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Qualified (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"qualified" |"qualifies" |"qualify" |"qualifying"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

So the general regulation is that woman should remain under the protection of husband, er, father, husband and children. Just like these Pāṇḍus, their mother, Kuntī, she was very, very qualified lady. But still, after the death of her husband, she always remained with the sons. The sons are going to the forest; the mother is also going. Also the wife is also going, Draupadī. This was the... So two parties... Dhṛtarāṣṭra was the eldest son, but he was blind, bodily defect. Therefore he was not awarded the throne. His next brother, Pāṇḍu, he was offered the throne, but he died very early age, a young man. When these Pāṇḍus, the five sons, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, at at that time not Mahārāja, Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, they were very small children, so they were taken care of by Dhṛtarāṣṭra and other elderly family... Bhīṣmadeva.

Lecture on BG 1.6-7 -- London, July 11, 1973:

Pradyumna: "Translation: There are the mighty Yudhāmanyu, the very powerful Uttamaujā, the son of Subhadrā and the sons of Draupadī. All these warriors are great chariot fighters."

asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye
tān nibodha dvijottama
nāyakā mama sainyasya
saṁjñārthaṁ tān bravīmi te
(BG 1.7)

"Translation: O best of the brāhmaṇas, for your information, let me tell you about the captains who are especially qualified to lead my military force."

Prabhupāda: So formerly, five thousand years ago, the same system, military—ordinary soldiers, then the captain, then the commander, the commander-in-chief—as there are gradations in the modern age, the same thing was there. But mahā-ratha, they had good qualification. Mahā-ratha means alone he could fight with many other charioteers. They are called ati-ratha, mahā-ratha. There are different grades of fighters.

Lecture on BG 1.23 -- London, July 19, 1973:

He can become. One can become. By pious activities, you can be raised to the position of Brahmā, Indra, Candra, demigods, big, big demigods. And by impious activities, you can go down to become the worm of a stool. This is going on. This is called bhramatām upary adhaḥ. Upari adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means down, and upari means up. So ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Who are going to upper planetary system? Sattva-sthāḥ, those who are qualified brāhmaṇas, strictly following the principles.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

So Arjuna is in gṛhastha-āśrama. He wants to serve Kṛṣṇa. He's Kṛṣṇa's friend. He is a devotee. Kṛṣṇa has already recommended. In the Fourth Chapter He will declare, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). "You are My dear friend. You are My devotee." So he is qualified, gṛhastha-āśramī. He is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but he is also family man. He has his wife, children. So here the problem is what is śreyas? What is ultimate good? That is mistaken here. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is required. He is thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is not so important. My family is important. My family."

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

So our, our point of view is not to become a first-class prisoner. To get out of the prison. That is Vaiṣṇava vision. You'll find... Last night I have given comments that Mādhavendra Purī, he was performing the Annakuta ceremony and installing the Deity. So everything was being brāhmaṇa, done by brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, but Mādhavendra Purī initiated them again to become Vaiṣṇava. Then he gave them in charge of the Deity worship. So the Vaiṣṇava functions cannot be done even by a brāhmaṇa. Even one is qualified brāhmaṇa, he is unfit to propagate Vaiṣṇava philosophy. That is stated in the śāstras.

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

Śva means dog and pacaḥ means who cooks. Śva-pacaḥ means caṇḍāla. If a man from the śva-pacaḥ family, or the caṇḍāla family, he becomes a Vaiṣṇava, strictly according to the orders, then he can become guru, but not a brāhmaṇa if he's not a Vaiṣṇava. This is the stricture. Even one is born in the family of a brāhmaṇa, and he's not only born, he's qualified, sat-karma-nipuṇo... Nipuṇo means qualified. Brāhmaṇa has got six kinds of occupation. He must be learned himself, he must be able to teach others Vedic literatures. That is called paṭhana pāṭhana. Then he must worship... Worship means demigods. Or they consider that any demigod or God, the same, some impersonalists. So yajana, yājana. There are other also, religious ritual functions. They perform. That is called yajana. Yajana yājana. And dāna pratigṛha. A brāhmaṇa takes contribution. A brāhmaṇa is never engaged in service like śūdra. That is śūdra's business.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

Another thing, this Bhagavad-gītā is part of Mahābhārata. And the Mahābhārata was written for strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayi na śruti-gocarāḥ (SB 1.4.25). Strī, woman, strī, śūdra and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means a person born in high family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, at least brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, but he's not qualified brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. He's called dvija-bandhu, the friend of the twice-born. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are twice-born. One birth is father and mother; another birth is by the spiritual master, by Vedic knowledge. The Vedic knowledge is mother and the spiritual master is the father. So the second birth. Therefore, they are called dvija, twice born. So dvija-bandhūnām, those who are not actually twice born but born in the family of dvijas. Therefore they are called dvija-bandhu, "not dvija, friends of the dvijas." Dvija-bandhu.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

One may become a friend of the dvija. One may become a son of a high-court judge, but that does not mean he's also high-court judge. But now they are taking: "Because my father is brāhmaṇa, therefore I am brāhmaṇa." No. That was not accepted. Your father may be brāhmaṇa, but if you are not qualified brāhmaṇa, you cannot be called a brāhmaṇa. You can be called dvija-bandhu. So this Mahābhārata was written: strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayi na śruti gocarāḥ (SB 1.4.25). Woman and dvija-bandhu and the śūdras, it is very difficult for them to understand the Vedic literatures directly, because they have no advanced knowledge or education. Therefore the same thing. The Vedic knowledge was described in the Mahābhārata. Because it is history. Everyone is interested to read history.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

They should be trained up as brāhmaṇa. Śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So this is the beginning of civilization, not that all śūdras as it is now in this age. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kali-yuga, there is no training how to qualify a section of person to become first-class brāhmaṇa. That training is not there, neither kṣatriya, neither pure vaiśya class. We are proud of our business, vaiśya, but vaiśya means kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Vaiśya means they should take care of the cows, cow protection, go-rakṣya. Why go-rakṣya? Why not other animal rakṣya? Kṛṣṇa has not said "animal rakṣya" or "janawal-(?) rakṣya."

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

Then he's spiritual master. Āmāra ājñāya. Just like in our case. Our superior authority, our spiritual master, he ordered me that "You just try to preach this gospel, whatever you have learned from me, in English." So we have tried it. That's all. It is not that I am very much qualified. The only qualification is that I have tried to execute the order of superior authority. That's all. This is the secret of success.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

He is present as incarnation. Now, God is all-powerful. God is all-powerful. So if He comes before you, you cannot deny, that "How is that, God has come?" You cannot say that. If God is all-powerful, then it is His choice. It is His free will. He can come before you, come before you, provided you are such qualified devotee. So there cannot be any solid argument that "God cannot come" or "God..." Of course, so far Vedic literatures are concerned, they accept the incarnation of God. So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and so He is addressed as Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka... Hṛṣīkeśa, it has got a significant, significant meaning. Hṛṣīka. Hṛṣīka means the senses, hṛṣīka. And īśa. Īśa means Lord. Īśa means Lord. So He is the Lord of the senses. He is the Lord of the senses. Similarly, Govinda, Govinda... Here also, Govinda name is also there. Yes. Na yotsya... Na yotsya iti govindam uktvā tūṣṇīṁ babhūva ha (BG 2.9). Govindam. Govinda. Go means also senses.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

Prabhupāda: But you must be qualified to know.

Indian: How?

Prabhupāda: That I have already explained, that you must become... Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). You must approach to a person who knows by surrender, not by challenge. You cannot know about soul and God by this challenging spirit. You have to become a submissive, submissive. You have to accept a spiritual master who knows. Then you'll know. It is not that in a meeting by challenging, you can know. No. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Mexico, February 12, 1975:

Not we are prescribing; it is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's prescription. We are simply propagating that "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Yes.

So I am very glad to see that you Mexican young boys, girls, ladies and gentlemen are coming here and joining the chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So I request you to continue this procedure. Please come here, join this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and take prasādam and go home. And surely you'll be purified and qualified for going back to home, back to Godhead. (break)

Hṛdayānanda: (translating from Spanish) So he is asking what type of piety is required to understand God.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

"Nirākāra, nirākāra, nirākāra." Not nirākāra. It has ākāra. But we are so, our senses are so blunt that we cannot calculate.

Now, now, this, in these days of scientific advancement you take a dead man. You sit down. Now, we shall see how the soul transmigrates from this body to another. You cannot see. You cannot see. Our eyes are not qualified to see it. Therefore the all the senses, they should be spiritualized. If we want to see the spirit whole... The Lord is spirit whole. We cannot see even the spirit part. Our, our... We are very much proud of our senses, but our senses are so imperfect that... Now I see with my eyes, but I cannot see my eyelid. You see? The eyelid is always attached with my eye, but I cannot see. So our power of using the senses, that is very limited. So we should not depend only on the senses. Pratyakṣa. It is called pratyakṣa-anumāna. There are three kinds of evidences, pratyakṣa, anumāna, and aitihya. Pratyakṣa means that you can directly perceive.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

He is also living being; I am also living being." That means qualitatively we are one, God and me. But quantitatively, He is great; we are small.

So we have to realize this, that we can become eternal, immortal, all qualified like God, if we get out of these material clutches. And for this, we have to become dhīra. Dhīra means, I have already explained, not to be disturbed, even the cause of disturbance is there. So that is the qualification of becoming immortal. So little tolerance of the sensation... Just like there is some sensation. If you have got some itches and you are feeling that "I should itch," but if you stop itching, this will be cured, and if you go on itching, it will increase.

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

Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). You... To understand the Vedas, you must approach a guru. Otherwise, you cannot understand. Just like it is forbidden that without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody should read Vedas. Because he cannot understand. Unless one is qualified brāhmaṇa, unless one has approached another qualified brāhmaṇa who knows, there is no question of understanding Vedas. Just like Max Muller translated Veda. What does he know about Veda? Such kinds of translation, understanding, is useless. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet means "He must!" There is not that "I may go or I may not." No, you must. If you really serious. In our vaiṣṇava-paramparā also... vaiṣṇava-paramparā is actually Vedic paramparā. That ādau gurvāśrayam... Ādau gurvāśrayam: "To enter into the spiritual life, first thing is first of all to accept a guru."

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

Prabhupāda: Who is qualified. Satya śama dama titikṣā ārjava āstikyam jñānam vijñānam (BG 18.42). When one has acquired all these qualities, then he becomes brāhmaṇa.

Indian: Caitanya Mahāprabhu (Hindi)...

Prabhupāda: (break)...come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). Unless we come to that platform of bhakti-yoga and become re-related, not related, again revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we, there cannot be equality.

Lecture on BG 2.31 -- London, September 1, 1973:

This is the injunction given by Nārada Muni. Not ordinary person. Tat tenaiva vinirdiśet. And upon this the greatest authority of comment on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrīdhara Svāmī, he has commented that janma, birth, is not the chief requisition to become...śama-damādi. One must be qualified with śamo damas titikṣāḥ śuci. Then he should be accepted.

So it is the duty of the kṣatriya... Unfortunately, the so-called government men, they are also śūdras. The so-called priests, they are also śūdras. The so-called vaiśyas, they are śūdras. The whole world is now full of śūdras. So you cannot expect anything very nice in this situation because everything is being conducted by śūdras. So Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna that "This fight is not ordinary fight.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

Satyakam yavala(?). Upaniṣads. This satyakam went to Gautama Muni. "Sir, please make me your disciple." So according to Vedic principle, without becoming a brāhmaṇa he cannot be accepted as disciple. Without becoming brāhmaṇa. In our Society also, we do not accept a disciple unless he's brahminically qualified: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication. These are brahminical. Unless one is free from the sinful activities, how he can become a brāhmaṇa? Brāhmaṇa means śuci. And the others, they are called kṛpaṇa, or muci. Śuci means always cleansed. Internally... Bāhyābhyantara-śuciḥ. Inside and outside. Outside by taking bath, washing with soda, soap, or if soda, soap is not available, with earth or oil. That is external cleanliness. Similarly, internal cleanliness, one must rise early in the morning, evacuate, then after taking bath must chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, see the maṅgala-ārātrika. In this way one has to purify himself internally and externally.

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

They are called dvija-bandhu, "a friend of a brāhmaṇa." So just like "I am," "I am the son of a high-court judge." That does not mean I am also high-court judge. I must be qualified to become a high-court judge. But if I go on, that "Because my father is high-court judge, therefore I am also high-court judge..." So these things are going on now in India. Because his forefather was a brāhmaṇa, or his father was a brāhmaṇa—and although he has no qualification of a brāhmaṇa, he also claims to be a brāhmaṇa. But the scripture, the Vedic scripture, that does not allow. They will call, "No, you are not a brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

So anyway, now this Bhagavad-gītā was written, was spoken to a family man, Arjuna, military man, and the whole Mahābhārata is meant for strī-śūdra-dvijabandhu, less qualified men. Just see. In those days less qualified men were meant for understanding Bhagavad-gītā in half an hour. Just imagine what class of less intelligent persons were at that time. The same Bhagavad-gītā, now scholars like Dr. Radhakrishnan, and others, so many big big scholars, they are scrutinizingly studying; still they cannot understand. But this Bhagavad-gītā was meant for the less intelligent class of men of that time. Just you can imagine what class of less intelligent class and women were there. It is specially written, you will see, strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25).

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

So guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. You have to acquire the qualities and work like that. Then it is perfect.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching people to work for Kṛṣṇa and to qualify himself for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the highest perfection. Without any consideration of His previous position or qualification or social standard. There is no such thing. Simply if he takes to Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and prosecutes nicely according to direction, he becomes the, I mean to say, in transcendental position. Highest position. More than a brāhmaṇa. Yes. Chant.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

Yes, God is person, like you and me. You can go and talk with Him, he qualified for that pur... Nitya nitya... This is Vedic injunction. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God is eternal among all other eternals. We are all eternal, and God is the chief eternal. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. We are also cognizant and God is also cognizant. The difference is that I am cognizant with a limited space and God is cognizant throughout the whole universe. But He is also cognizant. He is also person. I am also person. What is the difference? Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. That one maintains all these innumerable living entities. Therefore in the Bible you go and ask God give us our daily bread, He is maintaining. That is the difference between God and ourself.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

Then you will see. Do you think you are as good as Arjuna? Kṛṣṇa says, Arjuna addressing, that I am instructing to you my dear Arjuna, because you are my dear friend. And you are very great devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyam etad uttamam (BG 4.3). I am speaking to you this Bhagavad-gītā because you are qualified. What is that qualification? Because you are My devotee and very intimate friend. So you become also intimate friend and devotee, you will understand everything. That is our request. If Arjuna becomes a friend and devotee you can also become. Why you are losing this opportunity? That is our propaganda. You also become a friend, a devotee, and be happy and see Kṛṣṇa as He is simply symbolic representation. He says everyone. Let us take this opportunity and become like Arjuna. That is perfection of life.

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

This is the name of the chief man. Just like in your country the chief man is called the president, or in other countries they call him so many... In some countries the chief man is called the king or the president, like that. So this is post. You can also occupy that post. If you are qualified, you can become the president of your country. Similarly, the post of sun-god, Vivasvān, also you can occupy if you are qualified. You can occupy the post of Brahmā. This is... They are also living entities like us. Just like President Johnson is also a living entity like you, but he is elevated to that position for his quality, similarly, if you attain such quality, you can become the chief deity or chief man in many other planets. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). These things are described.

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

Formerly the emperors and kings were familywise. Just like... At least, in England you have got the king by familywise. In every country it was... Now monarchy is abolished. So these kṣatriyas, they were qualified. There was no question of democracy. At the present moment, by democracy if somebody can some way or other acquire some votes he becomes the chief man, but formerly the practice was that a qualified man who is trained, a king, he was on the seat. They were called rājarṣi. Rājarṣi means practically they were sages. Just like Mahārāja Janaka. There were many kings, ideal kings. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Rāmacandra. Many kings. Even Mahārāja Parīkṣit, five thousand years before he was so responsible king that when he was on tour he saw that one cow was being attempted to be killed, and the cow was crying. At once the king stopped, "Who are you? In my kingdom a cow is crying?

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

Therefore this Bhagavad-gītā yoga system, which is very old... Forty millions of years before, ago it was spoken. And before that it was also spoken. That is not stated here. Because it is eternal. Avyaya, purātanaḥ, old. So who is qualified to understand Bhagavad-gītā? You can understand. Those who are not bhaktas, they can also understand superficially. Just like one has got the bottle of honey. If one thinks that "I have got the bottle of honey. Let me lick up the bottle," so licking the bottle, what taste you will get? The bottle has to be opened and see what is there. (laughter) And if a rascal thinks that "I am licking this bottle, I am eating honey, I am tasting honey," he's a rascal number one. Simply.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974:

What is that? Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). "I first of all spoke to the sun-god, Vivasvān." Vivasvān. The sun is there. Nobody knows what is there in the sun. The so-called scientists, philosophers... But there is possibility to talk with the sun-god personally. That is possible. You can also go. You can also talk, provided you become qualified by Kṛṣṇa's grace. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He can go anywhere. It is not that because the fiery planet... Sun planet is fiery planet. The body there, the body is made of fire there. Just like here the body's made of earth. Similarly, there are planets where the body's made of water, the body's made of fire, because these are the material elements. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Either earth, water, fire, air... They are all material things. So I may have got a suitable body to live in this material, or this earthly planet. The fish has got a certain body to live in the water.

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

Nobody can be admitted in the law college unless he is a graduate because he will not be able to understand.

Similarly, in the Vedas it is also said, "Unless one has acquired brahminical qualifications, he should not study Vedas." So in every department, if you want to take education in a particular line, you have to qualify yourself to enter that school or college. Similarly, if you want to study Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to become a devotee. Simply academic educational qualification will not help you, because it was spoken to the devotee.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

And what is that scientific knowledge? That is very simple. Prema. If you have love of God, then you are qualified to see God every moment. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). When one's eyes are smeared with the ointment of love of Godhead, by that clear eyes... Just like sometimes we use ointment to the eye to see very clearly, similarly, these eyes, these material eyes, are incompetent to see God. These ears incompetent to hear the holy name of God. This tongue is incompetent to chant the holy name of God. Similarly, all the senses, they are, being material. So constitutionally, they cannot see God, they cannot hear of God, they cannot chant of the holy name of God. But it is possible. The śāstra gives you indication.

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

And harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ: "Anyone who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness..." When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, you can take it as God.

So in... So a person who is devoid of God consciousness, however he may be qualified from the material point of view, the scripture says that his qualification will not help him in doing things which are not desirable. He'll, he'll, he'll not be prohibited to do things which are not desirable. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ: (SB 5.18.12) "Because he's devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he's sure to commit mischief in this material world."

Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

They are suffering, but they cannot inquire, "Why I am suffering?" Here is an opportunity. Here you can understand that "I am as good as God, although I am very small." Then you can prepare yourself. Tat tvam asi: "You are the same." You can also join with Kṛṣṇa and dance with Him. Why you are forgetting that? But you have to qualify yourself. You cannot dance with the dog and God at the same time. If you want to dance with the dog, then remain here. Go on perpetually dancing with the dog. But if you want to dance with God, you can prepare yourself and go there and dance with him. That is up to you because tat tvam asi: "You are the same." That, everything, is my choice, what I want to do.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:

This is the process.

So one has to learn this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very carefully. It is very nice and very scientific. And if we simply try to understand my position, try to understand God and what is my relation with God, janma karma me divyam, simply by understanding this, I become qualified to enter into the spiritual kingdom. And as soon as I enter into the spiritual kingdom, then, as it is stated in this verse, that tyaktvā deham, after giving up this body, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma... (BG 4.9). Punar janma means again taking birth in this material world. Na eti, na, no more. This continued repetition of accepting different kinds of body is finished simply by understanding what is God, how He appears, how He disappears, what are His activities. Simply this understanding. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9), or so 'rjuna. He comes to Me.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:

There are many examples. Just see. You are mostly Christian, you know. Lord Jesus Christ, when he was being crucified, he was begging, "My Lord, these fools do not know what they are doing. Please excuse." Just see how much qualified. Because he is devotee of God.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice, so perfect, that if you take to this in your practical life you become perfect immediately in this life. As it is stated here, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Simply understanding. You have got enough time. You are all young men, young girls. Please try to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and your life will be perfect. So perfect that after leaving this body, tyaktvā deham, this body, punar janma naiti, no more birth in this miserable condition of material existence.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:

He's already transcendental to the reactions of different modes of material nature. He's already. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. So he is to be understood that he is already Brahman realized. It is not that you have to... This is the spiritual. Material, suppose if you have to accept the post of high-court judge, then you have to gradually qualify yourself. But spiritually, if you immediately engage yourself in the service of the Lord, then you become a high-court judge immediately. You are brahma-bhūtaḥ. That is the difference between matter and spirit. It is unconditional. Ahaituky apratihatā.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

"Whatever you do," yat karoṣi, "it doesn't matter what you are doing." Kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam: "The result you give Me." Now, suppose you are working, you are getting, say, hundred dollars. You give it to Kṛṣṇa. That is service. The practical example is that these European, American boys, they are all qualified, but they have dedicated their life to Kṛṣṇa. They are working, and we are collecting also thousands and thousand of dollars daily, but we are spending for Kṛṣṇa. This is service. You can see by their practical example. They can earn daily hundreds of dollars, but they are not demanding any very comfortable place to sit down or to lie down or to have some palatable dishes.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

Cannot be seen? Then why you are taking education, taking degrees? Why you are appearing for examination in the university for degrees? It cannot be seen? If you are actually qualified in something, it must be manifested. Otherwise, everyone will say that "I am quite qualified, but you cannot see." What is this? How I shall distinguish between the qualified and the nonqualified? The qualification must be seen. That is the conclusion. All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Please join with us. Shall I chant? All right.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

Have you see who is gone? "No." Then what you are seeing? "I am seeing this dead body." So whole life you have seen this dead body. If I cannot see at the present structure of my body even the spark, material atom, how we can see God, the Supreme Spirit?

So we have to qualify ourselves. So that qualification is, here it is stated, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. If you try to surrender yourself into Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Just like Kṛṣṇa is canvassing, asking Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam: (BG 18.66) "You just try to surrender unto Me, and I shall give you all protection." And just I described a few minutes before that Kṛṣṇa is seated along with you in the same tree of this body. He is just waiting for your voluntary looking unto Him. That's it. He does not press you. He gives you all instruction.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

Vṛndāvana-līlā, Kṛṣṇa manifests just to attract us that how you can meet the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face.

Just like we are meeting in this meeting face-to-face, similarly, you can also meet the Supreme Personality of Godhead face-to-face, but you have to be qualified for that purpose. If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa in His impersonal Brahman feature, there is risk also. I will explain that. The Brahman feature is impersonal.

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

Now suppose if you are trying for BA examination, or you have passed your B.A. examination. Now, with the end of this body, that, your qualification as graduate of Columbia University or any university, is finished. Now your life begins in another body, and you have to acquire knowledge again to become qualified to graduate. But this knowledge is not like that. Because it is spiritual knowledge, absolute knowledge, it goes with you, your spirit. That you will find, explanation. And another chance is that one who tries to assimilate this knowledge, even if he is not, I mean to, perfect, so there is no harm. Because whatever he has learned, that remains an asset, and you get another chance of human body to begin from where you have ended in this life.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Although in India it is now misrepresentated that a brāhmaṇa's son is trying to designate himself as brāhmaṇa, but according to Bhagavad-gītā, that is not sanctioned. Bhagavad-gītā says, "according to quality."

Now, just like here is a qualified lawyer, Mr. Goldsmith. He is lawyer. Now, because he is lawyer, his son cannot claim that "Because my father is lawyer, then I am also lawyer." How he can become? The son also must be qualified lawyer. He must pass the bachelor of law degree, examination. Then he can be lawyer. So similarly, here Kṛṣṇa says... Don't misunderstand the Indian caste system as hereditary. No. It is, according to Vedic literature, it is according to the quality.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Dvija means twice-born. So one has to take his birth twice. He should not be satisfied simply by taking birth by the father and mother. One should be anxious to take his twice-born, to become twice-born, brāhmaṇa. But that chance is... Don't think that you cannot become a brāhmaṇa. You can become a qualified brāhmaṇa provided you abide by the qualification of a qualified brāhmaṇa. Just like to become a lawyer it is not, I mean to say, limited to a certain section or to a certain person. Anyone who takes the qualification of a lawyer, he becomes a lawyer.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Then you can become a brāhmaṇa. There is no impediment. Never mind wherever you were born. That doesn't matter.

So here is... Bhagavad-gītā is giving a chance to everyone to become brāhmaṇa or be qualified person who knows Brahman and who is preparing himself for the next birth in the spiritual kingdom. He is called brāhmaṇa. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Now, the Lord says, tasya kartāram api māṁ viddhy akartāram avyayam: "Although I have created this system, still, I am not there. I am not there." Why? Because Kṛṣṇa is neither brāhmaṇa nor śūdra nor kṣatriya or anything, anything of the material world. He is transcendental. When we go to Kṛṣṇa with spiritual body, we also become like Kṛṣṇa in transcendental body. That chance is given here. So just it is our duty, everyone.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Are you Jew or Indian or American or a brāhmaṇa?" No. We are concerned with the qualification. It doesn't matter what he is. He may be an American, he may be an Indian, he may be Christian, he may be Jew, he may be Hindu or Mohammedan. Doesn't matter. He's a practiced medical practitioner, so he's a qualified man. I have gone there for my treatment.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

As you purchase something, that it is good quality, nice quality, similarly, you should accept a brāhmaṇa, a kṣatriya, a vaiśya, a śūdra, by the quality and by the work.

Not only that. Just like you qualify yourself as a lawyer, but you do not practice. So who will call you lawyer? Nobody will call. But if you are qualified and if you are practicing, everyone says, (Hindi) He will go. People will go to consult with you. But if you do not practice, simply you have passed legal examination, nobody will come to you. So two things are required: the brahminical qualities and work like a brāhmaṇa. These two things.... If you are born in a brāhmaṇa family and you are, "Oh, all blessing to you," oh, what power you have got to bless me? You are not in quality, not in work. But people accept it, paṇḍitajī.

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

The Lord Viṣṇu is so powerful that He can make anyone a purified Vaiṣṇava. That is His special... It is not that because one is kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā or pāpa-yoni, he cannot be elevated. He can be elevated. That is possible. Because guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). If you make him qualified like a brāhmaṇa and work like a brāhmaṇa, then he can be elevated. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to educate anyone. It doesn't matter. Because kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā. Anyone, ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. Anyone can be elevated.

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

Now at the modern age, in every country all over the world, there is unemployment. Why unemployment? Because people do not know how to divide the population according to guṇa and karma. One is qualified as a śūdra, and he is engaged in the business of a kṣatriya. There is problem. The people are educated as śūdras, and when they are called for recruiting for the armies, they are afraid. The problem is very acute in America. Nobody wants to join military department. Why they will join? They have been trained up as śūdra, and why they will be like the business of kṣatriya? That is the problem. Everyone wants to avoid. Actually, the hippy movement is started on account of this, what is this?

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

It is a qualification and it is certificate. One who has got the sacred thread, that means...

Just like in our Vedic system, one has got the red mark on the forehead, one woman. It is to be understood that she is married. Similarly, one who has got the sacred thread means that he has approached qualified ācārya, and the ācārya has recognized him as brāhmaṇa. This is sacred thread, not that purchase one sacred thread and get it and become a brāhmaṇa. No. This is very important thing. And then divide. First of all educate. Where is that education? Of course, this is meant for...

Lecture on BG 4.17 -- Bombay, April 6, 1974:

You get your situation in the higher planetary system. These are all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

How do you know? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you act just like a qualified brāhmaṇa, sattva-sthā, sattva-sthā means brāhmaṇa—then you get your promotion in the higher planetary system ūrdhvam. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. If you act like a brāhmaṇa, then get your promotion to the higher planetary system, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, Siddhaloka. There are so many planets. The people do not know. There is no such education. But we have got this knowledge from the Vedic literature. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). If you have got the qualification of rajo-guṇa, creative energy, then you remain in the middle planetary system, Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ. Those who are brāhmaṇas know gāyatrī-mantra, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:

So You are also killing cow." Just I am going to explain the sacrifice. Now, Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained there that that was not killing. When there was some animal sacrifice, an old animal would be sacrificed in the altar, but it would be given a new life. It was practically testing of the Vedic mantra by the qualified brāhmaṇas. So He said, "Because at the present moment there are no qualified brāhmaṇas, therefore such kind of sacrifice is stopped. Stopped." That was His explanation.

Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:

So these sacrifices means unless they are performed very nicely, according to the rules and regulations as they are mentioned in scripture, they will not produce the desired result. That is the way of sacrifice. Now, here it is said, brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma haviḥ. Now, where is the butter, where is the grain, and where is the qualified brāhmaṇa who can chant the mantras, hymns, very nicely, so that we can get the result? So any kind of sacrifice at the present age is impossible. It is not possible. The only sacrifice—that kīrtana, saṅkīrtana-yajña. That is possible, which you have just now tried. This was introduced, and this is recommended in Bhāgavata. This is authoritative. And when Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. That is confirmed in Mahābhārata, Bhāgavata, Purāṇa, Upaniṣad.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

This is a Sanskrit grammatical injunction. Where there is the question if imperative, "you must," there vidhilin, this form of verb, is used, gacchet, gacchet. Gacchet means "You must go." You don't think that without going to a qualified, bona fide spiritual master you can have. No. That is not possible. Here also, Lord Kṛṣṇa also recommends, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā: (BG 4.34) "If you want to learn that transcendental science, then you have to find out a transcendentalist first of all." That is also recommended in Kaṭhopaniṣad.

In Bhāgavata also, it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) "One who is hankering after the highest type of question..." We have got so many questions. We can question the whole day and night "What is the rate of this commodity? What is happening in the political field?

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

Because I cannot see what is happening beyond this wall, oh, that does not mean there is nothing beyond this wall. So everyone wants to see God immediately. God you can see when you are perfectly qualified. When you are in perfect knowledge, you can see God eye to eye just like you are seeing me, I am seeing you. But that requires qualification. You have to wait. That qualification is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That qualification means Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

Sevā means service. Not that "Oh, I have inquired so many things from such and such person. Oh, I have not rendered any payment or any service, so I have gained." No. Without service, your inquiry will be futile. So three things here. Praṇipāta, paripraśna and sevā. Praṇipāta. Praṇipāta means you must have the qualification to, at least to find out a person who is actually qualified to give you real instruction. That you have to do. That remains on you.

Suppose you have to purchase some gold or jewelries, and if you do not know where to purchase, if you go to a grocer shop to purchase a jewel, oh, then you'll be cheated. If he says, go to a grocer shop and ask, "Oh, can you give me diamond?"

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

Lord Caitanya recommended...

Just like in India, generally, the brāhmaṇas are expected to be the spiritual masters. Because brāhmaṇa means who have sufficient knowledge in the transcendental science. That is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Now, due to this modern age, Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to find out a qualified brāhmaṇa. So therefore it is very difficult also to find out a qualified spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Huh? Dhruva Mahārāja went to the forest, and he had practiced so much penance and austerities. Then he saw God. And I can see God immediately without being trained, without undergoing training? No. It is not possible.

These are absurd thing. Suppose if you are not qualified, how you can see things? Suppose if you have never seen what is ten dollar note, then, if you ask somebody, "Can you give me ten dollar note?" and if he gives you one piece of paper, "Yes, it is $10 note," then are you not cheated? You must know what is $10 note. Otherwise you'll be satisfied with a paper, piece of paper. That's all. If you do not know God, then how you can see God?

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

Somebody says that "I am searching after the truth." But you must know what is the truth. Otherwise how you will search out truth? Suppose if you want to purchase gold. You must theoretically know, or at least some experience what is gold. Otherwise people will cheat you. So these people are being cheated, accepting so many rascals as God. Because they do not know what is God. Anyone comes, "Oh, I am God," and the rascal—he is rascal, and the man who says that "I am God," he's also rascal. So rascal society and one rascal is accepted God. God is not like that. One has to qualify himself to see God, to understand God. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). If you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, then you'll be qualified to see God. Otherwise it is not possible. Go on.

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

They are not variety-less. Otherwise, the Lord would not have said that saṁsthām. There is a regular establishment. Just like you have got a regular establishment in your household affairs, similarly, the Lord has a regular household establishment in the spiritual world. Mat-saṁsthām adhigacchati. If... These processes are simply to qualify himself to enter into that establishment. That's all. We are all belong to that establishment, but being forgetful, we are now in this material world.

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

Prabhupāda: That's all. This is the process of seeing God. (laughs) Otherwise, God is not my order supplier, "Please come and see." You have to qualify yourself how to see God every moment, everywhere. And this qualification is simple. That's not very difficult.

Viṣṇujana: "The yogi who knows that I and the Supersoul within all creatures are one worships Me and remains always in Me in all circumstances."

Prabhupāda: Hmm. The purpose is there, go on.

Viṣṇujana: Purport: "A yogi who is practicing meditation on the Supersoul within himself sees the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa as Viṣṇu—with four hands, holding conchshell, wheel, club and lotus flower."

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

It is, try to understand, that, the Supreme Lord, God is pure. And His kingdom is also pure. And anyone who wants to enter there, he must be pure. That is very natural. That if you want to enter into some particular society, you must qualify yourself. Qualification is to go back to home, back to Godhead, the qualification is that you should not be materially contaminated. And what is that material contamination? The material contamination is sense gratification. Unrestricted sense gratification. That is material contamination. So you have to make yourself free from material contamination. Then you become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. That process of being freed or being washed of all material contamination, is yoga system. Yoga system does not mean that you sit down for fifteen minutes for so-called meditation and you continue all your material contamination.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

One who has developed the service spirit with love and devotion, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. Nobody else. Nobody... Not Dr. Radhakrishnan or similar person. No. But a child can understand Kṛṣṇa if he has full faith in Him.

So it is the faith and devotion that makes one qualified to understand God. Mad-āśrayaḥ. This is called mad-āśrayaḥ. Now by simply that faith and service, you'll understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now just like we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are not wasting your time or our time without having full faith that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, theoretically or practically. Theoretically, if you take that "How Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" theoretically, from the revealed scriptures, we understand from the Vedic literature that great authorities in the past and in the present...

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

"One has to know Kṛṣṇa, one has to surrender to Kṛṣṇa," this kind of teaching is required. And if the guru says that "I am Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is Kṛṣṇa," then, "daridra-kṛṣṇa, daridra-nārāyaṇa," he is not a guru. He's not a guru. He's misguiding. Misguiding. Avaiṣṇavo gurur na syāt. This is the shastric injunction. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A... Generally, a qualified brāhmaṇa becomes guru. That is natural. Brāhmaṇa is the head of the society. So he is... And without becoming brāhmaṇa, nobody can become guru. That is also fact. Because brāhmaṇa means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ, one who knows Brahman, Brahman. So guru must be a brāhmaṇa, mean a qualified brāhmaṇa, not born-brāhmaṇa, so-called brāhmaṇa. Qualified brāhmaṇa. So still, brāhmaṇa's qualification, ṣaṭ-karma, paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

So you have to keep always Kṛṣṇa within your heart. Kṛṣṇa is already within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna (BG 18.61). He's already there. Simply you have to qualify yourself to see that Kṛṣṇa is here. That is called kṛṣṇa-yoga, or bhakti-yoga. So there are many instances.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Bs. 5.38)

Those who have developed this mayy āsakta-manāḥ, means to develop your love for Kṛṣṇa. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: premā pum-artho mahān. Generally people are attached to four principles of salvation: dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90).

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

That is our real constitutional position, to love God. We are loving also, in this fallen state, but not God, all non-God or some pseudo God. But when we come to the real stage of loving God, then at that time our life becomes perfect, and it is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā, premāñjana cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). When you develop your love of God, Kṛṣṇa, then you see God every moment, every step. Santaḥ sadaiva. Sadaiva means always. If you say, "Can you show me God?" there is no need of showing God. You qualify yourself, and God will be visible in every step of your life. Then your life will be successful.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

The brāhmaṇa is compared with the brain of the body. Unless there is brain, what is the use of these hands and legs? If one's brain is cracked, madman, he cannot do anything. So at the present moment, because there is scarcity of brahminical qualified men in the whole human society... It is not meant... Brāhmaṇa is not meant for simply for India of Hindus. For the whole human society. Kṛṣṇa never says that the cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13) is meant for India, or for Hindus, or for a class of men. For whole human society, there must be a very ideal intellectual man, so that people will follow. Brain, brain of the society. That is the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. You cannot say that "We can do without brain." Suppose from your body if the brain is cut off, your head is cut off, then you are finished.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

And after learning from Him the essence of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), he agreed to fight. That is bhakti. Even by fighting, you can become a devotee. We have to carry out the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti.

So you must be qualified to know Kṛṣṇa, then you must be qualified, or automatically you become qualified how to receive His order. This is the way. So unless you understand from where the order is coming, how the order-giver is speaking, if you do not know the science, how you can talk with Kṛṣṇa and receive His order? That is also not very difficult. Kṛṣṇa says, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Anyone who is twenty-four hours engaged in Kṛṣṇa service, satata-yuktānām, not sporadic, that two minutes I meditate upon Kṛṣṇa and twenty-three hours sixty-eight minutes, ah, fifty-eight minutes I remain to satisfy my senses.

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

The brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya, śūdra, they are ascertained by the symptom. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: (BG 4.13) "I have created these four divisions of society, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. So that should be divided according to the qualification and work." Just like if you are qualified as a medical man and if you are practicing as a medical man, then you are medical man. Simply by posing yourself that "I am the son of a medical man; therefore I am medical man," this is useless. In the śāstras, a person born of a brāhmaṇa family or a person born of a kṣatriya family but his qualities are not brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, he is called brahma-bandhu, kṣatri-bandhu, not brāhmaṇa.

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

So in the Bhāgavata it is stated strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Strī, woman, and śūdra and dvija-bandhu. Dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. Especially brāhmaṇa. So dvija-bandhu, who is not qualified as a brāhmaṇa but born in the brāhmaṇa family, they are called dvija-bandhus. So śāstra says strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā. Woman, śūdra and brahma-bandhu or dvija-bandhu, they cannot understand Vedic knowledge. Unfortunately we are creating, trying to create real brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra means everyone. One who cannot become a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or vaiśya, simply they are satisfied by serving a suitable master, vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44).

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

A person who is satisfied only getting some salary from a suitable master, that is śūdra. So in this age it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. It is very difficult to find out a qualified brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. We may find out some śūdras and some vaiśyas. Therefore, if you want to raise the standard of human society, you must create a class of brāhmaṇa, a class of kṣatriya. Vaiśya and śūdras maybe there are. But it is necessary that a class of brāhmaṇa, a class of kṣatriya must be there.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to reestablish daiva-varṇāśrama, where brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, everyone. Systematic. We are, therefore, proposing to start a college, varṇāśrama college. It is proposed...

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Any religionist, any scientist. Even Professor Einstein, he was interested in Bhagavad-gītā. He was reading it daily. So wise man means one who understands Kṛṣṇa. So our formula is if one is not God conscious, or Kṛṣṇa conscious, we immediately reject him. We immediately accept that he has no qualification. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. One cannot be qualified unless he is God conscious. His all qualities immediately become rejected. "Why? He has passed M.A., Ph.D. and D.A.C., and he's honored..." That's all right, but in spite of all his education, he will create simply havoc in the world. That's all. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12).

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

So when you go to a certain different atmosphere, you have to accept a different type of body. Similarly, when you go to the spiritual world, you'll accept a spiritual body. What is the difficulty to understand? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). One should be qualified to enter into certain association, atmosphere. That... If you spiritually qualify yourself, then after giving up this body you get a spiritual body and you enter in the spiritual world. That's all. Very easy. You make yourself spiritualized in this life. That example is... Just like you put one iron rod in the fire; it becomes warmer, warmer, warmer, and at the end it becomes red hot. At that time it is no longer iron rod. It is fire. You touch that iron rod anywhere; it will burn.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). He talks with the devotee who is twenty-four hours engaged in His service. These are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Don't you read Bhagavad-gītā? So everything requires qualification. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to make the people qualified to see Kṛṣṇa. Without being qualified, how can you see? That requires qualification.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

Dīkṣā cannot be offered to a śūdra. But in this age, Kali-yuga, it is the statement of the śāstras that in the Kali-yuga most of the population are śūdras. Kalau śūdrā sambhavāḥ. How they can be initiated? This initiation is offered not according to the Vedic rules, because it is very difficult to find out a qualified brāhmaṇa. Dīkṣā is offered to a qualified brāhmaṇa. Therefore this dīkṣā is offered according to Pāñcarātriki-vidhi. That is recommended in this age. My spiritual master inaugurated this Pāñcarātriki-vidhi, and we are following his footsteps. Anyone who is inclined to devote his life for Kṛṣṇa, he should be accepted as brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

Of course, he should be trained up. Not that these boys and girls are being initiated all of a sudden. They are trained up for six months, one year, then they are offered hari-nāma. And when they are qualified actually in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, at least sixteen rounds daily, when we see, one year at least, that he is doing his duties, following the regulative principles... All these boys and girls who are initiated, they will have to follow the regulative principles. No illicit sex life. Just like one couple is married because we don't allow to live..., to allow the boys and girls to live as friends. No. That is not allowed. All my students who came to me... Because it has become a system in their country, the young boys and girls they live as friends without parents taking care of their being married. That has become a system, regular system in Europe and America.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

May not be very perfect, but we are trying our best to introduce this daiva-varṇāśrama.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says... Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3), ...means not ordinary men. Those who are situated in this daiva-varṇāśrama, qualified brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... And we should note also that this division of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra, is not that to make artificial competition and to become puffed-up with pride that "I am brāhmaṇa. You are śūdra." No. It is a cooperation. Just like you have got cooperative society, similarly, these four divisions of social orders are cooperative society. The brāhmaṇa is considered to be the mouth of the social body. The kṣatriya is considered to be the army—arm or army, strength of the social body. The vaiśyas are considered to be the productive element of the body. And the śūdras are considered to be the working class.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

Those who are actually in the position of a brāhmaṇa, actually in the position of a kṣatriya, siddhānām... They are called siddha. Actually following the rules and regulation of brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are called siddha. Kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ. It is not that one has become a brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, because one has become qualified kṣatriya, he will understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not easy to understand Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He is coming personally and He is leaving behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā to understand Him. That is Kṛṣṇa's kindness. Otherwise, by so-called mental speculation, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If a person is very expert in exercising his senses, mental speculator, it is not that he will understand Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa is describing that "Although you cannot see Me just now..." Because in the preliminary stage nobody can see Kṛṣṇa, although Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He is present within the atom. But it requires the qualified eyes to see Him or purified senses to perceive Him.

That is stated in the śāstra: ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). With our these present senses we cannot understand what is the holy, transcendental name of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore sometimes we are misunderstood, that "Why these people are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa?"

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

May he be a Christian, may be a Hindu, may be a Muhammadan or may be a Buddhist. It doesn't matter. But everyone has got his authority, book of authority, scripture. So one who does not follow the scriptural injunction, he is outlaw. He is punishable. Duṣkṛtina. And mūḍha. Mūḍha means fool number one. These people do not go to God. These qualified peoples—duṣkṛtina, means impious; mūḍha, fool number one; and narādhama, and lowest of the human kind; and māyayāpahṛta-jñāna, and bewildered of his knowledge; and āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritaḥ, and atheistic mentality. These people. One who has developed...

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

Everything is good. But still, people do not do it. Why? These are the qualifications. What are the qualifications? That he is impious, he is fool number one, he is lowest of the mankind, his knowledge has been plundered by illusion, and he is atheistic. Anyone who is qualified all by these qualifications, he cannot surrender to his father. He is still to be punished by the agent of father, the material nature. He is still to be slapped and caned very good and kicked. He has to suffer. Just like the father chastises the unruly boy, so the father, Kṛṣṇa or God, has employed this material nature, nurse. She is nursing also. She is giving us very nice foodstuff, at the same time giving good slap. Both things are going on. Because we are all rich man's sons. We are not poor man's son, poor man's son.

Lecture on BG 7.15-18 -- New York, October 9, 1966:

"Out of these four classes, men, one who is philosophically trying to understand the nature of God with devotion, with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is viśiṣyate."

Viśiṣyate means he's specially qualified. He's specially qualified. Priyo hi jñānino 'tyartham ahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ. The... "For a person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, at the same time philosophically trying to understand what is the nature of God, so he is very dear to Me," Kṛṣṇa says. "He is very dear to Me because he has no other business than to understand what is God." Others, just like a distressed man, he is in distress, but because he's pious, therefore he believes in God, he goes to the churches or to the temple or to the mosque and prays, "My dear Lord, I am very much distressed. Kindly help me." But the difficulty of this person is that God does not require to be prayed for, asking anything.

Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

Those who are worshiping, qualifying themself to enter into the higher planets, they can enter into the higher planets. Those who are trying to qualify themselves to enter into the pitṛ planets, oh, they can enter there. Similarly, those who are trying to qualify themselves to enter into the planet of the Supreme Lord, oh, they can also enter there. So our, this process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is to qualify ourself to enter into the planet of Kṛṣṇa, which is known as Goloka Vṛndāvana.

Now, we have got description of that planet. Because anything, if you want to understand, you have to hear first of all. Just like when, before my coming to your country, I had some experience by hearing: "Oh, America is such and such. New York is such and such." Somebody might have gone there, and he explains that "The climate of New York is like this." So this is by hearing.

Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

So these demigods, they are some powerful officers. That's all. But they are not God. God is one. You can become... If you become so powerful, qualified, then you can become the, I mean to say, director of the sun planet. You can become the director of moon planet. There are innumerable, thousands and millions of planets, and they are... Just like here also, you select one president to control your country, or any other country, or one becomes the controller of the whole earth, similarly, there are different controllers. They are called demigods.

So kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20). So worshiping of the demigods means that gradually, when they... They will gradually develop into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you... If one is completely disobedient, then there is no chance.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

Just like if there is electric energy, you can light up any lamp from anywhere, similarly, if we are progressive, if we are advanced in devotional service, we can see God everywhere, anywhere. We require to be qualified. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who developed that love of God, they are constantly, twenty-four hours, seeing God before him. Santaḥ sadaiva. Sadaiva means twenty-four hours, constantly. Not that "Oh, I have seen God yesterday night. Now He is not." No. He is always with you. God is everywhere. You can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. But we have to develop that eyes.

Lecture on BG 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966:

If you engage yourself in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, then gradually God will reveal Himself before you. Oh, you cannot see God by your own endeavor. But if you qualify yourself, God will reveal Himself and you'll see Him. This is the process. You cannot order, "O God, please come before me and dance before me." No. He cannot be order-supplier. But you have to do in such a way that He'll be pleased to reveal Himself before you and you'll see Him fully.

So here it is said, avyaktaḥ akṣaraḥ. The transcendental, there is. Because it is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking Himself, there is no cause of doubting. There is no cause of doubting.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

As you find that the moon is going with you, similarly, by chanting, if the moon has got such power—it is a material thing; it can go with you—don't you think the Supreme Lord, who is all-powerful, He cannot remain with you? Yes. He can. By His potency, He can remain with you, provided you are also qualified to keep His company. If you are a pure devotee and if you are always merged in the thought of Kṛṣṇa, you should always remember that Kṛṣṇa is with you. Kṛṣṇa is with you.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

That is stated that one who is directly devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he is not devotee. One who is devotee through His devotee, he is devotee.

This philosophy you should learn. You cannot say, "But why shall I go through guru or through Vaiṣṇava to Kṛṣṇa? I can go directly. I am so qualified." No, you are not qualified. If you jump over like that, that is not... That is... In Bengal it is said, honar din ke ghaska (?). There is grass before the horse. If you think that I shall jump over the horse and eat the grass, that is not possible. So one should be devotee first of all. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We must approach a bona fide guru in order to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa. Abhigacchet. This I have explained several times. So anasūyave. If you want to learn Kṛṣṇa, then you should be very much humble and submissive to Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, anasūyave.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

He has no distinction that "He is brāhmaṇa. He is śūdra. He is Indian. He's American," or "He's black. He's white," or "He's educated. He's noneducated." No. "Everyone should come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is his viewpoint. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. When one is qualified in that way, then mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Lord Kṛṣṇa says "Then he becomes eligible for becoming a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa." So practically this process, under regulative principles, is not very easy, especially in this age. In this age, the description of the people are that prāyeṇa alpāyuṣaḥ: "Their duration of life is very short." And prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ mandāḥ. Manda means very slow. Sleeping, out of twenty-four hours, sleeping twelve hours, and out of twelve hours, they're busy in earning money ten hours. Then two hours left. What he can do for spiritual understanding. There's no time. So mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

Even in this material world one is situated in sattva-guṇa, or the brahminical qualification—śamaḥ damaḥ, titikṣaḥ, ārjava, jñānam vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). These are the natural symptoms of a qualified brāhmaṇa—śamaḥ, damaḥ, titikṣaḥ, ārjava. These are described all in the Bhagavad-gītā. But still that is material. Even one is śamaḥ damaḥ titikṣaḥ jñānam vijñānam āstikyam, he's possessing, still that is material. But spiritual position is another position, transcendental position, brahma-bhuyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). So bhakti-yoga is so nice that soon as you come to the discipline of bhakti-yoga, you become situated in brahma-bhūta platform. Brahma-bhūta, he doesn't require to make separate effort for becoming brahma-bhūta. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, this is a theory for the māyāvādī philosopher, ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

There are four ways suggested. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, not by force you can go to the moon planet. That is not possible. That is simply childish. You cannot go. You must have to be qualified how to go there. Just like if somebody comes to your country, Australia, he has to take the visa, permit, passport, so many things. Then you allow. So how you can be allowed to enter into the moon planet, which is the residential place of demigods? That is a very controversial point. They say that they have gone to moon planet and there is no life. This is simply nonsense. Every planet is full of living entities. But if they say they could not find any living entities, then it is to be understood they haven't gone to the moon planet.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

Just to understand Him that He is not ordinary child; He is God Himself. Otherwise who is writing so many books for understanding a ordinary child? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "If one understands Me," tattvataḥ—tattvataḥ means in fact, in truth—"then he becomes so qualified that after..." We have to give up this body, any circumstances. That's a fact. Then such person who has become fully aware of Kṛṣṇa, such person, tyaktvā deham, giving up this body, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), he does not take any more birth with another material body.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

Prabhupāda: God will speak just like you are speaking face to face if you are qualified.

Guest (2): Not in terms of words or even sound within me but does...

Prabhupāda: Sound is speaking. Speaking is sound. There is no difference. When you speak there is sound.

Guest (2): Is the feeling of God within me whether I...

Prabhupāda: God is within and without, both. Not only within. That is... That I was... I want to explain, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). "I am everywhere." God is not only within, but without. But we have to see Him. We must have the eyes to see Him. God is everywhere. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Everywhere. God is everywhere. So we have to qualify ourself how to talk with God, how to see God. Otherwise God is present everywhere.

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

There are many instances. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he saw Kṛṣṇa from the pillar. There was... That is a long story. I shall recite some other day. So God can manifest Himself from anywhere and everywhere because He is present everywhere. But it requires my qualification to see Him. It requires my qualification. If I am qualified enough... Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). If I have developed such consciousness, such love, transcendental love for God, then I can see Him everywhere and anywhere, any place—from picture, from statue... (break) ...statue, without picture, within myself, in air, in water—everywhere I can see. That is the process.

Lecture on BG 9.11 -- Calcutta, June 30, 1973:

You can become God, I can become God, He can become God, but Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. If we accept that we are all gods... But still, there is distinction. Here is male god, here is female god, here is child god, here is an educated god, here is a foolish god. If we are all gods, then we have to qualify these gods in this way. There are differentiations from one god to another. That means one god is superior than another god. That you have to accept. So in this way, if you go on making progress, who is the best God, then you come to Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. So the param, paraṁ brahma, impersonal they say. No. Vigraha, person, just like you and me, person. But they cannot imagine how a person can become so powerful, as in the previous verse it is said, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). A person is directing.

Lecture on BG 9.15 -- New York, December 1, 1966:

Unless you hear, you cannot describe. What you shall describe? If you do not know anything about the Supreme Lord, then how can you describe? Therefore hearing is the first item, śravaṇam. And the whole Vedic literature is called hearing, śruti, śruti-śāstra. Śruti means to receive hearing. If you want to know the Supreme, you do not require to qualify yourself materially. You can remain what you are, but if you simply hear... God has given you the power of hearing. If you hear from authoritative sources, then you become perfect, simply by hearing. Therefore the first principle, hearing, is recommended, śravaṇam.

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

As I have several times mentioned that your standard of living in America is very nice. So others, people from other parts, they also try to come here and settle here. But you have got restriction, visa department. There is restriction department. You do not allow. So similarly, if you want to go to the moon planet, then you have to qualify yourself. You have to obtain the visa. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

So any planet, wherever you want to go... Of course, you may try to go there by sputnik but we have no such mention in the śāstras that you can manufacture some machine and you can go there. You have to qualify yourself. You have to qualify yourself. Just like even there is machine, jet plane, still, you require the visa to enter into America or any other country, similarly, even if you can manufacture some machine, although it is not possible, but you have to qualify yourself to be a resident in the better planets. So those who are after going to the better planets, sun planet, moon planet, and heavenly planet... There are many. Svargaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka. They are in Sanskrit names.

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

Similarly, we have got information of the supreme planet Kṛṣṇaloka, or the planet of Kṛṣṇa, where you can go. The Lord says, yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama: (BG 15.6) "The planet where going you have no more to come back." Now, these planets, these material planets, as it is mentioned here, surendra-loka... Surendra means highly qualified demigods, their planets. Surendra-lokam aśnanti. Aśnanti means they enjoy. And what do they enjoy? Divyān divi deva-bhogān. They enjoy godly comforts, deva-bhogān.

Now, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, then what is after?

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

So those who are so materially attached, their business is that they qualify themselves to be promoted in higher planets, undoubtedly. And there... Te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālam. And they enjoy life for a very, very long duration of life and godly facilities. That's all right. But kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). Then, when their pious, I mean to say, asset of pious activities finished, then they are again driven out from that planet; they come to here, this material, I mean say, earthly planet. And again they try here. Again they try here by sacrifices, by other means, to go there. So Lord Kṛṣṇa says these materialists, they, gatāgataṁ kāma-kāmā labhante, sometimes up, sometimes down.

Lecture on BG 9.23-24 -- New York, December 10, 1966:

He becomes peaceful. He becomes happy. One who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is happy. He is peaceful. He does not do any harm to anyone, not even to the ant. What to speak of other animals. He enjoys according to the direction of Kṛṣṇa. And enjoys very nicely. So his life becomes peaceful, happy and everything. That is desire of life.(?) He becomes qualified with all the good qualities. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Anyone who becomes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all the good qualities automatically develop. Develop, they develop. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ.

Lecture on BG 9.34 -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

That is not possible, that is not possible. That is foolishness. Just like I am Indian. If I want to come to France, I must take visa, I must have the passport and so on, so on. By force, I want to enter, no. So we have got experience that by force we cannot do anything. You must be competent to go anywhere, provided you qualify yourself. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). You can go, but not in that way, that because you have got a tiny machine you can go. That is not possible. That is useless. It is not possible.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

"You do not try to see God. Just act in such a way that God will see you." Just try to understand. This is very nice. If I want to see God, and I make God as my order-supplier, that "Please come and I'll see You." So God is not so small that He, at once I call Him and He'll come. No. We have to qualify ourselves. We have to qualify ourselves. Therefore by the qualification, by your qualification, God will Himself come and see you.

There are many instances. God is... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, he went to the forest to undergo severe penances to see God. So when he was, God saw him or when he saw God, then God asked him, "What do you want? What benediction you want? I shall give you." The Dhruva Mahārāja, a small boy, five years old, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). "Now I am so satisfied that I have nothing to ask from You." So one who sees, one who can perceive God, he has no more any demand because he's transcendental to all these material demands.

Lecture on BG 10.3 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness process—Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare—will help you to understand. It will cleanse your dirty things from the mind, and therefore, then you shall be able to catch up anything. To understand anything to do, one requires to be little qualified. You see? Unless such qualification... So this

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

if you chant always, twenty-four hours, without any payment, so it will cleanse. It will cleanse your heart so that you will be able to analyze your position, God's position, the world's position, your relationship, your activities. Then everything will be nicely clear and illuminated.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

Mahābhārata is meant for strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayi na śruti-gocaraḥ (SB 1.4.25). Strī, woman, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born in a brāhmaṇa family, but he's not a brāhmaṇa. That is the dvija-bandhu, "friend of a brāhmaṇa." One who is not qualified brāhmaṇa. Satyaḥ śamo damas titikṣaḥ arjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). He's simply giving his identification, "I am brāhmaṇa," without any qualification of a brāhmaṇa. He's called dvija-bandhu, "friend of a brāhmaṇa."

Just like a son of a high-court judge, he can say—he has got the right—that "I am friend of my father, of my son of high-court judge." That you can say. But you cannot say that you are high-court judge. It is a qualification. Even though you are a son of a high court judge, if you have no qualification, how you can say that "I am court judge."

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. If you have got full knowledge of Brahman, then you are a brāhmaṇa. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). And Nārada Muni says that these qualifications can be acquired by others also. As a son of a brāhmaṇa can, by bad association, disqualify himself, similarly, a son of a non-brāhmaṇa, he can qualify himself. It is education. It is not that it is monopoly by a certain section, no. That is not the Vedic injunction.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Montreal, October 25, 1968:

That is your false pride. You are not God." Adambhitvam. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā (BG 13.8). Then nonviolence. As soon as one is a realized soul, he will be nonviolent. These are the different stages of acquiring knowledge. And when one is in full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes qualified with all the good qualities, all the good godly qualities. The Bhāgavata says, yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12) If one is actually in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then all godly, good qualities will develop. Because we are part and parcel of God, the godly qualities are there. It is simply covered. Just like the fire is covered by ashes. If you fan out the ashes, then the fire comes out. Similarly, spirit soul is pure. So when he comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he becomes pure soul. Amānitvam adambhitvam. Amānitvaṁ sva-sat-kāraṇam apekṣatvam, adambhitvam dharmikatva-khyāti-phalaka-dharmācaraṇa-virahaḥ.

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973:

So good qualities can be found in the suras. Ahiṁsā amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam (BG 13.8). There are many instances that the devotees are all qualified.

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was only five years old boy and his father was always chastising him because his only fault was he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So the world is so made, full of demons, that simply for your fault of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you'll have so many enemies, even your father. This is the position. Simply for this fault, that because we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, we have got so many enemies. This is the world. Sura and asura.

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973:

And asuras means just the opposite number of viṣṇu-bhakta. They are asuras.

So if you develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you develop love for Kṛṣṇa, then automatically the qualities of the suras, or the demigods, will develop. You haven't got to endeavor separately for becoming qualified in good qualities. Automatically. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ, harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ (SB 5.18.12).

But if one is nondevotee, he cannot have any good qualities. Why? Now, mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ. Because he is on the mental platform. Devotee means one who is acting on the spiritual platform, and nondevotee means those who are acting on the material platform, either bodily platform or mental platform. These are material platform. Bodily platform, they are called karmīs. They are working for their personal benefit.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

He has got senses. He has got eyes, He has got ears, legs, everything. But they are not material. They are spiritual, but we cannot see spiritual.

Therefore we say "God is nirākāra, the spirit soul is nirākāra." This is our nonsense. It is not that God has no ākāra. He has got ākāra. You have to qualify yourself to see the form of the Lord. That is required. That how we can learn? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "What I am actually," tattvataḥ, "in truth, if you want to know, then you have to take the path of devotional service." He never says that "By karma or by jñāna, by yoga, you can see Me." No. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

If you engage yourself always, satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatām, in bhajana, in offering devotional service... Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. With love. Not that official. Love. Then He'll talk with you. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. He'll give you intelligence. He'll talk with you. Because He is within your heart. Simply you have to qualify yourself how to talk with Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa is not far away. He's within your heart. Otherwise He is very, very far away. If you want to understand by your intelligence, what intelligence you have got? You have to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your service and then He'll reveal Himself. "Here I am. What do you want?" That is the process.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Hawaii, January 31, 1975:

These are the daivī sampad. So last night we have discussed. That daivī sampad is described. There is nothing secret. Everything is open. So if you develop these qualities, abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ, etc., then you become qualified with divine possession, Sampatti. Sampatti means what you possess, under your control.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hawaii, February 2, 1975:

We have discussed already. So if you become divine... There is no impediment to become divine. Simply you have to practice for the post. Just like everyone can become a high-court judge. Everyone can become the president of United States. There is no bar. But you have to be qualified. If you qualify yourself, you can become any..., fitted in any position. Similarly, as it is said, to divine, to become daivī, you have to qualify yourself to become divine. How to become divine? That is already described. We have already...

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hawaii, February 2, 1975:

So if you qualify yourself by the divine qualities, then what is the benefit? Daivī sampad vimokṣāya. Mokṣa. Mokṣa mean liberation. So if you cultivate divine qualities, then you are fit for being liberated. What is liberation? Liberation from repeating birth and death. That is our real suffering. The modern, rascal civilization, they do not know actually what is the end of suffering. They do not know. There is no education. There is no science. They are thinking that "Here this small span of life, say, fifty years, sixty years, hundred years, utmost, if we get a nice wife, a nice apartment and nice motor car, running with seventy miles speed, and a nice whiskey bottle..." That is his perfection.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hawaii, February 3, 1975:

Or rāja means king and ṛṣi means saintly person. So either the ṛṣis did know or the kings did know. Or a king who is not less than a ṛṣi, he could know and he could rule over. That is the Vedic injunction. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. But without being rājarṣi, without being highly qualified, nobody can understand.

Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to purify the people in general to the brāhmaṇa stage. Then they'll be... you'll be able to understand. Otherwise, na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāraḥ (BG 16.7). If he's not clean, if he has..., he does not know how to behave, it is difficult. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is still more kind that "Never mind whatever you are. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you become purified." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hyderabad, December 16, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa is... Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). Even the pāpa-yonis, they can be relieved, what to speak of those who are born in good family, brāhmaṇa, puṇya, rājarṣaya, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. Of course, in this age it is very difficult to find out the qualified brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Kali-yuga, everyone is almost śūdra. And still, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. They can be elevated. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement.

Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

If you want to train the first-class men then they should be qualified like this. Śamaḥ, śamaḥ means controlling the senses. Controlling the senses, śamaḥ. Damaḥ, controlling the mind. These are very disturbing elements, our senses are very disturbing elements. My eye is dictating, "Please take me to see that naked dance," Yes. "Yes, come on, I'm going." So, the eyes are dictating some way, the tongue is dictating some way, the ear is dictating some way. Therefore, one should be trained up not to be dictated by the senses, but he must be master of the senses. That is called śamaḥ. And damaḥ, mind is dictating something.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

Actually, one who is sinful, who is not undergoing the method of austerities, penance, what he will understand about Bhagavad-gītā? It is not a table talk. People are taking it as a table talk. By so-called scholarship... That is not possible. Just like it is said that unless one is a brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, he should not touch the Vedas. That means what he'll understand? Unless one has attained the brahminical qualification: truthfulness, cleanliness, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, simplicity, tolerant, full of Vedic knowledge, practical application in life, and full faith in the Vedas... This is, these are the brahminical qualifications. So unless one has attained the brahminical qualification, what he will understand, the Vedas?

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

No. These are transcendental subject matter. Tat. Oṁ tat sat. Unless one is advanced... Everything... Just like on our ordinary life also, unless one has graduated, he cannot enter into the law college. So it is not prohibition. The law college is open for everyone. But he must be properly qualified to get entrance. Similarly, one must be properly qualified to enter into the transcendental subject matter. Everyone and anyone cannot. Śūdras, those who are in śūdra qualification, how they can understand Vedas? It is not possible.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa knows that mostly they are persons contaminated. Therefore He said, idaṁ te na atapaskāya. Those who are too much contaminated with the material qualities, three qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa... So generally, people are contaminated with tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. Hardly, at the present moment, hardly we shall find out one is qualified with the sattva-guṇa, brahminical qualification. Śāstra says, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In this age, Kali-yuga, mostly all of them are śūdras." No brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya, according to qualification. You can, by force, you can say, "I am brāhmaṇa; because I am son of a brāhmaṇa, I am brāhmaṇa." That you can do, but that is not the qualification. If somebody says, "My father is high-court judge. Therefore I am a high-court judge," is that very nice proposal? One must attain the qualification of high-court judge, even though he's a son of a high-court judge.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

First thing is that ego, if you are qualified with false ego, that ego development is dangerous for you. Suppose you are..., you are falsely thinking that you are king. Although you are a servant, you are thinking, "I am king." This is false ego. And if you increase this false ego, then where is the benefit? You are misled. Is it not?

Page Title:Qualified (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:15 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=119, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:119