executive function, they must be all mahā-bhāgavata. Under them everything should be ruled. Then people will be happy. Because they will never do anything unjustly. Their only desire is... Mahā-bhāgavata is how to give relief to the suffering humanity. That is mahā-bhāgavata. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was mahā-bhāgavata, and therefore he was entrusted to rule over, not an ordinary man.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

So there are different classes of men, crow society and swan society. The swan society is different from the crow society. How you can make equal? The people are making, try to make classless society. It is not possible to make classless society because every living entity is being controlled by a different quality. So the qualitative distinction must be there. You cannot make them classless. It is all imagination. The crow class, the swan class, the pigeon class, the dog class, even in the animals, even in the birds, even in the plants... There is a plant, rose tree, and there are other plants, useless, no fruit, no flower. It is simply meant for becoming fuel. So by nature there are so many distinctions. You cannot make equal everything. This is called variety. But everything is required, provided one knows how to utilize it, and that is possible by Kṛṣṇa conscious person, not by ordinary person. To accept all varieties of creation and engage them in Kṛṣṇa's service, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.16.13-15 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1974:

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit is on his tour, and what did he meet in every place? Tatra tatra upaśṛṇvānaḥ. Everyone was speaking very highly, Sva-pūrveṣām, about his forefathers, especially the grandfathers, Pañca-Pāṇḍava, mahātmanām. They are not ordinary persons. Mahātmanām. Mahātmā and durātmā, two words. Mahātmā, a great mind or great personalities. And durātmā means mischievous person. There are two kinds: mischievous and magnanimous. Everywhere.

So the forefathers of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, sva-pūrveṣām, they were not ordinary person. They were mahātmās. So how one can become mahātmā? It is not very difficult, provided one wants to become mahātmā. Nothing is difficult in this world, provided one wants to have it, or to become. So how to become mahātmā? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. What is that? Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ (BG 9.13). This is mahātmā. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. First of all Kṛṣṇa says, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "To get a mahātmā, broadly-minded great personality, it is very difficult to find out." But still, one may try to find out what are the symptoms of mahātmā. That is discussed in Bhagavad-gītā. When one understands, "Kṛṣṇa is the origin or original source of everything," janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), as it is indicated in the Vedānta-sūtra that "The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates." That is Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.16.35 -- Hawaii, January 28, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes, the puruṣottama, to take us back. "Why you are now covered, your shining is stopped? You are morose. You are suffering threefold miserable condition of material existence. Why you are rotting here?" Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa comes Himself. He is within everyone's heart. He's instructing. He is ready to instruct, but He'll only instruct to such persons who have engaged themselves in devotional service. Kṛṣṇa is there, just like the master is there and many workers are there also. The master speaks to the important persons, not to the ordinary person. Similarly, the master is there in everyone's heart.

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati
brahmāyan sarva-bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
(BG 18.61)

Whatever we are getting for our sense enjoyment, that is with the sanction, sanction of the puruṣa, the Supreme Person. The paramātmā feature is madhyama puruṣa. He is purusottama. Puruṣottama is the Supreme Person, and the Supreme Person by His expansion as the Supersoul is present in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 18.61). He's guiding, as friend. He's guiding as friend, but He speaks directly with the living entity as soon as we are purified by devotional service. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). That if..., that qualification we have to attain, then Kṛṣṇa, puruṣottama, will speak from within, just like He spoke from within of Brahma: tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1).

Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit, parīkṣin nāma rājarṣiḥ. In those days all the kings were like saintly person. They are not ordinary person. Why saintly person required? Because saintly person means he knows what is actually good and what is not good. The actually good of human life is that he's engaged in developing devotional service. That is actually good. In another place of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Paro dharmaḥ. Para means superior, transcendental, or which is para and apara. Para and apara. These words are used. Para means greater and apara means lower, and para means superior and apara means inferior. Here it is spoken, "There are many types of religious systems, but they are apara, not very good, inferior, inferior type." Religion cannot be inferior, but it is sometimes made into inferiority because without such kind inferior type of religion, the inferior class of men will not accept it, will not accept it.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Delhi, November 4, 1973:

So there are three kinds of ātmavit or tattvavit. Some of them are brahmavit, some of them are paramātmavit, and some of them are bhagavadvit. Those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth through knowledge, by dint of their own knowledge, that is called brahmavit. They can approach up to the impersonal Brahman. And those who are yogis, trying to understand the Absolute Truth by meditation-dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1)—they are paramātmavit. And those who are devotees, they are bhagavadvit, or bhāgavata. They are called bhāgavata. So there are three classes of transcen..., vit, but everyone accepts this. ātmavit-sammataḥ. We should accept something which is agreed by the ātmavit, not ordinary person. Now it has become a fashion that you manufacture any way of thinking of self-realization, that is accepted. No. Whether it is accepted by ātmavit? Whether it is accepted by the Vedic culture? Then it is true. Otherwise you cannot manufacture. Therefore all over the world there are so many religious principles because they have been manufactured by some men. Actually, religion cannot be manufactured. Religion is, according to Vedic culture, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma, it should be given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like law is given by the state, government. You cannot manufacture law. That is not possible. If you manufacture some law that "I have manufactured this law," that "I will follow this law, my law," that will not help you. You must follow the law given by the government. Similarly, religion means the religion which is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the ātmavit, those who are actually self-realized, they accept that religion, not any manufactured religion.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

So the subject matter for hearing for the ordinary person, those who are engaged in family matters, gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām... So does it mean to become a family man is bad? No. It does not mean. But if you become gṛhamedhī, that is particularly said, gṛheṣu gṛhamedhī. Gṛheṣu, living in family life, but in family life there are also two classes of men: gṛhastha and these gṛhamedhī. Therefore I say that each and every word of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you will have new enlightening, new. Difference, there is difference between gṛhastha and gṛhamedhī. Gṛhamedhī, just like ordinary persons, their household life means they have made the home as the center of their existence. Just like I was seeing just now the rooms of our gṛhastha, householder, boys and girls. Things are scattered. (laughter) But if you go to another person's, gṛhastha (gṛhamedhī), you will find their apartment nicely decorated, chairs, cushions, and sitting place, but they have no vision about self. And here, although we see that household affairs, their resting place, is not so nicely decorated, but their aim is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

So Vedic instruction is there that if you want happiness, if you want solution of the problems of life, then tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). In order to learn that science where I can get happiness, one must approach a guru, a spiritual master. This is Vedic instruction. Not only Vedas, in all the śāstras. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Guru, who is to seek out that guru? Not ordinary person. Ordinary persons who are trying to know the news of the world, they do not require any guru. There is no necessity. Their subject matter is supplied by the newspaper, magazines, and so many other things. But guru is needed for whom? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive to learn about the transcendental subject matter, uttama. Uttama means... Ut means transcendental, and tama means the darkness. This world is dark. Just like at night now because there is no more sunshine, it is dark. Actually it is dark. Simply by sunshine, moonshine, electricity, fire, in this way we keep it glittering. Otherwise, it is dark. This whole universe is dark.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

So our knowledge is so poor, a little bound up rope and I am going round about it and we are thinking that we know everything. So therefore, Suta Gosvāmī says that these people have many subject matter or so-called subject matter of understanding but a person who is advanced in spiritual knowledge, his subject matter—that will be explained later on—his subject matter is God, Kṛṣṇa, that's all. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Don't think Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary person. He has got most extensive activities, and you cannot finish in one life what are the activities of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, in the next verse it is said,

nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ
vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ
diva cārthehayā rājan
kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā
(SB 2.1.3)

Now these materialistic men, their activities are described here. Those who have no knowledge of the spiritual world or the spiritual self, simply bodily concept of life like animal, they are gṛha-medhī, compact in this idea. If one can decorate his apartment and decorate his children and wife, he thinks he is the most successful man.

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. They do not know what is the background of Kṛṣṇa. The background of Kṛṣṇa is in the beginning said janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The first aphorism of Vedānta-sūtra.

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

He has to create one universe or destroy one universe—He hasn't to take any attention. He's engaged in His pleasure—Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of pleasure. His pleasure is never disturbed by all these activities. He's so perfect. Just like in our society, we are not perfect. Still, you boys and girls, you love me. Whatever I say, immediately done. So if an ordinary person like me, he can do things without his personal endeavor, how far..., how Kṛṣṇa is great, that na tat-samaḥ, there is nobody equal to Him. How great He is, how powerful He is, you can just imagine. If the ordinary person can have some power that he hasn't got to do anything personally—simply by his desire everything is done—so why not Kṛṣṇa also? Where is the difficulty?

In the Bible I think it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? So that is Kṛṣṇa. He simple desires, "Let there be creation," and immediately everything is ready. That is Kṛṣṇa. How it is being done? Automatically? No automatically. It is done regularly, as you do. Hetunā: there is cause. But the original cause is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on SB 2.9.7 -- Tokyo, April 24, 1972:

So why this is? Anyone... Everyone is son of God, but one who is acting as real son of God, he is praised, "He is my only son." This idea, not that God is limited to produce only one son. Why? God has unlimited sons. He is unlimited. If an ordinary man can beget hundreds of sons, just like Dhṛtarāṣṭra... There are many instances..., Ṛṣabhadeva. So why God should be restricted to beget only one son? I asked this question in church to some Christian priest, that "God is limited or unlimited?" He said, "Unlimited." "Then why you are restricting, limited one son?" He could not answer. You know that? Why you are limiting? He is unlimited. The ordinary person can beget hundreds of thousands. Why God, unlimited, He should be restricted to one son? The interpretation should be... Anyway, that Tulasī dāsa says that if he is devotee, then he is son. Otherwise it is urine. The God has begotten many sons... Just like... The only worthy son was Jesus Christ—you can interpret it like that—because he was giving service to the Lord, to the father. He brought the message of father.

Lecture on SB 3.22.22 and Initiations -- Tehran, August 12, 1976:

So we cannot spare our valuable time for bodily comforts, sacrificing our real aim of life, self-realization. That is not civilization. That is animal civilization. First consideration is self-realization. Therefore you'll find Vedic civilization very simple because they took it main business, self-realization. The bodily comforts... Big, big kings, because they had to rule over the country, some gorgeous type, style of living. They were... Ordinary persons, they were satisfied in a cottage. Still you'll find in India in the villages—I think here also the same—they don't mind. I see from the street the original walls.(?) They are not very much interested how to live comfortably. The real purpose of life should be done. At the present moment the civilization is simply for bodily comforts. Divasa-śarīra-sāje. Whole day is spoiled for trying how to make the, keep the body in comfortable situation. That is not the purpose of life. The purpose of life is, we should supply the necessities of the body as you can keep fit for executing spiritual purpose. But at the present moment there is no spiritual purpose, simply bodily comforts. This is the civilization of animals. As animals they do not know anything except bodily comforts. If human society becomes like that, then it is animal society. And because it is animal society, there is no peace in spite of advancement of material comforts.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

But Kṛṣṇa or His incarnation, when He comes, it does not depend on His karma, because He is above karma. He is fully independent. Therefore it is said, ātma-māyayā: "by His own energy," not by any external energy, forced by. Just like if the governor goes to the prison house, it is not that he has been forced to come to the prison, he is a condemned person, no. He goes there out of his good will to see how things are going on. But when an ordinary person is put into jail, he has been forced. He has been proved a criminal. So if the criminal thinks that "Here is governor. Now we are one, the governor and myself, one..." The pocket, pickpocket, criminal, if he thinks like that, that... Similarly, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Therefore rascals and fools, they think Kṛṣṇa is one of them, the same thing, as the criminal thinks the governor, as... Mahatma Gandhi went to jail, and if a pickpocket thinks that "Now Mahatma Gandhi and myself are the same..." No. Therefore it is said, ātma-māyayā. Mahatma Gandhi went to jail just to show the people: "Now, if you want to drive away the Britishers, so disobey their law, and they will put us into jail, and that jail will be effective." Jail svarājyake mandira hai. Mahatma Gandhi said. That was a policy, not that Mahatma Gandhi had to go to jail; he was a fit (?) for that person. Similarly, this is an example.

Lecture on SB 3.25.12 -- Bombay, November 12, 1974:

So therefore Kapiladeva or His representative, when he sees somebody is little interested, he becomes very glad and thanks him, "Thank you very much." Because people are not interested. So Kapiladeva, when He saw His mother interested, He thanked within. Not openly, but within the mind: "Thank you, mother. You are so interested." So dhiyā abhinandya ātmavatāṁ satāṁ gatiḥ. The process, the questions which she put, that is ātmavatāṁ satām. Not ordinary persons. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Kṛṣṇa-kathā becomes interesting in the association of satām ātmavatām, those who are interested in self-realization, those who are devotees. Satām means devotees. Ātmavatāṁ satāṁ gatiḥ, their path. Then He begin... Babhāṣa. He began to talk. And because He was very glad... Īṣat-smita, smiling: "Thank you, mother. You are so much interested. So I shall speak." And because He is incarnation of God, Kapiladeva, naturally, young boy, He... śobhita ānanaḥ. His face became very beautiful; to answer this question, He became very beautiful. Naturally He's beautiful, and when He smiled, being very much pleased with the question of mother, He became very much beautiful. Śobhitānana.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

Therefore it is said that para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Kāruṇikāḥ. Why kāruṇikāḥ? Why you should, one, you want to be merciful? Now, para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye (CC Madhya 6.254). A Vaiṣṇava's business is para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. A Vaiṣṇava understands that "These people, they are engaged like cats and dogs in sense gratification. They are misguided, and they'll be, next life they'll be punished for this misguidance. Let us do something for them." This is kāruṇikāḥ. Karuṇā. Karuṇā... Out of mercy. There is no question of getting something, money. No. Money we have got sufficient. Just to become merciful upon these fallen, conditioned souls, who are suffering on account of becoming animalistic, without any Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore the preacher, the sādhus... These are the sādhus. Titikṣavaḥ, tolerant. "Never mind. Whatever hindrances and tribulations they are offering to us, never mind. Tolerate." Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ (SB 3.25.21). Suhṛdaḥ, means the heart is so nice. Su means nice, and hṛd means heart. They have no other desire. Suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ means... Just like there are different words: mitra, suhṛdaḥ, bandhu... And Sanskrit is very perfect language. Suhṛdaḥ. Suhṛdaḥ means a person who is always thinking of welfare for others. He's called suhṛdaḥ. Otherwise kuhṛdaḥ. The ordinary persons, they are thinking how to make him subdued, how to make him defeated, in competition. That is the polluted heart. And the Vaiṣṇava, he's always thinking how a man can be saved from the clutches of māyā. He's called suhṛdaḥ. He has no other desire. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. Not "For my brother, or family," but sarva-dehinām, for all dehīs, all dehīs.

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

So here it is recommended, satāṁ prasaṅgāt, talks between devotees. Satām means devotee, not ordinary person; those who are devotees, sat. Sat and asat. There are two things. Sat means which exists, and asat mean which does not exist—temporary. That is called asat. This material world is asat. Therefore Vedic injunction is asato mā sad gama: "Don't keep yourself within this material world." (aside:) That child... Asato mā.

So people who are interested in materialistic life, they are called asat. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked by a devotee that "What is the behavior of a Vaiṣṇava, of devotee?" Vaiṣṇava means devotee. (aside:) Who is this? Who is making noise? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, being inquired, "What is the duty of a devotee?" (aside:) ...what is the sound?

Lecture on SB 3.25.26 -- Bombay, November 26, 1974:

So stone is another formation of earth. Earth, water, air, sky, mind, intelligence—they're all Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa says, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. (aside:) That's all right. Get up. Nothing is different from Kṛṣṇa. Everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that "Because everything is God, everything is Kṛṣṇa, then where is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is finished." But actually that is not. Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa; at the same time, He is everything. That is Kṛṣṇa. That we can understand by bhakti. Therefore it is said, bhaktyā. Bhaktyā. In Bhagavad-gītā also, Kṛṣṇa said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). These things can be understood not by ordinary person without any devotion. One who is bhakta, he can understand that Kṛṣṇa is everything and everything is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is everything—that is dṛṣṭa. When a bhakta sees a tree, he sees Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakta's vision.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

So Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī inquired from Him that "You are a sannyāsī. Instead of giving your attention in the matter of reading Vedānta-sūtra, Sāṅkhya philosophy, what is this that you are chanting and dancing?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied that "My guru found Me, I am a fool number one, guru more mūrkha dekhi (CC Adi 7.71), I am not very much learned. So he said, My guru said, that 'You cannot read Vedānta-sūtra.' " Actually Vedānta-sūtra, Vedānta philosophy is not meant for ordinary learned person. It requires great knowledge in Sanskrit language and philosophy. So He, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, took the part of ordinary person, at the present moment that guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana (CC Adi 7.71) . Generally people are not so learned that they can understand Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu taking the part of the mūrkha society, the illiterate, ignorant society, He said that "I cannot read Vedānta-sūtra. He advised me to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and I am doing that. And I am getting the result.

Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

If you want real life, prasanna... Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). If you take to bhakti, automatically you become prasannātmā. Yayātmā suprasīdati. What is that? Ahaituky apratihatā bhakti. Without any motive. "I shall serve Kṛṣṇa with a motive," that is also good in this sense, that he is pious, he has approached Kṛṣṇa. He is not impious like the atheist, like the nonbeliever. But he is good, although he has approached... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja worshiped Kṛṣṇa with a motive. But after being perfect in devotional service he becomes without motive. When he saw actually Kṛṣṇa, he said, "No, no, no. I don't want anything from You." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). "I don't want any benediction." That is bhakti. Ahaituky apratihatā. Not that we shall worship Kṛṣṇa to serve some material purpose. That is also good, because he has come to Kṛṣṇa. Someway or other he has come. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna. That is his piety. Anyone who comes to Kṛṣṇa someway or other, he is very fortunate. He is not ordinary man. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). Bhāgyavān jīva means very fortunate person. He comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not ordinary person.

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

So Kapiladeva could understand the desire of His mother. The mother was submissive because to understand the sāṅkhya-yoga, bhakti-yoga, it requires... The first condition is submission. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). You cannot understand the sāṅkhya-yoga system or bhakti-yoga system by falsely being proud that you are very learned scholar or speculator. These things will not help. You have to hear about Kṛṣṇa very submissively and accepting, not challenging. Then you will be able to understand. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You remain in your position. It doesn't matter what you are, simply you hear about Kṛṣṇa. There are so many things about Kṛṣṇa we can hear. Even if we are not educated, we can hear from a person who can speak rightly. But that person must be selected, not ordinary person, not professional person, but here it is said, tattva āmnāyam. Āmnāyam means by disciplic succession. We have to accept a positive party.

Lecture on SB 3.25.32 -- Bombay, December 2, 1974:

So he says, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means that is the perfect version. There is no mistake. If some ordinary says, there will be so many defects and cheating, because ordinary person has no perfect knowledge. He may be very, very advanced scholar, but that does not mean he is perfect. Perfection is different thing. Perfection means there should be no mistake, no illusion, no cheating, and no imperfections of the senses. That is perfection. And therefore it is said here, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān is all-perfect. Therefore we should take knowledge from Bhagavān or one who speaks according to the version of Bhagavān. We should not hear anybody else. That is imperfect.

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

So we are after giving chance to the bewildered persons, mislead person, materialistic person, to take up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and their success is guaranteed. Because Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). If you think Kṛṣṇa is ordinary person, how? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "Don't think Me that I am ordinary person. Under My direction the wind is blowing, the sea is working, the sun it heating, and the so many things are going on." Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). "Don't take Me so slightly." Everything is explained. Now it is our business to accept it or not accept it.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- London, September 17, 1969:

So here is also the statement that even... It's not required that sannyāsī is only mahātmā, but a gṛhastha can be, is also mahātmā. So gṛhastha-mahātmā, his symptoms are described: ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthāḥ. Their only business is to please Kṛṣṇa. That is the first qualification. They have no other business. Ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthāḥ. Then how they deal with others? A gṛhastha has to live... A sannyāsī may live alone in forest or in Himalaya or in a secluded place in Vṛndāvana or somewhere, but a gṛhastha, he has to deal with ordinary persons, so many others, businessmen or ordinary people. So that is stated here, that a gṛhastha-mahātmā, his first symptom is that he has no other business than to please Kṛṣṇa. That is his first business. And so far dealing with others, that is janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke. Very nice. What does he say? That people who are simply interested in maintaining this body and sense gratification, dehambhara-vārtikeṣu. Deha means this body, and bhara means maintaining, and vārtika means occupation.

Lecture on SB 5.5.18 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1976:

If he does not get another shelter, he will come back again. He will come back again. He has not merged. There is no question of merging. Brahmajyoti means the..., it is the combination of millions and trillions of sparks of living entities. That is brahma-jyotir. They are not mixed up. They are just like the sunshine. The sunshine, it is not one homogeneous substance. There are millions and trillions of shining particles. Combination is called sunshine. It is not that they are merged. Similarly, every individual soul is individual. Kṛṣṇa says, "Arjuna, you, Me, and all these soldiers and kings, they were existing before, they are now existing now, and they will continue to exist in the future." So where is mixture? You, me, and all of you, we are different individuals, and Kṛṣṇa says—not ordinary person—that "They were individuals in the past, they are individual now, and they will continue to become individual." So where is this question of merging? There is no question of merging. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loka sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7), eternally they are individuals, and eternally they will keep individual.

Lecture on SB 5.5.28 -- Vrndavana, November 15, 1976:

But they will not accept it. They will artificially create some assembly of rogues and thief and pass resolution for fifty years but no peace. They want to be united, but flags are increasing daily. We have seen in New York the flags are increasing. Actually, during Mahārāja Parīkṣit's time there was one flag only, and people were controlled by the Pāṇḍava kings all over the world, and they were peaceful. During the battle of Kurukṣetra, it was a family fight, so all the people of the world, they joined this side or that side. The Bhāratavarṣa means under the name of Bharata Mahārāja, who is mahānubhāvaḥ... He is not ordinary person. Bharataṁ parama-bhāgavatam bhagavaj-jana-parāyaṇam. Bhagavaj-jana. He is the follower of devotees, bhagavaj-jana. Bhagavaj-jana and hari-jana, the same thing. Hari means Bhagavān, and here it is stated, bhagavaj-jana, and hari-jana, the same thing. But nowadays hari-jana means if somebody comes and presents himself as hari-jana, immediately we understand he must be a chamar or bhangi.

Lecture on SB 5.5.30 -- Vrndavana, November 17, 1976:

So tatra tatra pura-grāmākara-kheṭa-vāṭa-kharvaṭa and so on, so on. This is Sanskrit language. By combining words with the process of sandhi and samasa, one word can be as long as three miles. So for ordinary person it is very difficult to combine together. So it is for the learned scholars. But we must understand the purport. Ṛṣabhadeva is parivrājakācārya. This is called parivrājakācārya. We have heard this name, parivrājakācārya. Sannyāsī's third stage is parivrājakācārya, and the fourth stage is paramahaṁsa. Kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and then paramahaṁsa. So avadhūta. We have already understood, avadhūta: no conception, no bodily conception, completely. There is a song, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra kāhāṅ tāra. If one is completely free from the bodily conception of life, as it is shown practically by Ṛṣabhadeva—people are spiting (spitting on him), calling him by ill names, and sometimes passing urine—he doesn't care. This is the example. Āpani ācari prabhu jīveri śikhāya. By imitation, it is not possible. We'll learn more and more about His body, how it was completely spiritual. Na jāyate na mriyate va. In other place the spiritual body is nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. The... No weapon can cut it, no fire can burn it. These descriptions are there.

Lecture on SB 5.6.5 -- Vrndavana, November 27, 1976:

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaching, yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛsāyitaṁ śūnyāyitaṁ jagat-sarvam. This is illusion. Śūnyāyitam. Jagat is not śūnyaṁ. Just like we have got practical experience. If somebody's beloved has died, he sees everything zero. Nothing is appealing to him. Similarly, if we have developed our love for Kṛṣṇa and if we do not see Kṛṣṇa, that is śūnyāyitaṁ jagat-sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. But a devotee and ordinary person, if ordinary person wants to see something and if he cannot see, he becomes angry because that is kāma. But a devotee, he says that "Kṛṣṇa, although the whole world is vacant because I cannot see You, still I cannot change my mind to love You." That is... One side śūnyāyitaṁ jagat-sarvam, the other side, āśliṣya vā pādaratāṁ pinaṣṭu māṁ marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanam. "You break my heart by not allowing me to see You, still You are my beloved, worshipable Lord." That is the difference. There is no manyu, no disappointment. Disappointment is there, but so much disappointed that broken heart, still he wants to love Kṛṣṇa. That is pure love. Not that "I have been disappointed, my heart is broken; therefore I give up Kṛṣṇa." No. Still Kṛṣṇa is good. That is pure love.

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

So who will read Vedānta at the present moment? There is no education. But if we follow the footsteps of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that Vedānta philosophy is not for ordinary person, simply if we chant—harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam—then you get the same result. What we get by studying Vedānta and Vedic literature, if we understand that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), and we sacrifice everything for achieving the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, then our Vedānta study is complete. That is the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on SB 5.6.7 -- Vrndavana, November 29, 1976:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, "Any rascal"—of course, "rascal" he did not say; I say—that. "Anyone who considers the body of Kṛṣṇa is prakṛta"—prakṛta means material—"that is the greatest offense." The Māyāvādīs, they say so. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, māyāvādī haya kṛṣṇe aparādhī. They think that when... "God is impersonal, but when He becomes a person, He accepts the material body." That is wrong. Here it is said that mukta-liṅgasya bhagavata ṛṣabhasya. It is no difference. Even a big scholar, while writing comments on Bhagavad-gītā, when Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), he warns the reader, "It is not to the person. The soul or the spirit within the person." Means he is thinking Kṛṣṇa as ordinary person, and he's a big scholar. This is going on.

Lecture on SB 5.6.8 -- Vrndavana, November 30, 1976:

Therefore guru must be authorized person, not that bhūmi-phala-guru(?). No. "I am guru," no. You cannot become guru unless you are agent to draw out the mercy water from the ocean of mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. And therefore a guru is not an ordinary person. He is the representative, bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra: "Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, Kṛṣṇa is your property. If you like, you can give." Vedeṣu durlabhaṁ adurlabhaṁ ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). You cannot get Kṛṣṇa by studying Vedas. That is not possible. There is Kṛṣṇa in the Vedas, but you cannot pick up. It is not possible. But if you go to the Kṛṣṇa's favorite person... Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Kṛṣṇa's very dear servant, confidential servant, is guru. Nobody can become guru unless he is in confidence of Kṛṣṇa. Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ. These things are there. Not that by magic one can become guru. No.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

Now, because the soul is there, therefore the body is changing. Everyone knows that he was a child. I know, you know. I remember my childhood body or my boyhood body, my youthhood body. I am old man. I remember them, that "I was doing as a young man like this. I was doing as a boy like this. I was jumping. Now I cannot jump. Why? The body has changed." The body has changed. It is very good logic. The same "I" am there. I was a boy. I was jumping. Now I am old man. I have changed my body. I cannot do that. I will have to take the stick. Because the body has changed. So where is the fallacy of logic? It is very clearly... And the authority says... Kṛṣṇa says, not an ordinary person. He says, "Within this body there is the soul, and as on account of the soul, the body is changing shape from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, from youthhood to old man's body. Similarly, when this body will be useless, he will accept another body." This simply truth one has to understand first of all before anything spiritual knowledge. If one cannot understand that the spirit soul is different from this body, then he is cat and dog. He is not human being.

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1975:

If you can Now, it is the business of everyone If he wants to be the first-class man in the society, brāhmaṇa, the qualification is śamo damas satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣva. These are the brāhmaṇa Śamaḥ means controlling the mind. Even Arjuna, he said to Kṛṣṇa when Kṛṣṇa was teaching him the process of mystic yoga and control the mind Five thousand years ago Arjuna A person like Arjuna is not ordinary person. He is talking with Kṛṣṇa. So still he says, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, this is not possible for me. I am a family man and a politician. I cannot control my mind. It is not possible." So nowadays, after five thousand years when Arjuna thought himself incapable of controlling the mind by the so-called yogic process, how it is possible now—this world has so much deteriorated—to practice this meditation and yoga process and control the mind? It is impossible. That is not possible. It is simply humbug.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

I have experience. And the aeroplanes, sometimes they clash, they move very carefully. It is very dangerous, fog. Those who are... But as soon as there is sunrise, some way or other, everything finished. Similarly, some way or other, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all the sinful reaction of your life immediately finished like the fog. So, but... This process is accepted kecit, somebody, very fortunate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said:

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(CC Madhya 19.151)

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not for ordinary persons. It is meant for very, very fortunate persons. But simply by accepting one thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he finishes all business of brahmacarya, tyāga, yama, niyama, śama, dama, everything.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

Suppose you are a big lawyer. I want to make friendship with you, I want to know about your inside life. That I can know by knowing you completely, and by satisfying you someway or other, by serving you. Then you: "Oh my dear sir, you want to know me. All right. This is this." Similarly, bhakti means service. You have to please Kṛṣṇa, then you can know Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will say. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti pūrvakam (BG 10.10). "Those who are always engaged in love and affection." Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, "I say unto Him, I give him intelligence." Not to ordinary persons. Those who are actually engaged in the service of the Lord, he can get instruction from Kṛṣṇa. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā. And when he gets instruction fully and he is fully aware of Kṛṣṇa, viśate tad anantaram, then merging question comes. Without understanding... Without clear understanding of Kṛṣṇa where is the question of merging? Simply imagining that I am merge into Kṛṣṇa? No. That is not possible. You should know first of all what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God. Then there is question of merging. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Therefore this merging process takes place after many, many births. Is it not? So we first of all have to understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. If he has vague idea of Kṛṣṇa, vague idea of... Where is the question of merging?

Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- Honolulu, May 30, 1976:

So far everyone has got some charitable disposition of mind, in that disposition of mind, if by chance he gives to some Vaiṣṇava some money, that becomes a credit. That is called ajñāta-sukṛti. He does not know that "I am getting some..." Of course people, they pay to saintly person, brāhmaṇa, that datavyam iti yad dhānam: "Here charity should be given." So that charity goes into his credit. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām sukṛtino 'rjuna—those who have got background of pious life. So even one goes to the church, "God, give us our daily bread," he's not ordinary person. He's pious man. He has gone to God to ask. He has not gone to anyone. No. "My Lord, I'm very poor man. I have no money. Kindly give me some money." That also accepted. Of course, he should not be foolish, that "God is giving me everything without asking, so why should I bother God, asking?" That is advanced devotion. Therefore pure devotee, they do not ask anything from God. They simply want to give service. "Why should I ask? God knows my necessities." He says, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). My duty is, this body belongs to God, I belong to God, my mind belongs to God, everything belongs to God. And I simply have to offer, "My dear Lord, I have brought this little flower, this fruit, kindly accept it." Nothing belongs to you. The fruit is God's. The flower is God's. You are God's. Simply you have to change your consciousness. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything is given by God. You have not manufactured the fruit or flower or your body or... Nothing. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, when you understand that "Everything belongs to God. Why it should be utilized for other purpose?" It should be utilized for God.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

Similarly, if you have knowledge, theoretical knowledge even, that everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy and if you have love for Kṛṣṇa, with reference to the context, whatever you see, you see Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You cannot see anywhere where there is no Kṛṣṇa. This is for the devotee. For the ordinary person these are the description, that the sūrya, the sun is also Kṛṣṇa, the fire is also Kṛṣṇa, the sky is also Kṛṣṇa, the air is also Kṛṣṇa, the moon is also Kṛṣṇa, the evening is Kṛṣṇa, daytime is Kṛṣṇa. Then how you can avoid Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says that "I am..." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. You cannot avoid Kṛṣṇa. Simply on account of your foolishness, māyā is covering your eyes to see Kṛṣṇa. So mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then māyā's curtain will be taken away and you will see Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is required. Then you become perfect as soon as you learn how to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. This is the art, transcendental art, spiritual art, how to see Kṛṣṇa. Then you become perfect. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1976:

The veda purāṇa karila. Veda, the four Vedas and other literatures abiding by the Vedas... Purāṇa means supplementary Vedas. There are many historical incidences. They say "mythology." No, it is not mythology. It is from selected historical incidences put together, but the same Vedic instruction for common man. In the Vedas the mantras are there. Common man cannot understand. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), athāto brahma jijñāsā. This Veda mantra goes on. But ordinary persons, they cannot understand. Therefore the same Vedas explained with reference to the historical incidences, that is called Purāṇa. Purāṇa means "who is complete." Purāṇa, pūrayati iti purāṇa. So, the Māyāvādī philosopher, they say the Purāṇas are stories. No. The Bhāgavata is Purāṇa. It is full of stories. But what kind of stories? All Vedic instruction. Just like Ajāmila. Ajāmila began, itihāsa. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa is speaking itihāsa, in the beginning. It is said. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is giving incidences of itihāsa, history, example from the history. So this is actual fact.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

So in this way we are misguided by so many rascals and forget God, and that is sinful life. That is the sinful life. Therefore it is said, etair adharmaḥ vijñātaḥ: now as soon as you are sinful, you have to be punished. That is nature's law. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). It is not that God has to come personally to punish you. When God comes personally to punish you, then you are not ordinary. (laughter) Just like He came to punish Rāvaṇa, Kaṁsa. They are not ordinary. But ordinary person, a little headache is sufficient to finish him. He doesn't require to bring God. God's agents, there are so many agents. One agent is sufficient. So in this way there are different grades of punishment. Just like first-class, second-class, third-class prisoner. They are all punished in the prison house, but some of them are first class, some of them are second class. So similarly, within this material world it is called durgā. Durgā means fort, and the superintending deity is called Durgā, goddess material nature. So it is a fort like. You cannot go from here and there. You are trying so much to go from this planet to moon. You cannot do. Just like in the prison house, no prisoner can leave this place to go to another unless he is ordered to do so; similarly, we are conditioned. It is not possible, "Because we have manufactured some machine, by force I can go anywhere." No. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.48 -- Detroit, June 14, 1976:

So Yamarāja or Lord Brahmā or great personalities, they, even great sages, saintly persons, they know the three features of time. Just like yesterday I told you that there is an astrological system; immediately they will speak what I was in my previous life, what I am now and what will be my future life. So Yamarāja is not ordinary person. He is given in charge; he is also one of the authorities out of twelve authorities. Baliḥ vaiyāsakir vayam. He is one of the authorities about religious performances. So he knows everything even from within his mind, manasaiva pūrva-rūpaṁ vipaśyati, what this person was in the past, because everything is going on exactly on the rulings of the prakṛti, material nature. It cannot be changed. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). This is called destiny. So destiny cannot be changed. With the insight of destiny Yamarāja can understand what was this man previously, what is his position now, and what he's going to become in future. Anumīmāṁsate 'pūrvam. Apūrvam means that which is not yet in vision. Apūrvam, future. Manasā bhagavān ajaḥ. That is also... So therefore he can give judgment within a second. After death those who are sinful they are taken to the Yamarāja's. Just like in the criminal court, those who are criminals, they are taken there. Thieves, rogues, cheater—not ordinary persons, honest persons—they are not taken there. Similarly, only a few number of the whole human society.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

So these things are being shown regularly in the cinema. What character will be formed of the young men? By seeing once, this Ajāmila, he fell down so much, and our boys and girls are seeing these things every day in the cinema. So what kind of character you can expect from them? These are the instruction to be taken from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But generally people go to hear Bhāgavatam to the professional reciters when the rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa is described, because they think, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is doing this, embracing a nice girl. So this is very nice." Not this part of Bhāgavata is interesting. That part of Bhāgavata is very interesting, and people gather in ten thousands to hear rāsa-līlā. And the reciter will make very monetary profit. This is going on, Bhāgavatam. Nobody is interested to hear the incidences of Ajāmila. They at once go to Kṛṣṇa. Although Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā is not this lusty affair—that is a different thing—but people, because they want such thing, they are very much addicted to Bhāgavata reading, or Bhāgavata recitation when rāsa-līlā is described. So the rāsa-līlā should be strictly... Caitanya, according to Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction—we follow that—this rāsa-līlā chapter is not for ordinary person. They are meant for liberated persons, not for ordinary persons. Therefore they should not be, this rāsa-līlā description should not be made amongst ordinary people. Those who are advanced devotee, those who are liberated from material contamination, they should try to understand what is rāsa-līlā. That is described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that one should not even imagine the rāsa-līlā of Kṛṣṇa. But it is meant when one is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is for them only.

Lecture on SB 6.1.61 -- Vrndavana, August 28, 1975:

Sometimes we go to hear or see rāsa-līlā. But unless we are advanced in spiritual consciousness, this hearing of or seeing some rāsa-līlā, sometimes it brings us down. If one is actually seeing rāsa-līlā, the result will be hṛd-roga-kāmam apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ. This is the injunction in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. If one has actually heard from a realized person about vikrīḍitam idam vraja-vadhūbhir viṣṇoḥ, Viṣṇu and vraja-vadhū, the gopīs, vikṛtam, their līlā, their pastime Śraddhānvita anuśṛṇūyād atha varṇayed yaḥ. One who is actually advanced in spiritual consciousness, śraddhānvita, anuśṛṇuyāt, and hears from the realized person—anu, anu means paramparā, not from ordinary person, professional reciter, but from a realized person—the result will be hṛd-roga-kāmam apahinoti. Then the, our natural lusty desires will disappear. That is the result. But in spite of disappearing our, this lusty desire, if we increase our lusty desire, that means we are spoiling our life. Therefore it is forbidden that neophyte students, they should not indulge in these affairs of rāsa-līlā. You should be very careful. People are very much accustomed to see rāsa-līlā in Vṛndāvana. Maybe they are advanced, but the test is whether he has given up his lusty desire. That is the test.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

Unfortunately the go-dāsas are claiming to be gosvāmīs. That is the cause of falldown of Indian Vedic civilization. One has to become gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means refuse to follow the dictation of the senses. Simply he has to follow the dictation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That dictation comes through the paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa dictated Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you follow Arjuna, then you (are) in directly contact with Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. The dictation comes through disciplic succession. Now Kṛṣṇa is teaching to His disciple, Arjuna. Arjuna accepted, śiṣyas te 'ham: (BG 2.7) "Just now I become Your disciple." Śiṣya means one who voluntarily accepts the ruling of a spiritual master. He is called śiṣya. Nobody wants to follow the dictation of others—that is another independent nature of living entity—but when one voluntarily agrees to serve the dictation of the spiritual master..., means to follow the dictation of Kṛṣṇa... Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt. Kṛṣṇa says, "Ācārya is My self." Nāvamanyeta karhicit: "Never disobey." Na martya-buddhyāsūyeta: "And do not think him as ordinary person and become envious of his position." Then there is fall down. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyāsūyeta (SB 11.17.27).

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:

So the Viṣṇudūtas, they are instructing the Yamadūtas. They are authorized person. These Viṣṇudūta, they are authorized persons. They are not ordinary person. They are coming from Vaikuṇṭha. Just like Nārada Muni comes from higher planetary system, Vaikuṇṭhaloka. He is called deva-ṛṣi. He travels all over the universes, material and spiritual. He has got special concession. Sometimes... (child making noise—Hindi) Sometimes we have got information the yogis, they can also travel not only within this material universe but in the spiritual. The instance of... (child making noise) Durvāsā Muni.

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

The first criminal action is that when we forget Kṛṣṇa and our relationship with Him Our relationship with Kṛṣṇa is that Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer; we are eternal servant. This is our relationship. Just like a big man, rich man: he is the enjoyer and he has got many servants. That we practically see. The capitalist, he starts some business, big factory. Ten thousand men are working, but the capitalist is not working. It is our practical experience. He is aloof from the factory. In a nice place, in a nice bungalow, garden house, he is enjoying. Similarly, God, Kṛṣṇa, He is the enjoyer. You will find, therefore, Kṛṣṇa here in this temple, He is enjoying. He is standing with His elder brother, enjoying in the forest, sporting with His cowherd boy friends, His cows, calves—enjoying in the forest. The description is there in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. And those who are playing with Him, those who are associates of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, they are also not ordinary persons.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Just like Kṛṣṇa had talks with Arjuna, which is known as Arjuna-gītā, similarly, He had talks with Uddhava, another devotee. That is known as Uddhava-gītā. So in that Uddhava-gītā these statements are there, that ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt nāvamanyeta karhicit: "Ācārya should be known as good as God." That is confirmed in Viśvanātha Cakravartī... Sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. He also refers to the śāstra, not that he is opining by his own intellect. No. That is the speciality of learned scholars and devotees. They should immediately give evidence from the śāstra. Viśvanātha Cakravartī said that "Guru is as good as God by the verdict of the śāstra." Sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. And Kṛṣṇa says, ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt: "Ācārya should be known as good as Myself." Nāvamanyeta karhicit: "Never become disobedient to ācārya." Na martya buddhyāsūyeta: "Never be envious of the ācārya, considering him to be an ordinary person." Nāvamanyeta karhicit. Sarva-deva-mayo. By worshiping ācārya... And Bhagavad-gītā it is said, ācāryopāsanam. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). These things are there.

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

Whatever one may be in his past, that's all right. As soon as he is situated in pure devotee, devotional state, that's all. One hasn't got to inquire, "from the beginning" or "from the end." There is no need of such inquiry. As soon as he is situated in his original position, hitvā anyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6), gives up nondevotional activities, but is situated in devotional service, immediately he is all right, pure devotee. Doesn't matter whether he was in the beginning. Because even a person, ordinary person, ordinarily, he is not contaminated. He lives aloof from this material existence. But for sometimes, even if he is influenced, that doesn't matter. As soon as he comes to his real position, he is a pure devotee. There is no question of tracing his past history. There is no question. You be situated in pure devotional service; you are pure devotee. That's all. There is no question of inquiring what he was in the past. That doesn't matter. Is it clear? Yes. Just like Ajāmila. In the past history he, simply sinful, Jagāi-Mādhāi, simply sinful, but as soon as they come to the position of pure devotional life, he is pure. That's all. Yes.

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

So we must take to śāstra-vidhi. This is the actual advancement of civilization. Because life after life we have forgotten about our relationship with God, and this is the only chance, human form of life, we can revive our relationship with God. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that anādi bahir-mukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karilā. Why these Veda, Purāṇas are there? Especially in India, we have got so many Vedic literatures. First of all, the four Vedas—Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva. Then their gist philosophy, Vedānta-sūtra. Then Vedānta explanation, the Purāṇas. Purāṇa means supplementary. Ordinary person, they cannot understand the Vedic language. Therefore from historical references these Vedic principles are taught. That is called Purāṇas. And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is called Mahā-purāṇa. It is spotless Purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because in other Purāṇas there are material activities, but in this Mahā-purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, simply spiritual activities. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 7.6.11-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 27, 1976:

Here is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu who is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He has come to teach us vairāgya-vidyā. It is little difficult. It is very difficult for ordinary persons to understand this vairāgya-vidyā. Their business is how to increase attachment for this body, and Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to increase detachment for this material life. Therefore it is called vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā can be very easily achieved, just like it is recommended, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayati āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7), very soon, very soon. Janayati āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca. Two things required in human life. One thing is jñānam, jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma sva-bhāva-jam. This jñānam means, beginning of jñāna means "I am not this body. I am spirit soul." That is jñāna. And as soon as one is situated in that platform of jñānam, it is easy. People are engaged everywhere for the benefit of this body. But if one understands, he come to the platform jñānam, then naturally he becomes detached, that "I am not this body.

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

Everything we cannot imagine even. But that is also within this material world. Within this material world. Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). We can go there if we want to go. Just like they are trying, the modern so-called scientist, to go to the moon planet, Mars. According to śāstra, these planets are bedecked with such descriptive facilities. They are also within the heavenly planets. But these rascals are going, and they find nobody there, and they take some dust and come back. This is their success. 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 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1977:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja... There was some disagreement with the father, but he was not ordinary person. His father might... He's a very, very big man. He conquered the whole universe. So he was not a poor man's son. He was very rich man's son, Prahlāda Mahārāja. And he was educated by his father sufficiently. Of course, within five years... So janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī. Everything was there, but Prahlāda Mahārāja was not depending on his material circumstances. He was depending on his profound, ecstatic transcendental bliss of devotional service. That is wanted. So that stage immediately we cannot reach. He is nitya-siddha. As I was going to explain, that whenever Kṛṣṇa descends, His nitya-siddha devotees, associates, they also come. So gaurāṅgera saṅgi-gaṇe, nitya-siddha boli māne, tara haya vrajabhūmi vāsa. Like that. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura... Just like śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvasadi gaura... So these associates of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they are nitya-siddha. You cannot avoid any one of them and make your imagination, that "I shall simply worship..." (break) Kṛṣṇa has appeared—Panca-tattva. Kṛṣṇa is īśa, and Nityānanda Prabhu, He is prakāśa, the first expansion of God. God has many expansion.

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1977:

So these are the science. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is our guru. He's not ordinary. Don't think that "He's a five-years-old boy. He has no knowledge." No. He is perfect nitya-siddha guru, and we should always pray for his mercy. And that is Vaiṣṇavata. Vaiṣṇava ṭhākur tomāra kukkura boliyā jānaha more. This is a humble way. "O Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura..." All Vaiṣṇavas are ṭhākura. They are not ordinary persons. Ṭhākura... We therefore address: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākur. So Vaiṣṇava Prahlāda Ṭhākura. So we should always pray, vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, tomāra kukkura boliya jānaha more. This is There is a song of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: "My dear Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, kindly accept me as your dog." Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura. As the dog, by the indication of the master, does everything very obedient, we have to learn this lesson from the dog, how to become faithful to the master. That is the instruction. In everything you can learn something. Everyone Therefore mahā-bhāgavata, they accept everyone as guru, to learn something. Actually, from the dog we can learn this art, how to become faithful at the risk of life even. There are many instances, dog have given the life for the master. So, and we should be dog to the Vaiṣṇava. Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā, nistāra pāyeche kebā.

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

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is considering himself born of a father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, as ugra-karma. So he's saying, harir ugra-jāteḥ, that the... Brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇa, "Lord Brahmā and other demigods, they are coming from the higher planetary system, and they are in the sattvika guṇa, sattva-guṇa. They are not ordinary person." Just like coming from some pious pilgrimage, he's supposed to be very nice man, similarly, brahmādayaḥ, they are coming from svarga-loka. Why svarga-loka is better than this loka? The thing is, in the svarga-loka, although they are attached to material enjoyment, still, they are great devotees. Therefore svarga-loka is praised. They are not like us. Here, those who are attached to material prosperity, they forget Kṛṣṇa, or God.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13-14 -- Montreal, August 22, 1968:

So do you think that sādhu, those who are sādhu, they are pleased when a person is killed? Not ordinary person. He is giving very nice example. Modeta sādhur api vṛścika sarpa-hatyā (SB 7.9.14). Vṛścika means scorpion and sarpa means snake. Naturally, whenever a scorpion is found or a snake is out, every man is prepared to kill it. Every man. "Oh, here is a snake. Kill it." When I was in Allahabad, in my bed there was a snake. I do not know how it came, but I informed to the servants, and they came with all stick immediately. So when the bed seat was taken away, it was under the, I mean to say, quilt. So that snake was there, and from the face of the snake I could understand that she was, it was so afraid. He could understand that "Now I'm going to be killed by so many people. They have come." So I told them that "Don't kill this poor fellow. Better take it and send it to the forest." But they took it away, but I later on understood they killed it. So once I saw in our Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya's birthplace, so a snake was going, a black snake with... In Bengal there are many snakes. So my Guru Mahārāja was on the upstair and everyone asked the permission whether this should be killed. He said immediately, "Yes. He should be killed."

Lecture on SB 7.9.16 -- Mayapur, February 23, 1976:

So the ordinary person, they cannot understand what is the difficulty. As soon as I die I enter into the womb of a mother according to my karma. The mother may be a lady dog or lady pig or lady such and such, because the body will be manufactured within the womb of the mother. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor dehopapatti (SB 3.31.1). Upapatti means getting one type of body. So that type of body is given by the mother, and the seed is given by the father. Yathā bījaṁ yathā yoni. So we take a form. This is going on. So a devotee should be very very much afraid of this repetition of birth and death. Saṁsāra... This is Prahlāda Mahārāja... To follow the footprints of Prahlāda Mahārāja, one should be very, very afraid. And the whole process of Vedic civlization, especially devotional service, is how to avoid this saṁsāra-cakra-kadanā. Everyone should be very, very afraid of. Foolish persons... "Where angels dare not, the fools rush in." They think, "What is that? I shall die." Now it has come to the stage that in your Western countries, if we say like this, that "Next life you may become a dog," university student, they say, "What is the wrong if I become a dog?" They are not afraid. They think, "If I become a dog, then I'll be free to have sex on the street without any restriction. This is the facility. Because being a human, I have got so much restriction, and if I become a dog, then there will be no restriction. I'll have... I'll be very free to have sex anywhere." So this is the education. In Hawaii, when I was lecturing, one student said, "No, what is the wrong, Swamijī, if I become a dog?" You see? Bah!

Lecture on SB 7.9.18 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1976:

So here Prahlāda Mahārāja said that... Prahlāda Mahārāja is also mahājana because he follows mahājana. He says, viriñca-gītāḥ: "I'll enjoy. I shall relish tava līlā-kathaḥ, Your pastime, the narration of Your pastime." But it is not that narration, as it is written by some mundane dramatic drama writer or novel writer. No, not that. That is useless. You should not touch. If some ordinary person has written something about Kṛṣṇa's līlā, you should not touch even. It must be in the sampradāya, must be authorized person. Otherwise it is useless. You should not touch even. Therefore he especially mentioned, līlā-kathās tava nṛsiṁha viriñca-gītāḥ: "which is given by mahājanas like Brahmā." Just like we offer prayers from Brahma-saṁhitā. We cannot offer prayer from any other persons, written by any other nonsense. No, that is not possible. Viriñca-gītāḥ. There is power. If you recite the prayers composed by mahājana, it has got spiritual power. Just like in your country, Mr. Max Mueller, he's very famous as translator of Vedas. But... Many scholars, they have read the translation of Max Mueller, but nobody could understand what is the purpose of Vedas because he's not in the line. He's useless.

Lecture on SB 7.9.24 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1976:

So every one of them were describing their marriage ceremony, that "My..." Rukmiṇī explained that "My father wanted to hand over me to Kṛṣṇa, but my elder brother, he did not agree. He wanted to get me married with Śiśupala. So I did not like this idea. I wrote Kṛṣṇa a private letter, that 'I have dedicated my life to You, but this is the situation. Please come and kidnap me.' So in this way Kṛṣṇa kidnapped me and made me His maidservant." The queen's daughter, king's daughter... Everyone of them were king's daughter. They were not ordinary person daughter. But they wanted to become maidservant of Kṛṣṇa. This is the idea, to become servant and to become maidservant. This is ideal of human civilization. The every woman should try to become maidservant of her husband, and every man should try to become the hundred times servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is Indian civilization, not that "Husband and wife, we are equal rights." That, in Europe, America, the movement is going on, "Equal rights." That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is the husband should be a sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa, and the wife should be a sincere maidservant of the husband.

Lecture on SB 7.9.26 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1976:

So it is not possible that You'll touch my body, but You have done it. You have placed Your lotus hand on my head. It is simply Your causeless mercy. Otherwise I am not fit for this. So, and I... You are so merciful that this mercy You did not offer to Lord Brahmā even." Brahmā is supposed to be the supreme creature within this material world, Brahmā. He's the first created creature, and he's called Svayambhū. He's not born of any material father and mother but directly came through the lotus stem which is growing from the navel of Viṣṇu. So he's not ordinary person. He's not ordinary person. He's not... Therefore he's known as Svayambhū. We are not svayambhū. We are begotten by father and grown up by mother. We are not self-sufficient. But Brahmā is called Svayambhū because he is not born of any material father and mother. So "He did not get this mercy. Although Brahmā's position is so exalted, still, my Lord, he did not get this opportunity."

Lecture on SB 7.9.52 -- Vrndavana, April 7, 1976:

So don't be depressed. Try to please Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is our only business. That is our only business, whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied or not. Then it is, everything, all right. Prīto 'ham. Prīto 'ham. Here it is said, prahlāda bhadra bhadraṁ te prīto 'ham: (SB 7.9.52) "I am fully satisfied upon you." Try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Then everything is auspicious. And then Kṛṣṇa will... Instead of begging from Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will beg from whatever you want: "What you want, please tell Me." The devotee never wants, but Kṛṣṇa is anxious. Here it is said, varaṁ vṛṇīṣva: "You take whatever you like." So if you simply please Kṛṣṇa, He'll canvass, "My dear devotee, whatever you want, you take. You can take from Me." Varaṁ vṛṇīṣva. "So why shall I beg from You?" Now, kāma-pūro asmi: "Whatever you desire, I can fulfill. I am so powerful." Kāma-pūro asmy ahaṁ nṛṇām. Nṛṇām, ordinary person. Because a devotee is above the nṛṇām. So, so long we are, remain in the material condition, we have so many kāmas, desires. But as soon as we come to the spiritual platform... Because there everything is ready, why shall I be desiring to have this thing or that thing? Everything is ready. Everything is ready. That is spiritual platform. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu (Bs. 5.29). Kalpa-vṛkṣa. Everything, everything you want, it is ready immediately because there is Kṛṣṇa only, and He is always ready. What is that song? Gopījana-rañjana. Sing this song.

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

So how to... "Yes, I am śreyas-kāmāḥ. I... Yes, I want what is the ultimate goal of life. Yes." That is... Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is a fact. So śāstra also says, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). The śreyas-kāmāḥ. If you are actually serious about the ultimate goal of life, then you approach a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. If you are actually inquisitive to understand what is sreyas, that is śreyas-kāmāḥ. kāmāḥ means desiring, and śreyas means ultimate good. Not preyas-kāmāḥ. If you want to enjoy these material facilities, then you can go to such kind of men, such kind of men, and... If you want to learn drinking, so go to a club where drinking is very encouraged. Preyas-kāmāḥ. If you want to enjoy sex, go to the club where prostitutes are available. That is preyas-kāmāḥ. But if you want to reach the goal of life, then go to Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. There are two kinds of men, sreyas-kāmāḥ, preyas-kāmāḥ, so two things are there. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for the śreyas-kāmāḥ. And who becomes śreyas-kāmāḥ? Mahā-bhāga, with great fortune. Not ordinary person. Unfortunate or misfortunate, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Mahā-bhāga. Very, very great fortunate person.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

So unfortunately these Māyāvādī philosophers, they accept brahmāsmi means "I am the Supreme." We are not the Supreme. We are subordinate. So long this knowledge lacks, one is not completely in knowledge. Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Amongst the persons who are realized themselves as Brahman, as spirit soul, they also, after trying many, many births, that means they are not muktas, that is still baddha, conditioned. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. Not ordinary person; those who are wise. Wise means those who are in the spiritual platform to understand his position as spirit soul, not this body, such persons, after many, many births surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. That is the ultimate knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, vāsudevaḥ (BG 7.19)—to make it clear more—vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the Supreme. He is everything.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

But that is Lord Caitanya. Ordinary person is not Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is liberated. He is talking from the liberated platform. But not everyone is on the standard of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore, first of all, one has to come to the standard of varṇāśrama-dharma. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu's position can be obtained by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu by this saṅkīrtana movement. He is giving that. That means we have to come to that position when we don't identify with this body. This varṇāśrama-dharma is identification with this body: "I am a brāhmaṇa." "I am a brāhmaṇa," what does it mean? This is bodily qualification, but I have got little more knowledge than others. I know what is Brahman. But still, I am not a Vaiṣṇava. Unless I become a Vaiṣṇava, I come to the position of a brāhmaṇa and then I engage himself in the Brahman's service, that is Vaiṣṇava. That is required. Simply... But in order to raise oneself to the highest standard of life, these principles of varṇāśrama-dharma should be followed. You cannot become M.A. without becoming a student in the school and college. But if there is any special service... Just like Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, he was given doctor title from the Oxford University.

Page Title:Ordinary person (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:11 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=98, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:98