Parrot

Expressions researched:
"Parrot" |"Parrots"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.1.3, Purport:

In Sanskrit the parrot is also known as śuka. When a ripened fruit is cut by the red beaks of such birds, its sweet flavor is enhanced. The Vedic fruit which is mature and ripe in knowledge is spoken through the lips of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who is compared to the parrot not for his ability to recite the Bhāgavatam exactly as he heard it from his learned father, but for his ability to present the work in a manner that would appeal to all classes of men.

SB 1.1.3, Purport:

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are narrated, and the narration is systematically depicted by Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Thus the subject matter is appealing to all classes of persons, including those who seek liberation to relish the mellow of becoming one with the supreme whole.

In Sanskrit the parrot is also known as śuka. When a ripened fruit is cut by the red beaks of such birds, its sweet flavor is enhanced. The Vedic fruit which is mature and ripe in knowledge is spoken through the lips of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who is compared to the parrot not for his ability to recite the Bhāgavatam exactly as he heard it from his learned father, but for his ability to present the work in a manner that would appeal to all classes of men.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.1.36, Purport:

The aesthetic sense of the Lord is manifested in the artistic, colorful creation of varieties of birds like the peacock, parrot and cuckoo. The celestial species of human beings, like the Gandharvas and Vidyādharas, can sing wonderfully and can entice even the minds of the heavenly demigods. Their musical rhythm represents the musical sense of the Lord. How then can He be impersonal? His musical taste, artistic sense and standard intelligence, which is never fallible, are different signs of His supreme personality. The Manu-saṁhitā is the standard lawbook for humanity, and every human being is advised to follow this great book of social knowledge. Human society is the residential quarters for the Lord. This means that the human being is meant for God realization and association with God.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.15.18, Translation:

When the king of bees hums in a high pitch, singing the glories of the Lord, there is a temporary lull in the noise of the pigeon, the cuckoo, the crane, the cakravāka, the swan, the parrot, the partridge and the peacock. Such transcendental birds stop their own singing simply to hear the glories of the Lord.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.24.9, Translation:

My dear King, in the imitation heavens known as bila-svarga there is a great demon named Maya Dānava, who is an expert artist and architect. He has constructed many brilliantly decorated cities. There are many wonderful houses, walls, gates, assembly houses, temples, yards and temple compounds, as well as many hotels serving as residential quarters for foreigners. The houses for the leaders of these planets are constructed with the most valuable jewels, and they are always crowded with living entities known as Nāgas and Asuras, as well as many pigeons, parrots and similar birds. All in all, these imitation heavenly cities are most beautifully situated and attractively decorated.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.8.13, Translation:

Your son Kṛṣṇa appears as an incarnation in every millennium. In the past, He assumed three different colors—white, red and yellow—and now He has appeared in a blackish color. (In another Dvāpara-yuga, He appeared (as Lord Rāmacandra) in the color of śuka, a parrot.) All such incarnations have now assembled in Kṛṣṇa.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.15.10-12, Translation:

Sometimes the honeybees in Vṛndāvana became so mad with ecstasy that they closed their eyes and began to sing. Lord Kṛṣṇa, moving along the forest path with His cowherd boyfriends and Baladeva, would then respond to the bees by imitating their singing while His friends sang about His pastimes. Sometimes Lord Kṛṣṇa would imitate the chattering of a parrot, sometimes, with a sweet voice, the call of a cuckoo, and sometimes the cooing of swans. Sometimes He vigorously imitated the dancing of a peacock, making His cowherd boyfriends laugh. Sometimes, with a voice as deep as the rumbling of clouds, He would call out with great affection the names of the animals who had wandered far from the herd, thus enchanting the cows and the cowherd boys.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 8.78, Translation:

Actually Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is not my writing but the dictation of Śrī Madana-mohana. My writing is like the repetition of a parrot.

CC Adi 10.62, Purport:

According to expert opinion, Caitanya dāsa was the author of the book Caitanya-carita (also known as Caitanya-caritāmṛta), which was written in Sanskrit. The author was not Kavi-karṇapūra, as is generally supposed. This is the opinion of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Śrī Rāmadāsa was the second son of Śivānanda Sena. It is stated in the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (145) that the two famous parrots named Dakṣa and Vicakṣaṇa in kṛṣṇa-līlā became the elder brothers of Kavi-karṇapūra, namely Caitanya dāsa and Rāmadāsa. Karṇapūra, the third son, who was also known as Paramānanda dāsa or Purī dāsa, was initiated by Śrīnātha Paṇḍita, who was a disciple of Śrī Advaita Prabhu. Karṇapūra wrote many books that are important in Vaiṣṇava literature, such as the Ānanda-vṛndāvana-campū, Alaṅkāra-kaustubha, Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā and the great epic Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭaka. He was born in the year 1448 Śakābda (A.D. 1526). He continually wrote books for ten years, from 1488 until 1498.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 8.122, Translation:

“I simply repeat like a parrot whatever instructions You have given me. You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Who can understand Your dramatic performances?

CC Madhya 17 Summary:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu next passed through Prayāga and Mathurā and then took His lunch at the home of a Sānoḍiyā brāhmaṇa, a disciple of Mādhavendra Purī. He bestowed His blessings upon the brāhmaṇa by accepting lunch at his place. Thereafter the Lord visited the twelve forests of Vṛndāvana and was filled with great ecstatic love. As He toured the Vṛndāvana forests, He heard the chirping of parrots and other birds.

CC Madhya 17.199, Translation:

Bumblebees and birds like the parrot and cuckoo all began to sing loudly on the fifth note, and the peacocks began to dance in front of the Lord.

CC Madhya 17.208, Translation:

When a male and female parrot appeared on the branches of a tree, the Lord saw them and wanted to hear them speak.

CC Madhya 17.209, Translation:

Both parrots flew onto the hand of the Lord and began to chant the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, and the Lord listened to them.

CC Madhya 17.210, Translation:

The male parrot sang, "The glorification of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beneficial to everyone in the universe. His beauty is victorious over the gopīs of Vṛndāvana, and it subdues their patience. His pastimes astound the goddess of fortune, and His bodily strength turns Govardhana Hill into a small toy like a ball. His spotless qualities are unlimited, and His behavior satisfies everyone. Lord Kṛṣṇa is attractive to everyone. Oh, may our Lord maintain the whole universe!"

CC Madhya 17.211, Translation:

After hearing this description of Lord Kṛṣṇa from the male parrot, the female parrot began to recite a description of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

CC Madhya 17.212, Translation:

The female parrot said, “Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s affection, Her exquisite beauty and good behavior, Her artistic dancing and chanting and Her poetic compositions are all so attractive that they attract the mind of Kṛṣṇa, who attracts the mind of everyone in the universe.”

CC Madhya 17.213, Translation:

Thereafter the male parrot said, "Kṛṣṇa is the enchanter of the mind of Cupid." He then began to recite another verse.

CC Madhya 17.214, Translation:

The male parrot then said, "My dear śārī (female parrot), Śrī Kṛṣṇa carries a flute and enchants the hearts of all women throughout the universe. He is specifically the enjoyer of the beautiful gopīs, and He is the enchanter of Cupid also. Let Him be glorified!"

CC Madhya 17.215, Translation:

Then the female parrot began to speak jokingly to the male parrot, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was struck with wonderful ecstatic love to hear her speak.

CC Madhya 17.216, Translation:

The female parrot said, "When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is with Rādhārāṇī, He is the enchanter of Cupid; otherwise, when He is alone, He Himself is enchanted by erotic feelings even though He enchants the whole universe."

CC Madhya 17.217, Translation:

Both parrots then flew onto a tree branch, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu began to watch the dancing of the peacocks with curiosity.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 12:

For example, a mango tree is considered very valuable because it produces the king of all fruits, the mango. When the mango fruit becomes ripened it is the greatest gift of that tree, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is similarly held to be the ripened fruit of the Vedic tree. And as ripened fruit becomes more relishable when first touched by the beak of a parrot, or śuka, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has become more relishable by being delivered through the transcendental mouth of Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam should be received in disciplic succession without any breakage. When a ripened fruit comes from the upper part of the tree onto the ground by the process of being handed down from a higher branch to a lower branch by persons in the tree, the fruit does not break. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, when received in the paramparā system, or disciplic succession, will likewise remain unbroken.

Nectar of Devotion 21:

"How wonderful it is that Kṛṣṇa, who owns the hearts of all the young girls of Vrajabhūmi, can nicely speak the language of Vrajabhūmi with the gopīs, while in Sanskrit He speaks with the demigods, and in the language of the animals He can even speak with the cows and buffalo! Similarly, in the language of the Kashmir Province, and with the parrots and other birds, as well as in most common languages, Kṛṣṇa is so expressive!" She inquired from the gopīs as to how Kṛṣṇa had become so expert in speaking so many different types of languages.

Nectar of Devotion 26:

There are six features of conjugal love affairs, called peacemaking, picking a quarrel, going to meet one's lover, sitting together, separation and support. Lord Kṛṣṇa expanded an empire of these six features, of which He was the ruling prince. Somewhere He was picking quarrels with the young girls, somewhere He was scratching them with the nails of parrots, somewhere He was busy going to visit the gopīs, and somewhere He was negotiating through cowherd friends to take shelter of the gopīs.

Some of the gopīs addressed Him thus: "Dear Kṛṣṇa, because of Your adolescent age, You have just become the spiritual master of these young girls, and You are teaching them to whisper among themselves. You are teaching them to offer solemn prayers, as well as training them to cheat their husbands and to join You in the gardens at night, without caring for the instructions of their superiors. You are enthusing them by the vibration of Your enchanting flute; and, as their teacher, You are teaching them all the intricacies of loving affairs."

Nectar of Devotion 51:

One devotee said, "My dear Govinda, here is a nice flowery bush in Kailāsa. I am a young girl, and You are a young poetic boy. After this, what more can I say? You just consider." This is an example of uparasa, caused by impudence in conjugal love.

When Nārada Muni was passing through Vṛndāvana, he came to the Bhāṇḍīravana forest and saw in one of the trees the famous parrot couple that always accompanies Lord Kṛṣṇa. The couple was imitating some discussion they had heard upon the Vedānta philosophy, and thus were seemingly arguing upon various philosophical points. Upon seeing this, Nārada Muni was struck with wonder, and he began to stare without moving his eyelids. This is an example of anurasa, or imitation.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 45:

They learned to study herbs and plants to discover how they would act as medicine for different ailments. By studying the different species of plants, They learned how to crossbreed plants and trees and get different types of fruits. They learned how to train and engage rams and cocks in fighting for sport. They then learned how to teach parrots to speak and to answer the questions of human beings.

They learned practical psychology—how to influence another's mind and thus induce another to act according to one's own desire. Sometimes this is called hypnotism. They learned how to wash hair, dye it different colors and curl it in different ways. They learned the art of telling what is written in someone's book without actually seeing it. They learned to tell what is contained in another's fist. Sometimes children imitate this art, although not very accurately.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

In Bengali it is said, bhajana kara sādhana kara mūrti yāṅre haya. (?) You may be very great devotee. That's all right. But it will be tested at the time of your death, how you remember Kṛṣṇa. That will be the test examination. At the time of death, if we forget, if we become parrotlike... Just like parrot, he chants also, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." But when the cat catches the neck, "Kanh! Kanh! Kanh!" No more Kṛṣṇa. No more Kṛṣṇa. So artificial practice will not help us. Then "Khan, khan." That kapha-pitta-vātaiḥ, kaṇṭhāvarodhana-vidhau smaraṇaṁ kutas te (MM 33).

So from the beginning we have to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness if we are actually serious to go back to home, back to Godhead. Not that let it be left for two or three years before death. Oh, it is not so easy. It is not so easy.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

Merging means just like aeroplane. Aeroplane is flying in the air, in the sky. When it goes too far, it becomes too small, you say, "It has merged into the sky." But it has got, even in that position, it has got its separate existence. Just like a bird, a parrot, enters a tree. The tree is also green, and the bird is also green. When it enters the tree, you see no separate existence of the bird, but it has got a separate existence. Similarly, either you are in material existence or in spiritual existence you are already merged, but you have got your separate existence. Is it clear? Thank you.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Bombay, February 19, 1974:

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Therefore, whatever we speak, we do not speak anything which Kṛṣṇa does not speak. That is our quality. I have several times, I was eulogized by many persons, "Swamiji, you have done wonderful." So I say that I am not a wonderful man. I simply follow Kṛṣṇa. What Kṛṣṇa says, I repeat, like parrot. That's all. I have no knowledge. But Kṛṣṇa says that "This is this." I accept it. And then that will be... That we shall be benefited. Just like a child. If he accepts the instruction of the parents, he gets knowledge. Parent will not cheat. If a child does not know a small watch, he asks, "Father, what is this?" Father can explain, "My dear child, this is called watch. You can see time, what is the time now." That is perfect knowledge. So that knowledge is perfect. Therefore in the beginning of this chapter and in the Fourth Chapter we said, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). If we get knowledge by the pure paramparā system, pure disciplic succession, that knowledge is perfect.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

The... Another explanation of this verse is that any fruit ripened in the tree, it is already very nice, very sweet. If you take an unripe fruit from the tree and keep at your home, it also ripens, but it is not so tasteful. If it is ripened in the tree and you take it, then it is very tasteful. I think you have got this experience. Again if that fruit is cut by the lips or by the beaks of the parrot, which is called śuka, it becomes still more tasteful. Similarly, this fruit, the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is already very tasteful because it is the ripened fruit, but it has been tasted by the lips of Śukadeva Gosvāmī; therefore it is still more tasteful. Drava-saṁyutam. Therefore it is recommended, pibata bhāgavatam, "Now, this ripened fruit, just taste it," pibata, "drink it." Pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are narrated, and the narration is systematically depicted by Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Thus the subject matter is appealing to all classes of persons, including those who seek liberation and those who seek to become one with the Supreme Whole. In Sanskrit the parrot is also known as śuka. When a ripened fruit is cut by the red beaks of such birds, its sweet flavor is enhanced. The Vedic fruit which is mature and ripe in knowledge is spoken through the lips of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who is compared to the parrot not for his ability to recite the Bhāgavatam exactly as he heard it from his learned father, but for his ability to present the work in a manner that would appeal to all classes of men. The subject matter is so presented through the lips of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī that any sincere listener that hears submissively can at once relish transcendental tastes which are distinct from the perverted tastes of the material world.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:

And if the fruit is ripened in the tree fully, then you taste it—it is very delicious. Another thing is that if any fruit in the tree, when it is ripened, it is tasted by the parrot, touched by the beak of the parrot, it becomes more delicious.

So here it is said that this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not only the ripened fruit of the Vedic tree, but it is tasted by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the realized person. He is liberated, realized person. Therefore to hear Bhāgavatam from him is immediately delicious and effective. Śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam. It is because it is explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, not a professional, third-class man, but Śukadeva Gosvāmī. It is the injunction of Sanātana Gosvāmī that one should hear Vedic literature, Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, from the realized person.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

There are aquatics, there are insects, there are birds, beasts, trees, plants, then human being, by evolution process. So they have no problem. You can see, in the early morning, these parrots, they are dancing, chirping, and they have no problem. Immediately they will go to some tree and they will find out some little fruit. They will eat. Their eating problem... There is no eating problem. There is no sleeping problem, and there is no sex life problem also. Along with them, there is opposite sex. And they defend in their own way. So these are not actually problems. These are already settled up according to your body. That is the verdict of the śāstra. Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. According to your body, your eating problem, your sleeping problem, your sense gratification problem and defending problem are already settled. That is the verdict of the śāstra.

Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

No, this same verse. Practice it. In this way you practice one mantra daily. Each mantra will purify you hundred yards daily. Go forward. These mantras are very powerful, given by Vyāsadeva Gosvāmī, vibrated. And spoken by... Śuka-mukhād drava-saṁyutamrtam. That is explained in the beginning. Just like a ripened fruit in the tree is already very sweet, and if it is touched by the beak of the parrot, it becomes sweeter. These are natural course. If the parrot touches the fruit, he cuts little by his beak, beak. Beak, you call beak? Then it becomes still sweeter. Śuka-mukhād drava-saṁyutam. Similarly, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is already sublime, transcendental. And when it is spoken through the mouth of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, it becomes still sweet, just like the fruit. The parrot is also called śuka. It is called śuka-pakṣi, śuka bird. So this comparison is given. As the fruit becomes still sweeter by the touch of the beak of the parrot, similarly, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, because it is already spoken by Vyāsadeva, ripened fruit, the experienced contribution of Vyāsadeva, all the Vedic literatures, but when it is spoken through the paramparā system of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, it becomes still sweeter.

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

Just like mango tree. There are fruits, green mango and ripened mango. The ripened mango is very interesting. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the ripened mango of the desire tree of Vedic knowledge. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ śuka-mukhāt (SB 1.1.3). And everyone knows that the, if the ripe fruit in the tree is tasted by the parrot, it becomes twice tasteful. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī, śuka-pakṣī. Śuka means parrot. He's speaking. Śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam, pibata bhuvi bhāvukāḥ rasam ālayam. These are the recommendations. So people are not interested. It is a great regret, matter of regret, that in India, where these literatures are available, where the sages and saintly persons left for us such nice literature, vidyā-bhāgavatāvadhi, the limit of all education, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are not interested. They are interested in some other, Marx literatures, Karl Marx literature, not Bhāgavatam. This is the India's misfortune.

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

All these activities are taken into account. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. We collect all these effects of pious activities. This devotional service is so nice that whatever you do, little bit, that is pious. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Even if you do not do anything, simply if you hear, that is also puṇya. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. And if I speak just like a parrot, if I do not know anything about, it doesn't matter; still, it is pious. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Someway or other... The children, what do they know about Kṛṣṇa consciousness? But they are becoming pious, purified.

Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

"Why you should go to the temple? Kṛṣṇa is everywhere." Who was asking that question? "Kṛṣṇa cannot be served..." Here, last night. I think those girls, svarṇa(?) girls. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, that is a fact, but that is for the paramhaṁsa, one who is very very advanced. For the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, he cannot He, like parrot, he can say, "Kṛṣṇa is everywhere." He must be educated, "Here is Kṛṣṇa in the temple." Otherwise it is simply blaspheme, that "Kṛṣṇa is everywhere." That's a fact, but where is your realization? Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. Have you got that realization? Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Have you got that realization, that Kṛṣṇa is within your heart? Can you talk with Kṛṣṇa? He says, Kṛṣṇa says, "I talk." Buddhi yogaṁ-dadāmi tam. Kṛṣṇa gives intelligence. Kṛṣṇa is giving, but have you got that realization?

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, June 9, 1976:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is so nice that you don't require to acquire something artificial. No. Wherever you are, remain there. Simply hear. And preaching means to propagate or to vibrate what Kṛṣṇa has said. So this is the position of the preacher, that you simply repeat, like a parrot, no qualification. You simply ... Whatever is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, you repeat. And the others simply hear. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). Then both of them become liberated. There is no question of that, to become a qualified person. This is the only qualification, that a preacher should preach only what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all. No manufacturing, no concoction. And the audience? They will hear from such person who does not speak anything else except Kṛṣṇa's teaching, that's all. These two things, if carried, then your both the life,(?) the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, the one who is speaking and one who is hearing, both of them are benefited.

Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975:

Then that is success of life. In a Bengali there is a proverb, bhajana kara sādhana kara mūrti jānle haya(?), that "Whatever you are executing as a bhajana, sādhana, that's all right, but it will be tested at the time of your death." It will be test. Just like a parrot is chanting, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa," but when some cat comes in, "Kaw, kaw, kaw." No. Then missing. So parrot life will not help you. You must be really chanting without any offense. Then it is possibility that at the time of death... Death will be there. You may be very proud of your body, that "I am permanent." No. "As sure as death." And after death you have to change your body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). That we do not know, what kind of body I will enjoy. Now I have got Serji's(?) body. That's all right. But your karma will decide the next body.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

They were practicing to teach us, āpani ācari' prabhu jīvere śikhāya. Simply teaching will not do unless we practice. That is very important thing, practice, practical life. Simply quoting verses, like parrot, will not be very much beneficial. One must apply, jñānam vijñāna-sahitam. Jñāna means to know the thing, and vijñāna means to apply the things in practical life. Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam. So we must know the vijñāna, how practically. That is taught by the Gosvāmīs, kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana, always chanting the glories of Kṛṣṇa. Kīrtana, gāna, nartana, nartana means dancing. Dancing is very good. The more you dance, the more you become light; means the burden of material contamination becomes reduced. Dancing is so nice. Even if you don't feel ecstasy, if you dance by force, that will also help us. Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartanau-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

Because yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaram loke tyajaty ante kalevaram. At the time of death, if we can remember Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ, that is all success. The practice of devotional service means so that we may be so accustomed to chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra that at the time of death we may remember it. Otherwise... Not like parrot. The parrot also imitates chanting. But when the cat catches, he does not say, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." He says (imitates parrot sound), "kanh, kanh." So not that kind of... We should be accustomed to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa that whenever the death point is there, he would chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then that is success. So practice means to remember. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). If we practice always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, naturally, at the time of danger, we shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Go on.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

And Kṛṣṇa viṣayā upadeśa, that is also Kṛṣṇa upadeśa. Bāhu-vrīhi-samāsa. This is the way of analyzing Sanskrit grammar. So Kṛṣṇa's upadeśa is Bhagavad-gītā. He's directly giving instruction. So one who is spreading kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, simply repeat what is said by Kṛṣṇa, then you become ācārya. Not difficult at all. Everything is stated there. We have to simply repeat like parrot. Not exactly parrot. Parrot does not understand the meaning; he simply vibrates. But you should understand the meaning also; otherwise how you can explain? So, so we want to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply prepare yourself how to repeat Kṛṣṇa's instructions very nicely, without any malinterpretation. Then, in future... Suppose you have got now ten thousand. We shall expand to hundred thousand. That is required. Then hundred thousand to million, and million to ten million.

Festival Lectures

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

So we are following the six Gosvāmīs. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. Always chanting and dancing and chanting... What is chanting? Not any slogan, but Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. This is chanting. Chanting does not mean that you chant like some parrot, no. Chanting Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana. Śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Kīrtanam, chanting, and śravanam, hearing, what? There are so many subject matters of chanting and hearing. No. Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. So chanting and hearing, this was inaugurated by Lord Caitanya and followed by the six Gosvāmīs, and we are also following in the footprints of the six Gosvāmīs. Therefore we should offer our respectful obeisances, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva gopālakau. We offer our respectful obeisances to Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, and to Raghunātha Gosvāmī and Jīva Gosvāmī and Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

How I can learn all these books and become, make my life perfect, and then I preach?" so Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that you haven't got to learn so many books. He says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You just become guru on My order." "Then what is your order, Sir?" Yāre dekha, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. This is guru. You haven't got to learn very much. You simply repeat like parrot what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all. Is it very difficult? Kṛṣṇa has said everything in the Bhagavad-gītā. You learn Bhagavad-gītā, and you repeat that. You become guru. This is guru.

So sometimes people give me very much credit that I have done wonderful throughout the whole world. But I do not know that I am wonderful man. But I know one thing, that I am speaking what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. That's all. I am not making any addition, alteration. Therefore I am presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. This credit I can take, that I don't making any nonsense addition or alteration.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- September 25, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Prabhupāda: We can meet if they give us time.

Kartikeya: Tomorrow we shall. If we start little late, we can meet at seven. (break) Lot of parrots. Millions of them.

Prabhupāda: No, as there, in India at least.

Kartikeya: No, here they've got more greenery, more trees. More agriculture is around.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. They're taken care of. (break) This Vasu is a Bengali...

Kartikeya: R. Vasu.

Prabhupāda: What is he?

Kartikeya: He's a municipal commissioner.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: What can I say? Kṛṣṇa says. I am simply a child, repeating the words of Kṛṣṇa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, you always tell them that. "It is not what I'm saying; Kṛṣṇa is saying." But that gets them even angrier.

Prabhupāda: We are Kṛṣṇa conscious. We are obligated to say like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That makes them even more angry.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Actually Kṛṣṇa says: na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15)—finished. They cannot bring any defamation. We can say in the court that we are simply repeating like parrot. That's all. We have pledged to become parrot of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. (end)

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He mentioned that, that "My Kṛṣṇa is different imagination. My imagination of Kṛṣṇa is different." That is his position. He imagines. He has... (Hindi) "My imagination of Kṛṣṇa..." This is... How he can believe Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is preaching violence, and he's trying to draw nonviolence. The people will challenge, but he makes his own commentation, his own imagination. He said, "My imagination of Kṛṣṇa is different." This is his word. And actually... He is the student of Bhagavad-gītā and in his āśrama there is not a single picture of Kṛṣṇa. He does not believe in Kṛṣṇa. But believe or not believe, he was reading Bhagavad-gītā, had respect. That will give him some profit, there is no doubt. (break) Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. Everything is clearly said in the Bhagavad-gītā. I speak, therefore, to my disciples that "You simply repeat like parrot Bhagavad-gītā and follow by your life. Don't try to become very big scholar, do interpretation. Remain foolish and believe in Kṛṣṇa. Then life is perfect." And actually that is happening. They never tried to eschew and... What is called, the English word? Draw out some meaning. Eschew or something?

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Damodara Pandita -- New York 17 July, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 12, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care. Concerning the recordings of Krsna dasa Babaji, how can I make any judgment as I have not heard them. However, you should just go on chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra and the Pancatattva mantra and don't divert your attention. You cannot understand the meaning of the Indian songs and simply parrot like chanting of these songs has no value.

Concerning making a comparative study and critique of philosophy, unless one is very expert it is difficult for him. First of all, let people understand Krishna. We are doing that. Maybe one or two are interested in philosophy and for so few persons we can't spare so much valuable time. Better to induce everyone to chant Hare Krishna and take prasadam. That will be a mass benevolent activity. In the western countries many Ph.D.'s are out of employment because they did not get any service.