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Reality (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"realities" |"reality"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

Pradyumna: Translation: "I offer my obeisances unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, who is the supreme all-pervading Personality of Godhead. I meditate upon Him, the transcendent reality, who is the primeval cause of all causes, from whom all manifested universes arise, in whom they dwell, and by whom they are destroyed. I meditate upon that eternally effulgent Lord who is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations and yet is beyond them. It is He only who first imparted Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmā, the first created being. Through Him this world, like a mirage, appears real even to great sages and demigods. Because of Him, the material universes, created by the three modes of nature, appear to be factual, although they are unreal. I meditate therefore upon Him, the Absolute Truth, who is eternally existent in His transcendental abode, and who is forever free of illusion." (SB 1.1.1)

Prabhupāda: Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Bhagavate, "unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Vāsudeva." Vāsudeva means the son of Vasudeva. Even the leader of the impersonalists, namely Śaṅkarācārya, he has accepted that the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971:

Pradyumna: "Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Śrī Vyāsadeva is sufficient in itself for God realization. As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, he becomes attached to the Supreme Lord."

Prabhupāda: So dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Dharma, religiosity; kaitava, pretension or cheating. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). These four things are supposed to be meant for spiritually or advanced people, advanced in civilization. Not spiritually, but advanced in civilization. So the first thing is dharma. Dharma is the basic principle of civilization. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If there is no dharma, then it is the society of the animals. That is the distinction between human society and animal society.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- Caracas, February 23, 1975:

Now, here it is said that because it is given by the perfect person Vyāsadeva, we should take knowledge from this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And the proof is that we have now become Godless, we have no information of God, but if you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then immediately you will realize God. Just like you can see in reality that these boys, these girls who have joined this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, because they are reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, they are now gradually realizing what is God and what is his relationship with God. So unless we realize God and our position, and we become lover of God, there is no question of peace in the mind. Therefore it is recommended here that if you want real peace in the mind, try to understand what is God, what is your relationship with God, and act accordingly. You will be immediately peaceful. As soon as you become peaceful, your life is successful. Thank you very much.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

They are thinking that "This material advancement of life will make me happy." But that is not the fact. Therefore they are ajñānī. And the jñānīs, when they are baffled in advancing, or getting peace of mind, or peace by material activities, then they say brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, "This world is false. Brahman is reality." But if he does not engage himself in Brahman activities, then he will also fall, the so-called jñānī. That has been proved.

We have seen so many sannyāsīs. First of all they say, "This is false. The world is false. Let me take sannyāsa." And after remaining a few years of sannyāsa, then he learns how to eat meat, how to drink wine, how to associate with women. Then come. Then he must have some business, that philanthropic work, open some school, open some hospital.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to teach people not to be allured by the illusory so-called water and love or anything. There is one reality: satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). Just try to come to the real reality. Don't be entrapped by the false reality. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness move... We are entrapped by the false reality, māyā. Māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvat (SB 11.5.34). Māyā, just like the deer, he runs over the false water in the desert. But the water goes ahead more and more, and the poor animal, without finding water, dies. But a sane man does not go. A sane man knows that reflection of water is not water. But that does not mean... Because there is no water in the desert, it does not mean that there is no water.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

Therefore bhakti must be there. Bhakti means without any result or karma and jñāna. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). People are interested with dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). But Bhāgavata says that above that, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa, they are cheating, because they are not giving directly the devotional service to the Lord. Dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. Therefore Vyāsadeva says, dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra (SB 1.1.2).

So if we want to understand the real reality, vāstava-vastu, that is Kṛṣṇa, then this is the process. What is that?

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

"The Absolute is truth." And jagan mithyā, "And this world, the manifested world, is false." How it is false? That is not explained by Śaṅkarācārya. That is explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that reality, real father... If you accept Kṛṣṇa as your father, oh, He'll give you all protection. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as your husband, oh, there is no question of divorce. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as your friend, oh, Kṛṣṇa will give you everything.

So so many relationships. All these relationships in the relative world, they are all shadow or temporary. But the same thing is there in the spiritual world. And if we come to that platform, then there will be happiness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

In the beginning of Bhāgavata it is said vāstava-vastu. Vastu means substance, the summum bonum. And vāstava, in relation to the summum bonum.

So if we try to understand everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, then we understand vāstava reality. That is reality. If we study something minus Kṛṣṇa, that is not real knowledge. Actually, Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of all. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). So unless we come to the point of Kṛṣṇa, any understanding, any knowledge is imperfect.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

This material energy is called Durgā, but she is so powerful... Sṛṣṭi-sthiti.... She can create wonderful things. She can maintain wonderful things. She can dissolve wonderful things, so powerful, but she is acting under the direction... Chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā. Chāyeva. Just like shadow moves by the movement of the reality, similarly, this material nature is working under the direction of the Supreme.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Therefore, any way you, either way you go, if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, simply come to this understanding that Kṛṣṇa is everything, and "By serving Kṛṣṇa, all my objective, all my perfection is there"—this conviction makes you perfect. And this is real, this is reality. There is no imposition. It is reality. Simply one has to understand. The same thing is expressed here by Nārada, urukramasya. Who is urukrama? Wonderful actor. The wonderful actor is Kṛṣṇa, Urukrama. So Nārada Muni says, "Although you have mentioned in other purāṇas or in itihāsa, Mahābhārata, about Kṛṣṇa, some of the activities of Kṛṣṇa..." Just like this same thing, as I told you. So many people are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but all nonsense.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

This material energy has got so much power that it can create, it can destroy, it can maintain, so much power. But don't think that this material energy is working independently. And then how is...? How she is working? Chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). Just she is working just like shadow. The... Then what is the reality? Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So we are worshiping that person who is the original director of this material... Because we are captivated by the three guṇas of material energy, we think this material energy, material world, is everything, because we are foolish. Nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ. They have been captivated by the three material... They cannot understand that behind this, there is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1973 :

We haven't got to go to office or factory. Just see, practical example. This is only a little tinge of spiritual life. Simply you are trying to come to the spiritual life, a sample. (break) ...so much enjoyment in the sample, just imagine what is reality. Anyone can realize. This is practical. You take to spiritual life, we are inviting! "Please come, join us. Chant, dance with us. Take prasādam, be happy." "No, no, we shall work." (laughter) Just see. What is our business? We are canvassing simply, "Please come." "No." "Why?" "I shall work like cats and dogs," that's all. So, just try to understand. This is the difference between spiritual life and material lie. Material life means you have to work. You will be forced.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

Here there are rasas, śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa. Here also there is master and servant; there is friend and friend; there is father and mother and the son; there is beloved. Everything is there, but they are imitation, chāya. They are not reality. So if you want real friendship, then make friendship with Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Kṛṣṇa-sakha here. Here it is said that śrī-kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa-sakha: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are..." Kuntīdevī did not say that "You are my nephew." No. That is not spiritual relationship. But Kṛṣṇa-sakha, Arjuna, is related with Kṛṣṇa eternally. Eternally as friend. How eternally?

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

The Māyāvādīs, they say this world is false. We don't say that. Why it is false? It is perfectly created by Kṛṣṇa. Why I discredit Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, it is false"? No. It is not false. It is reality, provided you know how to utilize it. When you think that you are the enjoyer of this world, that is false. You are not the enjoyer. Enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. That is reality. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Then it is reality. As soon as you think, "This is mine. This is my ahaṁ mameti... (SB 5.5.8)." Ahaṁ mameti, "I am this body, and anything in relationship with this body is mine," that is moha. But as soon as you come to the understanding... (creaking sound in background) What is that?

Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:

Just like big, big swamis in India... Sometimes they come to your country also. They say that "This world is false," jagan mithyā, mithyā. But we don't say that it is false. We say it is reality, but temporary. That is right philosophy. How it can be false? Because everything is produced by the truth, by the Absolute Truth. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Nothing can come out except from the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everything." If Kṛṣṇa is truth, He is the origin of everything, so how everything can be false? Is that very logical? No. If something has come from gold... Just like we have got so many preparations of gold: gold bangles, gold earring, gold necklace. But it has come from the gold; therefore it is gold.

Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:

Just like this winter season. It will not stay. It will be for three months. Again summer season will come. So we cannot say that this winter season is false. No. It is not false; it is fact. But it is temporary. So temporary things, although it is real, so if we can utilize that reality, sense of reality, for the supreme reality, then our life is successful. That is called ekānta-bhaktyā. That is stated here: ekānta-bhaktyā bhagavaty adhokṣaje. Ekānta-bhaktyā. Ekānta means without any diversion. Everything. Īśāvāsyam idam... Thinking that "Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I use it for my personal sense gratification?" This is called ekānta-bhaktyā. Ekānta. Eka. Ekaṁ evādvitīyam. Eka, Kṛṣṇa is one. There cannot be any competition of Kṛṣṇa. So eka anta, that one end bhakti, serving that Supreme.

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

That is Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, that we are trying to take the misled people from illusion to the reality. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they see that there is no more any pleasure in this dancing. "Make it zero. Forget it." No. We don't say that. We say that this dancing is there in the original conception in the Absolute Truth. That is... The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Whatever you are experiencing, wherefrom it has come? It has come from the Absolute. That is the Absolute idea. But here, in the relative world, it is pervertedly reflected, and because it is not reality, therefore you are confused, baffled. So our proposition is come to the reality. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

Therefore we also want to enjoy with so-called lover or beloved or girls or boys, but we are trying to enjoy in a false platform—this material world. Therefore we are becoming baffled. The same enjoyment is, Kṛṣṇa is offering, by His descendance, that "If you want to enjoy like this in the society of beautiful young boys and girls, come to Me. Here it is, reality." But that they will not. That they will make impersonal. Being frustrated in this material platform, they want to make it zero, śūnyavādi, śūnyavādi, being disgusted... Because you cannot be happy in this material enjoyment. So at time it will be disgusting. That is jñāna-bhumika.(?) "So we have tried our best.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

That is jñāna-bhumika.(?) "So we have tried our best. What is the use of this enjoyment? Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. This is all false. Now let us become Brahman, become one with Brahman." But that is also false. That idea, to become one with the Brahman, that is also false.

So real reality is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore these sages, big, big great sages, they are hearing Sūta Gosvāmī. So they ask the reason "Why the king Mahārāja Parīkṣit punished that Kali in the dress of a king? 'So if you..., if possible, kindly describe the reason. And provided it will help our Kṛṣṇa consciousness." This is the condition. Yadi kṛṣṇa-kathāśrayam: "If there is connection with Kṛṣṇa." Just like the Bhagavad-gītā. It is a topics on the battlefield. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'cyuta (BG 1.21).

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Paris, June 11, 1974:

That's all. This is the position. But he worked so hard. Not only he. Everyone is working. The arch will remain, because a stone, but he's finished. He's finished. This is called apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Because these people, they do not know what is really reality. Real reality. They are simply after so-called reality. It is very important point. Try to understand. Ātma-tattvam, one who does not know what is ātmā, what is soul, the nature of soul...

Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa first of all begins the constitution of the ātmā, or spirit soul. He begins. When He began to teach Arjuna Bhagavad-gītā, the A-B-C-D lesson was to make him convinced about the soul within the body. That is called ātma-tattvam. And nobody knows.

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

French devotee: Because in reality we are conscious of Kṛṣṇa without know.

Prabhupāda: What is...?

French devotee: And in your presence, and..., we take conscience.

Prabhupāda: Therefore, it is to be understood that Kṛṣṇa was within you. I have simply tried to awaken that consciousness. That's all.

French girl: (French) (asks for French translation)

French devotee: (French)

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

"Russia is not coming? China is not coming? Oh, the Vietnam is there." The China is also, "Oh, America is doing something. Oh. Let us see." This is going on. What is this greatness? Increasing the anxieties, that's all. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Because they have accepted something unreal which will not give them happiness. Here is reality, love of God. You take it. Don't expect that it will be taken by all the nations, all the people. You take it individually and see how much you are happy. Individual. That is our request.

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

Simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, how He appears, how He disappears, what is His constitutional position, what is my constitutional position, what is the relationship with Kṛṣṇa, how to live. Everything. Simply if you understand these things, Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ... Tattvataḥ means reality, scientifically. Not by whims or sentiments or fanaticism. No. Everything. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is everything scientific, solid scientific. It is not bogus. It is not imagination. So tattvataḥ. That is called tattvataḥ, in fact, in reality, in truth. If one understands Kṛṣṇa in truth, then the result is tyaktvā deham. By giving up this body... We have to give up this body, willingly or unwillingly. A day will come when you have to submit to the laws of nature and give up this body. Even your president, Mr. Kennedy, he was going in procession, but when nature's law demanded that "Now you submit your body here and change for another body," he had to.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Los Angeles, June 16, 1972:

They are trying to enjoy on the material platform. Jñānīs, they are trying to make it varietyless, and the Buddhists, they are trying to make it zero. Our philosophy is substance. This is difference, substance, reality. Vāstava-vastu, real reality, not the false thing. So these people, the voidists and impersonalists, because they have no information of the Supreme Lord and His activities ...

Activities are there. Kṛṣṇa is coming, showing His activities. But they will say, "It is māyā. Kṛṣṇa is māyā." Although Kṛṣṇa is practically showing them that it is not māyā, it is completely spiritual, but their dull brain cannot accommodate that Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

The substance is there. On the bank of the river, that is really. Similarly the spiritual world is There also, everything is there. There are trees, there are fruits, there are flowers, there are men—everything is there, birds, beasts, everything. But they are all real. Here, bahu-rūpa. Bahu-rūpa means, which it is not reality. That, this bahu-rūpa is also reflection, but it is not real. That is the difference. Ivābhāti. Therefore it is called ivābhāti: "It appears like that." Actually it is not. Just like in some shop you see so many ladies and gentlemen are standing with nice dress. What is called that...?

Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Actually it is all matter. But they have been changed into different forms. The Māyāvadi philosophers, they say "It is ivābhāti. There is no form. Therefore make it formless." But our is that ivābhāti means there is form, but this is simply imitation. That is the difference between Māyāvada and They say "Because it is false therefore reality must be zero. It is formless. It must be zero." Śūnyavādi. Nirviśeṣa śūnyavādi. There are no varieties. They will say "No varieties," and somebody will say, "No. It is zero." We say, "No. There is variety." This is ivābhāti. It appears like the reality. It is not real thing. The real is different. A comparison is given: just like water, the desert. There is no water, but it appears like water. But that does not mean there is no water. As soon as you say, ivābhāti, that there is reality, but this is not. It appears like reality. That is the actual meaning of ivābhāti. Iva, like. Ābhāti, appears. The snake... (end)

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

One has to receive the transcendental sound from the right source and accept it as a reality and prosecute the direction without any hesitation, and the secret of success is to receive the sound from the right source of a bona fide spiritual master. Mundane manufactured sound has no potency, and as such, seemingly transcendental sound received from an unauthorized person also has no potency. One should be qualified enough to discern such transcendental potency, and either by discriminating or by fortunate chance, if one is able to receive the transcendental sound from a bona fide spiritual master, his path of liberation is guaranteed.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

So sad-dharma... Here it is said, namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham: "There are many propounder of sad-dharma. But actually, You are the best of the propounders of the sad-dharma because You know the reality." And that is the actual reality. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66). That is sad-dharma. So the Gosvāmīs worked... Sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. So these Gosvāmīs, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's direct disciples, they tried to establish sad-dharma, and we are trying to follow their footprints, footsteps, to establish real dharma all over the world. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

I will serve you." "If you serve me, then I will pay you." This is relative term, duality. But in the absolute world it is something different.

Therefore here it is said that na karhicin mat-parāḥ śānta-rūpe, yeṣām ahaṁ priya ātmā sutaś ca sakhā guruḥ. You can establish your relationship in so many way. There is no question of making it zero. Because that is reality. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fifteenth Chapter, it is stated, "the shadow of the tree." The shadow of the tree has got the branches, fruit, leaves. Everything is there. But it is nonreality. The real reality is up in the spiritual world. And that is shadow. Ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham (BG 15.1). That is very practical example in the world. Ūrdhva-mūlam. The real mūla is up. Therefore we sometimes find that the lowest abominable thing is the highest there. Because the opposite.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

When God gives His reality, identification, and it is recorded in the śāstra, not by any loafer class writer but like Vyāsadeva, and we take it fictitious. Just see our position-Vyāsadeva has bothered his brain to write something fictitious! Just see how low-grade persons we are! We don't believe writing of Vyāsadeva. Or sometimes we say, "No, no, this was not written by Vyāsadeva. It is interpretation." If it is interpretation, then why the ācāryas have accepted? They're also fools-Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī... They have made commentary on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and they mention, they have accepted, "Yes. Kṛṣṇa has sixteen thousand wives." So Vyāsadeva has written and the ācāryas have accepted. Then I have become such a great scholar that I say it is fictitious. And we have to believe these rascals.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Do you know what is consciousness? What is that?

Student: Yes. (indistinct) an awareness of reality, reality, an awareness...

Prabhupāda: No. What is the general concept? You are conscious of something? Is it not?

Student: An awareness.

Prabhupāda: Oh. It may be different. Similarly, you become conscious of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Is that clear?

Student: No.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

No. Everything is meant for Kṛṣṇa's service. Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor. And He is the bhoktā. So don't try to enjoy this world. That is false. Everything engaged for Kṛṣṇa's—that is reality. So jagat is not unreal. Our attitude, our mentality, is unreal, that "The whole world is for my enjoyment." No. The creator says, bhoktā aham: "I am enjoyer." Why you are claiming you are enjoyer? That is your false claim. So jagat is not false, but our claim to enjoy the jagat, that is false. So we have to convert it, that it is enjoyable by Kṛṣṇa. Then you come to reality.

Thank you very much. (applause) (break) All the poverty-stricken people may come to us. We shall supply prasādam. That is the solution. Come on. We shall supply you.

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:

Because the same quality, we are qualitatively one. As Kṛṣṇa dances with the gopīs, we also try to dance in the ball dance, the same imitation. But the ball dance does not endure. We become frustrated, because it is only shadow. The reality is there. A shadow... Suppose you love a boy or girl. But if it is a shadow, it does not give you actual pleasure. Just like in your country, in the tailor's shop, there are so many beautiful women and beautiful man also, dressed, but nobody is attracted there because you know it is shadow. It is shadow. There is a very nice, beautiful girl in the window, and you pass on. You are not attracted, don't see even, because you know it is false, it is not reality. Again, suppose you love one girl, very nice, beautiful, and when she is dead, you are no more attached, because you know it is shadow.

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:

And running, running, running, running, somebody is exhausted and dies. The karmīs, they have no knowledge. They have been described as mūḍhas. They are running after shadow, shadow, that's all. And the jñānīs, they understand that "This is shadow, mithyā." So shadow means there is reality also. Shadow means... Without reality, how there can be shadow? So they are searching after that reality. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. They understand, "This is shadow. Find out where is water." So the jñānīs are also in the darkness, because they do not know where is water. They simply know that because it is shadow therefore there must be somewhere the reality. This is jñānī, or yogi. And bhakta, they know where is real water. That's all. This is the difference.

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:

And bhakta, they know where is real water. That's all. This is the difference. The karmīs are like animals. They are after shadow water, running, running, running, exhausted and finished. That is karmī. And jñānī, they understand that "This is shadow, but there is reality." But they do not know where is that reality. But a devotee knows that "This is shadow, but it is shadow of the reality," and they know where is that reality. Like this, this is the difference.

So the kingdom of God is not devoid of varieties. There are the real varieties. Therefore ordinary man cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. They do not understand, because they have been described in the śāstra as aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ: their core of heart is not yet cleansed.

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:

These jñānīs, they are thinking that "Now we have become liberated because we have learned to distinguish between the shadow and reality." So... But they cannot enjoy reality because they are śūnyavādī, nirviśeṣa. They cannot believe that here there is ball dance and there is Kṛṣṇa dancing with the gopīs—it is the same thing. So how it is reality? This is their misfortune. They cannot judge that unless in Kṛṣṇa there is ball dance, how this ball dance can be shadow? The variety is there. But unless there is reality, how the shadow... We are after shadow. Shadow is not reality. But there must be reality. And if in the shadow there are so many varieties, so why not reality also full of varieties? The poor fund of knowledge of the Māyāvādī... They cannot understand even that unless in the shadow there are so much varieties, unless there is reality... And in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt: (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12)

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:

The whole world is going on in a way which is animal civilization. So if you want to be happy, you have to come to the spiritual platform, reality. That is wanted, thorough overhauling. They should know perfectly well that "We are after false enjoyment. We have to come to the platform of real enjoyment." Somebody is mistaking that "Real enjoyment, there cannot be any varieties. If there are varieties, then what is the difference between this and that?" So these varieties are different in quality. This is material quality, and that is spiritual quality. They have no distinction between matter and spirit. They cannot understand this exactly like cats and dogs.

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Chicago, July 9, 1975:

This is going on. After false thing. Therefore the śāstra says that this human form of life is not meant for running after this false thing. They must understand what is reality. And how to attain that reality? Exactly in the same way: intelligent man knows that "This is my diseased condition. How to get out, achieve that healthy condition? Because I am eternal." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

So it is possible even by Ajāmila. That is the story we are now trying to understand. Simply we have to accept the association of realized soul. Then it is possible. There is no hopelessness. Anyone can attain the spiritual perfection. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended,

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

Just like a ripe fruit on the top of the tree, if it falls down all of a sudden, it is destroyed. But if it is handed over from up to down, down, down, then it comes as it is. As it is. Then you can enjoy the reality. And that is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā.

In the fourth chapter, those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find, that Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). "First of all, I spoke this yoga system to Vivasvān." Vivasvān is the name of the controlling deity in the sun planet. There is also a president. As we have got many presidents, in the other higher planetary systems there is one president, and some of them is called the moon-god or the sun-god or the Varuṇa according to Vedic languages.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- Vrndavana, December 10, 1975:

I have to do this. I have to earn this money. I have to do that, I have to do that." This is upādhi. This is... Because upādhi means just like you are designated with some title, B.A., M.A. or some (indistinct ) or some (indistinct)—there are so many designation. But that is designation. But real... That is not reality. Similarly, our this designation, that "I am the head of this family," "I am the brāhmaṇa," "I am the śūdra," "I am American," these are all designation. Actually it has no reality. On account of material contamination... So we have to cleanse this designation. Then our original attachment for Kṛṣṇa will automatically come. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Consciousness is there, attachment is there, but it is being covered by so many designations.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:

It is simply bondage. So try to... Our aim is how to become free from this material bondage and real sneha, real affection, real love should be spread. And that can be done through Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, it is all false. Sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham utsaheta. This māyā is so strong that we are taking this false thing as reality. It is very difficult to give it up. That is explained by Kṛṣṇa:

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

This is called ahaṅkāra. Ahaṅkāra vimudhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). This false prestige... When one is absorbed with false things, he becomes vimūḍha, rascal. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). This is false prestige. We have to give up this false prestige. Ahaṅkāra must be there because you are a reality. You are not false. Your body is false, but you are reality. "I am soul." That realization must come. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Not that ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, "I am dog," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this." This is ahaṅkāra, this false ahaṅkāra. But giving up all these nonsense prestigious position... A dog is also thinking he's in a prestigious position: "I am dog. I can bark very loudly. Gow! Gow!" He's also thinking that.

Lecture on SB 7.9.31 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1976:

Just like this microphone. It has got a date of creation, it will work for some time, and then it will go out of order, and we shall throw it in the street and again it will disappear in the earth, because everything has come out from the earth. This is material world. But we must find out what is the reality. We should not be bewildered by the temporary things. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to take the living entity from this temporary world to the spiritual world or to the permanent world, where there is no more annihilation. It is eternal, nitya. Nityaḥ śāśvataḥ.

So we living entities, we are eternal. This is māyā, that I am thinking, "I am this body." This is our ignorance. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to deliver the human society from this ignorance, temporary things: "I am this body. This is my country. This is my wife. This is my children.

Lecture on SB 7.9.31 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1976:

This is my children. This is... This is mine. This is—ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). I am this body, and anything in reference with the body is mine." But actually there is no such thing. This is called māyā. Real thing is, the reality is, Kṛṣṇa, Brahman, Para-brahman. All other things... Therefore Vedic injunction is, "Don't try to remain in this temporary situation." Asato mā sad gamaḥ: "Don't remain this..." But we are so ignorant, our present civilization is so foolish, that they do not know what is sat and what is asat. They want to stay in the asat. They want to make arrangement to stay in this asat, temporary things, forgetting that however nicely you make arrangement in this temporary material world, you'll not be allowed to stay. This is our ignorance.

Lecture on SB Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1972:

The person in knowledge, he must see that "I cannot avoid death, I cannot avoid birth, I cannot avoid old age, I cannot avoid disease so long I have got this material body." But Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, "Anyone who understands Me in reality, what I am, then he immediately becomes immune from these four things." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). After giving up this This body we have to give up. And then next body, tathā dehāntara-prāptir... So a devotee at least is not going to be cats and dogs or trees. The nondevotees, they are.

Page Title:Reality (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:23 of Nov, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=45, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:45