Reading Bhagavad-gita (Lectures, Other)

Expressions researched:
"Bhagavad-gita should be read" |"Professor Einstein, he was reading regularly" |"rascal is reading" |"read Bhagavad-gita" |"read at least one chapter of Bhagavad-gita" |"read from Bhagavad-gita" |"read the entire Bhagavad-gita" |"reading Bhagavad-gita" |"reading and hearing such scriptures" |"reads Bhagavad-gita" |"reads the scriptures—never mind"

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

Just suppose, if your stock of grain is finished, then what you will do, if there's no rain. You cannot produce rain in your factory, rain or grain or anything, in your factory or mill. That is not possible.

So people have become so fallen, they cannot understand the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, although they are very much proud that reading Bhagavad-gītā daily. What you have understood? Then they cannot say anything. We have understood Kṛṣṇa means this black spot. This rascal hasn't understood Bhagavad-gītā and he's preaching Bhagavad-gītā. Just see the fault. So this is going on. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a war declared against all these rascals. We have got many enemies, but we don't care for them. Still we shall go on. Johnny Walker is still going strong.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

They think that they are so advanced that they will jump over immediately to the Kṛṣṇa's rasa-līlā. That means Kṛṣṇa's līlā in the Kurukṣetra is not very much important for them. But no. Kṛṣṇa's līlā, either in the Kurukṣetra or in Vṛndāvana, the same thing. We should know. Abhinnatvād nāma-nāminoḥ. So better, first of all, read Bhagavad-gītā, the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Try to read, or try to learn. Of course, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is everything. But for ordinary persons, because Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD of spiritual knowledge... People even commit mistakes in studying the ABCD of spiritual knowledge. People have become so much degraded that they cannot understand even ABCD of spiritual knowledge. They'll make their own interpretation. Such is the horrible condition. They'll try to make minus Kṛṣṇa Bhagavad-gītā, go on reading Bhagavad-gītā for millions of years, setting aside Kṛṣṇa. That is scholarly. This is going on. Scholar means they say, openly... I have seen Dr. Radhakrishnan.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

Anyone can come and hear about Kṛṣṇa. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We try to invite everyone, from every corner of the world, to hear about Kṛṣṇa. And that is becoming successful also. Simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—and reading Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, simply talking about Kṛṣṇa, they are becoming successful. So we should take... In the Kali-yuga it is very difficult to go step by step. It is not possible. Therefore by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the easiest path has been recommended:

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalaṁ

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

Actually, we cannot accept various paths for self-realization. That is not impossible. Sometimes, because we give stress directly to accept this devotional service, people are not very happy that we do not give any importance to the process of jñāna and karma and yoga.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.8 -- Mayapur, April 1, 1975:

Such executive head needed, not these rascals. Then you'll never be happy. Simply by hook and crook you select some rascal president; you'll never be happy. He must be Kṛṣṇa Himself or Kṛṣṇa's representative. Then people will be happy. Imaṁ rājarṣayoḥ viduḥ. They are thinking that "The Bhagavad-gītā is meant for some parasites. They are doing nothing, and they are indulging in reading Bhagavad-gītā and living at the cost of others." They are thinking like that. But actually the ruler should be the well-conversant student of Bhagavad-gītā. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. Imaṁ rājarṣayoḥ viduḥ. It is meant for the saintly kings. Because if the king or the president understands Bhagavad-gītā, he can make solution of all the problems. But he remains a rascal, and there is no solution. They're simply fighting with one another. This politician is fighting with another politician. This is going on. This will never make us happy. Therefore it is better to go away from this place and go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:

Everything is described there, but they are manda. They will take interpretation of a rascal of Bhagavad-gītā. Sumanda-matayo. Even they read Bhagavad-gītā, they will read some rascaldom. Sumanda-matayo. The Māyāvādī philosophy, they will take it, not Kṛṣṇa's philosophy. They are reading Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa's book, but interpreting in the Māyāvādīc way. Therefore sumanda-matayo. Their intelligence is very bad. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā. And the unfortunate. In India there are so many Vedic literatures, full of treasure house of transcendental knowledge. But manda-bhāgyās they will read Lenin's literature. Just see how much unfortunate they have become. As if Lenin can speak more than Kṛṣṇa. This is going on. Manda... Not only here, everywhere, all the parts of the world, they are manda-bhāgyā. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). At the same time, they are disturbed by so many conditions. Just like at the present moment there is no rice, no wheat, no food. The agitation is... Manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ. Upadrutāḥ. They must be disturbed because they have not taken the right path.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Yes." He embraced him. "My dear brāhmaṇa, you are really understanding Bhagavad-gītā." Because he knows the central point of Bhagavad-gītā. The central point. I have several times recited this narration, that Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was traveling in South India, He saw that one brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā, and his neighbors, they knew it that "This brāhmaṇa is illiterate and he does not know even what is ABCD, and still he's reading Bhagavad-gītā." So they were joking, sometimes criticizing him. The brāhmaṇa, of course, he was reading as far as possible. What possible? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw the fun and approached the brāhmaṇa, "Oh, My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" He understood that "Here is a sincere person. He's not joking me. He's simply inquiring." So he said, "My dear Sir, I am illiterate. I do not know even the alphabets. But my Guru Mahārāja asked me to read every day eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-gītā. So what can I do?

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

So what can I do? I have taken this Bhagavad-gītā in pursuance of my spiritual master. I am simply seeing the cover and trying to understand what is there." Now he's illiterate. By seeing the cover, he's trying to understand Bhagavad-gītā by the order of his spiritual master. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Because my spiritual master has ordered me to read Bhagavad-gītā—I know I'm illiterate, I cannot read—oḥ, let me see what it is." Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked him, "Well, you are illiterate, but I see that with feeling you are crying." "Yes, Sir, I am crying." "Why?" "Now, soon as I take this book, the picture of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna comes before me. I see that Kṛṣṇa is driving the chariot and Arjuna is hearing, and I simply appreciate, 'Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has become his chariot driver of His devotee.' Therefore I am crying. Oh, He's so kind." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "You are reading Bhagavad-gītā." At once He embraced him. This is reading Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa—minus Bhagavad-gītā commentation, all rascaldom. Be careful of these, all these fools and rascals.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

It is not very, I mean to say, highly theosophical or theological literature. That highly theological literature is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the natural commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. So in the Bhagavad-gītā we get all information how Kṛṣṇa expands Himself. Advaita... Vedeṣu durlabha. Therefore one who does not read Bhagavad-gītā through a devotee... Kṛṣṇa... Just like Arjuna is a devotee. He understands Bhagavad-gītā. Without going through a devotee, nobody can understand God or His statements. Thousands of people for thousands of years, reading Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not know Kṛṣṇa. Is it not a fact? Yes. So because they are not going through the proper channels, they are... Still, vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Simply by trying to understand the Vedic literature, one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedeṣu durlabha. Durlabha means very difficult to approach. Adurlabha ātma-bhaktau. But ātma-bhaktau, those who are devotees, for them He is very easily accepted.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

They gave reference to the Bhagavad-gītā, but there was no, not a single devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Not a single devotee." Prior to this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they had not a single devotee of Kṛṣṇa, as you are finding. Now Bhagavad-gītā is being presented as it is, and they are understanding rightly, and they are becoming devotee. Anyone who will read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malcommentation, he'll become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And when he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, accepting the principle, "Kṛṣṇa is all in all," vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That position we have to attain. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching is based on that principle. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). That is His... He is Kṛṣṇa also. According to Vedic evidence, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇa. He belongs to the category of Kṛṣṇa, but He is playing the part of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa in order to teach us how to love Kṛṣṇa, how to approach Kṛṣṇa. As such, if we accept the process enunciated by Lord Caitanya, then it is very easy to approach Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

Everything is resting in Him. That means in His energy. Śakti-śakti mat or abheda. His energy is not different from Him. So therefore this quotation given from Viṣṇu Purāṇa by Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very appropriate. Viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā kṣetrajñākhyā tathā parā (CC Madhya 6.154). Ksetrajña, these living entities... Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, you know. Ksetrajña means the living entities. Kṣetra means this body, and jña means proprietor or the knower of this body. Just like when there is some pain and pleasure, you know. Therefore you are kṣetrajña; we are all kṣetrajña. And Kṛṣṇa says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. And that is Paramātmā. When Kṛṣṇa says, "I am also kṣetrajña..." Not this kṣetrajña. Sometimes they misunderstand that the individual soul, living entity, and Paramātmā is the same. No. He says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: "I am also one of the birds sitting on this body." That is confirmed in the Upaniṣad. Two birds are sitting in one tree. So one bird is witnessing.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.254 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1968:

Five thousand years before, Kṛṣṇa spoke this Bhagavad-gītā; still going strong. It's so famous. And Kṛṣṇa claims that sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). Most of you must have read Bhagavad-gītā, and in the Fourteenth Chapter you'll find that Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna, in all species of life there may be as many varieties of forms." We are all living entities. Here even, even in human society, we have got different types of forms. Nobody will be exactly like the form of another gentleman. There is difference. So this is the beauty of creation. If you go to a tree, there are millions and billions of leaves, and you won't find one leaf exactly like the other. So there are varieties of living entities. Out of the varieties of the living entities, the human kind living entities are very small. From śāstra, from scripture, we understand that there are 8,400,000 species of life, 8,400,000 species of life.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

First of all hear. Then say yes or no. He says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata: "I am also kṣetrajñam, but sarva-kṣetreṣu." If ātmā... I am ātmā; you are ātmā. You know your kṣetra; I know my kṣetra. But I do not know your kṣetra; you do not know my kṣetra. That is Bhagavān. He knows everyone. Ksetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. So Kṛṣṇa or Bhagavān, He is sarva-kṣetreṣu, but you are only your kṣetra. Therefore dvaitavāda, two different kṣetras, kṣetrajñas. One kṣetrajña is all-pervading and one kṣetrajña is localized. Therefore two kṣetrajñas. It is dvaitavāda. Yes. You see Bhagavad-gītā? You have read Bhagavad-gītā?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.152-154 -- New York, December 5, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa is advaya-jñāna. So when we hear Kṛṣṇa's name, then we should understand that "Kṛṣṇa is before me in His sound vibration. He is present before me in sound because He is everything." Why sound (is) not Kṛṣṇa? If He is everything, sound is also Kṛṣṇa.

So this is called advaya-jñāna. Similarly, when we read Bhagavad-gītā, that is also Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we should pay respect. When we enter into the temple of Kṛṣṇa, it should be understood that we are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. Everything in relationship is Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest... Therefore the devotees who are in the higher conception of Kṛṣṇa consciousness sees nothing before him save and except Kṛṣṇa. That is not to be imitated, but the stage, in the higher stage, the devotee sees nothing but Kṛṣṇa. Sarvatra sphūraya tāṅra iṣṭa-deva mūrti. Everything in relation to Kṛṣṇa. Matter is energy of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore energy and the energetic, not being different, so even in the material world he sees Kṛṣṇa. So for him, there is no matter, everything spiritual.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

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

Kṛṣṇa, you'll never see. Kṛṣṇa is just like a twenty-years-old young boy. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). He is not to be found in the Vedas. There is, but we miss. In the Ṛg Veda, in the Atharva Veda, Kṛṣṇa is there. Vedeṣu durla... But the ordinary man cannot find. Just like the people, they're reading Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not understand Kṛṣṇa. There are so many people; they are very proud of reading Bhagavad-gītā daily, but they do not understand Kṛṣṇa. The only thing is, they're missing Kṛṣṇa. Except Kṛṣṇa, all rubbish thing they are talking. This is their vision. Because vedeṣu durlabha. For the rubbish person, rascal person, Kṛṣṇa is durlabha. Adurlabha ātma-bhaktau. But Kṛṣṇa is available, Kṛṣṇa has to be seen from the Kṛṣṇa's devotee. Not from others. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna that "I am again explaining to you this Bhagavad-gītā because bhakto 'si priyo 'si rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam (BG 4.3).

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

We are all living entities, spirit souls, encaged in this material body. We are transmigrating from one body to another. There are 8,400,000 species of life, and this human form of life is the greatest opportunity for self-realization. Self-realization means to know that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. I am part and parcel of God." You have... Most of you must have read Bhagavad-gītā. In the Fifteenth Chapter it is said that the living entities are part and parcel of God. God is by nature joyful. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said about the Supreme Absolute Truth, as ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), by nature joyful. Therefore, as we are part and parcel of God, our aim of life is joy. We are searching after that joyfulness within this material world, but that is not possible. Just like a fish, if it is taken from the water and put on the land, in any condition the fish will never feel joyfulness. Similarly, we are spirit souls. Somehow or other, we have come in contact with this material world. Therefore in this material world we cannot have joyfulness. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt.

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

And if you continue this, then some day will come, even in this life it may come, that you will understand what is Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, then after leaving this body you go back to home, back to Godhead, directly (?). This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā... Lord Kṛṣṇa says,

janma karma me divyaṁ

yo jānāti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti kaunteya

(BG 4.9)

Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's appearance, Kṛṣṇa's disappearance, Kṛṣṇa's activities. This Rathayātrā is one of the activities of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore to take part in the Rathayātrā festival means to associate with Kṛṣṇa directly. So in this way, if we associate with Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's qualities, Kṛṣṇa's form, then, gradually, we transcend this material existence.

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

Indian people awarded the title "Mahatma" Gandhi, but mahātmā means a different... Mahātmā's definition is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. There it is stated, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daiviṁ prakṛtim āśritaḥ (BG 9.13). A mahātmā is under the shelter of the internal potency of God. There are two kinds of potencies. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You should read Bhagavad-gītā very carefully. You'll understand everything. Aparā and parā. These are stated. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca... bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). The Lord said, material world, what is this material world? This material world is composition of earth, water, air, fire, ether. And this is gross element, gross ingredients. But there are finer, subtle ingredients, mind, intelligence, ego. So these eight gross and fine elements which is the material world, that is expressed in the Bhagavad-gītā that bhinnā me prakṛti aṣṭadhā, "These eight kinds of prakṛti, nature, is my separated inferior energy."

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- New Delhi, November 10, 1971:

Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is in India, it is surprising that India is not serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I have read in one government paper, Kṛṣṇa's (indistinct) or something black of origin. And people are sophisticated to worship Him. Such article has been published by the government. And average Indian can read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. This is our intelligence, and there in the government also. So it is very unfortunate that we are not taking care of our own treasure-house of knowledge, and we are trying to get knowledge from technology and be happy. This, there is no question of peace unless you understand Kṛṣṇa.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they meditate upon the Supreme Person, Viṣṇu, and by that process they realize the self. Self-realization is the prime object of human life. So the beginning of self-realization is to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

So these things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. If we simply read Bhagavad-gītā carefully, under proper guidance, then everything will be clear, without any difficulty, that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. My business is different than this bodily concept of life. I shall never be happy taking, accepting this body as self. That is a wrong foundation of knowledge." In this way, if we make progress, then we shall understand, ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am spirit soul." Then wherefrom I have come? Everything is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, that the spirit soul, Kṛṣṇa says, the Lord says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "These living entities, they are My part and parcel, fragment, or minute sparks."

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

So he has the right to read the Vedic literature.

So the Bhagavad-gītā is the summary of all Vedic knowledge. So if we pass through this process of divya-jñāna, dīkṣā, then we rightly understand what is Bhagavad-gītā or we become interested that what is the lesson of Bhagavad-gītā. Veda pathād bhaved vipra. After reading... Bhagavad-gītā is the summary of Vedic literature. You cannot read all the Vedas at the present moment, neither you have time, nor you have got the capacity. In this Kali-yuga, mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10), everyone is fallen. Manda-bhāgyā. So this human life should be utilized for understanding the Vedic knowledge, divya-jñāna; then he'll be purified, tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). My existential identity will be purified. At the present moment it is not purified. Because it is not purified, therefore we are repeatedly dying. But there is no knowledge how to stop death. They think death is natural. It is not natural.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 2, 1968:

In India there is a..., charity is given to the brāhmaṇas. So a man saw that his cow is blind. "All right, give it in charity." So charity means... Charity should be the first-class thing if it is really charity. But nowadays people give in charity just for name. "Oh, I am giving something." This charity... You have read Bhagavad-gītā. There are three kinds of charity: sattvic, rajasic, tamasic. Sattvic, charity in goodness, is with due consideration that "Here should be given the charity." Just like the Vedic injunction is to give charity to the brāhmaṇas. Why? That is the worthy place, to give charity in the hands of brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇava. Real brāhmaṇas. I don't say caste brāhmaṇa. Because they will employ whatever you give them in the service of the Lord. Therefore charity, that is sattvic charity. There is no question of profit or name. But, "Charity should be given here. Here is something, God's service." That is sattvic. And rajasic means for the sake of name. "Oh, people will say I am so charitable." That is rajasic.

Lecture -- San Francisco, April 2, 1968:

This is not a new movement. Practically, it is as old as the creation of this world, but as things change in course of time, so it required rejuvenation. So this movement was rejuvenated about five hundred years ago. Before that, Lord Kṛṣṇa... You might have heard His name. Most of you have read Bhagavad-gītā, the famous philosophical doctrine of Indian Vedānta philosophy. Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed Bhagavad-gītā in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra five thousand years ago. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā we find everything complete so far God consciousness is required. The first and foremost qualification to understand the science of God or to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is to understand yourself. The first thing is what you are or what I am. In the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra this perplexed question was there before Arjuna.

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

You do not know what is Indian religion. The Indian religion is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Have you read Bhagavad-gītā? Then you do not know what is Indian religion. Indian religion is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, there is no greater higher authority than Kṛṣṇa. You can accept it. At least, the Indians, they accept. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said in the beginning that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati: (BG 4.7) "Whenever there is discrepancy in the matter of discharging religious principles, I appear." Now, if you accept this religion means the Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion or Buddhist religion, Kṛṣṇa does not propose such religion. He, at the end of Bhagavad-gītā, He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other religious principles. You simply surrender unto Me." So religion, either you take it Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion, religion means to surrender unto God. And the Bhāgavata explains, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is the perfect type of religion which teaches surrendering unto the Supreme Lord.

Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968:

This is mahājana. Not that according to my whims, I cut something, I accept something. No. One who is accepting the version of Arjuna or Kṛṣṇa, he is mahājana. You can follow him. That's all. It is simple thing. You haven't got to find out who is mahājana. The mahājana means who is following another mahājana, say follow Arjuna. He is mahājana. (break) ...to read Bhagavad-gītā and try to understand how Arjuna understood it, then you get... And anyone following the footprints of Arjuna, he's mahājana. (end)

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

No. You should read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. This is only a preliminary division. In the spiritual platform, everything is absolute. If you read Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find the same proposition as in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is not that because you are studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that you haven't got to study Bhagavad-gītā. It is not like that. You read these literatures and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, follow the rules and regulations and live happily. Our program is very happy program. We chant, we dance, we eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam, we paint nice pictures of Kṛṣṇa and see them nicely decorated, and we read philosophy. So what you want more? (laughs)

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

That intelligence you must have, who is a pseudo spiritual master or real spiritual master. Otherwise you'll be cheated. And that is being done. Everyone is interpreting in his own way. The Bhagavad-gītā, there are thousands of editions, and they have tried to interpret in their own way, all nonsense. They should be all thrown away. Simply you have to read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you'll understand. There is no question of interpretation. Then the authority is gone. As soon as you interpret, then there is no authority. Lawbook. Do you mean to say in the court if you say before the judge, "My dear lord, I interpret this passage in this way," will it be accepted? The judge will at once say, "Who are you to interpret? You have no right." Then what is the authority of this lawbook if everyone comes, "I interpret in this way"? And interpretation when required? When a thing is not understood. If I say, "It is watch," and everyone understands that "This is watch, yes," then where is the opportunity of interpreting that this is spectacle? If anyone can understand the clear passage...

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

"My dear boy, you do like this." And by doing that, what he will achieve? Yena mām upayānti te: "He'll come back to Me." And what profit he will get by going there? Ah, yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Duḥkhalayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). There are so many. Please read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. You'll get perfect knowledge, the science of God. That is the only study for human being.

So simply your eagerness is the perfection for serving Kṛṣṇa. Increase that eagerness. And eagerness means if you love Kṛṣṇa, that eagerness will increase with your increase of love: "How I shall serve Kṛṣṇa?" Because you are voluntary servant, nobody is forcing. That means unless you love Kṛṣṇa, how that eagerness will increase? So there are so many things to love Kṛṣṇa. Beginning is this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

Madhudviṣa: He wants to read it in a book, something that explains the validity of the statement that there's an after-life.

Prabhupāda: Read Bhagavad-gītā. You study Bhagavad-gītā, you'll understand everything.

Young man (1): That's sixty-eight volumes?

Prabhupāda: No.

Young man (1): How many volumes?

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā is one volume only, eighteen chapters. So it is not very... Seven hundred verses. You can read it in three days. It is not very difficult. So we have published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and I think if you read, you'll get so many nice informations. And after reading Bhagavad-gītā, you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then you get further enlightenment. Then you read Teachings of Lord Caitanya, you get further enlightenment. And for general information we have got this Back to Godhead. You can read. So we have got sufficient literatures. It is not that simply we are talking. We are backed by sufficient knowledge and literatures. Yes?

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

So how this infinity can be calculated by the frog? So those who are calculating infiniteness of this tiny soul, they're all Dr. Frogs. You are not infinite. You are finite. How you can be infinite? You can be infinite only when you dovetail yourself with the infinite. Individually you are finite. That is the position, real position. In the Bhagavad-gītā in the Fifteenth Chapter... You have read Bhagavad-gītā? So did you not read this verse in the Fifteenth Chapter, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loka sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7)? Have you read this? That "These living entities, they're My parts and parcels, fragmental parts." So you are... God is infinite. You are infinitesimal part and parcel. So how you can be infinite?

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 30, 1969:

The greatest scholars of the world, the philosophers, they are trying to understand Bhagavad-gītā. There were many, many great scholars and saintly persons all over India, but each and every one of them have tried to understand Bhagavad-gītā. Even Professor Einstein, he was reading Bhagavad-gītā.

So His attractiveness is evidently presented by the wisdom of Bhagavad-gītā. So He is all-attractive. There is no doubt about it. And in the Vedic literature we also understand: tasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati: "If you can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the Absolute Truth, then sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati, you can understand everything, how it is working." Because everything is display of His energy. So if you can understand how His energy is acting, then you can understand the whole cosmic manifestation. That is explained in the Vedic literature. Just like in our presence we have got practical experience, the sun.

Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:

Therefore Vedic process does not accept that one should endeavor to know the ultimate truth by exertion of our present senses, which are conditioned by so many ways. Therefore those who are students in the Vedic literature, they accept authorities. Just like you are reading Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā is being taught by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. He is authority. And Kṛṣṇa says that "This Bhagavad-gītā is taught from time immemorial by disciplic succession," not by research work. As soon as you study Bhagavad-gītā by your academic knowledge, without reference to the authoritative description, then you commit mistake. You do not understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, that "This disciplic succession is now broken. I therefore establish again the disciplic succession unto you." That means Arjuna becomes the disciple of Kṛṣṇa, and anyone who understands Bhagavad-gītā, following the footprints of Arjuna, he can understand rightly what is the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā.

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

You will find it. If you practice it, you will find it.

So if you think that "Why we shall chant 'Kṛṣṇa'? Kṛṣṇa was Indian, and it is Hindu god's name," but that is not a fact. Kṛṣṇa never claimed that He is Hindu or Indian or black or white. He doesn't claim anything. He said... Most of you have read Bhagavad-gītā. He said, He claims,

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ

tāsāṁ mahad-yonir brahma

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

Sarva-yoniṣu: "In all species of life, in all forms of life..." There are 8,400,000 forms of life. So Kṛṣṇa claims that "All form of life, not only human being—the beast, the birds, the aquatics, the, I mean to say, reptiles—everywhere, wherever there is life, therefore, their mother is this material nature, and I am the seed-giving father." So Kṛṣṇa claims everyone's father. So He is neither Indian nor Hindu.

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

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa. Yes. You have read Bhagavad-gītā? You read it thoroughly. Then you will understand.

Man (11): No, but I think (I've seen?) Bhagavad-gītā without...

Prabhupāda: You think. That is a wrong thing. Your thinking is not authority.

Man (12): The man's protesting.

Devotee: That's the man's opinion.

Prabhupāda: That's your opinion. That's all right. Opinion may differ. That's all right. That's your opinion. Opinion may be... You may have one opinion; another have another opinion. But whose opinion should be accepted? That is the question.

Man (13): (indistinct)

Woman (9): He said he can have his opinion.

Prabhupāda: All right. So any other questions? Let us chant.

Lecture -- New Vrindaban, June 7, 1969:

Completely clear is not possible because we are in this material world, we have got this material body. But Bhāgavata says, "Even it is not completely cured, almost cured," nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā... Nityam means daily, regularly. Bhāgavata-sevayā. Bhāgavata means in relationship with Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. So these boys are engaged in reading Bhāgavatam, in reading Bhagavad-gītā and other literatures which gives them knowledge about Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And bhāgavata means the devotee. They have accepted a spiritual master, as a good devotee, so they are serving, bhāgavata-sevayā. Then bhagavati... Then, by this process, he becomes fixed up in the transcendental loving service of God. In this way, evaṁ prasanna-manaso (SB 1.2.20)? "By this way, he becomes jolly." Because jolliness is my original consciousness, but due to my material contamination I am not jolly, I am morose, I am full of anxiety. So as soon as you become freed from this material contamination... Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ.

Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:

Go to that effulgent region." Tamasi mā jyotir gama. The Bhagavad-gītā also says the same thing. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā.

So our request is that you read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Here there are many Englishmen and Indians. That is my request. I am not charging anything. I am not making a profession. This saṅkīrtana movement, we are chanting freely. You can hear. There is... Not that it is a secret thing—if you pay me something, then I shall disclose. No. It is open secret. Anyone can take, and there is no loss. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, there is no loss, but there is great gain. You can try it. So we are freely distributing it by chanting. You can join with us, you try to understand us, what is our philosophy.

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

And this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, a dog or cat cannot chant although he has got the tongue. So you have got the facility. By God's mercy you have got this facility to chant the holy name of God. If you think that Kṛṣṇa is Indian God's name, actually it is not Indian God's name. Kṛṣṇa never claims that He's Indian or Hindu. Most of you have read Bhagavad-gītā. He claims everyone as His son. Not only human society—the animal society, bird society, the beast society, the plant society, the aquatic society, all. Sarva-yoniṣu. Sarva means all. Yoni, yoni means species of life. Everyone, all living entities, Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa must be... If He is God, He must claim that, that "The material nature is their mother and I am their father." So Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Not that... Don't think that Kṛṣṇa is for the Indian or for the Hindus. No. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. This Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. For the human being, for the animals—everyone. So if you think that Kṛṣṇa is belonging to some particular country or religion, then you can chant your own way.

Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970:

Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ. Dehinaḥ means the proprietor of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). This śarīra, this body, is called kṣetra, and the person, or the living entity, who is working on this body, he's called kṣetrajña. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, they have come to this understanding of kṣetra-kṣetrajña. Kṣetrajña means I, you. I know about my body, about the interest of my body. If somebody wants to kill me, I take protection because it is my body, kṣetra. Just like your land. If somebody comes to encroach upon it, you take care. Similarly, this body is kṣetra, the field of activities, and I or you, the proprietor of the body, is kṣetrajña one who knows about the body. But there is another kṣetrajña. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. Sarva-kṣetreṣu. Kṛṣṇa is also kṣetrajña. Kṛṣṇa is also sitting. As I am sitting within this body, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is also sitting within this body.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

Because Devakī, she is now so much glowing." So he could understand. He sometimes wanted to kill Devakī; then he restrained himself, that "If I kill Devakī in pregnancy, it will be great, I mean to say, bad reputation." So he restrained himself. But therefore he was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, but he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa unfavorably. So similarly, those who are reading Bhagavad-gītā unfavorably means in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa is the principal factor, but anyone who is trying to kill Kṛṣṇa and reading Bhagavad-gītā, that is Kaṁsa's reading.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

That is not bhakti. That is going on. Great, great scholars, they are trying to kill Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā. So this has to be stopped. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness on this basis, that "Don't try to kill Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa cannot be killed. You will be killed. You will be killed. Kṛṣṇa cannot be killed." When I went to Western countries, they said that "God is dead." Here also, in our country so many people says that "Kṛṣṇa came. He is dead and gone. Now I am greater than Kṛṣṇa." So many rascal incarnations: "I am greater than Kṛṣṇa." You see. So this is going on.

So by this way you cannot be happy. You must be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if you act like that, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). We have to understand Bhagavad-gītā through the paramparā system, not whimsically: "I think," "It is my opinion." What you are, nonsense? Throw your opinion. This process should be given up.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

And still, Kṛṣṇa said, "I'll speak to you this yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā because you are My devotee and dear friend." Therefore the first qualification for understanding Bhagavad-gītā is to become a dear friend of Kṛṣṇa. And if you are a Kaṁsa, what you will understand, Bhagavad-gītā? If your motive is to kill Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā... Just like Dr. Radhakrishnan says, when he is explaining this verse, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." He directly says. He's advising not to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. "It is the unborn which is within Kṛṣṇa." He does not know, there is no "within," "without" Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. He has no knowledge. Still, he's trying to comment on Bhagavad-gītā. This is going on.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

I shall cite one example when Lord Caitanya was traveling in the South India. When He was in the Raṅganātha temple of South India, one brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā, and his friends and neighbors knew that the brāhmaṇa was illiterate. He could not know even what is written there, but still he was trying to read Bhagavad-gītā. So some of his friends were criticizing him: "Hello, brāhmaṇa. How you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" He knew that "They are criticizing," so he remained silent. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw that he was reading Bhagavad-gītā with transcendental ecstasy. He therefore approached him, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" The brāhmaṇa could understand that this gentleman, or this sannyāsī—Caitanya Mahāprabhu at that time was a sannyāsī—He was not joking. He was serious. So he informed Him, "My dear sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā, but I am illiterate. My Guru Mahārāja asked me to read Bhagavad-gītā a few chapters daily, although he knew that I am illiterate. So I am trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but I cannot actually read it." But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "But I sometimes see that you are in full ecstasy and sometimes you are crying."

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

And He is carrying out the order. So when I see that Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He can become an order carrier of His devotee, that is giving me feeling, and I am therefore crying." Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him and said, "My dear brāhmaṇa, you are actually reading Bhagavad-gītā." That is the fact. If after reading Bhagavad-gītā we do not realize what is Kṛṣṇa, what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what is our duty towards Kṛṣṇa, and what is the ultimate goal of life, then it is useless study. It has no meaning. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa prescribed it, how to read Bhagavad-gītā. Don't try to read Bhagavad-gītā made by some commentator who has no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. One who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he has no business to comment on the Bhagavad-gītā.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

So anyone who is trying to divert people's attention from Kṛṣṇa to non-Kṛṣṇa... That is the business of the modern so-called philosophers and educationists or religionists. They'll continue to read Bhagavad-gītā life long but will interpret in a different way so that people may not surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is their business. Such persons are called duṣkṛtina. They are themselves also not ready to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and they are misleading others also not to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is their business. Such persons are duṣkṛtina, miscreants, rogues, rascals, those who are deviating people in other ways. A great scholar—I do not wish to name—he is writing in his commentary, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." Just see. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "You just become My devotee." Mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: "You just worship Me and offer your obeisances unto Me. In this way you will get Me. You will achieve Me."

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

I don't want it. Give me that original. Why shall I take this? Let it be cheaper, but I don't want it." Similarly, why should we accept so-called incarnation of Kṛṣṇa? We should accept Kṛṣṇa, original Kṛṣṇa. Original Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's words are identical. When you read Bhagavad-gītā, you are exactly in front of Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna was in front of Kṛṣṇa while Kṛṣṇa was personally speaking. That is transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa. Why He has left this instruction? Because if we accept the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā, immediately we are in presence of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the other day I cited the example of the illiterate brāhmaṇa. So that is transcendental way of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Take this formula. Kṛṣṇa says here that everything that is working in this material or spiritual world, they are different energies of Kṛṣṇa. He is the original source of creation, He is the original source of maintenance, and He is the original source of annihilation. Therefore nobody is greater than Him.

Lecture at Wayside Chapel -- Sydney, May 13, 1971:

So this saṅkīrtana movement is meant for purifying our heart. By long association with this material nature, we are thinking that "There is no God," "I have nothing to do with God. I am independent of God." We are thinking like that. But actually this is not a fact. The gross material nature is very strong. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā—those who have read Bhagavad-gītā—daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). God has got multi-energies, and they are divided grossly into three: the external energy, the internal energy and the marginal energy. The external energy is this material nature, and the internal energy, there is another, spiritual nature. As you see this universe, as far as you can see or imagine, it is covered. This is material energy. Beyond this covering there is another nature. That is spiritual nature. We get this information from the Vedic literatures. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). And we living entities, we are the marginal energies.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 5, 1971:

He was traveling in South India. He saw one brāhmaṇa reading Bhagavad-gītā. And persons who knew him, that "That man was illiterate," it was not possible for him to read Bhagavad-gītā... But still, he was trying to read it, and crying also. So while others were criticizing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to him, "Brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" So he could understand that "This person, He's not come here to criticize me. He's serious." So he talked seriously, "Sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, I am illiterate." Now see. He is illiterate and he is reading Bhagavad-gītā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired that "How is that, you're reading Bhagavad-gītā and you say you are illiterate?" He said, "Yes, actually I am illiterate, but my Guru Mahārāja asked me that 'You should read every day eighteen chapters.' So what can I do? (laughter) I have to carry out the order of my spiritual master. So I have simply taken this book. I am seeing it." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Oh, you are not seeing it, simply. You are crying also." "Yes, Sir, I am crying also." "Then if you are not reading, how you are crying?" "Sir, I am not reading, but I'm feeling." "What is that?"

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

"When you drink water, the taste which quench your thirst and you feel relief, that is Kṛṣṇa." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. (break) ...in day and night. So if you simply try to understand that this taste is Kṛṣṇa, or God, you become God conscious. You become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So it is not very difficult to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Simply you require little training. And if you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any rascaldom, I mean to say, interpretation, as it is, the way it is stated, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, if you take this, you become God conscious. You become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your life is successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). It is very easy and no loss, but the gain is very great. Therefore we request you all who are present, try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and you will find all information how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Or if you don't like to read Bhagavad-gītā, please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. You will be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

Apart from us... We are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. We may glorify Him. But apart from us, many millions of people are there in this world; still, they know how much reputed and famous is Kṛṣṇa by His Bhagavad-gītā. In all countries, all over the world. This Bhagavad-gītā is read by all philosophers, all scholars, all religionists. Still, those who are reading Bhagavad-gītā... There are many editions in your country. There are many editions. All of them are selling nicely. Our Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, the latest report is from the trades manager of Macmillan Company, who are our publisher. The report is that our Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is increasing in sale, others are decreasing. The reason is that we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any adulteration. Anything, market, if the commodity is pure... Gold, if it is pure, it has more customers. Milk, if it is pure, it has got more customers. So that we are finding. Because we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, we are finding more customers.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

As soon as the soul goes away from the same beautiful woman, nobody cares to see her. Because it is as good as the doll on the window of tailor shop. So real factor is the spirit soul, and because here everything is made of dead matter, therefore it is simply imitation, reflection. The real thing is in the spiritual world.

There is a spiritual world. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, they can understand. The spiritual world is described there, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). Bhāvaḥ means nature. There is another nature beyond this nature. We can see this nature up to the limit of the sky. The scientists, they're trying to go to the highest planet, but they are calculating it will take forty thousands of years. So who is going to live for forty thousands of years, go and come back? But there is planet. So we cannot calculate even the length and breadth of this material world, what to speak of the spiritual world. Therefore we have to know from authoritative sources. That authoritative source is Kṛṣṇa.

Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving knowledge about the Absolute Truth, Paraṁ Brahman. The Sanskrit word is Paraṁ Brahman. And Kṛṣṇa is Paraṁ Brahman. If you have read Bhagavad-gītā on the Tenth Chapter, when Arjuna summarizes his understanding after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he says, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "Kṛṣṇa, I understand that You are the Supreme Personality, Absolute Truth." Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma: "You are the reservoir of everything." Pavitram: "You are the Supreme Pure." Pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam: "You are the Supreme Person." Kṛṣṇa, or the Absolute Truth, is not imperson. He's the Supreme Person. He's Supreme Person. He is the Absolute Truth. And we are presenting Kṛṣṇa before you, and you take it. Most of the Western country, they are Christian.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

So God descends, He comes Himself or He sends His representative, to reestablish the real purpose of religion, whenever there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging real religion. So the real... Kṛṣṇa, when appeared, He said... His last instruction is... In the Bhagavad-gītā, you know, those who have read Bhagavad-gītā. He said, "The most confidential part of religion is this." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other processes of faith and religion. Simply surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. Religion means to become purified, to become purified from our sinful activities. So Kṛṣṇa says that "If you surrender unto Me..." When I speak "Kṛṣṇa," you may understand "God." God is speaking that "You surrender unto Me and I'll give you protection from the reaction of all sinful activities." In this material world we are encaged in this material body for our sinful activities, different types of sinful activities.

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

So you cannot interpret Kurukṣetra otherwise. Kurukṣetra should be accepted as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). Then you'll understand Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there. Our request is—you are all respectable gentlemen, ladies, present here—that kindly try to read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you will understand the problems of your life, the solution also there. The solution is there, and the ultimate end of Bhagavad-gītā speaking: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the ultimate solution, that we have to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is our... Because every one of us, in this material condition, we are trying to become master, ultimately to become God. That is māyā. That is illusion. We cannot become master. We are servant by constitution. Every one of us sitting here is a servant to somebody. Nobody can deny it. Either he may be servant of his family or his community or his country or... So many things...

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973:

I live within this body..." Dehino' smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ. Dehina means the proprietor of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhiyate (BG 13.2). This śarīra, this body, is called kṣetra, and the person, or the living entity, who is working on this body, he is called kṣetra-jña. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, they have come to this understanding of kṣetra and kṣetra-jña. Ksetre-jña means I, you. I know about my body, about the interest of my body. If somebody wants to kill me, I take protection because it is my body, kṣetra. Just like your land, if somebody comes to encroach upon it, you take care. Similarly, this body is kṣetra, the field of activities, and I or you, the proprietor of the body, is kṣetra-jña, one who knows about the body. But there is another kṣetra-jña. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ksetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. Sarva-kṣetreṣu. Kṛṣṇa is also kṣetra-jña, Kṛṣṇa is also sitting... As I am sitting within this body, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is also sitting within this body.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

So one has to do something for his livelihood, but, at the same time, he has to cultivate knowledge for his perfection of life. So this is perfection of life, simple thing. Simple thing we are prescribing all over the world. You try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Simple. And it is not very difficult. You read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. You understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is explaining everything. If the neophytes, one who cannot, cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is prescribing like this: raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ: (BG 7.8) "My dear Kaunteya, I am the taste of the water." So there is no need of saying that "I cannot see God. I have not seen God." Here is God. The taste of water is God. Everyone is drinking water. And who is not tasting it? He's seeing God. Why do you say that "I do not see God"? You see, as it is directed by God. Then gradually you'll see Him.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 26, 1973:

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

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

So Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your participating in this meeting. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on the authority of this Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā, I think most of you know, Indians or foreigners. And some of you must have read Bhagavad-gītā. We have published Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malinterpretation. In the Bhagavad-gītā, the author of the Bhagavad-gītā is enounced as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the Hindus, especially the Vaiṣṇavas... Vaiṣṇava or not Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We... Our Indian spiritual life is guided by the ācāryas, sampradāya ācārya, the Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī and Nimbārka. There is... Whole Indian spiritual culture is dependent on the guidance of these ācārya. And in the Bhagavad-gītā also, in the Thirteenth Chapter, it is advised, ācārya upāsanam: "One should follow the instruction of the ācārya." That is our Vedic civilization.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

So in other forms of life it is not possible to understand what is God. If we call all the dogs of your country, "Come here. We shall talk about God," no, there is no possibility of understanding. But in the human form of life there is possibility. It doesn't matter whether it is in India or America or Australia. Any human being, if he tries and if he reads the scriptures—never mind, Bible, Bhagavad-gītā, Bhāgavata—then he will understand God. Therefore this life, human form of life, is only meant for understanding God. If we divert our attention to any other business, that means we are spoiling our energy. Because what are the activities? That... Everyone is active for sleeping, eating, having sexual intercourse and defending. So these things are present even cats and dogs. They also eat, they also sleep, they also have propensity for sex intercourse and they also defend, in their own way. So if human life is also spoiled only on these activities, then you are missing the chance. Human activities should be to understand God or the Absolute Truth.

Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

That is spiritual. Not that "Unless such and such conditions are fulfilled I cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." No. As I told in the beginning, that you can accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness within a second. As Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if you immediately take Kṛṣṇa, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa..." You have thoroughly read Bhagavad-gītā, then we understand that "We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is asking to surrender. Why not surrender?" That is intelligence. Kṛṣṇa says that is the way of life. Ultimately one has to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is the success, ultimate success. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). One is accepting immediately and one is experimenting with truth, and it will take many, many births. Kleśa adhikataras teṣām avyakta āsakta cetasām. Kṛṣṇa is presently instructing in person, and foolish people are thinking that He's imperson. Why imperson? Kṛṣṇa is always speaking: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). The first person is used everywhere.

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

The success of human form of life is to understand this thing: our relationship with God. And we should act in relationship with God. Then our success of life will be achieved. This is the main purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is a very profound subject matter to understand, but everything is explained. Our only request is that you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is; don't try to interpret. That is useless. Otherwise why people have lost in India their own culture? Because they have interpreted wrongly. Every śāstra has been interpreted wrongly and therefore people are misguided. They could not take advantage of the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā because all through, the Bhagavad-gītā has been misinterpreted. So many so-called politicians, scholars, but it is maybe for the first time—not first time; it is there—but to make it broad propaganda wide, that try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any interpretation. That is our mission. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Don't try to interpret and spoil it. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128).

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa can be understood only by devotion. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). So we have to take this process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇu. So our only request is that to understand Kṛṣṇa is not very difficult if we read Bhagavad-gītā perfectly, seriously. Then Kṛṣṇa is understood. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa... Because Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself, what is the difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa? Hm? If you, Mr. Birla, you explain that "I am like this. I have got so much money, I have got so many business, I have got so many factories," if you explain, then where is my difficulty? But if I speculate, "Mr. Birla may be..., so much (indistinct) may be had." That is always imperfect. But if you understand directly from Mr. Birla, then it is clear. So Kṛṣṇa, God, is explaining Himself, "I am like..."

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

So Vyāsadeva, you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, he says everywhere, bhagavān uvāca. He never says that "I am writing." He says, bhagavān uvāca. That you'll mark, those who have read Bhagavad-gītā. (break) ...tac chṛṇu. Then you'll understand Bhagavān without any doubt and in completeness. Asaṁśayam samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). It is very easy. If you simply concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18), as Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did, and many other great personalities did it... Arjuna did. Now we are concerned with Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is speaking, and Arjuna is hearing. So what is the situation? The situation is that the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas assembled together on the great battlefield. It is not battlefield, Kurukṣetra; it is dharmakṣetra.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Prabhupāda: Transcendental knowledge means knowledge received from a source which is beyond the reach of my material senses. That is transcendental. Just like we are reading Bhagavad-gītā. So we have no knowledge that there is a spiritual world, but Kṛṣṇa says that there is another nature, a spiritual nature, beyond this material nature. So we understand through the source of transcendental knowledge. We cannot experience. That is explained, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. God, His name, His qualities, His pastimes—nothing can be understood by these material senses. But if you engage yourself in service, they become revealed. That will become confirmed: "Yes, there is Vaikuṇṭha, there is Vṛndāvana, where Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are going on, and I am perceiving myself." These things become revealed gradually, not abruptly you can understand. Therefore common men cannot understand that they say " 'Going back to home, back to Godhead?' What nonsense they are saying?" They cannot understand, because it is transcendental, beyond the reach of these gross senses. But it is revealed: sevonmukhe. If you become submissive, if you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, guru-Kṛṣṇa, and the spiritual master, then these things become revealed. Now one who has got the knowledge by revelation, nobody can mislead him. Just like we believe in the transcendental abode, cintāmaṇi, Goloka Vṛndāvana.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: Your reasoning may be full of flaws, that is the same thing. But why do you think others also reasoning will be with flaws?

Śyāmasundara: He was the first Western philosopher to read some of the Vedas. He read Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic scriptures. So he concluded that all phenomenon are mere illusions, or māyā. He uses that word māyā. This world is simply illusory.

Prabhupāda: That also we say, but it is not irrational. There is rationality. There is regulation. The sun is moving, the moon is moving—not irrationally, quite in order. Everything is in order. We cannot say it is irrational.

Śyāmasundara: Just like all of our desires that we have are never fulfilled.

Prabhupāda: That will never take place. Just like in a prison house, if the prisoners desire something, no, it will never furnish it. It is meant for punishment. So he'll have to abide by the desires of the jail superintendent. He cannot. Similarly, here every living entity is a prisoner. The superintendent of prisons is Durgā Devī. Durgā means fort: you cannot go out, conditioned. So therefore frustration is the law here.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is our opinion. Beauty, knowledge, strength and opulence—everything—they are transcendental. Here, in this material world, it is perverted reflection. Just like the example is the mirage. A fool, animal, is thinking there is water in the desert, and he is running after it, and after sometimes he dies of thirst because there is not. But a sane man knows there is no water; it is simply a reflection by the sunshine, and this foolish animal is running after it. So he does not..., a sane man does not go for this false water. But another thing is that because there is no water in the desert, it does not mean there is no water. Water is there, but not there. Similarly happiness, beauty, opulence—everything is there. That is in the spiritual world. Here it is only a perverted reflection. So generally people have no information of the spiritual world; therefore they imagine something God, something spiritual world. They do not take that "This is imagination, this material world." When Kṛṣṇa says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9), they are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but this simple thing they can not understand, that a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, after giving up this body—the body has to be given up—then what happens? Kṛṣṇa says mam eti, "He come to Me."

Philosophy Discussion on John Locke:

Prabhupāda: Yes. The word begins ataḥ paurva-dehikam. You can stop the machine and find it. (break) You can record it. Tatra taṁ paurva-dehikam buddhi-saṁyogam. Yes, that is. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness, culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is never lost. It goes on, unless it is perfect. Therefore it is stated, sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Even little acting on Kṛṣṇa consciousness can save one from the greatest danger—as it was done by Ajamila. He cultivated Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the beginning of his life, then he fell down, he became the greatest debauch. But at the end of life again he remembered Nārāyaṇa and he got salvation. Tatra taṁ buddhi-saṁyogam (BG 6.43). Read Bhagavad-gītā carefully. All answers are there. This philosopher cannot go beyond Bhagavad-gītā.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Henry Huxley:

Prabhupāda: Either you be Englishman or Frenchman or this man, you cannot survive. You have to succumb under the dictation of the superior nature. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that—I think Huxley read Bhagavad-gītā; he does not know-that,

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

This kind of conception, that "I shall survive, I am Englishman," this is a false egotism and bewildered soul. Whatever he may be, Englishman or this man or that man, he must die. That is the law of nature. So intelligent man first of all makes provision "How I shall not die." That is real business of human being. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that if one simply understands Kṛṣṇa, then he survives; otherwise one has to die. There is no doubt. Nobody can...