Places of pilgrimage (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"dharma-ksetra" |"holy place" |"holy places" |"place of pilgrimage" |"places of pilgrimage" |"sacred place" |"sacred places"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

Devotee: "This is confirmed by all the great teachers, including Śaṅkara and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In India there are many authorities on Vedic knowledge and they have virtually all accepted Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should therefore accept the Bhagavad-gītā as it is, directed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead..."

Prabhupāda: And here is an important fact. The other day while I was walking, I saw one advertisement of tourist agent. India, (indistinct) can view wonderful land. The wonderful land. Anyway, so I asked Karttikeya(?), "So India is considered very wonderful?" He said "Yes." Anyway, India is still considered the land of spiritual cultivation. Even one Chinese author, he has written that if you want to study religion, then you have to go India. He is impartial. He is not Indian nor an American or any country. He is Chinese. Chinese are considered to be Communist country, but he has very impartially said that if you have to learn what is religion then you have to go to India. Anyway India, actually it is the land of religion, dharma-kṣetra, although it has gone down at the present moment. But anyway, there are two sections in the..., amongst the Indian, bona fide religionists. That means bona fide religionists means those who are following the Vedic principles. They are called bona fide.

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

Prabhupāda: (during chanting of śloka) Now, in your leisure hour you will try to repeat and get by heart some of the ślokas. That will be very nice. Go on.

Pradyumna: (after synonyms) "Translation: Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: O Sañjaya, after assembling in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukṣetra, what did my sons and the sons of Pāṇḍu do, being desirous to fight?"

Prabhupāda: So the history is that same family, there was dispute who would occupy the throne. Dhṛtarāṣṭra and, actually he was the eldest son of the king, and next was Pāṇḍu. So every country the law of primogeniture, what is called? The eldest child... In your country even the eldest child is a girl, she also occupies the throne. Just like present Queen Elizabeth. Formerly there was Queen Victoria; before that, another Elizabeth. But in India woman has no such right. Woman is never given any responsible post. That is the opinion of the greatest politician in the history of the world, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. According to his opinion, viśvāso naiva kartavyaḥ strīṣu rāja-kuleṣu ca. He has given his explicit opinion that "You cannot trust with any responsible post or any responsibility with a woman and politician." Those who are diplomat, politician, you cannot trust them.

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

So when the planning was complete and the warfield was set up at dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). Dharma-kṣetre means, kuru-kṣetre, that place is a pilgrimage. People still go to observe religious ritualistic performances. And in the Vedas there is injunction, kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret: "If you want to perform some ritualistic ceremonies, religious, then go to Kurukṣetra." So Kurukṣetra is a dharma-kṣetra. It is a not fictitious thing, just like rascal commentators, so-called, they say, "Kurukṣetra means this body." It is not that. As it is. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Kurukṣetra, dharma-kṣetra. It is a place of religion. And especially when Kṛṣṇa was present there, it is already. Why this house? Before our occupation, why this house was an ordinary house? Now it is temple. It is dharma-kṣetra, it is a religious place. Why? Because Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa is there. So either you take Kurukṣetra, ordinary place. But because in the battlefield Kṛṣṇa was there directing Arjuna. So it is already dharma-kṣetra.

So formerly people were religiously trained up. So they could not speak lies in a dharma-kṣetra. That is still the practice. Just like in the western world, the Christians go to the church, they admit, confession, "Yes, I have done it." But that has become a formality. But actually, one should admit in religious place that "Yes, I have done this." But that does not mean you admit and again do it. No. You admit once, then you are excused. But don't do it again.

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

So here Dhṛtarāṣṭra says, samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). "All these people, my sons, māmakāḥ..." Māmakāḥ. That means "my sons," and pāṇḍava, "my brother Pāṇḍu's sons." Samavetā, "they assembled." What is the purpose? The purpose is yuyutsavaḥ. This word yuyutsu is still used in Japan. Perhaps you know, yuyutsa, fighting. So yuyutsu, those who are desirous of fighting. Now, both the parties were desiring to fight, and they assembled. Why he is asking question, kim akurvata: "What did they do"? Because he was little doubtful that "These boys, after being assembled in dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣe..., they might have changed their ideas. They might have settled up." Actually, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra might have admitted, "Yes, Pāṇḍavas, you are actually the owner. What is the use of unnecessarily fighting?" So he was very much anxious whether they had changed their decision. Therefore he is asking. Otherwise there was no question of asking, kim akurvata. He... Just like if you are given food, if I ask somebody that "Such and such gentleman was served with nice dishes. Then what did he do?" This is foolish question. He would eat. That's all. (laughter) What is the question of "What did he do?" Similarly, when it is already settled up that they were to fight, there was no such question as kim akurvata, "What did they do?" But he asked this question because he was doubtful whether they had changed their opinion.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

He was asking Sañjaya: "What did they do?" Kim akurvata sañjaya. That was the question. And first of all, Sañjaya described the arrangement in the battlefield, and then he's speaking. Now, sometimes Bhagavad-gītā is misinterpreted that this battle, I mean to say, dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra means "this body." We do not misinterpret in that way. There is no question of misinterpretation. We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change by our whimsical imagination, concoction. We do not interpret the words of the Bhagavad-gītā according to our own desire. No. Actually, from literary point of view, interpretation is required when things are not understood very clearly. The interpretation required. In the law court, when the lawyers try to interpret before the judge, when the terms are not very clear... That is the same way, in, in, amongst the associates and society of learned scholars. Interpretation is not required when the things are very clear. Just like the sun, sunshine, sunlight. There is no need of a lamp to show the sun. The sun is self-effulgent. It is already there. Light is there. Why one should take a lamp to show the sun? This misinterpretation has killed the spirit, the real essence, of Bhagavad-gītā.

So there was so many editions and so many misinterpretation. Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, our proposition is that we are, I mean to say, presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not misinterpret. So dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra. Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra, the place where religious ritualistic performances are done.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

So one party is māmakāḥ, my sons, and the other party is Pāṇḍavas, the sons of my brother, Pāṇḍu." Māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva (BG 1.1). Now, the word is used: yuyutsavaḥ. "They assembled for fighting." Then what is the use of asking: kim akurvata, "Then what did they do?" It is natural to conclude that when they assemble for fighting, there must be fighting. But why he was asking: kim akurvata? The suspect was that because the parties assembled in the dharma-kṣetra, so they might have changed their ideas. Still, in India, if there is two fighting parties, they go to a temple and ask that "You say the right thing." So in the temple, still, in the villages, they do not dare to speak lies. Yes. The fighting and the misunderstanding becomes settled up. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra was thinking whether the two parties, they have settled up.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

This is the background of Kurukṣetra. But another thing is the dharma-kṣetra, effect of dharma-kṣetra was visible in Arjuna. Dharma-kṣetra. He, because he's devotee of Kṛṣṇa... Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Because he's devotee of Kṛṣṇa, therefore he felt: "What is this? Why shall I kill these, my brothers?" Because he was devotee. This sentiment came into the mind of Arjuna, not on the other side, Duryodhana. He never thought. Although they were placed, both of them placed at dharma-kṣetra. The effect of dharma-kṣetra was manifest in the body of Arjuna, not Duryodhana. This is the... If one is pure, then the effects of dharma becomes manifest very quickly. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ... (BG 7.15). Kṛṣṇa says in... that those who are too much sinful, sinful, simply their life is sinful, duṣkṛtinaḥ. Duṣkṛtinaḥ. Kṛti. Kṛti means one who has got good brain. But duṣkṛtinaḥ, but the brain is applied for mischievous activities.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

So the effect of Kurukṣetra, dharma-kṣetra, was visible in the person of Arjuna, not in the person of Duryodhana. That is the difference. Therefore he was crying: "So I am put in such a position that I have to fight and I have to kill my brothers, my nephews, my grandfather." He was too much affected. Although it is weakness, but it is not actually weakness. It is compassion. Arjuna was not a coward, neither he was less heroic than the other side. But out of compassion, because he was devotee... Devotees, they are para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. The, the symptom of a devotee is they are unhappy by seeing others unhappy. That is the symptom of devotee. Generally, a person, if he sees somebody happy, he becomes happy. Mātsaratā. That is the world situation. If I see my brother is very happy, he has improved in his material condition, then I become unhappy: "He has advanced so much, and I could not do so."

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- New York, March 4, 1966:

Similarly, Hindus also, when they go to some pilgrimage, they take bath on the sacred river. But one should know that going to the sacred place does not mean simply to take bath in that water. Real meaning of going to a sacred place—to find out some intelligent scholar in spiritual knowledge. They are living there. To make association with them, to take knowledge from them—that is the purpose of going to pilgrimage. Because in pilgrimage, holy places... Just like I, my residence is at Vṛndāvana. So at Vṛndāvana there are many great scholars and saintly persons living. So one should go to such holy places not simply to take bath in the water, but he must be intelligent enough to find out some spiritually advanced man living there and take instruction from him and (be) benefited by that. But he does not go. He takes simply bath and purchases some goods and advertises, "Oh, I have been to such and such pilgrimage." Well... yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13) and yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu: "He has the attachment for pilgrimage, for taking bath only, but he has no attraction for the learned people there." You see?

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- New York, March 4, 1966:

Woman: Yes. In the Indian places known as sacred places...

Prabhupāda: Sac... Yes.

Woman: ...isn't ...sacred places...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Woman: ...isn't it also a fact that there is more magnetism there because of the meeting of...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Certainly.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- New York, March 4, 1966:

Prabhupāda: I shall be very happy to return to my Vṛndāvana, that sacred place. "But then why you are...?" Now, because it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. Because I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty. I, I... That is my personal convenience, if I go and sit down at Vṛndāvana, I shall be very comfortable there. And I'll be, I'll have no anxiety, nothing of the sort. You see? But I have taken all the risk in the old age because I am in duty-bound. I am in duty-bound. So I have to execute my duty in spite of all my inconveniences. That is the idea.

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

So śāstra says, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke. If anyone identifies himself with this bag of kapha-pitta-vāyu, a bunch of bones and flesh and blood and stool, sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu, and his own kinsmen, his wife and children, sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, and worship, worshipable is the land, bhauma, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile, one who goes to the place of pilgrimage and takes the water as all in all, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣu abhijñeṣu, but does not go to the actual learned saintly persons, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), such person is no better than cow and ass. This is the injunction of the śāstra, that our identification with the body is animal life. The animal, a dog, it knows that he is body. A cat knows that he is body. A tiger knows that he is body. A human being, also, if he knows like that, that he is body, then why, how he's advanced? He's no better than the cats and dogs. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). The whole world is going on on this misimpression, misidentification with the body.

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

Just like in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ, māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva kim akurvata sañjaya (BG 1.1). It is very clear. Dharma-kṣetre. Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra. Still. There is Kurukṣetra. All of you know. And it is dharma-kṣetra. People go for pilgrimage. And in the Vedas also it is stated that kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret. One should go to Kurukṣetra and perform religious rituals there. So it is dharma-kṣetra by Vedic version, by practical example. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). But somebody's interpreting Kurukṣetra as this body. From which dictionary he can get this meaning, that Kurukṣetra means this body? This kind of interpretation is going on. But our proposition is that if you want to be benefited by reading Bhagavad-gītā, don't read such malinterpretation. Read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you will be benefited. Kuru-kṣetre dharma-kṣetre. It is a fact. Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra. Samavetā yuyutsavaḥ: (BG 1.1) And the persons assembled there, namely, the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, they wanted to fight. Yuyutsavaḥ. That's all right. Where is the interpretation? They wanted to fight. They selected a nice place, dharma-kṣetra, Kurukṣetra, and there they fought.

Lecture on BG 2.24 -- Hyderabad, November 28, 1972:

So Arjuna frankly said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me to become a yogi because this is very difficult job. You are asking me to sit down in a solitary place, in a sacred place, and in perpendicular state, simply looking on the point of your nose, of my nose, so many things You are... But it is not possible for me." He frankly refused. So Kṛṣṇa, just to encourage His friend and devotee... He could understand that Arjuna is becoming disappointed. He's frankly admitting that it is not possible for him. Actually, he's a politician. How it can be possible for him to become yogi? But our politicians, they're advertising they are practicing yoga. What kind of yoga? Has he become more than Arjuna? In this age of fallen age? Five thousand years ago, how much favorable condition was there. And now, in such unfavorable condition, deteriorated condition, you want to become a so-called yogi? It is not possible. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). Yoga means to meditate upon Viṣṇu. That was possible in the Satya-yuga. Just like Vālmīki. He meditated for sixty-thousands of years, and became perfect. So who is going to live for sixty-thousand years? So it is not possible.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

Indian: And what was... And second thing, the god among the daśāvatāras, Buddha accepted, supposed to be one avatāra. Buddha never told any idol worship, or any Rāma and Kṛṣṇa worshiping. And particularly one avatāra, another avatāra and this avadhūta. Or holy place. And will never accept in such a way, how to believe and what to believe and what is the temples.

Prabhupāda: So you reject everything. (laugher) That's all right. That is the way. That is very nice process. You reject everything. Because you are doubt in everything, so you reject everything. That's all right.

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

And niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. And you have no hard and fast rule for chanting. It is not that... Now, suppose if you have got to go to church or to temple, you have to dress yourself properly; you have to purify yourself and so many things before you enter into the church. Of course, any sacred place, the rules and regulation are the same. The Mohammedans also, they go the mosque after washing their hands and feet very nicely. So... And Hindu principle also, the same thing is there. They go to the temple after taking bath and purifying. So many things are there, either Hinduism or Mohammedanism or Christianism, according to country and climate and people. Practically, the principles are the same. They may be... Formally, they may appear to be... But the thing is there.

But here, niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. Here you don't require that you have to take your bath before chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Haṭha-yoga is a process for making the mind under control if it is properly performed. But generally it is in the name "haṭha-yoga." I have... Several times... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, haṭha-yoga, how it is to be performed, that you have to perform in a sacred place, alone in a secluded place, sitting like this, seeing like this, eating like this. Who is following those regulations? Nobody is following. So they are, simply it is going on under the name of "yoga," but actually, nobody is following the principles. That is difficult. That is not possible in this age. Now suppose if you have to perform haṭha-yoga in a secluded place, in a sanctified place and alone. Who is fulfilling these three conditions? Ekākī yata-cittātmā. Ekākī. Ekākī means alone. Śucau deśe. Śucau deśe means very sanctified place. Samaṁ grīvam. This body and the, I mean to say, neck, and the śiraḥ, śiraḥ means this head—they should be in a straight line. And you cannot close your eyes fully. You have to half-close and see the top of your nose. In this way, you sit down always. Never go to sleep. I have seen in my childhood yogi in Calcutta, Kālīghāṭa. He was twenty-four hours sitting. When he was feeling uncomfortable, he had a wooden cot,(?) like that. But he was never sleeping. That is yoga practice. Who is going to do that? It is very difficult. Therefore Arjuna said, "Kṛṣṇa, You are recommending this yoga practice, but it is impossible for me to do." Five thousand years ago, a person like Arjuna declined, "Oh, it is not possible for me." And so many rascals they are trying that yoga system. That is not possible. Yes.

Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

There is a story how habit is the second nature. There was a thief, and he went to pilgrimage with some other friends. So at night, when other friends were sleeping... Because his habit was to steal at night, he, so he got up at night and he was taking one body's baggage and tried to pickpocket or take something. But he was thinking, "Oh, I have come to this holy place of pilgrimage. Still, shall I do that, committing theft, my habit? No, no. I shall not do it." So he was taking the bag of one person and was keeping in another place. So in the whole night the poor fellow did like that. But due to his conscience that, "I have come to this holy place. At least, during my stay here I shall not do this stealing business." So in the morning, when all other friends got up, everyone said, "Oh, where is my bag? I don't see!" Another man says, "I don't see my bag." Then somebody says, "Oh, here is your bag!" So there was some row. So they, they thought, "What is the matter? How it so happened?" Then the thief rose up and told all friends, "My dear gentlemen, I am a thief by occupation, but because I have that habit to steal at night, so I wanted to steal something from your bag, but I thought that 'I have come to this holy place. I shall not do it.' So I placed, I might have placed one man's bag in another man's place. So excuse me." So this is the habit. This is the habit. He does not want. He does not want to commit theft. But he has got the habit of doing that. So similarly, here he has decided not to commit theft anymore, but because he's habituated, sometimes he does.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

Indian, this is the duty of the Indian, bhārata-bhūmi. One who has taken birth in the holy place of this Bhārata-varṣa, it is huge duty: make his life perfect and do welfare activities for others. This is India's business. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's order.

Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:

Then, after the age of fifty years, he leaves. He gives up the family, not exactly gives up family connection, just tries to remain aloof from the family. So the husband and wife, they, entrusting the whole thing to the grown-up boys, they go out of home and travel in so many holy places and, after traveling, say, for six months, again comes home for, remains for one month, and then again goes away. That is the... That stage is called vānaprastha.

Then, when the man is completely detached from family affection, he takes sannyāsa. This is called sannyāsa. We have no connection with family. So sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṁ ca śaṁsasi.

So these things have been discussed in the previous chapters, so Arjuna says that "You have spoken so many subject matters, so there are so many doubts arising in my mind, so kindly..." Yac chreya etayor ekam: "So out of so many things, whichever is the best process..." Yac chreya etayor ekaṁ tan me brūhi suniścitam: "Kindly speak to me that one with certainty." This is called paripraśna.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

There are four stages of life according to Vedic culture. We have many times explained to you that brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī. Brahmacārī means student life, to be trained up in spiritual understanding, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, fully trained up. He is called brahmacārī. Then, after full training, he accepts wife, he gets himself married and lives with family and children. That is called gṛhastha. Then, after fifty years, he leaves the children alone and gets out of home accompanied by his wife and travels in the holy places. That is called vānaprastha, retired life. And at last he gives up his wife to the care of his children, grown-up children, and he remains alone. And that is called sannyāsa, or renounced order of life. So these four orders of life there are.

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

So these places are especially selected, just like Hardwar, Kanchi and Prayāga. They are, from time immemorial, in Vedic age, those places are sanctified. Just like this Bhagavad-gītā was spoken in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Dharma-kṣetre, the land of religiosity. Even war was performed. Because this war was not ordinary war. That was religious war. Religious war. This Kurukṣetra battle, that was religious war. Don't you find in the warfield where Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is present, do you think it is ordinary war? No. It is not ordinary war. And it was performed in a place which is called dharma-kṣetra. So sometimes war is also performed in terms of religiosity. That is prescribed. That is required.

Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:

Devotee: "One should go to a secluded place and should lay kuśa grass on the ground and then cover it with a deerskin and a soft cloth. The seat should neither be too high nor too low and should be situated in a sacred place. The yogi should then sit on it very firmly and should practice yoga by controlling the mind and the senses, purifying the heart and fixing the mind on one point."

Prabhupāda: The first prescription is how to sit and where to sit. Sitting posture. You have to select a place where you shall sit down and practice yoga. That is the first prescription. Go on.

Devotee: "Purport: Sacred place refers to places of pilgrimage. In India the yogis, the transcendentalists or the devotees all leave home and reside in sacred places such as Prayāga, Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, Hṛṣīkeśa, Hardwar, and practice yoga there."

Prabhupāda: Now, suppose you have to find out a sacred place. In this age, how many people is prepared to find out a sacred place. For his livelihood he has to live in a congested city. Where is the question of sacred place? so if you don't find a sacred place, then how you can practice yoga? That is the first prescription. Therefore this bhakti-yoga system, the sacred place is this temple. You live here, it is nirguṇa, it is transcendental. The Vedic injunction is that the city is the place of passion. And the forest is the place of goodness. And the temple is transcendental. If you live in a city or a town, that is a passionate place. And if you don't want to live in a passionate place, you go to a forest. That is place of goodness. But a temple, a God's temple, is above this passion and goodness. Therefore temple is the only secluded place for this age. You cannot go in a secluded place in a forest. It is impossible. And if you make a show of yoga practice in a so-called class and indulge in all kinds of nonsense things, that is not yoga practice. Here is the prescription how to practice yoga.

Lecture on BG 6.11-21 -- New York, September 7, 1966:

In India there are some selected places, very sacred place, and the yogis, generally, they go there and sit there alone in a sacred place and as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā and perform there. Yoga-āsana cannot be executed in a public place, so that, in assembly. Now, so far this kīrtana is concerned... Just like we have performed just now kīrtana, this is called saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtana means: bahubhir militvā kīrtayati iti saṅkīrtanam. When we sit down, many people together... When Lord Caitanya was performing this kīrtana ceremony five hundred years before, He had in each group sixteen persons taking part in kīrtana, and thousands and thousands of people were singing with them. Now, this participation in the kīrtana is very easily possible. But so far the yoga system is concerned, that is required any very secluded and sacred place, silent. That is required. It is clearly said here that śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ (Bg. 6.11-12). One has to place himself in a sacred place, in a silent place; then yoga system is possible.

Now, comparatively, at the present moment, if you have to practice yoga, then strictly, according to the rules and regulations, you have to leave your home, you have to go out in a secluded place, in a sacred place, and there you have to execute the performance of meditation and yoga. At home it is not possible.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

Here is the authoritative statement. That you have to practice like this. Now, one should hold one's body, first of all you have to select your place, holy place, alone, and special seat. Then you have to sit straight like this. "One should hold one's body, neck and head erect." Straight line. This is the yoga process. These things help to concentrate the mind. That's all. But the real purpose of yoga is to keep Kṛṣṇa always within yourself. Here it is stated that "One should hold one's body, neck and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose." Now here, you have to see. As if you close, meditation, you'll sleep. I have seen.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

Suppose you are trying to concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, and your mind is diverted, going somewhere, in some cinema house. So you should withdraw, "Not there, please, here." This is practice of yoga. Not to allow the mind to go away from Kṛṣṇa. If you can practice this simply. Don't allow the mind to go away from Kṛṣṇa and because we cannot fix up our mind sitting in one place in Kṛṣṇa, that requires very high training. To sit down in a place and always fix up in Kṛṣṇa the mind, that is not very easy job. One who is not practiced to it, if he simply imitates, then he will be confused. We have to engage ourself always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything we do must be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa. Our usual activities should be molded that it has to do everything for Kṛṣṇa. Then your mind will be fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. Artificially when you are not advanced if you try to fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa, that yoga practice as it is recommended here, that you have to sit down in this way, straight, you have to concentrate your eyesight on the tip of the nose in a secluded sacred place. But where are these chances? At the present moment, where is the chance of all these facilities?

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

What one thing may be impractical for me but practical for you, that is a different thing. But generally this system is impractical for ordinary common man. Arjuna is representing himself as a common man in the sense that he was not a mendicant or he has renounced his family life or he has no connection with his bread problem. Because he was on the warfield to fight for the kingdom. So he's supposed to be an ordinary man. So for ordinary men who are engaged in these worldly activities for earning livelihood, family life, children, wife, so many problems, it is not practical. That is the point here. It is practical for one who has already renounced everything completely. In a secluded sacred place, just like in the hill or in the cave of the hill, alone, no public disturbance. So where is the opportunity for ordinary man, for us, especially in this age? Therefore this yoga system is not practical. It is admitted by Arjuna, who was a great warrior. And he was so advanced, he belonged to the royal family and very expert in so many things. He said that it is impractical. Just try to understand. And what we are in comparison to Arjuna? If we try this system, it is not possible. Failure is sure. Go on reading the purport.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Now, you can understand how much time could be, I mean to say, allowed for this discussion. That was a battlefield. Immediately has to be fight. Everyone is ready. And utmost, one hour... I don't think... That is utmost. So within this one hour the whole Bhagavad-gītā was discussed, and Arjuna changed his decision and he fought. Now, within that time He is also instructing Arjuna about the yoga system. Now, after hearing the details of yoga system, how to sit down, how to keep the body straight, how to keep the eyes half-closed and how to see the uppermost part of the nose without diverting your attention, and in secluded place, in a sacred place, alone—all this paraphernalia is described for performing perfect yoga system.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

When Kṛṣṇa recommended the yoga system, aṣṭāṅga-yoga system... Aṣṭāṅga means eightfolded different states of elevation: yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, samādhi, like that. Dhyāna, dhāraṇā. So the first step of yoga system, as recommended by Kṛṣṇa, the supreme authority, is one has to select a very secluded place and sacred place. The aṣṭāṅga-yoga meditation cannot be performed in a fashionable city. It is not possible. One has to first of all select a nice place, sacred place. In India, therefore, those who are very serious to practice yoga system, they go to Himalaya, Haridwar. That is also Himalaya. Very secluded place. They remain there alone, and very restricted process of eating, sleeping. There is no question of mating. So those rules and regulations are very strict, and unless you follow, simply if you make a show of gymnastic, that is not perfection of yoga. Yoga means indriya-saṁyama, to control the senses. If you allow your senses unrestrictedly and if you make a show of yoga practice, that is not successful. It will never be successful.

So you have to select a nice place, sacred place. Then you have to sit right angular and you have to close your eyes half, not full, and see on the tip of your nose. You cannot change your āsana.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

The dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre... This is a fact. The kuru-kṣetra is a pilgrimage, dharma-kṣetra. Still it is. There is a railway station of the name Kurukṣetra, and that Kurukṣetra place is very big field. So why should we misinterpret, "Kuru-kṣetra means this body, and Pāṇḍava means the senses"? Why? This business distorted the meaning, so we should give up. We should understand as it is. Kurukṣetra is there, it is a pilgrimage, and in the past history, five thousand years ago, two sections of the same family, Kuru family... One section was known as Pāṇḍava and the other section as Kurus. They had to fight on political reason. This is historical. So there is no question of misinterpreting it. The difficulty is, as soon as we misinterpret to our whims, to show our scholarship, it is spoiled. Don't do that. Read it as it is and you will get the benefit.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

Anyone who has got this bodily conception of life and in relation to the body the family, country, society, we are thinking they are our kinsmen... And bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, the land which the body is produced, we are taking that land as worshipable. And when we go to the holy places... Just like people come to Jagannātha Purī. They take bath in the sea water, salile, salile, but do not associate with experienced men who are advanced in spiritual consciousness—such person is nothing but cow or ass or animals. Therefore the question has been raised, "What is God?" We shall be careful, at least in India, that we may not glide down more and more to the animal platform of life. (aside:) Why they are being driven away? Let them sit down. Ask them to sit down. That's all. Let them sit down. They'll simply hear. That will also benefit. Anyway...Let them sit down. Even they cannot understand, if they hear the voice they will be benefited.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

The first word is dharma-kṣetra. The second word is kuru-kṣetra. Now, the meaning is that Kurukṣetra is a place which is considered as the holy place of pilgrimage. Now, this dharma-kṣetra, kuru-kṣetra, is still present. Even in the modern days, if you go to India, it is about hundred miles from New Delhi. There is a place, Kurukṣetra, and which is, according to Hindu rites, Vedic rites, that is a place of pilgrimage. Many people go there, to the sacred place. And in the Vedic literature it is stated that kuru-kṣetre dharmaṁ yājayet: "If you want to perform religious rites, then you should perform at Kurukṣetra."

So Kurukṣetra is a place of pilgrimage; that is a fact. But unfortunately even a great man like Mahatma Gandhi, he comments that "Kurukṣetra means this body. Kurukṣetra means this body." Now, wherefrom he got this meaning, "Kurukṣetra means this body," which is that dictionary, I do not know.

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

There are many instances, very many instances. I'll cite one story. It is very interesting story. If you go to India, you'll find one nice temple in Orissa. It is called the temple of "Witness-Gopāla," Sākṣī-Gopāla, Witness-Gopāla. This Gopāla was situated in a temple at Vṛndāvana. Now, two brāhmaṇas, one young and one old, they went to visit Vṛndāvana, the place of pilgrimage, and the old man... Because at that time there was no railway, the journey was very hardship. The old man felt very obliged, and he began to say to the young man, "My dear boy, you have done so much nice service to me. I am obliged to you. So I must return that service. I must give you some reward." So the young man said, "Oh, my dear sir, you are old man. You are just like my father. So it is my duty to serve you, to give you all comforts. I don't require any reward." Formerly, the boys were so gentle. And still, there are many boys like that. So the old man also thought that "No, I am obliged to you. I must reward you." So he promised that "I shall get you married with my youngest daughter." Now, the old man was very rich man, and the young man was not rich.

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

Then the mother of the girl, he(she) came to the old man: "Oh, if you get my daughter married with that boy, then I shall commit suicide." Now the old man is perplexed. Then, one day, the boy was anxious that "The old man promised before the Deity. Now he is not coming." So he... One day he came to his house: "Well, my dear sir, you promised before the Lord, Kṛṣṇa, and you are not fulfilling your promise? How is that?" The old man was silent because he was praying to Kṛṣṇa that "I am now perplexed. If I persist in offering this daughter to this boy, now there will be great trouble in my family." So he was silent. So, in the meantime, the eldest son came out and he began to quarrel with: "Oh, you, you plundered my father in the place of pilgrimage. You gave him some LSD or something, (laughter) intoxication. You took all the money from my father. Now you say that he has promised to offer you my youngest sister. You fool!" He began to say like that.

Lecture on BG 9.26-27 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

You want peace? These are the process of peace. But we do not take care of this, what is peace. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Just we have discussed previously. We should simply acknowledge. There is a process of worship of the Ganges. You have perhaps heard the name of the Ganges River. The Ganges river is the sacred river, Ganges and the Yamunā. The most two sacred rivers in India. Millions of people take bath early in the morning in the two rivers, all parts of the country. It is very wide and very long river, from Himalaya to the Bay of Bengal. So it is very long river, and all the tracts of land, they are considered to be sacred place, and in each and every part, thousands and thousands of people, they are taking their bath early in the morning. Either in the winter season or in the summer season, it doesn't matter. So there is a process of worshiping the river Ganges.

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- New York, January 6, 1967:

There is a nice example. A hunter... In Sanskrit language it is called vyādha. He was hunting in the forest and killing the animals, boar and other, deer and so many animals—hunter's business is to kill animals—so half-dead. And Nārada was passing through that road. He saw that "These half-dead animals are flapping. Who has killed them in that way, half-dead? Why not full kill?" So he went to the vyādha, hunter, that "Why you are doing this business? Better kill them altogether so that they may not suffer. It is a great sinful act." So he explained, "Oh, I do not know what is sinful or not, pious. My father has taught me this business. I am doing this." So Nārada explained him, "So it is not a very good business. You better do another business for your livelihood. Simply killing, and half-killing. Better kill them fully. That is also (not) very good." So he said, "Then I am committing sins?" And Nārada said, "Yes, you are committing sins." "Then, if I give up this business, how shall I eat, my living?" Nārada said, "All right, I shall give you your necessities of life. I shall supply you. You give up this business." So he was initiated, and he was seated in a sacred place.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Bombay, September 29, 1973:

So śāstra says, "Anyone who identifies this body as self," yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke... This body is made of three dhātus, kapha, pitta, vāyu, according to Ayurveda system. Kapha, mucus, and bile. Kapha pitta vāyu. Yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu (SB 10.84.13). And kinsmen, my own persons, sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu, wife and production from the wife, children. Or dynasty, family, community. Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu. Yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). And that land, "This is my birthplace. This is worshipable." Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij. And they go to the places, holy places of pilgrimage, tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile.

Just like somebody goes to Haridwar, Vṛndāvana. They finish their tīrtha, going, taking so much trouble. Just like in Calcutta there is Ganges, but people will go to Haridwar for taking bath in the Ganges there. Why it is prescribed? Not for the Ganges. The Ganges is there already in Calcutta. But if you go to a holy place, you'll find saintly person. That is required. But if you simply go to the holy places and take bath in the water and finish your business... No. That is not recommended. Tīrtha, going to tīrtha means to find out a learned saintly person and take knowledge from him. That is tīrtha.

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

When Kṛṣṇa says dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1), where is the difficulty? The Kurukṣetra is still there. Everyone knows. There is a railway station of the name Kurukṣetra and there is a place Kurukṣetra. Now it is being developed by the government. So how you can explain Kurukṣetra otherwise? Kurukṣetra is a fact, and it is a dharma-kṣetra. Still many millions of Indians go there to visit, especially during the solar eclipse occasion they go there. And when Kṛṣṇa was staying on this planet He, His brother Balarāma, and His sister Subhadrā also visited Kurukṣetra. That ceremony is observed as Ratha-yātrā. Three persons, two brothers and one sister. We are celebrating, introduced this Ratha-yātrā system in the Western countries and recently we had this festival in New York. Very successfully. Perhaps you have read in the paper.

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

Now, why it should be interpreted that "Dharma-kṣetra means this, kuru-kṣetra means this, pāṇḍavāḥ means this"? Why? It is clear. Kurukṣetra still existing. Everyone knows. And that is dharma-kṣetra. Everyone knows. It is not known now. From the Vedic age. Kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret. Still people go there for performing ritualistic ceremonies. So Kurukṣetra is still there and it is dharma-kṣetra from time immemorial. Why it should be interpreted that "Kurukṣetra means this, and dharma-kṣetra means this"? Why? Where is the dictionary?

But because one has got some whims, he wants to fulfill his whims on the authority of Bhagavad-gītā, he interprets in a different way. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without nonsensically interpreting. Therefore it is being effective. Before me, many swamis went to the Western countries to preach this Bhagavad-gītā.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

Therefore hearing of Bhāgavata from Śukadeva Gosvāmī is recommended. Or the representative of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Representative means one who is strictly following the principle adopted by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī first of all spoke Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam before Mahārāja Parīkṣit. And in that meeting, Sūta Gosvāmī was present. So here you will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, sūta uvāca, means Sūta Gosvāmī, after hearing from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he repeated the same Bhāgavata recitation in the Naimiṣāraṇya. There was a big meeting about 2,500 years ago or more than that at Naimiṣāraṇya. That Naimiṣāraṇya is still there in India. It is now changed by the name, Nimsar. It is situated about hundred miles off from Lucknow. So still there are many hermitages in Naimiṣāraṇya. People go there to visit as it is a place of pilgrimage. So this Bhāgavatam was discussed there at Naimiṣāraṇya.

Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Once in a holy place in the forest of Naimiṣāraṇya, great sages, headed by the sage Śaunaka, assembled to perform a great thousand-year sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord and His devotees."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The... Anything sacrificed... Yajña. Yajña means Lord Viṣṇu. Yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). So whatever we do, it must be done for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. You do whatever you like, but do it for Kṛṣṇa. Then there is perfection. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a fighter, expert in killing. So he was considering, "Why shall I kill my own family members? Better stop." But Kṛṣṇa encouraged him, that "You must kill." So that is yajña. Kṛṣṇa... Under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna was engaged in killing art, but that is yajña, because it is for Kṛṣṇa, not for himself. For himself he was denying to fight. But when he agreed to fight and kill on account of Kṛṣṇa, it is called yajña. This secret people do not know. They think that killing is very... Killing is very bad, that's all right. Killing, why killing? Even if you give charity, if you become munificent, merciful, that is also not good unless you do it for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

So I am reciting one or two verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Second Chapter, wherein Sūta Gosvāmī describes to the great sages assembled in Naimiṣāraṇya in respect of the importance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Naimiṣāraṇya, perhaps you have heard the name. At present there is a railway station near..., between Hardoi and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. The station is called Nimsar, and still the Naimiṣāraṇya atmosphere is maintained there. It is a very nice, sacred place. If you go there, you will feel immediately Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So, in that meeting, the great sages and saintly persons assembled there inquired from Sūta Gosvāmī that "After departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa, wherein the principles of religions are kept?" Kṛṣṇa appeared for re-establishing the religious principle, dharma saṁsthāpanārthāya. When Kṛṣṇa, or any incarnation of the Lord descends, there are two kinds of missions. One mission is paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). The sādhus, or the devotees, they are very much anxious to meet God, Kṛṣṇa, so He fulfills the desires of the sādhu, and by the way He also vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam. Duṣkṛtaḥ means sinful, impious, to kill them.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

So great sages, they were congratulated by Sūta Gosvāmī. All the sages in the Naimiṣāraṇya. Just like you are sitting here. This is the process of understanding kṛṣṇa-praśna. Formerly there were no big halls. Just like in your country or all over the world, we are speaking in big, big halls. Formerly the method was... Just like here, in this very sacred place, (taps podium) all the Gosvāmīs used to study Bhāgavatam under the leadership of Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. This is a very... This is the most important place in the world. So you have got this opportunity.

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

There was a meeting in the Naimiṣāraṇya. Naimiṣāraṇya is a place in northern India. Still that Naimiṣāraṇya is still existing. There is a railway station of the name Nimsar. So formerly, at least five thousand, six thousand years before, all the sages and saintly persons used to gather there and perform ritualistic rituals or discuss on the matter of spiritual progress. There are several places in India. One of them is this Naimiṣāraṇya, and another place, important place is, that is called Prayag, generally known as Allahabad, but original name is Prayag. That is considered to be one of the most sacred place in India, and still every year there is a fair called Māgha-mela. Māgha means during the month of January, February, a fair takes place in which all the sages, saintly persons, from all over parts of India, they gather, and they take their bath on the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā. That is also very nice place. When you... If you visit India, you should see all these nice places.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

So at the present moment it is very strong, the conceit that "I am this body," and "I am American," and "I am Indian," "I am European," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am śūdra," "I am this, those...," so many. This is very strong and bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, that because I am identifying to a certain type of body, and wherefrom the body has come out, the land is worshipable. That is nationalism. So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13), yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile, and tīrtha, place of pilgrimage.

We go, we take bath in the river, like the Christians, they take bath in the Jordan River, or Hindus, they go to Hardwar, take bath in the Ganges, or Vṛndāvana, they take bath. But they think by taking bath in that water, his job is finished. No. Actually the job is to go to such pilgrimages, holy places, to find out experience spiritual advancement. Because many spiritually advanced men, they live there. Therefore one should go such places and find out the experienced transcendentalist, and take lessons from him. That is really going to pilgrimage. Not that simply going and take bath and business finished.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

Simply accept what Kṛṣṇa says. Then you will be benefited.

Kṛṣṇa says, dharma-kṣetra. Not Kṛṣṇa says. Sañjaya uvāca. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre. No. Dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca. Dhṛtrāṣṭra says,

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre

samavetā yuyutsavaḥ

māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva

kim akurvata sañjaya

(BG 1.1)

He is asking his secretary. He was blind man. So he was asking his secretary, "My dear Sañjaya, after my boys, māmakāḥ, and pāṇḍavāḥ, the sons of my younger brother Pāṇḍu, samavetā yuyutsavaḥ, they assembled for fighting in the dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre... (BG 1.1)." Dharma, kuru-kṣetra is still there. Everyone knows. And it is dharma-kṣetra. Everyone knows. Then where is the difficulty to understand dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra māmakāḥ pāṇḍu? But if you foolishly interpret, "Dharma-kṣetra means this, and kuru-kṣetra means that, and pāṇḍavāḥ means that," you spoil the whole thing. That is going on. Otherwise there is no difficulty.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967:

So this is a very good qualification. One who becomes inquisitive to hear, so śuśrūṣoḥ. Śuśrūṣoḥ means one who is very inquisitive to hear; at the same time, to render service. These two qualifications. Śuśrūṣoḥ. Śraddadhānasya (SB 1.2.16), with faith. Vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ. For him the taste for hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā is very easy. And syān mahat-sevayā. And this is also can be possible if we are fortunate enough to come in contact of a great soul, mahat-sevā. Mahat means great. And if we serve him, if we want to please him, mahat-sevayā viprāḥ: "My dear brāhmaṇas," he was addressing, puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt. And puṇya-tīrtha. There are many sacred places. They are called puṇya-tīrtha. There are two kinds of sacred places. Just like if you go to a place... Just like in Vṛndāvana or Kankhara(?). In India there are... In the Christian also you have got your sacred place. The Muhammadans they have got their sacred place, Medina, Mecca. You have got your Jerusalem. Similarly, these, those who are followers of Vedic principles, they have got their several places, sacred places. One... Some of you who have visited India might have seen Hardwar, Kankhar(?), Lakshmanjhula, Prayāga, Vṛndāvana, and Rāmeśvaram. There are many places.

So by serving these sacred places... To serve these sacred places means to... There are many good souls, great souls. So if you can find out such great souls, they are making their performances there. So if you find out some good, I mean to say, transcendentalist, and if you hear from him, then your process of life may be changed.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967:

So it is the duty of the student to offer respect to the bona fide spiritual master three times respect. So serve, mahat-sevā, because that will, I mean to say, help me in making advance in spiritual knowledge. Syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt. And also by visiting sacred places. So it is not always possible to visit sacred places. It may be very distant place. But when you get chance of a bona fide spiritual master, a great soul, if you try to please him, to satisfy him, that will make you eligible to have taste for kṛṣṇa-kathā, on the topics of Kṛṣṇa.

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

First business is śravaṇam. You can hear. Whom? Viṣṇu, not nonsense talks. Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa you hear. So you can hear anywhere. There is no specific mention that it can be heard in such and such place. You can anywhere. But a holy place like Vṛndāvana, the hearing has got a special effect. So here we are establishing this mantra. And you foreigners, you have taken some interest. I am very much pleased. So constantly come here and hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the pastimious place of Kṛṣṇa, Vṛndāvana. So make your anarthas vanquished. Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣ... Everything we have done, simply anartha, without any meaning. But if we say, people will criticize us that "Why you are utilizing motor car ? Why you are utilizing aeroplane?" But our tactic is we can utilize any so-called anartha in the service of Kṛṣṇa. That is our tactics. That means you have created some anartha, but we can engage even this anartha in the service of Kṛṣṇa and make it meaningful. That is our business. So it requires time. But at least things unnecessarily encumbered... We are encumbered with so many unnecessary thing. So our so-called necessities of life will decrease. Anartha upaśamam . Although we are riding on motor car, we don't think it is essential. But those who are captured by the civilization, they think it is essential. That is the difference. Anāsaktasya viṣayān.

Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:

Then at last the fighting was between Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Bhīma. This vṛkodara... Vṛkodarāviddha-gadābhimarśa. Both of them, Duryodhana and Bhīma, they were very expert in fighting with gadā. So when they were fighting, Balarāma... Balarāma... Kṛṣṇa was neutral, but He was taking the side of Arjuna. He was driving the chariot. That means He was on the side of the Pāṇḍavas. But actually He was not fighting. So Balarāma also did not fight, and in order to avoid any parties, He went to holy places at that time. He was traveling all over India from different holy places, one place to another. So when He returned, He had some sympathy with Duryodhana. Because Duryodhana was His disciple to learn how to fight with this gadā, club, naturally He was sympathetic, Balarāma was sympathetic. So when He came, they were..., fighting was going on. So just to show Him respect, they stopped fighting and everyone was silent. Because the Pāṇḍavas knew that Balarāma was sympathetic with Duryodhana, and if He takes the side of Duryodhana, then everything will be spoiled, because He is the Supreme Person.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

So ataḥ gṛha. As soon as a man and woman or a male-female, either bird, beast or human being or demigods, everyone... Then he requires home, gṛha, then land to produce food, gṛha-kṣetra, then children. Gṛha-kṣetra. Because when a man is married, the social life, if he has no children, that is means vacant home. Putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has said, avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyam: "One who is not educated, his life is zero." Avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyam. And diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ: "And if you want to go to some foreign place, if that place is not a holy place..." Because according to Vedic system, they go on touring to see holy places, tīrtha-sthāna, or to a friend's house. "So if you are going to some foreign countries, if there is no friend and no devatā, then it is useless." Diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ. Or putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam: "You are married, but you have no children. That is also vacant, zero." Putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. Sarva-śūnyā daridratā: "But if you are poor, then everything is zero." Your vidyā is zero. Your home is zero. And your friend is zero because nobody will care you.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

So therefore this affection is the very hard knot for being bound up in this material world, this affection. Therefore the Vedic civilization is that the affection is to be cut off compulsory at a certain age, not that the affection should continue. If the affection continues, then there is no chance of my becoming free from this material world. There is no chance. Therefore vānaprastha. Because the wife's..., affection with the wife, is very, very strong. So vānaprastha means the husband and wife, they give up the affection. Not give up, go away from home, and they travel in the holy places just to purify, and again, when the affection draws, they come to the family. Again remain for one or two months, then again go away. So the wife, there is no sex connection, but wife remains as assistant to the man to be accustomed how to remain aloof from the family. And then, when he is practiced to remain aloof from the..., then wife is also sent back to the family, to the care of elderly children, and the man takes sannyāsa, compulsory. It is called "civil suicide." My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "Commit civil suicide." Mean... If you commit suicide it is criminal. It is also suicide, no more connection with family. This is also suicide, but it is civil. There is no criminal action against... But it is also voluntarily committing suicide—no more connection with anyone.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974:

For a kṣatriya, in dutiful war, dharma-yuddha... Dharma-yuddha... Therefore the battlefield of Kurukṣetra is called dharma-kṣetra. Although there was fighting, but the fighting arena was not ordinary land. It is dharma-kṣetra because the fighting was being performed under the superintendence of Kṛṣṇa, Dharma-setu, the leader of all religiosity. Under His superintendence, under His care, the fighting was going on. Therefore this fighting was not ordinary fighting. People cannot understand that how fighting can be religious principle. Yes, the fighting can be also religious principle—but not the present fighting. Present fighting, the politicians, out of their whims, they declare war, that is not religious fighting; that is abominable. That is to serve their political ends. When the politicians cannot control the mass of people being dissatisfied, they make a clique to declare some war so that all their attention may be diverted. This is politics.

But the Battle of Kurukṣetra was not that type of battle. One should be aware of the Battle of Kurukṣetra very nicely. It was dharma-yuddha. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Why they settled up that the fighting should take place in the dharma-kṣetra? They are to fight, yuyutsavaḥ. It was settled they will fight, but why they selected the dharma-kṣetra? This is Vedic system.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973:

They are my nationality, they are my society..." Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). "And where this body is produced, that land is my land, motherland." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am German," "I am this." And we are mad after this, this, these nationalists. In this way, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicit. They go to the place, holy places of pilgrimage, and they take their bath. In India you will see, so many people are going to Haridwar, Vṛndāvana, and take their bath and shave their head, and then come back: "I went to tīrtha, holy place." That is not tīrtha. Tīrtha means to meet a high-grade saintly person. Tīrtha. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni. They make tīrtha holy place. Anywhere a saintly person is there, that is tīrtha. That is holy place. Not that I have to go Haridwar, five thousand miles from here. Wherever there is experienced holy persons, that is tīrtha. But they do not know. They go five hundred, five thousand miles away. Sometimes from your country they go to find out a guru in India. (laughs) And the guru who is canvassing here, he is useless. He is useless. So these things. Anyone who is of such conception of life, they have been described as asses and cows, means an animal.

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

That is dharma-yuddha. They tried to settle up the fight, but it was not possible. When it is not possible, then the last resort is to take to fighting. That is dharma-yuddha.

The battlefield... It is therefore called dharma-kṣetra. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). That fight was right. And especially when Kṛṣṇa was present, it is already dharma-kṣetra. Wherever... Just like this is temple. Similar houses are there, many. Why it is temple? Because Kṛṣṇa is there. Therefore it is called dharma-kṣetra, temple. What is the difference between temple? In other houses there may be big hall like this. There may be many men eating, sleeping. That is not temple. Where actually God is there, that is called temple. Similarly, although battle of Kurukṣetra was a fighting place, because Kṛṣṇa was there, therefore it is dharma-kṣetra. Wherever Kṛṣṇa is there, that is dharma-kṣetra. Tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ. So those who are bhaktas, they can make every place a pilgrimage, because they can sing the glories of the Lord and they can bring the Lord in that place. So it doesn't matter whether if he is here or there, in America or India. Wherever Kṛṣṇa is there, that is dharma-kṣetra. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1).

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

Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "My lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Supreme Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage."

Prabhupāda:

bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās

tīrtha-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho

tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni

svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā

(SB 1.13.10)

So tīrthī, tīrtha. Tīrtha means holy place of pilgrimage. In every religion there is the system that the followers, they go to the holy place of pilgrimage. Just like in India, there are many holy places: Gayā, Prayāga, Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, Haridvar, Rāmeśvaram, Jagannātha Purī, Navadvīpa. Many. Some of them are very prominent, and still there are many nonprominent. Similarly, the Muhammadans they go to Mecca, Medina. The Christians they go Jordan. What is that?

Bhagavān: Jerusalem.

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

So human society, there must be some religious process; otherwise, it is animal society. And in every religion there is recommendation to go to the place, holy places of pilgrimage. This is one set up. Another set up is that bhāgavatās tīrtha-bhūtāḥ. Those who are devotees, they are themselves mahā-bhāgavata. They are first-class devotee. They themselves are the holy place. Not only they are themselves holy place, but wherever they go, they make that place holy place, pilgrimage. This is the idea.

It was spoken by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira when Vidura came back home... Vidura left home. Although he belonged to the royal family, his nephew Duryodhana behaved with him not very nicely, so he left home. Before the beginning of the Battle of Kurukṣetra, he was very fond of his eldest brother Dhṛtarāṣṭra. So he was always giving him good counsel, "My dear elder brother, why you are intriguing against the Pāṇḍavas?" But he would not hear the younger brother's advice.

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

So here when Vidura came, returned back, so Yudhiṣṭhira is receiving the uncle. He was also... He knew that "Our uncle Vidura was always in our side and tried to protect us." So he was very pleased. So Vidura, during the time of war between the two section, he was traveling in the holy places of pilgrimage and talking with his spiritual master, Maitreya. So therefore because he was traveling in holy place, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja wanted to inform him that "My dear uncle, you are so exalted devotee, you do not require even to travel in the holy places of pilgrimage, because wherever you stay, that will turn into pilgrimage." Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says in his song, tīrtha-yātrā pariśrama, kevala manera bhrama. He says, "To go to the holy places of pilgrimage, it is also a mental satisfaction." Actually, if one is fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, he is so exalted that wherever he lives, that is a holy place of pilgrimage.

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

Therefore, because Kṛṣṇa is with the devotee, such devotee, wherever he goes, that becomes a place of pilgrimage.

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 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

So bhāgavatāḥ. Bhāgavata means one who has his relation with Bhagavān. From Bhagavān... Bhagavān comes from the word bhāgavata, and anything in relationship with Bhagavān, the Personality of Godhead, is called bhāgavata. Just like this book is called bhāgavata because it has nothing to do with any other thing except the activities of the Supreme Personality of... So Bhāgavata. So there are two kinds of bhāgavata: the book Bhāgavata and the person bhāgavata. So both of them are so pure that wherever Bhāgavata reading is going on... And Bhāgavata reading should be performed by the bhāgavata, person bhāgavata. Then it is very nice. Bhāgavatās tīrtha-bhūtaḥ. They are already purified, holy place of pilgrimage. Mahad-vicalanaṁ nṟṇāṁ gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām. Therefore, the bhāgavatas, they travel all over the world to purify the ordinary human being because they are dīna-cetasa. Dīna-cetasa. Dīna means poor. They are thinking... Materialistic persons, they think, "It is my duty to live comfortably, to give all facilities to the family or to the society or to the nation, earn your livelihood and spend for sense gratification." This is their philosophy. They do not know anything more than that. Especially in the Western countries, they are very expert how to adjust materially for sense gratification. Just like we had been immediately to the park, very nice park. They know how to live comfortably in the material world, but there is no spiritual information. Missing point. That is the defect of the Western civilization. They have got some vague idea of God, practically no idea. But human life is not meant for that purpose, simply living very comfortably in material life. The other necessity is that they should know Bhagavān, become bhāgavata. That is another necessity.

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

Nitāi: Translation: "My uncle, you must have visited Dvārakā. In that holy place are our friends and well-wishers, the descendants of Yadu, who are always rapt in the service of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. You might have seen them or heard about them. Are they all living happily in their abodes?"

Prabhupāda:

api naḥ suhṛdas tāta

bāndhavāḥ kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ

dṛṣṭāḥ śrutā vā yadavaḥ

sva-puryāṁ sukham āsate

(SB 1.13.11)

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, after meeting Vidura, the first inquiry was about the family of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Now, because he has come back home by touring different places of pilgrimage... Dvārakā is also one of the celebrated place of pilgrimage. So he expected that "Vidura must have gone to Dvārakā. And when he had gone to Dvārakā, he must have some news from Kṛṣṇa's place."

Lecture on SB 1.15.39 -- Los Angeles, December 17, 1973:

There are many retired men's house in your country, but they do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. Ultimate goal of life is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because in your busy life, you have got very little time; therefore after gṛhastha life, fifty years, up to, not more than that, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet, then you must retire. It doesn't matter whether you have finished your duty or not. It doesn't matter. You must retire. And then, after being trained for sometimes, being retired from the family life, living secluded life—not exactly secluded, but detached from family life—let the elderly sons, daughters, they can take care of the family, and the husband, wife, they travel in different places of pilgrimage. Again they come for some time, but without any attachment, as guest in the house of his son. In this way, when he is trained up, then he says to the wife, "Now you live with your sons. They will take care of you. I am taking sannyāsa."

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-6 Excerpts -- Los Angeles, July 2, 1970:

Again this verse (repeats again with devotees). So we discussed which verse? Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). This verse we discussed yesterday, that "Those who are materialistic persons, they have got hundreds and thousands of topics," and, although we are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because we are in the material world, sometimes we have to deal with many unnecessary talks. But mind that our unnecessary talks and others' unnecessary talks are not the same, because we sometimes talk unnecessarily, but the aim is Kṛṣṇa. Just like Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. The Bhagavad-gītā begins,

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre

samavetā yuyutsavaḥ

māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva

kim akurvata sañjaya

(BG 1.1)

The topics began from the warfield, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre. But it is dharma-kṣetra. "Why dharma-kṣetra? It is battlefield." Because Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa is conducting the battle, therefore it is dharma-kṣetra. Dharma-kṣetra means religious... (end)

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

A little advanced than, than these fools and rascals, they are religious. What is that religion? "Let us go to the holy place." The Christians are going to the Jordan, and the Hindus are going to the Ganges or Yamunā. They think, "If I take my bath in this river, Jordan, or in this Ganges or in this Yamunā, then I become immediately perfect religious." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma... (SB 10.84.13), yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile. Salila means water. So they go to take bath in the water. Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile. Tīrtha means place of sanctuary. So tīrtha-buddhiḥ, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ. Real tīrtha is to find out a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. That is the business. Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu. Janeṣu. Tīrtha means in the holy places many saintly persons live. So if one goes to the holy place, they must find out a holy man who is living there, and take lesson from him. And that is purification. Not that I go and take bath in the water, and I become purified.

So these classes of men, who are doing like this, that "I am this body, and this birthplace is my worshipable land, yat-tīrtha, and my, this wife and children, they are my protectors," in this way, everyone is thinking. "And whatever sinful activities I am doing, I shall take one bath in the Ganges or Yamunā or Jordan. Then I'll be purified." In this way, the people who are thinking, the śāstra says, "You are no better than the ass and the cow." This is the certificate. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). This class of thinking is simply for the animals.

Lecture on SB 2.3.8, and Initiations -- Los Angeles, May 25, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Draupadī had five husbands. (laughter)

Devotee: Dharma-kṣetra.

Prabhupāda: What are the rules?

Dharma-kṣetra: No eating of meat, fish or eggs, no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex.

Prabhupāda: Dharma-kṣetra dāsa. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Dharma-kṣetra, "the field of religious activities."

Devotee: Patricia. Pātrī, Pātrī dāsī, Pātrī.

Prabhupāda: Pātrī. Pātrī. What are the rules?

Pātrī: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling or speculation, and no illicit sex.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. So your name is Pātrī dāsī. Su-pātrī. Pātrī means a good reservoir. Everything good is there.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:

There was great meeting in Naimiṣāraṇya, a place, a very sacred place in India. If you sometimes go to India, you'll try to find out this place. It is in northern India and there is a big city, very well known city, Lucknow. And it is about forty or fifty miles from Lucknow. But the place is so nice, so attractive, that any man who goes there will find immediately spiritually impelled(?), it is so nice place, Naimiṣāraṇya. So it is very old place. Formerly, when sages used to hold their meeting, they generally held their meeting in that place, Naimiṣāraṇya.

So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was also discussed first in that Naimiṣā... Not first, for the second time. First it was explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within a week. Formerly, even a small child... This boy, this brāhmaṇa boy, was playing with his playmates. That means he was a child, not more than ten to twelve years old. And he was informed that "Mahārāja Parīkṣit has insulted your father by garlanding him with a dead snake." The fact was that Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in hunting.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Guest (7): The first śloka of the Bhagavad-gītā says,

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre

samaveta yuyutsavaḥ

māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva

kim akurvata sañjaya

(BG 1.1)

I ask you, Prabhu, what is that dharma-kṣetra and kuru-kṣetra?

Prabhupāda: Dharma-kṣetra everyone knows. Kurukṣetra is still dharma-kṣetra. Everyone goes there for religious performances. Where is the difficulty? Why you make it difficult? In candra-grahaṇa, in sūrya-grahaṇa, hundreds, thousands of people still go there. This is dharma-kṣetra. In the Vedic injunction it is said kurukṣetre dharmaṁ yajet: "When you want to perform religious ritualistic ceremonies, go to Kurukṣetra." So Kurukṣetra is still there, the place is there, the station is there, and it is mentioned in the Vedas, it is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. Where is the difficulty? Why you create difficulty? It is your fault that creates difficulty. Otherwise Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra since time immemorial. That's all. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

Pradyumna: (reads synonyms, then:) Translation: "The eyes which do not look at the symbolic representations of the Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, His forms, name, quality, etc., are like those printed on the plumes of the peacock, and the legs which do not move to the holy places, where the Lord is remembered, are considered to be like tree trunks."

Prabhupāda: So, the peacock plumes, they look like eyes, painted. But it has no power to see. Similarly, if we do not see the forms of the Lord, just like in this temple we are seeing, then these eyes are to be considered as painted eyes. Not real eyes. Simply just appearing like eyes. It has no use. The human form of life, the eyes are there, particular eyes, to see the forms of the Lord eye to eye. And because our present position is that with these material eyes we cannot see the Lord in His spiritual form, therefore the Lord has kindly appeared before us in a manner in which we can see Him. The forms of the Lord is not imagination. They say that they imagine some form. Sādhakānāṁ hitvārthāya brahmaṇo rūpa-kalpanaḥ. The Māyāvādī philosophers, due to their poor fund of knowledge, they think that "The Absolute Truth is formless, but because we cannot meditate upon formless, something formless, let us imagine some form." Imagine. Nirviśeṣa-vādī, nirākāra-vādī, they imagine forms.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

Satisfy your desire for being naked for ten thousand years." Why two years, three years, or five years, ten years? Remain naked. Human body is meant for covering, not to become naked, but if anyone develops the idea of becoming nudie, naked, "All right, next life you get tree. Stand up." The example is there, Yamala-Arjuna, They wanted to be naked. Nārada gave them opportunity, "All right, you remain naked as trees." So therefore, our business should be to go to the temple as it is prescribed here, pādau nṛṇāṁ tau druma-janma-bhājau. Those who are not moving, they're just like trees, they do not move. So, if we do not move to the places where Viṣṇu's forms are there... Just like in India, we have got many places of pilgrimage. Just like Vṛndāvana. There are... A small city, about fifty thousand utmost population. But there are five thousand temples, big and small. Out of that, about one dozen temples are very, very big, just like fort. And there are small temples.

Lecture on SB 3.25.17 -- Bombay, November 17, 1974:

They are thinking, "This land is mine. The land of my birth is mine." We have seen. There was fight between Hindu and Muslim during partition days: "This is my Pakistan," "This is my Hindustan." So bhauma ijya-dhīḥ.

Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13), yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile... Now, we go to tīrtha-sthāna, we go to Hardwar and Vṛndāvana and other nice holy places... And the Christians go to Jordan. So... Jerusalem. They take birth in the Jordan. So yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile. Salile means water. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu. But have no interest to understand his identification, spiritual identification, from the ācārya. Janeṣv abhijñeṣu. Abhijña means one who knows, ācārya. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is the Vedic instruction. To understand your spiritual identity, you must find out a proper guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet. So he has no such knowledge. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So he has no knowledge. The superficial. So sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), such person is no better than the cows and the asses—means animal.

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

This is the... The six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, they lived in Vṛndāvana by the order... The present Vṛndāvana, holy place, was made by Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī. These two brothers, they were ministers in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. Practically they became Muhammadans; their name were changed. Because in those days the brāhmaṇa community was very strict. Any brāhmaṇa accepting service, he'll be immediately excommunicated: "No, you are not brāhmaṇa." Brāhmaṇa's business is not to serve others. Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. They should remain... Everyone was independent. Brāhmaṇa independent, kṣatriya independent, vaiśya independent. Simply śūdra's dependent. So in those days, five hundred years ago, these two brothers were born of a very high class brāhmaṇa. They were learned scholar, but because they accepted the service of Nawab, they were excommunicated. So practically they become Muhammadans.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, yes. But they do not come out. Because the yoga system is to practice in a secluded place alone. It is not a business that you have to open some yoga class and practice it. No. It is... First principle is that he must be alone and in a secluded place, in a sacred place. You see that they are described in the standard yoga śāstra. So they do not come, those who are really achieving perfection. They do not come out to the human society.

Guest (4): How about... Do you know about Paramahaṁsa Yogānanda? Have you heard of Paramahaṁsa...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have heard about him. But I say the real yogis, they do not come out. Because that will fail. It is clearly stated that he must live in a secluded place alone. Then yoga practice perfection is possible.

Guest (2): In other words, he has no public ministry of any kind.

Prabhupāda: No. It is not like that. He must be alone and in a secluded place and a sacred place, and the process is to sit... (aside:) Thank you very much. You should sit like this, you should eat like this, you should sleep like this. There are so many... They, they gave up... There were many yogis in the history. Just like Viśvāmitra. He was a great king. He gave up everything for practicing yoga. Why? He was king. He could practice yoga. Now, the yoga practice was recommended to Arjuna. He said, "Oh, it is not possible for me." So it is not possible... Even five thousand years ago a person like Arjuna, he refused: "Oh, it is not possible for me." How ordinary man who has not practiced even controlling the senses and other things? No. It is not possible. The yoga practice is accepted as a standard way of self-realization. That is all right, provided it is cent percent properly executed. That is... Cent percent properly executed. Yes. But that is not possible in this age. Nobody can do that.

Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976:

So without Kṛṣṇa consciousness everything will be failure. Therefore Bharata Mahārāja, er, Ṛṣabhadeva Mahārāja is advising that "You concentrate your service to Bharata." (break) ...it is advised to a brāhmaṇa that if, when that time comes, you can come to the position of a kṣatriya or even up to vaiśya, but never to the position of a śūdra. This is dog's business. They are... At the present moment everyone is being trained up to become śūdra, dogs. High education, big, big degrees, but if the dog is not appointed by a master, his all qualification useless. Therefore it is doggish civilization. And Aryan civilization means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Śūdra means one who cannot live independently—he has to depend on some master—he's a śūdra. That's all. The brāhmaṇa should live by education, by knowledge. Everyone will honor them. They will give advice to the śūdras, er, to the kṣatriyas. When Paraśurāma killed eleven..., twenty-one times all the kṣatriyas, his father chastised him that "This is not the business of a brāhmaṇa. My dear son, you are so angry, you have killed all the kṣatriyas and you have killed Kārtavīryārjuna by anger. Oh, you have done great sinful activities. It is not the business of the brāhmaṇa. Therefore you should retire for some time and go to holy places to counteract your sinful activities." This was spoken to Paraśurāma by his father.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Amritsar. How people were anxious to hear. Then there will be the Kumbha-melā. If you go to Kumbha-melā you'll see how from all different parts of the country, millions of people will come to participate.

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Millions and millions of people. There is no advertisement but they will come. Government wanted to discourage them in so many ways. In Jagannātha Purī you will find daily, in Vṛndāvana and all sacred places. The Ārya-samājīs, the government, they tried to condemn this temple worship, this...

Haṁsadūta: Nehru.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Nehru, yes. Nehru was such a rascal that he came... Ramakrishna Mission has a big hospital in Vṛndāvana. So on the opening day he came from Delhi by helicopter. He stayed there the whole day. He came in the morning, and the function took place in the evening. Or in daytime. He left the same day. But he did not visit a single temple. You see? Such an atheist he was.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

Yoga system means to control the senses, control the mind; and control the mind means you have to control so many things—your eating, your sleeping, your behaving. These are prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā, how to practice the aṣṭāṅga-yoga. You have to find out a suitable place, a sacred place, a solitary place. Therefore real yogis, they used to go to Himalaya. Sometimes some young men, here, in your country, they inquire from me how to go to Himalaya, and what you'll do there, going there, Himalaya? So you are not practiced. So instead of practicing yoga in the Himalaya, you practice yoga here. We have come here to help you. Here this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there. If you are serious about practicing yoga, this, take bhakti-yoga. That will come, how it happens in the next lines.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971:

Generally, they practice haṭha-yoga, and they're satisfied only by getting into practice the system of āsana. That's all. But there are many other steps: yama, niyama, āsana, praṇāyāma, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, pratyāhāra, samādhi. Say, generally, the so-called yogi class, they simply practice some āsana. And no yama, niyama, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, pratyāhāra. So to practice yoga, it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, first of all, you have to select a secluded place. And that must be very sacred. And you have to sit there alone. Who is going to do that? It is not possible to practice yoga in a fashionable city. It is not possible. Therefore India, those who are actually yogis, they go to the Himalaya, Hardwar, in a secluded place, in a sacred place they sit down tight and practice yoga. That is yoga. Not that in a yoga class you practice some gymnastic and you become a yogi. Yoga system is very difficult system, haṭha-yoga system. But we do not know that. We want everything very cheap. Oh, that is not possible. Because it is not possible, therefore in this age the śāstra recommends, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and you will achieve... And see the result. We have thousands of students. They have been called by the newspaper reporter "bright faces." Compare with these students and any yoga class student: how much they know, how do they know? So this haṭha-yoga system is a recommended system. That's all right.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

Therefore Dhṛtarāṣṭra says in the Bhagavad-gītā beginning, māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva (BG 1.1). Māmakāḥ means "my sons," and... Because both of them are Kurus, now they are divided, māmakāḥ, "my sons," and Pāṇḍavas, "the Pāṇḍu's sons." Kim akurvata sañjaya (BG 1.1).

And this Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra. Not because the fight was there and Kṛṣṇa was on the battlefield, therefore it is called dharma-kṣetra. Sometimes it is interpreted like that. But actually Kurukṣetra was dharma-kṣetra since very, very long time. In the Vedas it is stated, kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret: "If one wants to execute ritualistic ceremony, he should go to Kurukṣetra." And it is the system still now in India, if there is some disagreement or quarrel between two parties, so still they would go to the temple—temple is dharma-kṣetra—so that one may not dare to speak lie in front of the Deity. This was still going on. Even one is very low in mentality, still, if he is challenged that "You are talking this false. Now speak before the Deity," he will hesitate, "No." This is India still. You cannot speak lies before the Deity. That is offense. Don't consider that Deity is a marble statue.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

Prabhupāda: So, why they should say? Now, you are a lawyer.

Guest (3): We do not know (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: And why do they...? What is the difficulty? Dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra, is that a very difficult Sanskrit? Now, there is no question. Even in... If you do not understand Sanskrit, what is the difficulty to understand dharma-kṣetra? Is it not a Hindi word? Kurukṣetra is a name of place. So what is the difficulty? Why do you interpret that Kurukṣetra means this body? This rascaldom has killed the whole spiritual atmosphere of India. They are responsible, these rascal politicians, the rascal scholars, so-called. Actually if we want good of the people, these rascals should be disclosed and people should come back. We should... Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Why we should interpret? You know, you, as a lawyer. When there is legal point, if it is not clear, one lawyer is trying to extract some meaning and the other lawyer is extract... It is... After all, the judges (indistinct) give the judgment. So this interpretation between the two lawyers are there when the subject matter is not very clear. Is it not?

Guest (3): ...amongst the judges now they have passed a...

Prabhupāda: But judges are not perfect, and the law is also not perfect. But I am simply speaking of the procedure. The law is not perfect because it is man-made, and judges, because he is human, he is also not perfect. So that imperfectness you must find. But I am speaking of the procedure. You have to speak on the lawbooks. You cannot... In the law court you cannot speak beyond the lawbooks. And the lawbooks... Suppose one section is not very clear. You fight: "This should be interpreted like this. This should be interpreted..." I am taking that procedure. But when it is clear, do you interpret?

Guest (3): It is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

Prabhupāda: That's not possible. Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā, it is clear, dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra. Why these rascals say that Kurukṣetra means body?

Guest (3): Even according to the rules of interpretation, in the books it is stated, "When the words are clear, you should..."

Prabhupāda: That is eternally fact.

Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:

One must go to the forest. Forest means vana, and therefore, one who goes to the forest, from the word vana, it is vāna, vānaprastha. Prastha mean one who has gone. This is regulative life. One has to take leave from this family life and accept the vānaprastha. Vānaprastha means prior to accepting the renounced order of life. The husband and wife goes out of home and travels in many holy places to associate with holy man and take his instruction just to prepare for sannyāsa. So when one is fully equipped in knowledge, then he asks his wife to go to home to be taken care of by the elderly children, and he becomes a sannyāsī. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. This is real purpose of life. Four varṇas, four classes of men, up to fourth class, not up to tenth class. And then spiritual life: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This institution is called varṇāśrama-dharma: four varṇas and four āśrama. So when one is educated or trained up by this varṇāśrama institution, then his human life begins. Otherwise he is animal. One who does not take to this varṇāśrama-dharma, he remains in the animal life. That is the Vedic system.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa made condition. Kṛṣṇa is personal Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. He came to show His mercy, and therefore He left Bhagavad-gītā to be read by common... Any common man can understand. But the rascals are so rigid that they will misinterpret. Kṛṣṇa left it for reading it by everyone. Any common man can understand. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). This is the beginning. Any common man can understand. The Kurukṣetra is still there, and it is dharma-kṣetra. Still people go there to take bath in the Brahma-kunda during lunar and solar eclipse. It is a great dharma-kṣetra. But they will interpret, "Dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra means this body." Where they get this meaning? Where is the dictionary? No, because he is scholar, he has invented some meaning. This is going on, and people are misled.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

"My dear Sañjaya," Dhṛtarāṣṭra is asking his private secretary, Mr. Sañjaya, "my sons and my brother's sons, Pāṇḍava..." His brother's name was Pandu, therefore they are Pāṇḍava. Māmakāḥ means "my sons." Where is the scope for interpretation? Kuru-kṣetre. There is still one place, you know better, you are Indian, there is place Kurukṣetra still existing. Dharmakṣetra, that is a religious place, place of pilgrimage. Still, people go for religious performances. In the Vedas it is stated, kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret. One should perform religious rituals in the Kurukṣetra. So where is the scope for interpretation? Interpretation means when you cannot understand something. Then you can interpret. But here Kurukṣetra you can understand, dharma-kṣetra you can understand, māmakāḥ you can understand, pāṇḍava you can understand, they assembled for fighting you can understand. Why do you interpret? What is the necessity of interpretation? That means he wants to show that he has got some better intelligence than the speaker of the Bhagavad-gītā. We do not accept such things, nonsense.

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

But in this Kali-yuga it is little difficult. Why little? It is very, very difficult to sit down in one place and meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. Not only sit down in one place—it is recommended that we should sit down in a sacred place and in a secluded place. Not that it is a fashion, some hundreds of men sitting together and meditating. What meditating? That is not the process. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended to sit down in a sacred and secluded place. That is called dhyāna. And sitting in a right-angle posture and the eyes half-closed. Not fully closed. If you fully close then you will sleep. I have seen so many yogis snoring, sleeping. Yes. Naturally, if you close your eyes and you have no subject matter to think, what will be this, you will sleep, that's all. That is not yoga system. You have to sit down in a secluded place, in what is called, yoga-āsana, straight body and not sleeping, half-open eyes and looking over the tip of the nose. There are so many methods. That is called meditation. But this kind of meditation is very, very difficult in this age. If one can perform, it is welcome, but it is very difficult. In the Kali-yuga, if I sit down to meditate upon, then I shall think of my family, my business, my friend, so many things. It is not possible.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

That is humanity. Otherwise, if he thinks simply by going to Vṛndāvana and taking a dip in Yamunā or shaving the head and purchasing some utensils for sons and daughter, their tīrtha... They have been described as sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Go means cow, and kharaḥ means ass. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni. When you go some holy place, because in the holy place there are many persons who are very learned, who can give you very good instruction about spiritual life, so you must seek such person and associate with him. That is tīrtha. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni. Because it is said in the śāstra that ordinary men with sinful habits, they come to tīrtha, holy place, and actually they become purified. Actually they become purified. That is the glory of tīrtha-sthāna, dhāma. But when such sinful garbage is accumulated, who will clear? It will be cleared by the saintly person, by their puṇya work. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrtha... Again they make it tīrtha.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

So you cannot... The jñāna system, the yoga system is by force they are trying to detach. That is not possible. It may be possible for the time being. Just like Viśvamitra, a great sage. These are the historical references. He was a very great king and he wanted to realize self, and he began to meditate in the forest alone, as it is, this yoga system, that "He must be in secluded life. He must make his seat in a very sacred place and sit in this posture." There are... So he followed everything completely, perfect yogi. But as soon as Indra saw that "This man is performing a great yoga system. He may not acquire my position," so he sent one beautiful girl, Menakā, to entice him. So she came, she began to dance before her (him), and there was tinkling sound, and at once his meditation broke. And she was very beautiful, coming from heaven, so he became attached, and the woman became pregnant. Then she got a child, Śakuntala, and then Viśvamitra came to this senses: "Oh, I left my kingdom, I came to forest for meditation. Again I am going to be another kingdom." So he decided that "I shall go away." So Menakā tried to entice him, "Oh, why you shall go? You just see how nice girl you have got. Just see." There is a picture. Perhaps you have seen.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

In order to understand the transcendental loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, one has to go through the teachings of the Gosvāmīs, rūpa raghunātha-pade hoibe ākuti. This is the way. So Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī and all the six Gosvāmīs, they developed this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by sitting together in Vṛndāvana. And not only in Vṛndāvana, in that very particular place, Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, where we have got a little space. That you have seen, Rūpa Gosvāmī's tomb, that space. All the six Gosvāmīs, they used to sit down and discuss Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was reading, and all the other Gosvāmīs, Rūpa, Sanātana, they were hearing, and Jīva Gosvāmī was writing comment. That is the comment of Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha. So that place in Vṛndāvana, Rādhā Dāmodara Temple, is very sacred place.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Mayapur, April 8, 1975:

o especially in India, the atmosphere is very good. It is especially meant, within this universe, this plot of land known as Bhāratavarṣa, India, is the most sacred place within this universe. And of the whole land Bhāratavarṣa, in Bengal, it is very sacred. And the whole of Bengal, this Nadia is very sacred. And in the whole Nadia, this part is very sacred, Māyāpur Candradoya Temple. So by Kṛṣṇa's grace, you have got this opportunity to live here. Take advantage, full advantage of this opportunity, spiritually fortunate. This is the statement of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Not that I am manufacturing. We cannot manufacture anything, but we can repeat the words of our predecessors. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, in his Jaiva-Dharma, or in Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, he has stated like that. In the Bhāratavarṣa, Bengal is the most important place, and in Bengal, the district Nadia is most important place, because Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared. Don't take it leniently. It is very serious thing that Bhāratavarṣa is meant for cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unfortunately, the present leaders, they are misleading them. Anyway, you are fortunate. You take advantage of this cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness which was spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself, in this land of Bhāratavarṣa, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 3.87-88 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

So those who are surrendered, they believe and therefore they receive the desired result. Tvāṁ śīla-rūpa-caritaiḥ parama-prakṛṣṭaiḥ. And the activities of God and His representative are described where? In scriptures, book of authority. Vyāsadeva had no business, or Śukadeva Gosvāmī had no business to describe some fiction, some allegory. Just like fools, they interpret śāstras, "This means this. This means that," according to their own..., as if God left for commentary of that fool, left everything for commentation for that fool. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā in the beginning it is stated, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Now, this dharma-kṣetra, kuru-kṣetra, is described by some eminent politician as this body. Now, there is no dictionary in the world where it is stated that kuru-kṣetra means this body, but still, he is interpreting in that way, as if Kṛṣṇa left for him that "In future kuru-kṣetra meaning will be disclosed by that fool."

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.39-47 -- San Francisco, February 1, 1967:

The followers of Śaṅkara's school, they are generally called Māyāvādī. And another Māyāvādī are called the Buddhists. So in the Kāśī, in Benares, there were two kinds of Māyāvādīs. One kind of Māyāvādī, the Buddhists, they have got still Sarnath. Buddhists temples there are because Lord Buddha, he started his meditation near Gayā at about hundred miles off from Benares. Then his disciples established monasteries near Kāśī because Benares is well-known sacred place since a very long time, so they also established there. Formerly there was no such animosities between the Hindus and the Buddhists. They were practically on the same platform, but philosophically they were different. Just like the Māyāvādīs, the followers of Śaṅkarite, they are still Hindus. They are not out of it. Similarly, Buddhists also were considered as Hindu. But when Buddha religion was completely driven away from India's boundary, then now it is considered another sect. So the Kāśī Māyāvādī means both the Buddhists and the followers of Śaṅkarites.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:

"My dear Sañjaya, my sons, māmakāḥ, my sons and Pāṇḍava, the sons of my younger brother, Pāṇḍu, they assembled in the battlefield which is also a pilgrimage. Then what did they do?" This is the simple... But the nonsense rascals, they are eschewing some meaning, "Oh, kuru-kṣetra means 'body,' and dharma-kṣetra means this and this... Pāṇḍava means 'the five senses.' " So many nonsensical... Even Gandhi has done this. What Gandhi? Gandhi's nothing. You see? So they are, these rascals are doing and misleading persons. I've recently written one written to Dr. Radhakrishnan that "You are going to retire. Now join this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. You have written your Bhagavad-gītā, and you don't believe Kṛṣṇa as Supreme Lord, God. Therefore by reading your Bhagavad-gītā people have become godless. So you better rectify your mistake. Now join this." I've written state letter to Dr. Radhakrishnan. "So if you want to, I mean to say, compensate the greatest sin you have committed in your Bhagavad-gītā, then you join this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement and rectify yourself." "Not to Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-99 -- Washington, D.C., July 4, 1976:

So they have been described as animals. The śāstra, they say, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). One who is in this bodily concept... Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ: "In my country, bhauma... I am born in America or I am born in India, so it is my country." How long you'll remain America? How long you'll remain India? They do not know. But they are mad after this conception of life, bodily conception of life. Bhauma ijya-dhīḥ yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicit. People in every community, religious community, there is tīrtha. People want (indistinct) holy place. So they go, they take bath. Just like in India they go to Hardwar or Vṛndāvana or Prayag, take bath in the Ganges or Yamunā. Similarly, Christians, they go to take bath in the river Jordan. So everyone has got. Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na tad janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). This kind of life is go-kharaḥ. Go means cows, and kharaḥ means ass. Without understanding the value of life, na tad-janeṣv abhijñeṣu, without associating with abhijñaḥ, learned spiritual master, if he passes his life with this understanding, then he is no better than the cows and ass. This is the verdict.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "Directly or indirectly, whichever Vedic literature you study, you'll find that the aim is to understand Kṛṣṇa." When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was speaking, He proved that in the Koran there is kṛṣṇa-bhakti. When He was coming back from Vṛndāvana, at a place... It is known as Soro. Perhaps you know, Soro. That is a holy place, Soro. Still, people go there. There is a nice place, Soro. So there Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was chanting and dancing, He sometimes fainted. So in the course of His chanting and dancing, when He fainted, then His personal assistants, they were treating Him. So one batch of soldiers, Moghul, Pathan soldiers, were passing that way. So the chief of the soldiers, of the army, they were surprised that "How is that? One man is lying unconscious, and others are treating him. This must have been, this man must have been poisoned by these men." So they came down, because they were government men, they came down and challenged all these men that "You have given this man some drug so that he's fainted, and you wanted to plunder him.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.62-67 -- New York, January 6, 1966:

There are so many protests and so many quarrels. They would have done better if they would have introduced Sanskrit language as it was previously. So the Sanskrit language was one, and the culture was Vedic. Therefore there was no disunion. Every part of the country in India, the same system. He may be a Bengali, he may be a Maharastrian, he may be a Gujarati, or he may be Oriya—there were so many provinces—but the culture was the same. Another unity was that sacred places were distributed all over India. Just like Gayā, a sacred place, it is situated in Bihar. And sacred place, Benares, it is situated in Uttar Pradesh. Vṛndāvana is situated on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Similarly, Kashmir, and Punjab also; in South India, Rāmeśvaram; in Himalayan province, Haridwar. In this way all these provinces were distributed, and still it is going on. The provincialism is amongst the educated circle. So far the mass of people are concerned, they don't know what is province. They travel from one province to another. They don't require any visa. They don't require any passport. So that was very nice.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.40-50 -- San Francisco, January 24, 1967:

I don't exactly remember. But one of the Vedas it is written that kurukṣetre dharma yajayet. In the Kurukṣetra, that place, if anyone wants to perform religious rites, he should go to Kurukṣetra and perform there. It will have better effect. This is the indication in the Vedic literatures. Therefore Kurukṣetra is still accepted. Those who travel, wander in pilgrimages, they go to Kurukṣetra still. The system is going on. If there is a lunar eclipse, they go to Kurukṣetra to make some charities. So Kurukṣetra is accepted from the very, very long period in the Vedic age as the place of pilgrimage. So it is stated there, dharmakṣetra. How can I interpret that this Kurukṣetra means this body? In which dictionary he finds this meaning? But people are so foolish, because Mahatma Gandhi has interpreted, "Oh, it is right." So this is going on.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

Simply talking will not do. That, that... Just, these boys, they did not practice prāṇāyāma system, but bring anyone who knows about God better than him. Bring anyone. Any yogis, bring, and talk with them. They are neophytes. They are simply practicing three or four years. And talk with them. And what he knows about, he knows it will be proved. That is not rocket system. This is rocket system: Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. (laughter) That is not possible. That he cannot find out a secluded place to practice yoga. Where is secluded place in the city? Whole day and night, these cars are going and there is huge sound. Where is secluded place? And, and it is recommended in Bhagavad-gītā, secluded place and sacred place. And he should remain alone. Where is such yogi? Find out. Where is such yogi? He should remain alone, and in a secluded place and a sacred place. And he should not change his āsana. Then he becomes a yogi. These are the preliminary things. But who is practicing these preliminary even? They cannot. Especially in the cities, there are so many yoga societies, but in the, it is stated that it should be practiced in a secluded place. So how it is possible in the city? So if you follow the instruction, it will be very difficult. It is very difficult.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

Now, this occasion I may explain little bit. Here you see Jagannātha and Balarāma and Subhadrā. They are Kṛṣṇa and His elder brother and His sister, Subhadrā. There is a place in India about ninety miles north of Delhi. You have heard the name of New Delhi. The place is named Kurukṣetra. It is accepted as the holy place, pilgrimage. People still gather there, especially during the eclipse, solar and lunar eclipse. So there was once, five thousand years ago, there was a solar eclipse, and all people, from all parts of India, they came to Kurukṣetra, and Kṛṣṇa at that time was prince at Dvārakā, He also came with His elder brother and sister. Kṛṣṇa in His childhood, He was raised as the foster son of Mahārāja Nanda and Mother Yaśodā in Vṛndāvana. Then, when He was grown up... You will find this history in the Kṛṣṇa book. So the incidence is that Kṛṣṇa was the beloved personality in Vṛndāvana. So when He left Vṛndāvana, all the people there, they were very, very unhappy.

Ratha-yatra -- New York, July 18, 1976:

In India there is still that place, Kurukṣetra, and religious men go there especially on the occasion of solar eclipse. So recently there was solar eclipse. Still, many millions of Indian population gathered there. Those who have gone to India might have seen this holy place, Kurukṣetra. There is a railway station also of the name Kurukṣetra, and it is a vast field. The Battle of Kurukṣetra took place also during Lord Kṛṣṇa's time, and the Bhagavad-gītā is the product in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So this ceremony..., Kṛṣṇa, with His elder brother Balarāma and His younger sister Subhadrā, visited in this chariot at Kurukṣetra, and we are observing this festival. Formerly one king of the name Indradyumna, he started the temple of Jagannātha in Orissa at Purī. Perhaps some of you who have gone there, they know there is a very, very old temple, according to modern calculation, not less than two thousand years old. There is the Jagannātha Deity. The King was very much anxious to establish a temple of Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadrā, but there was a contract between the sculptor and the King that the sculptor would go on working in closed door and the King should not disturb him. But when many days passed the King felt, "What this worker is doing?" So he forcefully opened the door, and he saw that the sculptor could not finish the Deity. So this form of Jagannātha, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and Subhadrā, was unfinished. They were going under construction, carving, but the King forcibly opened the door. Therefore the King said, "I shall worship this unfinished Deity. Never mind." So this Jagannātha you see in this form because King Indradyumna wanted to worship Him in that form.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

"When he appeared at Purī, the holy place, my lord and master, His Divine Grace." So Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura appeared as the son of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, his fourth son. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he was family man. He has several children, sons and daughters. So Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, known in his previous life as Bimala Prasāda Datta, son of Kedaranath Datta... His father, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, his name was. He was magistrate and he was manager also, the managing board of Jagannātha Purī. The system is, the local magistrate becomes the official manager of the managing board of Jagannātha Purī. So at that time he was situated in Jagannātha Purī, and Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura appeared at Purī.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

So therefore his birthplace is mentioned, "the holy place, my lord and master, His Divine Grace." "O my master, the evangelic angel, give us thy light, light up thy candle. Struggle for existence, a human race, the only hope, His Divine Grace." So actually we are in a very precarious condition, the modern civilization, I mean to say, manipulated by the Western people. It is a soul-killing civilization, this civilization. By nature the chance is given after many, many evolutionary process. Jalajā nava lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣā viṁśati. The evolutionary theory is there in the Padma Purāṇa. It is not Darwin's theory. Darwin stolen it from Padma Purāṇa, and he presented in a distorted way of his own imagination. Otherwise the Darwin's theory is not the original. The theory... It is not theory-fact. Jīva-jātiṣu. It is wandering within the cycle of jīva-jāti, different species of life. Tathā dehāntara prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). This is Vedic knowledge, this evolutionary process. It is not Darwin's theory.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

A devotee, wherever he is, that is Vṛndāvana. That is Vṛndāvana tīrtha. Kurvanti tīrthāni. A devotee, a pure devotee, can make any hell a tīrtha, a holy place. That is devotee. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni. That was Bhagīratha. Gaṅgā was hesitating, mother Gaṅgā, that "I shall go to the material world. People will take, all sinful men will take bathing, and I'll be overloaded with sin. Then how I shall get out of this sinful, accumulation of sins?" So Bhagīratha said, "My mother, don't hesitate. When a holy man will take bath in your water, then all the sins he will assimilate." Then she agreed. "Yes. That's..." So if we become holy man, actually, then immune. There is no difference. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. These are bogus, that "I do not go out of Vṛndāvana." They are making Vṛndāvana limited. Vṛndāvana is not limited. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, wherever there is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, that is Vṛndāvana. That is Vṛndāvana.

Initiation Lectures

Initiations and Sannyasa -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Prayāg. Prayāg dāsī. Prayāg is the chief holy place in India, where we held our... That is Allahabad. That is Prayāg. Another name is Prayāg. Real name is Prayāg. Tīrtha-rāja, the king of pilgrimage. So you have to serve. Come on. You know the rules and regulation?

Candanācārya: Do you know the rules and regulations?

Prayāg: Yes. No illicit sex, no intoxicants, no meat, fish or eggs, and no gambling.

Prabhupāda: Next. Come on. (japa)

Aravinda: Sītā-Rāma dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Sītā-Rāma. Raghupati rāghava. Lord Rāmacandra, husband of Sītā. You are servant of Sītā-Rāma. Very high position. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulations? All right. Thank you.

Cornerstone Ceremonies

Cornerstone Laying -- Bombay, January 23, 1975:

So very clear. Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra still. In the Vedas it is stated, kurukṣetre dharmam ācaret: "One should go to Kurukṣetra and perform religious rituals." Therefore it is dharma-kṣetra from time immemorial. And why should we interpret it that "This Kurukṣetra means this body, dharmakṣetra, this body"? Why? Why mislead people? Stop this misleading. And Kurukṣetra is still there. Kurukṣetra station, railway station, is there. So try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, make your life successful, and spread this message all over the world. You will be happy; the world will be happy. Of course, I am now very old man. I am eighty years old. My life is finished. But I want some responsible Indian and combined with other countries... Other countries, they are giving good cooperation. Otherwise, it was not possible for me to spread in so short time, only seven or eight years, to preach this cult all over the world. So I require the cooperation of the Indian, especially young men, educated men. Come forward. Stay with us. Study Bhagavad-gītā. We haven't got anything to manufacture. Nothing to manufacture. And what we can manufacture? We are all imperfect. Whatever is there, let us study it and practically apply in life and spread the message all over the world. That is our mission.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

So similarly, this Bhagavad-gītā is described in the history of India, Mahābhārata. So how you can take it symbolism? Mahābhārata is the history. Mahā means great; great history of India, Mahābhārata. It is historical fact. How you can take a symbolism? Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā... (break) ...verse is dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). (break) ...in the battlefield. That Kurukṣetra is still lying in India from very old time. So how you call it symbolism? And it is dharma-kṣetra. In the Vedic literature the injunction is kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret. And still people go to Kurukṣetra for religious, performing religious rituals. Still they go. That Kurukṣetra battlefield is there. It is being treated as the place of pilgrimage. How you can say that it is symbolic? This is all nonsense. Historical facts is still being, I mean to say, followed. The Pāṇḍavas, that is historical. Still there is one old fort. People say this fort belonged to the Pāṇḍavas. The Indraprastha, New Delhi is called Indraprastha. Everything is historical. How you take symbolical?

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

Jagannātha festival significance is that when Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana... Kṛṣṇa was raised by His foster father, Nanda Mahārāja. But when He was grown up, 16 years old, He was taken away by His real father, Vasudeva, and They left Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, two brothers, and They were resident..., Their kingdom was in Dvārakā. So in Kurukṣetra—Kurukṣetra is always dharma-kṣetra, pilgrimage—there was some lunar, solar eclipse, and many persons from many parts of India, they came to take bath. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and Their sister Subhadra, They also came in royal fashion, with so many soldiers, and so many..., just like king. So these residents of Vṛndāvana, they met Kṛṣṇa, and especially the gopīs, they saw Kṛṣṇa, and they lamented that "Kṛṣṇa, You are here, we are also here, but the place is different. We are not in Vṛndāvana." So there is a long story how they lamented and how Kṛṣṇa pacified them. This is a feeling of separation, how the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana felt separation from Kṛṣṇa. So this... When Kṛṣṇa came on chariot, that is called Ratha-yātrā. This is the history of Ratha-yātrā. So any pastimes made by Kṛṣṇa, that is observed in ceremonial form by the devotees. So that is Ratha-yātrā.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

First of all, to practice yoga, you have to find out a very secret and sacred place. Yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ. Rahasi means in a secluded place. Yoga practice cannot be done, haṭha-yoga system, as it is prescribed, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, the eight divisional yoga system, that cannot be practiced in assembly or in a crowded place or in a class. But Bhagavad-gītā says that yogī yuñjīta satatam ātmānaṁ rahasi sthitaḥ. Rahasi sthitaḥ means in a secluded place. Ekākī. Ekākī means alone. Ekākī yata-cittātmā, "controlling the senses and mind." Nirāśīḥ, "without any material desire," aparigrahaḥ, "or taking some help from others." Not that "I shall teach you yoga system by some monetary exchange." This is not yoga system. Aparigrahaḥ. Aparigrahaḥ means one should not expect something from others for learning or manifesting or exhibiting yoga system. Then not only he has to remain alone in a secluded place, but śucau deśe. Śucau deśe means a very sacred place. Pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmānaḥ. One should have his own sitting place. Not that... That means he cannot change his sitting place. The same sitting place he should continue yoga system. Nāty-ucchritaṁ nāti-nīcaṁ cailājina-kuśottaram. There are skin, deerskins, and then straw mat, and then some soft clothing. In this way there is system of making your āsana, seat.

Northeastern University Lecture -- Boston, April 30, 1969:

Just like you have to sit like this and you have to look, not closing your eyes but half-closing your eyes, and you have to look on the point of your nose. "One should hold one's body, neck and head erect in a straight line and stare steadily at the tip of the nose. Thus, with an unagitated, subdued mind, devoid of fear, completely free from sex life, one should meditate upon Me," the Lord says. Before that, the primary prescriptions, how one should practice this transcendental meditation, that one has to restrict especially sex life... One has to select a very solitary place and a sacred place, and he should sit down alone. This meditation process is not practiced in a place like this, where many men are gathering. It is recommended, it must be a solitary place, sacred place, and alone. And then you have to sit, or you have to select your sitting place. There are so many things. Of course, those things cannot be explained within few minutes. If you are very much interested, you'll find in this book, "Sāṅkhya-yoga" chapter.

Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:

So these are plain truths. Kurukṣetra... Still there is a place of the name Kurukṣetra near Delhi. And people interpret, " 'Kurukṣetra' means this body." We do not know wherefrom he gets this meaning, what is that dictionary. Now, how he can establish? Kurukṣetra is still existing, and it is called dharma-kṣetra; it is a place of religious pilgrimage. So everything is clear. There is no need of interpretation. Simply you have to take the teachings. Then you will be benefited. So in this Bhagavad-gītā you will find so many nice information that if you see... If you don't see, that is another thing. You have to see that "Why I am put into so many miserable conditions of life although I do not want it?" That should be your question. If this question does not arise in your mind, that means still you are in the animal state of life. That is the human stage of life, when one inquires that "I do not wish to suffer.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

So from time immemorial this Kurukṣetra, land of Kurukṣetra is known as dharma-kṣetra. So what is the difficulty to understand dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1)? There is no difficulty. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous commentator says that "Kurukṣetra means this body." Where is the chance of interpreting like that, "Kuru-kṣetre is meaning body"? In no dictionary you will find that kuru-kṣetra is meant by body. Neither there is any chance. Interpretation is required when you cannot understand the word very clearly. In that case you can interpret. Just like the example is gaṅgāyāṁ ghoṣapali: "There is a neighborhood which is known as ghoṣapali on the Ganges." Now one may question how on the Ganges, Ganges is water, there can be a neighborhood? Then you can interpret that "It is not on the Ganges water, but it is on the bank of the Ganges." Then there is chance of interpretation. But when you can clearly understand that "The thing is like this: Kurukṣetra is a place, and that is a place of pilgrimage," why should you interpret that Kurukṣetra means the body? In this way Bhagavad-gītā is being misinterpreted.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

This is very clear. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre. Kurukṣetra is a place which is still a place of pilgrimage. The Hindus, those who are followers of Vedic rites, they go there. They perform religious rituals. And there is Vedic injunction, kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret, dharma yajet, like that, that "If you want to perform some religious rituals, better go to Kurukṣetra." So Kurukṣetra is from the Vedic age. Millions of years, from time immemorial, it is a dharma-kṣetra. And still it is there. There is a station, railway station, called Kurukṣetra near Delhi, about hundred miles away from Delhi. So these are facts. Why there should be interpretation? These are facts. Why there should be... It is clear. Dharma-kṣetra is... Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra, and historical fact is māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Two groups of cousin brothers, they wanted to fight to settle up. Formerly the war was declared—the leader of the war, if he is killed, then the other party is victorious. Not that unnecessarily killing the civil citizens, no.

Speech -- New Vrindaban, August 31, 1972:

Kīrtanānanda: Everybody can hear. New Vrindaban began when Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote to me about four or five years ago and expressed some desire that we could make a transcendental place of pilgrimage here for the purpose of celebrating the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Prabhupāda: Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly participating with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. As already described by Śrīman Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja, that this bhāgavata-dharma was spoken by Bhagavān Himself. Bhagavān, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Bhaga-vān. It is a Sanskrit word. Bhaga means fortunes, and vān means one who possesses. These two words combined together makes the word Bhagavān, or the supreme fortunate. We calculate our fortune if somebody is very rich, if somebody is very strong, if somebody is very beautiful, if somebody is very wise, if somebody is in renounced order of life. In this way, there are six opulences, and these opulences, when one possesses in fullness, without any rivalry, he is called Bhagavān. The richest of all, the wisest of all, the most beautiful, the most famous, the most renounced—in this way, Bhagavān.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

If we interpret in that way, Bhagavad-gītā, according to our whims, we'll never understand what is the purport of Bhagavad-gītā. We have to learn Bhagavad-gītā as it is; otherwise, we'll miss the opportunity. Just like Kurukṣetra. Kurukṣetra is still there, existing. Everyone, you know. While passing through Delhi to Punjab side you find the Kurukṣetra. The, the field is also there. It is a very big field, and in the śāstra, in the Vedas, it is said, kurukṣetre dharmam ācaret. So people go as a place of pilgrimage. So you cannot interpret Kurukṣetra otherwise. Kurukṣetra should be accepted as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). Then you'll understand Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there. Our request is—you are all respectable gentlemen, ladies, present here—that kindly try to read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you will understand the problems of your life, the solution also there. The solution is there, and the ultimate end of Bhagavad-gītā speaking: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the ultimate solution, that we have to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is our... Because every one of us, in this material condition, we are trying to become master, ultimately to become God. That is māyā. That is illusion.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 26, 1973:

The main meaning is very plain: that Dhṛtarāṣṭra was asking his father's secretary, Sañjaya, "My dear Sañjaya, māmakāḥ, my sons and pāṇḍavāḥ, my brother's sons, Pāṇḍavas, they assembled," dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1), "in the Kurukṣetra Field, which is known as dharma-kṣetra, the religious pilgrimage. After that meeting, what did they do?" Now, where is the difficulty to understand this verse? But unfortunately, one so-called scholar or so-called foolish man will come, he'll say, "Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetra means this body." No. "Where you get this meaning, sir?" But he'll say, explain in this way: "The Pāṇḍava means five senses." Well, in which dictionary you'll find? This is going on. This rascaldom is going on. If you'll give up this rascaldom, simply read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then you'll become successful in life. That is our preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture -- Jakarta, March 1, 1973:

He is such a personality, great personality, and five thousand years ago, when things were so nice. So at that time a person like Arjuna felt that he's unable to practice this yoga system. And nowadays a (indistinct) people with teeny knowledge, they are trying to practice yoga system as if they're..., he has become more than Arjuna. It is very difficult subject matter. It is not possible for ordinary man. The first principle is that he has to sit down alone in a sacred place, alone. Yoga practice is not possible in a big city, with friends and smoking habit and drinking habit. This all first. One has to become very strong in controlling the mind, controlling the senses, sitting in a solitary place, sacred place like Himalaya or Hardwar, like that. And who is going there, and who is practicing? It is not possible. Not only that, he has to sit down straight, and not bending, and looking on the tip of the nose, and not closing the eyes completely, half closed—so many rules and regulations—and always thinking of Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā pra... It is not possible. This yoga system, Arjuna denied five thousand years ago. And what we are? This is going on, all farce.

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

Therefore śāstra says, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhiḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhiḥ. And as soon as you take this body, that "I am this body," then, in bodily relation... Because a woman has got bodily relation, "She is my wife," and the children born out of the womb of that woman, "That is my children..." Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). Bhauma means the land where we live or where this body is produced. That is worshipable. That is called nationalism. Bhauma ijya-dhīḥ. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicit. And tīrtha, holy place... Just like people go to Vṛndāvana, Hardwar. Salile. They take birth in the Ganges and the Yamunā, and they think that "Now we have finished our tīrtha." No. Tīrtha is not that. Tīrtha means we have to find out sober person to take instruction from him. So people who are not interested to the sober man and lives like this, that "I am this body, and the bodily production or relation, they are my own men, and if I go to holy place, take bath and then come back..." No. Śāstra says, "No." Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣu abhijñeṣu. You must approach abhijñaḥ person. That is the meaning of pilgrimage. As the Vedas says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). You must find out a sober man or guru so that he can instruct you, he can deliver you from ignorance of life.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

That is our Vedic principle, compulsory sannyāsa. There are varṇāśrama-dharma. So student life, brahmacārī; then married life, gṛhastha; then vānaprastha; then sannyāsa. That is tapasya. The brahmacārī is also trained up for austerity and penances. That is brahmacārī. The gṛhastha also... Because from brahmacārī life, they go to gṛhastha life, they are trained up in tapasya. Then again, at the age of fiftieth year, they give up the family life, they take vānaprastha. Only the husband and wife go out of home and travels all over the holy places. Then, when one is little trained up, he sends back his wife to the care of his grown-up children, and he takes sannyāsa. This is varṇāśrama-dharma. The so-called Hindu dharma, that is a gift of the Muhammadans. We don't find the word "Hindu" in any Vedic scripture. This "Hindu" word has come from the Muhammadan countries. They used to say the people of this part of the world, means, across the river Indus, they call "Hindas" or "Hindus." So actually, Hindu not..., that is not Hindu dharma. Our... From the Vedic literature, we understand the varṇāśrama-dharma, varṇāśrama: four varṇas and four āśramas. Varnāśramacaravata. In the Viṣṇu-Purāṇa, you'll find this word. In the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find. In the Bhāgavata you'll find. So really Indian civilization or Aryan civilization, Vedic civlization, means varṇāśrama-dharma.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

Unfortunately, at the present moment especially... It was done formerly also five thousand years, that they make addition and alteration on the version of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Bhagavad-gītā is misinterpreted by so-called scholars and politicians. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Somebody interprets, "This dharma-kṣetra is this body." Why? Why one should interpret in that way? Interpretation is required when things are not very clear. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre is still there. People go to Kurukṣetra for executing religious rituals. And in the Vedas it is stated, kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret. So why it should be interpreted as "body"? And where is the dictionary where dharma-kṣetra means "body"? So in this way, if we interpret Bhagavad-gītā, then we spoil the whole thing. I spoil myself and spoil others. Therefore the conclusion is we shall accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as it is spoken by Kṛṣṇa.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

The first one was to systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large, to educate all people in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of (indistinct) to achieve real unity and peace in the world. Second, to propagate a consciousness of Kṛṣṇa as He is revealed in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Third, to bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Kṛṣṇa, and thus to develop the idea within the members and humanity at large that each soul is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Fourth, to teach and encourage the saṅkīrtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy name of God, and to reveal the teachings of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Fifth, to erect for the members and the Society at large a holy place of transcendental pastimes dedicated to the Personality of Godhead. Sixth, to bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

So in the Kali-yuga especially, to come to the highest platform of yoga perfection step by step, it is little difficult. Actually, to practice yoga, one has to undergo so many austerities, penances, rules, regulations. That is all described in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, how yoga should be practiced. It is recommended that yogis should sit down in a secluded place, sacred place. So in India, still, those who are actually yogis, at least those who are trying to follow the yoga system... Real yoga system means dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ, those who are yogis, they sit down in a secluded place, alone. The yoga practice is not possible in a fashionable city. That is not possible. It is to be executed alone.