Vyāsadeva says that "I offer my obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth." Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). There is no more truth beyond that. And as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Mattaḥ, "Beyond Me there is no more superior power." Mattaḥ parataraṁ na anyat. So Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances to the person above whom there is nobody. God means controller, I have several times explained. But here in our experience we see that one controller is controlled by another controller. Nobody is absolute controller. Therefore nobody is Absolute Truth. But there is..., there must be the Absolute Truth. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), as it has begun, "the source of all emanations."
Power (Lectures, SB canto 1)
Expressions researched:
"power"
|"power's"
|"powered"
|"powerhouse"
|"powers"
Notes from the compiler:
VedaBase query: power or powered or powerhouse or powers or power's not "supreme power" not "power* of" not "no power*" not "without * power*" not "without power*" not "mystic power*" not "mystic * power*" not "power to" not "powers to"
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:
The microphone is also expansion of God's energy, but that does not mean we have to worship the microphone. So God has got that power, that although He has expanded Himself in His impersonal form everywhere, still, He has got His original existence. A small example can be given in this connection. Just like a father. He has given birth to hundreds of children. That does not mean the father is finished. These children is expansion of the father, but father keeps himself as father. So in this way He is Vāsudeva, means He is present everywhere. He says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat: "He has got His hands and legs and eyes everywhere." Because the part and parcel expansion of God, either viṣṇu-tattva or jīva-tattva, they are everywhere.
Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:
So the yoga system is very popular in your country, but this is the example of becoming first-class yogi. And you haven't got to take so much trouble by pressing your nose or dipping your head or this... Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. And you become first-class yogi. And as soon as you become first-class yogi, all power is within you. Perhaps you do not know the yogic perfection, eight kinds of power. Simply gymnastic practice is not yoga. You must attain the power. The power is aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti-siddhi, vaśitā, īśitā, like that. Aṇimā means you can become smaller than the smallest. One who has attained yogic perfection, he can become... You lock up anywhere, and he will come out. This is yoga-siddhi, not that a yogi is locked up and he cannot come out.
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:
He is making money. So cheating. Cheating, illusion, committing mistake. Three. And fourth: that the senses imperfect. They are gathering knowledge through senses. I see... I want to see personally. "All right, put up the light. Now see." That is your seeing power. You see under condition. Therefore your seeing power is imperfect. Your thinking power is imperfect.
So every sense... We are gathering knowledge by the imperfect senses. We are seeing every day, morning, the sun which is bigger than this earth by fourteen hundred thousand times. And we are seeing just like a plate. If he's not informed by an authority when he goes to school...
Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:
We have not seen, we have not seen'? And what you can see?" They are so rascal that these teeny eyes, they are proud of, they can see God. They can see this thing, they can see... But first of all understand what you can see, without seeing by the God. God sees by the sun. Then you can see. So your seeing power is so dependent, and you are so much proud that you can see. Just see how much the whole world is full of rascals! Do they not say, "We have not seen God"? And what you can see? You cannot see even yourself, and what you will see God? You are seeing your father and mother, and when they die, you are crying, "Oh, my father has gone." Where he has gone? He is lying here. Why do you say, "My father has gone?" "No, he has gone." What do you mean by gone? You have always seen the body of the father. That is lying here. Why do you say? That means you have never seen your father. You have never seen your brother.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:
Adhokṣaja means beyond your sense perception. So God's another name is Adhokṣaja, means beyond our perception. You cannot understand God by directly seeing or directly smelling, or directly hearing, or directly tasting or touching. It is not possible at the present moment unless you are spiritually advanced, unless our seeing power is rectified or hearing power is modified. In this way, when our senses are purified, then we can hear about God, we can see God, we can smell God, we can touch God. That is possible. To training in that science, how to see God, how to hear God, how to touch God—by your senses, that is possible. That science is called devotional service or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So therefore, Bhāgavata says, "That is first-class religious system by which you can develop your dormant service attitude for God." That is first-class religion.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Melbourne, April 3, 1972, Lecture at Christian Monastery:
"Whenever there is religious discrepancies and uprise of irreligious principles, at that time I come down." So God cannot be forced. Just like at night you cannot force the sun to rise. You have no such power. The sun will rise in due course of time, in the morning. At that time you can see sun. You can see the sun, you can see yourself, and you can see the world. But at the darkness you cannot force. You have no such searchlight, scientific advancement, that you can force. Similarly, if you cannot force a material object like sun to abide by your orders, how you can make God forced to come down? So He comes down at His own will, not by your word. God is not like that.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:
He will immediately give. So there are so many siddhis, perfection: aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti-siddhi, īśitā, vaśitā. A yogi can manufacture a planet, he is so powerful. Just like Viśvāmitra Yogi. He produced man from the tree. So these are yogic perfections, not simply pressing the nose. That is not. Yoga practice is to gain material power. That's all. There was... Say, about hundred years ago there was a yogi in Benares, Kāśī, and he was sitting naked on the road, public road, and the government took objection. So he was taken several times to police custody, and he came out. He became very famous. So there are many yogis. They can play this magic. But all this yogic power in large quantity... Just like a yogi can float himself in the air, but by God's yogic power, millions and trillions heavy planets are floating in the air, millions and trillions.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:
When we speak of "Kṛṣṇa," means God. God has got many thousands of names, but this one name is chief. Kṛṣṇa means "the all-attractive." Kṛṣṇa attracts everyone. Or one who attracts everyone, He is God. God cannot be attractive for some men or some living entities, and not for others. By His opulence, by His richness, by His power, by His beauty, by His knowledge, by His renunciation, by His reputation, God is all-attractive.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:
As soon as there is some danger, immediately flies up to the tree. He knows. So everyone knows. You will find in animal kingdom, in birds' kingdom, everyone knows how to protect. It is said, we learn from Bhāgavata that also that fish within the water, they have got so sensitive power that miles away if some enemy is coming, they can understand and they take shelter. Just like a dog can smell from distant place that somebody unknown is coming. So every animal has got special qualifications. Don't think that human being is only intelligent. No. The intelligence for these four things, how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex intercourse, and how to defend, these intelligence are there in every animal. Don't think simply human being has got this intelligence.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:
Subdued. What is that subdued? Akṣaja-jñānam. Akṣa. Akṣa means eyes, direct perception. We want... We say sometimes, "Can you show me God?" Akṣa. Or akṣaja means ah, the alphabet, and kṣa, beginning from ah up to kṣa. So all the letters are there. So we make words by combination of these letters. So akṣaja, so within our power, we make so many words by combining these alphabets, but God is beyond that. Akṣaja-jñānam. Either you are beyond the direct perception or beyond your word-making capacity. Therefore God's another name is Adhokṣaja. Adhaḥ-kṛta akṣaja jñānam jata. So adhokṣaja means beyond direct sense perception. That is also nice name of God. God is not understood by speculating our senses.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:
Just like in your body there is division, the brain division, here, the brain division, the arms division, and the belly division, and the leg division. So these divisions are required. If you have no brain, then how you can control your other senses? If you have no strength in your arms, how can you protect yourself? If you have no digestive power, there is no food, how you live? And if there is no leg, or the laborer class, how you will walk? This is natural division. Therefore varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, the varṇāśrama division must be there. That is human society.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:
We shall find out less rich than me and we can find out more rich than ourselves. Two things we can. But when you come to God, you will find nobody is richer than Him.
Therefore God is called great, God is great. Similarly, not only in riches, aiśvarya, sa samagrasya, vīryasya, in power also. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ, in reputation also, in fame. Just like everyone, it may be you belong to some religion, I belong to, but everyone knows that God is great. That is reputation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ, and śrī, śrī means beauty. God is the most beautiful. Just like, see Kṛṣṇa here, you have got Kṛṣṇa's figure here, how beautiful He is. God must be, He is young, always.
Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- New Vrindaban, September 7, 1972:
They administer to keep the society in peaceful condition, in order. The next class, vaiśya, the productive class. There must be business, trade, production, agriculture; otherwise how man will live? And the śūdra class, general class, worker class, they have neither brain nor administrative power, nor can produce anything, but they can work under the direction of some higher authority. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Śūdras.
So here we have discussed that everyone can cultivate his particular type of occupational duty with the aim for attaining ultimate salvation. Because the human life is meant for salvation, to get free from the bondage of repetition of birth, death... But the modern civilized men or the so-called intelligent, intellectual class of men, they have no such information.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:
So those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by their own knowledge, not from the knowledge of the Supreme... Our process is avaroha panthā, descending process, and the Māyāvādī philosopher's policy or system is ascending policy. I want to understand the Absolute Truth by exercising my mental power—that is called ascending process or inductive process. But our process is deductive process. We, Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). We take it, we immediately take it, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are not going to search out who is the Supreme. Because we are hearing from the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa, then our business is finished: "Here is the Supreme."
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:
He is so pleased. Immediately responds. He likes it. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always worshiped by everyone as sublime, but nobody wants to chastise you, but He wants to be chastised also, and that power is given to Mother Yaśodā. He wants! He disgusted some, that "Everyone praise Me; nobody comes to chastise Me." You see. "Ah, here is another devotee, 'Yes, I am prepared to chastise You.' " Just like in Vaikuṇṭha there is no fight, but Kṛṣṇa wanted to fight. Therefore some of His devotees, Jaya and Vijaya, they came as Rāvaṇa, and he fought with Kṛṣṇa, Rāmacandra. Otherwise, who can fight with Rāmacandra? He is also devotee when he is satisfying. Kṛṣṇa wanted to fight, the devotee is prepared, "Yes, I shall fight You." And He'll kill you. This is (indistinct); this is devotee.
Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:
You have suffered for Me so much. Now you take what you want." Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "Sir, what shall I require from You? I have seen all these material opulences. My father was so strong that even the demigods would not dare to challenge him. He was so powerful, and all this power and strength You have finished in a second. So what is the use of these powers? Please do not allure me by this material power. All this material power can be finished immediately, within a second, if You like."
Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:
That is a fact. You may have material possessions, power, and everything very good situation, and simply by little motor accident, finished immediately, within a second. In your country, President Kennedy was so powerful, opulent and so on, and within a second it was finished. So these rascals, they do not see that "What I shall gain by this so-called material opulence and power?" It can be finished at any moment by the direction, and Kṛṣṇa says also in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was thinking, "I am so powerful." And when Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared as his death, finished everything.
So that they do not see. They are claiming to become God, but how they will control this death? That will come, "As sure as death." God means controller. Can you control death, can you control disease, can you control old age?
Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:
Therefore brāhmaṇa is offered so much respect. Because head, without head, in the head, in the brain, you conceive something, and the hands and legs, they execute the order. Similarly, the head of the society, they should be the brāhmaṇas. They are not interested in capturing political power. No. Brāhmaṇa is to give instruction. We find from Vedic literature. There were committees, privy council committees of great sages and brāhmaṇas. They would give the king advice that "You rule in this way." And if the king is disobedient, sometimes the brāhmaṇas would dethrone them. Or kill them. That was the Vedic system.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:
That is admitted, all Vedas. Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ, yasyājñayā..., govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So Kṛṣṇa is such powerful. We should know what is Kṛṣṇa. And these rascals, they are becoming incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa personally present. Where is your power like this? If somebody kicks on your face with boot, you cannot do anything, and you are becoming God. You see? So Kṛṣṇa is so powerful, at the same time so kind. Just see His kindness. Simply you hear His words, sva-kathā, kṛṣṇa-kathā. He is speaking in the Bhagavad-gītā. You hear. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "You just become My devotee," Kṛṣṇa says. Man-manāḥ, "Always think of Me." Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, "Just become My devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī, "You worship Me." Māṁ namaskuru, "Just offer your obeisances unto Me."
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:
The land is lying vacant.
So therefore people are not following the rules and regulations given by God or by nature's own way. They have invented their own way of living condition. Therefore they are suffering. Now we see in Calcutta or any other... Now it is a problem. Everywhere the problem will be food shortage and fuel shortage, power shortage. This is the prediction of many, many great scientists. Because people are committing so many sinful life, they must starve. That is the punishment. That is the punishment. These sinful rascals must be punished. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram andha-yoniṣu (BG 16.19). These godless persons, dviṣataḥ, envious of God: "Why there should be God? Why Kṛṣṇa shall be God?", envious...
Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:
These are direct perception by our senses. But bhagavantam, Bhagavān, is adhokṣajam. He is beyond direct perception. Adhokṣajam. Adhaḥ, you cannot reach there by direct perception. Just like I do not see God. Then what do you see? Your seeing power is very limited. Why don't you accept that? So He's not appreciable by limited senses. Therefore His name is adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja. Sattvaṁ viśuddham. Sattvaṁ viśuddham. Sattva, goodness, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa. That sattvam, or existence, His existence is adhokṣaja, beyond our sense perception, and viśuddham. Apāpa-viddham, as it is stated in the Īśopaniṣad, viśuddham. He is never touched by the material contamination. Viśuddham. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. Here, however good we may be, there is some material touch.
Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:
To His father, when His father was going to arrange a festival for worshiping Indra, and He stopped it. The father was so affectionate: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa doesn't want it. All right, stop it." But Indra became very angry. "Who is this boy, stopping my worship?" So he wanted to show his power. So for seven days torrents of rain. And Kṛṣṇa showed His power. He lifted the Govardhana Hill, giri-vara-dhārī, Govardhana Hill to protect the Vṛndāvana vāsī. Then he came to his senses, that "He's not ordinary cowherd boy. I'm... He's my master."
Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ
- sama-śīlā bhajanti vai
- pitṛ-bhūta-prajeśādīn
- śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ
- (SB 1.2.27)
Translation: "Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance worship the forefathers, other living beings and the demigods who are in charge of cosmic activities, for they are urged by a desire to be materially benefited with women, wealth, power and aristocratic birth."
Prabhupāda: So...
- rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ
- sama-śīlā bhajanti vai
- pitṛ-bhūta-prajeśādīn
- śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ
Śriyaiśvarya-prajā. (aside:) Stop that. Śrī means beauty, aiśvarya means riches, opulence, and praja means progeny, sons, grandsons, great-grandsons. In Bengal there is a proverb, nāti nāti sagye bhati(?): "If one can see grandson of the grandson, his life is successful." His door to heaven is open now. Nāti means grandson, and nāti's nāti, grandson. That means six generations. So people like this—good family and full of beautiful women and very good bank balance, motorcars—then life is successful. Śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ.
Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:
That is also spiritual. It appears to us as material, but that is spiritual. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He has got multi-energies, and because He is spirit, complete spirit, therefore His energies are also spiritual. Sakti-śaktimator abhedaḥ. There cannot be any distinction between the powerful and the power.
So here it is clearly said that sa evedaṁ sasarjāgre bhagavān ātma-māyayā: "Bhagavān created by His energy." It is not that Bhagavān is finished after this creation. The Māyāvāda philosophy is that everything is God; therefore there is no separate existence of God. That is impersonalism. But here it is said that bhagavān ātma-māyayā: He created this cosmic manifestation by His energy. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam eva avaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation).
Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:
Kṛṣṇa, when He comes, when He appears, He comes in His original spiritual body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has warned that avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). The Māyāvādī philosophers who think that Kṛṣṇa has accepted a material body, they are described as mūḍhas. They have no sufficient knowledge. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. They do not know what is the power behind Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa creates. Before creation, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, devānām. First of all, Brahmā was created. Then other great sages were created. Then other demigods were created. But Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. Therefore He's not a created being of this material world. We have to consider in that way. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). The Vedānta-sūtra: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).
Lecture on SB 1.2.33 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:
How it is seeing, how it is coming here and is, what is called, squirreling? No. The energy's so perfect that svābhāvikī, it is working like nature. Automatically. Svābhāvikī. There is knowledge. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā. Everything is done by knowledge, by power, and by action.
So there is everything. We can see practically how the trees are growing. Your body, my body—in the same way, everything is coming out. Now, there was seed, the father and mother's seed. Now, within that seed, all these arrangements of the veins, nerves and fibers and muscles and everything was there. You cannot explain how these veins are working. Little discrepancy of the working of the vein, I suffer on my finger for so many days. What is that?
Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:
Again, after creation of the universes, He enters each and every universe. This universe is filled with water, half. What you are seeing, that is half only. And half is filled with water. In that water Viṣṇu again lying, expanding. This is Viṣṇu's power. He can expand in innumerable identities. That is also confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta means unlimited, and rūpa means forms. He's expanding in unlimited number of forms. We are also expansion of His form. These jīvas, the living entities... He is expanding in two ways, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. Svāṁśa means Viṣṇu. One extension, expansion, is just directly He Himself. And another expansion is separated from Him. That separated from Him we are.
Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:
To them a form means something of this material world and as such an opposite conception of the absolute is necessary for them in the beginning to concentrate their mind in the power extension of the Lord. As stated above the Lord extends His potency in the form of mahat-tattva which includes all material ingredients. The extension of power by the Lord and the Lord Himself personally are one in one sense but at the same time the mahat-tattva is different also from the Lord. Therefore the potency of the Lord and the Lord are non-different. The conception of the virāḍ-rūpa specially for impersonalist is thus non different from the eternal Form of the Lord. This eternal form of the Lord exists prior to the creation of the mahat-tattva and it is stressed here that the eternal Form of the Lord..."
Lecture on SB 1.3.9 -- Los Angeles, September 15, 1972:
So when one discharges this semina, he thinks he is enjoying. He does not know that he is spoiling his blood. That is camel. He thinks he is enjoying. He does not think that "I am spoiling my blood. And if I spoil my blood more, then I shall be attacked with so many diseases, I will lose my resistance power." He does not know. But he thinks that sex enjoyment is very nice. It is not nice at all.
So therefore dog, hog, camel and ass. What is that ass I have several times given you. The ass means he is working for others for the washerman. So all these businessmen, very busy, but he is working for others, not for himself. He will eat, I suppose, a few slices of bread and a cup of tea or milk; that will satisfy him.
Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:
Then again the rogues and thieves came out. Then from the body of Veṇa, they created two sons. One son was black, and he was ordered that "You go to the forest." Because they could know that he was exactly son of the father. Niṣāda. Niṣāda. They were sent... He was sent to the forest. And then the King Pṛthu was born. The King Pṛthu, He is incarnation of, power incarnation of God. Śaktyāveśāvatāra So he proved himself as a great king on this earth. He produced foodstuff, foodgrains, profusely.
Lecture on SB 1.3.16 and Initiation -- Los Angeles, September 21, 1972:
They are facts. But we cannot accommodate in our poor teeny brain. That's all. So what we shall understand about God? It is not possible. Therefore it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). In our present senses we always think of seeing. But we forget, what seeing power we have got? It is nothing. It is simply under certain condition we can see a little portion. We cannot see perfectly, so we should not believe in our seeing power. So therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ: "You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa and God by your present imperfect senses. That is not possible." Na bhaved grāhyam, "You cannot accept or you cannot receive by your blunt senses." That is not possible. Then how it is possible? "I have... My only asset is these blunt senses. How can I understand God?"
Lecture on SB 1.3.18 -- Los Angeles, September 23, 1972:
"You can at least, whatever you have desire within your mind, you can ask from Me." So again Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My dear Lord, in this material world, who could be more powerful than my father? I have seen it. Even big demigods, they were trembling in the presence of my father, he had so much power. Practically he was the topmost of all material power. But I have seen also that within a second You have finished everything. So what is the value of this material power? Why should I ask from You? Kindly engage me as servant of Your servant. If You want to give me something, please engage me as the servant of Your servant." And still, because he was Vaiṣṇava, he prayed to Lord Nṛsiṁha, "For my personal, I am quite satisfied. If I can chant Your holy name, then there is nothing more I want. But there is one thing I want."
Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- nara-devatvam āpannaḥ
- sura-kārya-cikīrṣayā
- samudra-nigrahādīni
- cakre vīryāṇy ataḥ param
- (SB 1.3.22)
Translation: "In the eighteenth incarnation, the Lord appeared as King Rāma. In order to perform some pleasing work for the demigods, He exhibited superhuman powers by controlling the Indian Ocean and then killing the atheist King Rāvaṇa, who was on the other side of the sea."
Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). To kill the miscreants and to protect the devotees, He descends. That is avatāra. They have two business. Not that avatāra means keeping some long beard or having an artificial helmet. Rascals may be allured by them, but those who are sensible, who have got sense, they will see with reference to the śāstra, the avatāra, every avatāra...
Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:
All the rogues, thieves, plunderers, they will capture. Because it is by vote. So dasyu... Just like plunderers, rogues, they on the point of revolver, they take away your money, so they will take vote on the point of revolver. Actually, it is happening. In Korea it so happened, that sometimes the Communists are coming in power, and sometimes the capitalists coming in power, America and Russia. So poor people, as soon as there is Communist government, they are under the influence: "If you don't do this, then you'll be shot." By force. The people do not know what is government generally. They want to live peacefully. They want a secure place. So that is not their business, modern government. Their only business is how to collect tax and divide it amongst the government servants. That's all.
Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:
In higher circle the generation can be produced from any part of the body. But we cannot understand. We simply know one part wherefrom the generation comes. No. In higher circle... Just like many living entities came out from Brahmā's nostril, eyes, ear. Just like Lord Brahmā himself came out from the navel of Viṣṇu. This requires specific power. Not that we have got some stereotyped ideas. Therefore we sometimes find difficulty to understand the description of the Vedas and the Purāṇas. They do not believe. As soon as we say that there was a lotus flower sprouted from the navel of Lord Viṣṇu, and on that lotus flower Brahmā generated, they call it a story. No. These are not stories. These are fact. But our philosophy is Dr. Frog's philosophy. You see? I can simply understand that three feet water in the well. That's all. If there is beyond that, description of Atlantic Ocean, it is beyond my conception. I therefore refuse. This is going.
Lecture on SB 1.3.30 -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:
So you have got the creative power, God has got the creative power. But God's creative power cannot be compared with your creative power. You have got the creative power, but not exactly like God. This is the conclusion. You cannot become God. You can imitate or you can do something very little. Just like little children, they play with little toys. Similarly, you can play with little toys and advertise yourself great scientist. That's all. But you are nothing. You are nothing. This is to be realized. This is called bhakti-yoga. The rascals are puffed up, "I am God." Foolishly. How you can be God? You may have some qualities, very minute quality of God, but you cannot claim that you are God.
Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:
"Please give me something to eat. I am very hungry," or "Give me some drinking water." But he was in meditation. By chance he could not hear Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He was silent. But because he was king, king, royal power, he little became agitated, although he was very nice king, "Oh, he is disordering, er, disobeying my orders?" then he became disgusted. And there was a dead serpent lying there. So he took that dead serpent and put it on the neck of the hermitage and went away.
Lecture on SB 1.5.1-8 -- New Vrindaban, May 23, 1969:
We can compare just a very rich man, many assistants, many managers. Just like, take, in your country, Rockefeller or somebody like that. He thinks something to do, business. Simply he orders his secretary, "This should be done," it is done. Without his personal effort, immediately done. Because why? Because he has got superior energy or power. In the material world... Material world means this monetary strength he has got. So simply by his desire, the secretary arranges everything and everything is nicely done. But he is sitting in his room. If it is possible for a person who is little materially rich, just imagine how much it is possible by God, the Supreme. Simply by willing, everything will be done. He hasn't got to do anything. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Veda also.
So He has nothing to do. So who is that God?
Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:
That is not possible in this age. Next stage of elevation is sacrifice. These are statement of the Vedic literature. (break)
...kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Meditation means meditating on Viṣṇu, on the Supreme Lord, this Viṣṇu form, as you have got in my front. Meditation. That is called yoga. By meditating on Viṣṇu, one realizes everything and gets some power, wonderful power. So Bhāgavata says that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. The perfection of life (is) attained in the Satya-yuga, or golden age, by meditating on Viṣṇu. That is meditation.
Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:
"I am doing something, I must enjoy this result. I must be enjoyer." This is called jñāna-karma. "Oh, I must try to understand Kṛṣṇa by my speculative method." Why? Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. Why don't you try to understand Him in that way? Nonsense. (chuckling) What speculative power you have got? Simply you'll commit blunder. Why? Kṛṣṇa says, "I am this, I am this, I am that, I am that." In the Bhagavad-gītā, explains. God says. Why don't you understand Him as He says? If I say that "I am from India. My birthplace is in Calcutta. I have got five children. I was formerly a businessman," then why do you understand to speculate about me? What is the use of this speculation? If you actually want to know what Swamiji is, Swamiji says that "I was householder, and I was doing medical business. I have got five children. And this and that." So that is sufficient. Why do you want to know Swamiji by speculation? Similarly, these rascals will try to understand Kṛṣṇa by speculation.
Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:
You cannot say, "All right, I am very happy. I am... I'm born in America. My nation is very great nation, and we are very rich. So I shall, next life also, I shall come to America. I shall take my birth here and enjoy like this." Oh, that is not in your hand. That you cannot say. That is daiva-netreṇa. Daiva. Daiva means that is in the supernatural power. Daiva. The same thing: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). You cannot say. Daiva-netreṇa. You are preparing your life. The higher authorities will give you chance. If you prepare yourself nicely, you get good chance; you get birth in higher planet. Or if you prepare himself, yourself nicely, then you go to Kṛṣṇa even. Now it is your choice. It is your choice. But we must know that "What is my condition." If I am in darkness, I do not understand what is, in what condition I am living, this is conditional life. That's... Everyone can understand.
Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:
Therefore they have become devotees of goddess Kālī. But actually, these sacrifices were not meant, as explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for killing the animals. That was to test the power, the strength, of the Vedic mantras. So Lord Buddha's movement was therefore started... When people began to eat meat like anything on the plea of Vedic sacrifice, so Lord Buddha, at that time—Lord Buddha means he's also incarnation of Kṛṣṇa—he appeared to stop this animal killing. That is the prayer of Lord Buddha we sing:
Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:
Because siddha means the inhabitants in that planet, they are all perfect in aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga. By yogic perfection, one can travel in the space. Just like Durvāsā Muni. He traveled in the space. When there was chasing by the Sudarśana-cakra, he, by yogic power, he fled from one place to another, one place... He even entered the spiritual nature and saw Viṣṇu personally. Still he was condemned. The Sudarśana-cakra was after him, chasing. He tried to insult Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, Vaiṣṇava. So... He wanted to kill. Not only insult, but he wanted to kill him. A demon was immediately produced by his hair. The yogis can do that. Aṇimā... Aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti-siddhi... Whatever they like... Immediately he brought one demon.
Lecture on SB 1.5.25 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:
So this purificatory process, here it is very simple. Try to take shelter of mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam. Vinā mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam. It is stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim (SB 7.5.32). Urukrama. Urukrama means Kṛṣṇa, whose activities are very, very great. Just like Kṛṣṇa lifts the mountain. It is called urukrama. Urukrama means his power is very, very great. Foolish persons accept a rascal as Bhagavān, but we are not so rascal. We accept Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, Urukrama. He can lift when... He can pick up the mountain, and immediately, He can keep on His finger. We want this kind of God. Not making like this and a grain of gold. (laughter) We are not so fool. We want this kind of God, Kṛṣṇa, Urukrama. So how this Urukrama, one can surrender?
Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:
The foolish person, who cannot study, who does not know what is Vāsudeva, what is Aniruddha, what is Pradyumna, the, the Saṅkarṣaṇa... These are all expansions of Kṛṣṇa. They are not different from Kṛṣṇa. But still, They are not original Kṛṣṇa. There is no... It is not that Vāsudeva has got less power than Kṛṣṇa. They are equally powerful. Advaitam acyutam... Advaita. They are not different. Acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). But the difference is that the... Several times I explained that one candle, you lit up another candle, you lit up another candle, you lit up another, another, millions... So all the candles are of the same power, so far candle power is concerned, but still, you have to say, "This is the first candle, this is the second candle, this is the third candle, this is the fourth candle," like that. Not that because the second candle is lit up from the first candle, therefore second candle is less powerful than the first candle. No, that is not. That is called advaya-jñāna.
Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:
Don't give up the company of devotees. Then it will be lost. We are opening so many centers because to cooperate between devotees and devotees. Even there is inconvenience, don't give up the company of the devotees. Even I am not devotee, with the company of the devotees, working with devotees, I become devotee. Association has got such power.
So our business is how to get out of this tāpa-traya. That is first-class civilization. Otherwise hackneyed. Again and again, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). That is not. Now, those who are thinking of worshiping other demigods, that is not recommended. That is not recommended because Kṛṣṇa clearly says, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Even there are some inconveniences, Kṛṣṇa is completely able to remove your inconvenience.
Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:
And if you do not know—in ignorance—then go liquor shop, hotel, restaurant. So after all, we are part and parcel of God. God is fully independent, and we are minute part. The same example, that the spark is minute portion of the fire. It has got the burning capacity—not exactly like God, but it has got the godly power. There are so many examples. This morning I was discussing that you are living entity, part and parcel of God. You have created one aeroplane, 747, with five hundred passengers and many tons of loads of things, it is flying. So that is your creation. And God's creation is this planet. This is also running one thousand miles per hour, and so many big, big ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and so many big, big mountains, it is also carrying. It is also floating in the air, and the 747 is also floating. That is your creation and this is God's creation. That is the difference.
Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:
Therefore puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. God has got the full qual..., not only this one planet—there are millions of planets floating in the air. You can see the sun planet. It is 1,400,000 bigger than this planet. That is also lying in the one corner. So that is God's creation. You can create a teeny 747, that's all. Therefore your power is there, the similarly, but very, very small quantity. So we have to take care of our teeny power. Just like the spark. The spark, put, put... But if it somehow or other falls down from the fire it is extinguished. It is extinguished. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, the spark. If we remain with the fire, it is beautiful.
Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:
Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, the spark. If we remain with the fire, it is beautiful. And if, by chance, we fall down, then you are extinguished. Your brilliancy, the fiery quality, becomes extinguished. So our present position is like that. We have forgotten or fallen from God, so our that little burning power, that is also extinguished. Now we have to revive it, back to home, back to Godhead. Then you'll become happy.
Lecture on SB 1.7.12 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1976:
So if one takes shelter of a pure devotee... Just like electricity: the powerhouse is far away, but the power is coming. Suppose your body is electrified, and if I touch, then my body immediately becomes electrified. And if somebody touches me, then other's body. This is electric. Similarly, one who is pure devotee, he's authorized by Kṛṣṇa, he's electrified.
So if one takes shelter of a pure devotee, then he becomes purified. Yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti. That is the statement given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. How the caṇḍālas can become purified? The example I have already stated. Then at the end, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ.
Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:
So Duryodhana, by the blessings of his mother, his whole body became iron-like solid. So by beating by the Bhīma, it was not easy. So the story is that Gāndhārī, the mother of Duryodhana, she was great chaste woman. Because her husband was blind, she used to remain as blind woman covering the eyes. But she had some power. Chaste woman, anyone who sticks to the regulative principles, he gets a power, spiritual or material. He gets power. A brahmacārī gets power if he follows brahmacarya. Everyone, if we follow the prescribed rules and regulations, automatically you become powerful.
So Gāndhārī had some power. So her eldest son, Duryodhana, was advised to see the mother naked. She advised, "My dear son, tomorrow morning when you come to offer your obeisances to me, you come naked. I shall see you and you will be solidified just like iron." So he was going naked and Kṛṣṇa saw.
Lecture on SB 1.7.15 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1976:
They, their love was so intense that they did not care for any family, any honor, or any prestige—nothing. That is the highest, topmost loving stage of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa also loved the gopīs, so much so that Kṛṣṇa asked them that "You cannot expect any return from Me for your ecstatic love. I cannot give you. It is beyond My power." So they purchased Kṛṣṇa. And the topmost gopī is Rādhārāṇī. So we should not consider these gopīs' dealings with Kṛṣṇa as ordinary material dealings. It is not that. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). The gopīs are expansion of Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency. That is described by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmāt. Hlādinī-śakti. Kṛṣṇa has got the pleasure potency. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport).
Lecture on SB 1.7.15 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1976:
Just like Kṛṣṇa says that "I remember when I spoke to sun-god. You have forgotten." So there are two. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's another name is Acyuta. He never falls down from His position. And if we fall down from the position... Therefore we are not on the same level. We may have some power, and we can claim that "I am God"—that you can claim—but not that God, like Kṛṣṇa. Therefore two words are there: īśvara, parameśvara. In the Brahma-saṁhitā therefore it is described that īśvaras, there may be many, but not parameśvara. Parameśvara is one. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So these Māyāvādīs, they forget this, that īśvara, parameśvara, there are two words. Ātmā and paramātmā, there are two words. So they are not equal.
Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:
And there are sparks. The sparks fall down sometimes and become extinguished, without any illumination, without any burning power. When..., so long the spark is within the fire, it has got the same quality, illumination and burning quality. But as soon as falls down-extinguished, no more illumination, no more burning power. So our position is like that. Although we are part and parcel of God, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7), because we have cyuta, fallen down from our spiritual atmosphere... Just like spiritual atmosphere, Kṛṣṇa's friends, cowherd boys, they're playing with Kṛṣṇa. That is also playing. And here in this material world the boys they also play football play. But these two plays are different.
Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:
He is not degraded. He's acyuta. He is... Don't think that because Kṛṣṇa has come in this material world, so He is also affected by the material qualities. No. In Bhāgavata it is said, etad īśanam īśasya. This is controlling power. Although He comes in this material world, He's not affected by the material qualities. He's not fallible; He's Acyuta. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is described as acyuta. When Arjuna was asking Kṛṣṇa to move his chariot, so he addressed Him as Acyuta. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). Why Acyuta? Because Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord and Arjuna is living being, entity. Arjuna is servant and Kṛṣṇa is the master. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). How the servant can order the master?
Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:
Sarpa means snake. It can be brought under control by mantra and herbs. Still, in our Māyāpur some Mohammedans, they know how to use these herbs and mantras for treating snake bites. In Māyāpur there are many snakes, and occasionally snakebite cases are there. But they treat it. And mantra has got power. It has been seen by many medical men in Lucknow. That's a long story.
So mantra is powerful. This is mundane. Now you can imagine how spiritual mantra is powerful. Even in mundane world the mantra acts. This is very subtle thing.
Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:
There must be war, because they are sinful. The same sinful, killing animals continually. So there is war, reaction. So what is that war? To lessen the burden. To lessen the burden. It becomes very heavy, unbearable by the earth. And to reduce the weight there is natural... And when there is still more power required, then Kṛṣṇa comes: "Arrange for a war in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra and bring all the rascals and finish within eighteen days." Within eighteen days sixty-four crores men died. This is... But why? It is Kṛṣṇa's arrangement.
Lecture on SB 1.7.28-29 -- Vrndavana, September 25, 1976:
"Even there are still more low-grade, sinful society," ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ, "if he takes the shelter of a pure devotee, śudhyanti, becomes purified." Becomes purified. How? Śudhyanti? Because prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Lord Viṣṇu has got so exalted power that through His devotee He can purify anyone. Never mind, even one happens to be caṇḍāla, and what to speak of others. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). If they can be delivered, then what to speak those who are brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇa means puṇya. Without having background of pious activities, nobody can take birth in rich family, in brāhmaṇa family. Nobody can become highly learned person, nobody can become beautiful. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26).
Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:
Baddha, conditioned, means we are under the three modes of material nature. That is conditioned. And mukti means you are not under the obligation of the three modes of material nature. That is karma-mukta. So Kṛṣṇa can make you immediately mukta. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. He can make the lowest class of men... Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ (SB 2.4.18). They are considered as the most sinful, less than the śūdras, caṇḍālas. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā... Or more sinful, śudhyanti. They can be purified by the mercy, by the power, prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Viṣṇu has got so much power. So that power you can have the benefit if you surrender to Viṣṇu.
Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:
Everywhere Viṣṇu is the Supreme Controller.
So every viṣṇu-tattva is controller. There is no doubt. And they have got equal power. Not that Lord Rāmacandra is less powerful than Kṛṣṇa. No. They have equal power. The example is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya (Bs. 5.46). Just like one candle. You ignite another candle, you ignite another, another, another. But all these candles, they are equally powerful. Although you can say, "This is first candle, this is second candle, this is third candle..." Similarly, viṣṇu-tattva, everyone is equally powerful. Although Kṛṣṇa is first, Balarāma is second, Saṅkarṣaṇa is third, like that.
Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:
"You are controller. Your position is beyond this material world," prakṛteḥ. Prakṛti means this material world. Prakṛteḥ param. That means these controllers within this material world, they are produced at a certain date and they will be finished at a certain date, these controllers. Just like your President Nixon. He is controller of your country, but his controlling power is given at a certain date and it will be finished at a certain date. So Kuntī says, "You are not that kind of controller, that Your controlling power begins at a certain date and finishes at a certain date." Therefore, prakṛteḥ param. In the prakṛti, within the material nature, we have got some controlling power.
Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:
Everyone. But that has the beginning and ending. As our life begins and ends, everything here in this material world, it has a beginning and end. But Kṛṣṇa's controlling power is not like that. He says, she says, namasye puruṣaṁ tu ādyam: "You are the original person. You have created this cosmos. So before the creation of the cosmos, You were controller, and when the cosmos will end, You will remain controller." Therefore prakṛteḥ param. "Within the prakṛti, within the material nature, everything has got beginning and end, limited. You are not that kind of controller." Prakṛteḥ param, eternal.
Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:
You cannot see. Because māyā-javanikācchannam, by the māyā there is a curtain. What can you see? Just like we are very much proud of seeing, but we are seeing because there is light. If the light is taken away, you cannot see.
So your seeing power is conditional. Your seeing power is conditional. You cannot see God in that way. Only if you develop love of God, then you will be able to see always, twenty-four hours, Kṛṣṇa. This is the science. Māyā-javanikācchannam ajñā. Because the javanikā, the curtain is there, created by māyā, therefore everyone is ajñā. Ajñā means foolish, without any knowledge.
Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:
"You see Me in the taste of water," but these rascals: "Hah! This is humbug. This is humbug. How, in the taste, Kṛṣṇa is there? I want to see in my own eyes." But you haven't got that eyes. Just develop your eyes gradually. Just like one is suffering from some eye disease. So take some medicine, then gradually, your eyesight will be improved. Take the spectacle, some power, then more power, more power. So... But they'll not take the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, the instruction of spiritual master. So they want to remain mūḍha-dṛśā, rascal and fool. And still they want to see Kṛṣṇa. This is the difficulty. Na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā (SB 1.8.19). If you do not improve your eyes according to the direction of śāstra..., sādhu-śāstra-guru, these three things, then how you'll see Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is saying. That is śāstra. Śāstra means what is said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is śāstra. And guru. Guru says the same thing. And sādhu says the same thing.
Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:
This durgā power is there. You have seen the picture of Durgā. She has got ten hands and different types of weapons. Now the Durgā-pūjā will be performed. You can see the Durgā deity. So ten hands, the material nature. Ten hands means ten directions: north, south, east, west, and then the four corners, eight, and up and down. So ten directions. So this material nature, Durgā, is controlling the whole universe, ten directions. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā (Bs. 5.44). Ekā. Chāyeva. But how she is working? Not independently.
Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:
She is working just like shadow. The original body and the shadow body, they are two different. But the shadow body moves if the original moves. So therefore this word is used, chāyeva. This vast power, material nature... It is a very powerful... Sṛṣṭi-sthiti. It can create; it can destroy. At any moment, if there is some earthquake, the whole sea water may come and cover the land portion, and within the sea you can see one island has come out. Everyone has got this experience. So sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya. One side, pralaya; one side, creation. So this can be done by the material nature. But how she is working? She is working under the direction of somebody else. That is Govinda. And Govinda also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "She is working under My direction."
Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:
That is Govinda. And Govinda also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "She is working under My direction."
So... So far killing or destroying is concerned, that Durgā power, Kṛṣṇa's power, that is sufficient. That is sufficient. He doesn't require to come to kill the demons. She is engaged. You have seen that Durgā is killing the demon, that asura. You have seen the Durgā's picture? The asura is there and the lion is there, and she has taken a bunch of hair of the asura, and the trident is pushed on his chest, and the lion has captured him. So he is overpowered. So the asura is overpowered, but if the asura makes more attempt to save himself, then there are, only two hands are engaged of Durgā to kill the asura, one catching his hair and one the trident.
Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:
Only two hands are engaged. But if he shows more power, then there are eight hands more, reserved with different types of weapons. So you cannot overcome the ruling, or the control, of the material nature. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So asura, to kill the asuras, however powerful they may be... We have seen. There were so many asuras in this world. There were Lenin, there were Stalin, there were Hitler, there were Hiraṇyakaśipu. So many. But they could not survive. It is not possible. They'll be finished.
Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:
Govinda is not ordinary thing. That Govinda... Which Govinda? Now, this material energy, Durgā, who is working so wonderfully... Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktiḥ. She has... This material energy has got so much power that it can create, it can destroy, it can maintain, so much power. But don't think that this material energy is working independently. And then how is...? How she is working? Chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). Just she is working just like shadow. The... Then what is the reality? Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So we are worshiping that person who is the original director of this material... Because we are captivated by the three guṇas of material energy, we think this material energy, material world, is everything, because we are foolish. Nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ. They have been captivated by the three material... They cannot understand that behind this, there is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973:
So read Bhāgavatam, pronounce the verses very nicely. Therefore we're repeating. You hear the records and try to repeat. Simply by chanting the mantra, you'll be purified. Simply by chant... Even you do not understand a single word of it, simply if you chant, this vibration has got such power. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If you simply chant and vibrate this verse, these verses, these ślokas, it is puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. There is, there is no question of understanding. Puṇya-śravaṇa. Puṇya means pious, and śravaṇa means hearing, and kīrtana means chanting. One who is chanting this verse, and one who is hearing this verse, he is becoming pious automatically. Pious. To become pious one has to endeavor so much, do this, do that, but if you simply hear these verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā.
Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Los Angeles, April 25, 1972:
Anything. Just set on working. Millions of people can be killed. So Kṛṣṇa does not require to come here to kill these rascals. They can be killed simply by Kṛṣṇa's direction, nature's law. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā (Bs. 5.44). The nature has got so much power that it can create, it can maintain, it can annihilate, dissolute, everything. Nature is so powerful.
Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:
Things are going on very nicely. But if people become criminals, it becomes a overburden to the state administrators.
So such thing happens because this is material world. And the demons and the demigods, they are always there, existing. But when the demonic power becomes increased, then the world becomes overburdened. Sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa jāto hy ātma-bhuvārthitaḥ (SB 1.8.34), ātma-bhū. Ātmabhū is Brahmā's name. He's directly born of the Supreme Soul, Viṣṇu. He's not born as usually we do from the womb of mother. So Brahmā was born from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Therefore his another name is Ātmabhū. Svayambhū, Svayambhū. These are different names of Brahmā. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). These are the... Brahmā is one, one of the authorities. He's also mentioned in the list of authorities, dvādaśa-mahājana. Twelve authorities.
Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:
Because Kṛṣṇa enters in each of them.
In each of them... Gām āviśya (BG 15.13). Dhārayāmy aham ojasā. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I enter into each planetary system, each universe, and by My power I hold it. It is floating." Why it is floating? Because Kṛṣṇa is there. The atheist may not believe it, but it is a fact. It is a fact. How? Just like an animal or a man, while he is living, he can float in the air or in the water. That everyone has seen. But if the man is dead, it will not float. It will fall down. Is it not a fact? So why it is floating? Because a very small particle of Kṛṣṇa's spiritual potency is there. That is living entity.
Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:
An elephant, he can also float in the water, and the horses, elephant, and what to speak of man? This is practical. Because a small particle of the Supreme is there within this body... Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Very small particle. How much small? One ten-thousandth part of the top of the hair, so small. It has got so power that it can hold the whole body floating in the air. Air... There are very, very big, big birds. They are floating in the air, very, very big eagle. They fly from one planet to another. Their resting place is... They start from one planet, and they go and rest in other planet. And they lay their eggs while flying. That eggs also become a bird simply by air cohesion. That's all.
Lecture on SB 1.8.38 -- Los Angeles, April 30, 1973:
This cosmic manifestation made of earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego, these are the eight ingredients of this material manifestation. So these eight material elements, they are energies, separated energies. Bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. And, because the energetic is there behind this energy... Just like electric power. We are using electric power, but behind this electric power there is the powerhouse and there is the engineer who is producing the power. The rascals, they do not understand this. They simply see the power. But behind the power there is the power-maker, the source of power. They do not understand it. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes and says that "I am the power-maker. I am behind this power."
Lecture on SB 1.8.38 -- Los Angeles, April 30, 1973:
He leaves behind Him His devotees who can explain. But still we are so stubborn, we shall not accept God. This is the foolishness, mūḍha. They have been called mūḍhāḥ, rascals, fools. God is there; God's energy is there. If you cannot see God, you see God's energy. Just like if you cannot see the electric powerhouse and the engineer who is within the powerhouse generating the power, but you should understand you are using electricity in so many ways. You are using in kitchen, you are using floor cleansing, using your, I mean to say, cleansing and so many things you are using. Your tape recorder, everything. In your country, especially, everything electric, every... So one should inquire—that is intelligence—that wherefrom this electricity's coming?
Lecture on SB 1.8.38 -- Los Angeles, April 30, 1973:
So if you make research, that is intelligent research. Then you'll find, "Here is the electric powerhouse." Similarly, if you further study, that who is running on this powerhouse, you'll find a human being. He's not impersonal; he's person. The electricity is impersonal. Even the powerhouse is also imperson. But the man behind the everything, that is a person. Therefore God is person. Logical conclusion. How He can be imperson? Imperson has no brain. The... Just like so many machines now we have invented, very wonderful machines. But the machine is not the brain. The operator is the brain. Why do they not understand?
Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:
The politics means two things. The state, government, what is that? Government gives protection to the good citizen, and those who are rogues, punish them. Law and order. Two things are there: maintenance and law and order. So similarly, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also the same thing. But so far we are concerned, because we are not in political power... Otherwise we have, would have followed the principles of Kṛṣṇa.
But Caitanya Mahāprabhu has shown us the way, that we kill the demons in a different way. We kill the demons in this way: By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, we purify him so that his demonic activities are stopped. That is also another way of killing. He stops his demonic activities.
Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Los Angeles, May 5, 1973:
The Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand it, that "Because a spiritual master has to be accepted as God, therefore I have become a spiritual master—I have become God." This is rebellious. This is rebellious. God gives you a position, and if you want to usurp His power unnecessarily, which you cannot, then you are fool, rascal, you are rebellious. He requires punishment. Punishment. Therefore it is said that avani-dhrug rājanya-vaṁśa-dahana. "Therefore You descend to kill all these rascals who claim Your position, rebellious." That is natural. Just like all subordinate kings. There is one emperor, and there are subordinate kings. Sometimes the subordinate kings claim, "Now we shall not give tax." In India it so happened. Everywhere it so happens. The subordinate kings, zamindars, landholders, sometimes they think, "Oh, why shall I give tax?" Then it is rebellious.
Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Los Angeles, May 5, 1973:
So you have to accept. Kṛṣṇa says, very frankly says, "Surrender unto Me, I give you anapavarga." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), "I shall give you protection." So He is the power for this purpose, and govindam... Govinda means He is the giver of pleasure to the cows and to the senses. Govinda. Govinda, go-dvija-sura-arti-hara-avatāra. Avatāra means incarnation. Govinda, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **, He's the ādi-puruṣa. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2), He is the original person, even of the demigods, Brahmā, Viṣṇu. People may not misunderstand that Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, they are original. No. Kṛṣṇa says, "They are not original, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara." Aham ādir hi devānām, "I am the original person, above the..., of these demigods also."
Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:
Oh. So which is greater? (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is zero. It is a business of zero, add or subtract. So anyway, a very large number of people died, and Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, because he is Vaiṣṇava, although he was kṣatriya... Kṣatriya's business is to keep himself in power even by killing his own son. That is kṣatriya's business. Kṣatriya, when there is question of fight...
Just like Bhīṣmadeva, Bhīṣmadeva, grandfather of Arjuna, very affectionate grandfather... Because the Pāṇḍavas, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, when their father died they were small children. Naturally Bhīṣma is the grandfather of the family and he had to take care to raise the children. In one side he is grandfather, and he actually raised the children.
Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973:
"Oh, my dear Lord, I am quite satisfied. I don't want any benediction." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "My dear Lord, I am so satisfied that I have no more need of asking any benediction." This is perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When he is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has achieved all success; so why he will ask for anything more? He is so full in power and satisfaction that even great calamity, dangerous position, he doesn't care. He doesn't care. He knows that "These things are coming and going. Why I shall be agitated? Let me depend on Kṛṣṇa." Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. So many times he was tortured by his father. He never became agitated. His father's only request was that "You give up this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." He would not give up.
Lecture on SB 1.8.50 -- Los Angeles, May 12, 1973:
The Pāṇḍavas, they tried to settle the issue. Actually, the kingdom belonged to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. It was inheritance from his father, Pāṇḍu. But some way or other, they were cheated by the Kurus. They were sent to the forest. In the meantime they grabbed everything. And when they came back, so asked, "Give us some..., our ruling power,"so they would not give. "No. Without fight, we shall not give." So the Pāṇḍavas, even Kṛṣṇa tried their best to settle up the issue, but there was no settlement. So at that time, war was declared. 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.
Lecture on SB 1.9.49 -- Mayapura, June 15, 1973:
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- pitrā cānumato rājā
- vāsudevānumoditaḥ
- cakāra rājyaṁ dharmeṇa
- pitṛ-paitāmahaṁ vibhuḥ
- (SB 1.9.49)
Translation: "After this, the great religious king, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, executed the royal power in the kingdom strictly according to the codes and royal principles approved by his uncle and confirmed by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa."
Prabhupāda: This is very important verse: the king's duty and how a king is recognized. The first recognition was made by Dhṛtarāṣṭra, his uncle. Why? Because there was fight between two section of cousin-brothers, the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas. So the Kauravas were all killed. The Pāṇḍavas also, except the five brothers, their sons were all killed. So it is not that by force... There was force, but it was dharma-yuddha. Kṣatriyas, they would claim by strength, by fight, not by high-court judgment. By strength, by bodily strength.
Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:
When He saw, "Now Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is situated on the throne for the control of the world," He..., prīta-manā babhūva ha, He became satisfied: "There is My real representative, and he will work nicely."
So these two things are going on. Those who are trying to capture the governmental power for his personal ambition, they will be killed. They will be killed. This way or that way, they will be killed. And persons who are taking responsibility for maintenance of the government as representative of Kṛṣṇa, they will be blessed by Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. So at the present moment, the so-called democracy,... Nobody is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is demons. Everyone is a demon. So how you can expect peace and prosperity under this government? This is not possible.
Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:
So it is the duty of the Vaiṣṇava to see that people are gradually educated to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So perhaps it would be better if we can..., we also capture political power. As there are many parties, Communist party, Congress party, this party, that party, so there must be one Kṛṣṇa's party. Why not? Then people will be happy, if Kṛṣṇa's party comes to the governmental post. Immediately there will be peace. In India, in India there are so many slaughterhouses. There are... It is said that ten thousand cows are being killed everyday, in the land were one cow was being attempted to be killed, immediately Mahārāja Parīkṣit took his sword, "Who are you?" In that land, now ten thousand cows are being killed every day. So you expect peace? You expect prosperity This is not possible.
Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:
So perhaps it would be better if we can..., we also capture political power. As there are many parties, Communist party, Congress party, this party, that party, so there must be one Kṛṣṇa's party. Why not? Then people will be happy, if Kṛṣṇa's party comes to the governmental post. Immediately there will be peace. In India, in India there are so many slaughterhouses. There are... It is said that ten thousand cows are being killed everyday, in the land were one cow was being attempted to be killed, immediately Mahārāja Parīkṣit took his sword, "Who are you?" In that land, now ten thousand cows are being killed every day. So you expect peace? You expect prosperity This is not possible. Therefore if some day Kṛṣṇa's representative takes the governmental power, then he will immediately stop all these slaughterhouses, all these brothels, all these liquor houses. Then there will be peace and prosperity.
Lecture on SB 1.10.3-4 -- Tehran, March 13, 1975:
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was instructed by Bhīṣmadeva and the infallible Lord also, and therefore he had full knowledge of everything in perfection. The modern elected executive head of the state is just like a puppet because he has no kingly power. Even if he is enlightened like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, he cannot do anything out of his own good will due to his constitutional position. Therefore, there are so many states over the earth quarreling because of ideological differences or other selfish motives. But a king like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira had no ideology of his own. He had but to follow the instruction of the infallible Lord and the Lord's representative, and the authorized agent, Bhīṣmadeva. It is instructed in the śāstras the one should follow the great authority and the infallible Lord without any personal motive and manufactured ideology.
Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:
Similarly the river, the river has its function to supply water all the year. During rainy season the water is collected on the top of the hill. It is stocked there by God's arrangement, and they come down. Just like we, by power pump, we get water down to the top of the roof and stock there. Similarly, on high level of hills and mountains water is stocked. Sometimes they are stocked in ice form, not in liquid form. So according to the seasonal changes the ice becomes melted and the water is supplied. It comes through the river. The same thing is there, but because we have now turned to become demons, the river sometimes overfloods, killing so many men and animals, at the loss. Actually everything is meant for kāmam, for supplying our necessities. And as soon as you are disobedient to God, demons, nature will give you punishment. Instead of supplying you water, water is there, it will overflood. You will be in trouble.
Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:
Hand, legs, eyes, ears, nose, they are all cooperating for the upkeep of the body. Similarly, all living entities—may be in different types of bodies—they are meant for cooperating in the matter of serving the Supreme Lord, central point. (aside:) Just see the...
So if the government or the chief of the executive power, the king, is just to the point, dharmeṇa, as it was said, "Abiding by the religious principles, ruling over the country," then everything, even natural elements, they become cooperative. They must become cooperative. What is nature? Nature is also another energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the nature is also working under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:
You are rascal, and another big rascal, you have voted; so how you can expect good government? You send only big rascals. That's all.
So there cannot be. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in the Kali-yuga, all the people will be rascals, śūdras. Simply by manipulation, if one gets vote, he captures the governmental power. Śūdra. He's a śūdra. He is not a kṣatriya like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, trained up kṣatriya. He is a rascal, third-class man, fourth-class man. He gets the vote and we give vote. So how we can be happy? How we can be carefree or anxiety-free or disease-free? It is not possible. Therefore if the people in general, they become Kṛṣṇa conscious, they become trained up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they understand the value of life, how to live, then they can send good representative. Kṛṣṇa conscious man.
Lecture on SB 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973:
So Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, by opulence, by His power. Our definition of God is very simple. We do not define God as avyakta. Avyakta means "cannot be explained." If you cannot explain, then what you will understand? The Māyāvādīs, they say that God cannot be explained. In the Vedānta-sūtra there is a sūtra: na śabdyāt. I, I forget the... "God is explainable." Because in the Vedas there are mantras. Sa aikṣata, sa asṛjata. He glanced over the material nature. He created. Sa aikṣata. So these things are explainable. So we don't see that the Absolute Truth is not explicable. It is explicable. We have got our explanation. Pūrṇa. Pūrṇa means complete. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).
Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:
Similarly, when the Yadus became very powerful... Because they are descendants of Kṛṣṇa, who can be...? So they were fighting anywhere, conquering anywhere, and everywhere they were victorious. So that was bhū-bhārān. Bhū-bhārān means burden of the world. When one becomes extravagant and misuses his power, that is burden of the world. You cannot misuse your... You get power by the grace of God, by grace of Kṛṣṇa. If you misuse it, then you become a burden, a burden. As soon as there is burden, then it is dharmasya glāniḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). As soon as there is a misuse of power, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham, He comes. So Yadu-vaṁśa, Kṛṣṇa's dynasty, when Kṛṣṇa saw that they are becoming so powerful, that unnecessarily they are fighting, therefore to kill them, that fighting spirit was engaged for fighting amongst themselves, one another.
Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- Los Angeles, December 5, 1973:
The problem which arose in the heart of Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra was solved by the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā. Again, after the departure of the Lord from the vision of earthly people, when Arjuna was face-to-face with being vanquished in his great acquired power and prominence, he wanted again to remember the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā just to teach all concerned that the Bhagavad-gītā could be consulted in all critical times, not only for solace from all kinds of mental agonies, but also for the way out of the great entanglements which may embarrass one in some critical hour.
Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- Los Angeles, December 5, 1973:
The merciful Lord left behind Him the great teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā so that one can take the instructions of the Lord even when He is not visible to material eyesight. Material senses cannot have any estimation of the Supreme Lord, but by His inconceivable power, the Lord can incarnate Himself to the sense perception of the conditioned souls in a suitable manner through the agency of matter, which is also another form of the Lord's manifested energy."
Lecture on SB 1.15.28 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1973:
If you do not act yourself, your words will have no value. (break) ...cut. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam (BG 4.2), if you have got connection with the original powerhouse, then there is electricity. Otherwise it is simply wire. What is the value? Simply wiring will not help you. The connection must be there. And if you lose the connection, then it is of no value. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means you have to keep yourself always connected with the original powerhouse. Then wherever you'll go, there will be light. There'll be light. If you're disconnected, there will be no light. The bulb is there; the wiring is there; the switch is there. Everything is there.
Lecture on SB 1.15.31 -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1973:
"The living entities, My part and parcel." So just like father and son—the son is part and parcel of the father's body. So when the son is under the protection of father, that is his natural life. But if the son foolishly wants to live separately, although the father is the most opulent, (Sanskrit verse), full wealth, full opulence, full power, full wisdom, everything. Kṛṣṇa, the father, is full, and everyone can share the father's property. That is the lawful inheritance of the father. Then why you should suffer here? This intelligence is not coming. They are so fool. They are so... The father is coming, canvassing, "My dear sons, why you are struggling? You give up this nonsense engagement. Your so-called leadership of the family, so-called leadership of community, nation, these are all false.
Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:
"I belong to the Nityānanda Prabhu," exploiting people. The Muhammadans also: "I belong to the family of Muhammad, Hazrat Muhammad." Christ has no family; he did not marry. Otherwise some would have been very much puffed up, "I am family of Christ." So this material nature is such thing that as soon as you get little power, you become puffed up. That is demonic nature. That is demonic nature. So Kṛṣṇa wanted to take them with Him, because they came to help Kṛṣṇa, and after His departure, these demigods would turn into demons. That He did not like to see.
Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:
Kṛṣṇa is not hungry to take your food. He'll not accept it. He'll not accept anything if you do not offer with your love, bhaktyā, love and serving spirit: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are so opulent. I have nothing to offer You because You have got everything. But I have tried to collect these things to my best power, so I am offering You. Kindly take it." This is mantra. This is mantra. Don't require much mantra. That meekness, that humbleness, "Kṛṣṇa, I am most insignificant. I have nothing to give You, neither You are very much hungry or You... You have got many, many..." Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). Kṛṣṇa is served by the goddess of fortune, not one, many millions. Here we are praying to goddess of fortune, "My dear goddess of fortune, kindly give me little fortune. I am very poor." That is our position. We are praying.
Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:
Just like big fire and small fire, a spark. The spark is also fire. When the sparks fall on your body, it immediately burns your clothes, because it is fire. Similarly, in quality, we are as good as God. We are spirit soul, and Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit soul, Paramātmā. So qualitatively, there is no difference. But quantitatively, there is difference. His intelligence, His power, and my power, my intelligence, is not the same.
Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:
Generally, everyone who is in this material world, he does not know what is actually, what thing he should capture. He does not know. That is the difficulty. Mūḍha. They are therefore mūḍha. Real interest is to capture Kṛṣṇa. That is real interest. But he does not know. The capturing power and capacity is there. Even a child... In the beginning, the children, there are so many other things. But the child will capture that biscuit, because he knows it is eatable something. But he does not whether it is poison I am giving. He does not know that. That discrimination he hasn't got. But because it appears something to be eatable... The example, as I was giving in walking, that the fish, he has got enough food within the ocean. God has provided. But still, he will capture that tackle, fish-catching tackle, a little something.
Lecture on SB 1.15.41 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1973:
So formerly the kings were as good as ṛṣis. They were simply sitting on the throne as a matter of responsibility to the citizens. They were not political opportunists. No. Nowadays people are political opportunists. As soon as they get some opportunity, they capture the power. Formerly... Just like Bhīṣmadeva. Actually, he would have been the king. But he was not opportunist. To serve his father he gave up everything. This is called rājarṣi.
So vacāṁsi. If you can control your mind, then you can control your words. There are kāya, mana, vākya. Three things are... We have got this body, and we have got our mind, and we have got to talk. Talking is very important. You can talk nonsense all day and night, and you can talk about Kṛṣṇa and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and the same thing, vibration.
Lecture on SB 1.15.44 -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1973:
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). Because there are many theologists. They say, "Why God shall take birth?" That is their argument. So our answer is, "Why God shall not take birth? If He is omnipotent, so why you are minimizing His power that He cannot take birth? He must take birth if He likes." And īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is staying within the heart of everyone. So within the heart for everyone, if He can come out, so what is the difficulty for Him, from within the womb of somebody He can come? What is the difference between heart and womb? And Kṛṣṇa entered within the womb of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's mother to save Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:
"Why I am getting?" Just like a child does not know how this electricity is coming. He thinks it is coming automatically. Why automatically? Is it coming automatically? You have to pay for it. There is powerhouse. There is connection. So many things. But he does not know. Similarly, all the rascals, they will say, "Oh, sunshine is by nature, automatically. Moonshine, automatically. This is automatically." What do you mean by "automatically"? What thing happens automatically unless there is arrangement? And because there is so nice, good arrangement, it is to be understood there is good government. And as soon as you accept this, you must have to accept necessity of God, without which, arrangement cannot be done.
Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:
So he was arrested and taken to the custody and put into the jail. He again came out. He again came out.
So these are yogic, I mean to say, perfection. Anything you like... The most perfect yogi can create even one planet. They become so powerful. But still, that is all material power. That is not spiritual power. The real spiritual power is that you give up this body, you give up this material world, go to the spiritual world, go back to home, back to Godhead. That is your perfection, and that is very easily obtained by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness attitude.
Lecture on SB 1.16.2 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1973:
The greatest blame will be on the brāhmaṇa society. The Kali-yuga will begin, begins deterioration of the brāhmaṇa community. You are the first." So one thing is that even a child born of a brāhmaṇa was so powerful that because he cursed Mahārāja Parīkṣit to die out of snake bite, it could not be withdrawn. He died. Just see how much brahminical power was that time. Even a child. What to speak of grown-up.
Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:
Therefore it is said here, yatrākṣi-gocarāḥ, devā yatrākṣi-gocarāḥ. We are much proud of seeing everything, but we should wait for being qualified to see. Not that whimsically I want to see, "O God, please come before me. I want to see." God... God is there just suitable for your seeing power. God is very kind. Here He is present in the temple. And you go on seeing. Then you will realize that He is God.
So God or demigod, everyone can be akṣi-gocarāḥ, within the purview of your vision, provided you are qualified. This is the process. These rascals say, "Can you show me God?" But what power you have got to see? First of all gain that qualification. Then you will see. God is everywhere.
Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:
Nobody is peaceful, nobody is happy, although materially very much advanced. Political entanglement, social entanglement, religious entanglement, economic entanglement. Simply entanglement. No peaceful living, anywhere. Just like at the present moment, the whole world there is... What is that crisis? Power crisis? Energy crisis. So crisis must be there. Otherwise, if you live peacefully, even within so many crisis, war, and fighting, we are thinking this world is very nice. In spite of all these difficulties. Especially in the Western countries, every ten years there is a war. First World War, Second World War. Before that, Hundred Years War, Seven Years War, Trafalgar's war, Waterloo war. War, war, war. There cannot be any peaceful life, because everyone is rogue and rascal, so there must be war. There must be punishment by nature.
Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:
So therefore it is called māninaḥ. Māninaḥ means they are thinking wrongly like that. Actually, they are not liberated, not liberated. They are in darkness. Because he is foolishly thinking that he has become God. How you can become God? What is your power? What you have shown like God? We accept God, Kṛṣṇa, Lord Rāmacandra, and others, by seeing His activities. Kṛṣṇa, at the age of seven years old, He lifted Govardhana mountain. Govardhana-dhārī, Giridhārī. So what you are? You cannot raise even five kilos of load, and you are becoming God?
Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:
So these so-called gods are accepted by so-called devotees. These are all rascaldom. Therefore it is called māninaḥ. They are thinking, by mental speculation, that "I have become God." What you have got, power? What you have done that you have become God? But they are foolish. They do not calculate the value of his, strength of his becoming God. But they are thinking of... Therefore it is called māninaḥ. Now, you can think at your home that "I am the proprietor of the Bank of America." So you may become a crazy fellow like that. But to become proprietor of the Bank of America is different thing. But these foolish men will think like that. "I am God, I am moving the sun, I am moving..." This is their meditation. Perhaps you know. These rascals, these dogs, not gods, they think like that: "I am moving the sun, I am moving the earth..."
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974:
Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, sometimes it is seen that even materialistic political power is successful in overthrowing government. So is it not possible in this age for devotees to overthrow government?
Prabhupāda: Yes, if you become all devotee, it is very easy. Because nowadays, the "government of the people, by the people." So if the people are Kṛṣṇa conscious, naturally the government will be Kṛṣṇa conscious. And if you are fools and rascals, the government will be fools and rascals. Because government is the representative of the people. You have got the opportunity because nowadays, democracy, that "government for the people, by the people." Is not that?
Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:
And still, we are proud, "I have got my hand. I have got my eyes." What is the use of your eyes? Unless God helps you to see, what is the value of your eyes? Practically you see. Unless there is sunshine, what is the value of your eyes? So but still, are so fool, we are thinking, "Can you show me God?" And what power you have got to see. First of all consider. Then you'll see God. You cannot see even what, ordinary things, what to question of seeing God.
So this is called foolishness. He does not consider that "I am seeing under certain conditions, and if still..., I am so much proud of possessing my eyes." This is called foolishness, abodha-jātaḥ. And In the Upaniṣads it is said that "When God sees, you can see." So your seeing is subordinate to the seeing power of God.
Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:
Nobody likes. (laughter) So this is the influence of time, influence of time. So influence of time will act. You cannot check it. Influence of time, that is nature's law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). That is māyā's strength. How you can check? It is not in your power.
So this is another question by Dharmarāja to mother earth, "Whether you are now in tribulation by the influence of time?" Surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam. So we should remember saubhagam, opulence, can be taken away, in due course of time. You cannot check it. Suppose in America you are all fortunate. You have got very nice roads, very nice cars, very nice skyscraper building, government, food, everything very nice. But in due course of time everything can be taken away. You cannot check it. Śāstra says therefore, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Everything will be taken away, or ultimately, destruction.
Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:
He does not fall down. We fall down. This is the difference. The example is... Just like the fire, big fire, and the sparks, they are also fire. The quality of big fire and the small sparks of fire, they're the same. Therefore qualitatively, we are one with Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa has got propensities, we have got also propensities. Kṛṣṇa has got creative power, we have also got creative power. In this way, compare anything. In minute quantity... Kṛṣṇa has got independence, full independence; we have got independence, but not full independence. But we have got independence. So that is the difference. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa has got various forms, but His real form is Kṛṣṇa. God has got many forms, but the original form is that, playing on flute, curved in three places with barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam, with a feather on the head.
Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:
Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, anumeyam, or... What is that? You cannot measure. What is that word used? Aprameyam. Aprameyam. You cannot measure. But it has a form. How, what is the length and breadth of that form, that is not in your power. In your power, but not materially. That is... If you have got spiritual power, then you can measure it. And that measurement is also given in the śāstra. What is that? One ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Hair is a very small point. And divide it into ten thousand parts. That one part is the measure, magnitude of the soul.
Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:
Therefore Mother Dharitrī is... Śocāmi rahitaṁ lokaṁ pāpmanā kalinekṣitam: "Now the Kali-yuga has come. I'm thinking that... I'm very much disturbed that people are losing their original qualities." These qualities are not to be acquired. These qualities are there, but it is covered. Just like a sharpened knife. The cutting power is there, but when it is covered by dirt, it does not cut.
Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:
He can become the smaller than the smallest, the higher than..., the bigger than the biggest. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. (devotees pay obeisances) So, you can go? (end)
| Page Title: | Power (Lectures, SB canto 1) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 15 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=118, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 118 |