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Relationship with God (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"relation with God" |"relationship with God" |"relationship with Krsna, or God" |"relationship with both God"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

You will be able to understand what is God, and you will be able to understand what is your relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very nice. You will be able to understand what is God, and you will be able to understand what is your relationship with God. And you will be able to understand how you can go back to home, back to Godhead.

Religion means when one accepts some religion, he must know, "What is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God, what are the laws of God, how I am to act." So many things you have to learn. That is religion.
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971:

Any religion which does not teach about God, which does not know what is God, that is cheating religion. That's all. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Cheating, religion. And the Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has said, pṛthivīte yāhā kichu dharma-nāme cale, bhagavat prahe tāhāṅ paripūrṇa chale. "In the all over the world, what is going on..." It is a strong criticism. In the name of religion, the Bhāgavata says, "They're all cheating." That's all. Because they have no idea what is God. Neither in their principles there is service of God, there is dedication to God. Simply official in the so-called religion. Therefore Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura said, "These are all cheating religions." Religion means when one accepts some religion, he must know, "What is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God, what are the laws of God, how I am to act." So many things you have to learn. That is religion.

So long we are in the material world, the so-called happiness and distress will come and go, but our, the human life, the endeavor should be how to find out or revive our relationship with God. That is our main business.
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- Caracas, February 23, 1975:

"One should try for developing God consciousness, not for anything else, because happiness and distress, they come automatically." We haven't got to try for it. Happiness, everyone aspires for happiness. Nobody aspires for distress, but distress is forcibly come upon you. Similarly, the śāstra says, "As distress comes without any desire, similarly, happiness also will come without any endeavor." So long we are in the material world, the so-called happiness and distress will come and go, but our, the human life, the endeavor should be how to find out or revive our relationship with God. That is our main business.

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.
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.

Our relationship with God is not broken, or it cannot be separated. It is there always, but at the present moment, we are covered.
Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

Without God's grace, you cannot live. You are still, but you have forgotten. Just like a prisoner. A prisoner is put into prison house. That does not mean he has lost his relationship with the state. Before coming to the prison house he was a state citizen, and in the prison also, he is also a state citizen. And the government has concern both ways, when he was free, and when he is in prison. So our relationship with God is not broken, or it cannot be separated. It is there always, but at the present moment, we are covered. We are thinking there is no God. That is our ignorance. Therefore you are suffering.

Bhāgavata-dharma means relationship with God and execution of our duties in that relationship.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

There are many religious sects or faiths all over the world. But our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, which is called Bhāgavata-dharma... Bhāgavata-dharma means relationship with God and execution of our duties in that relationship. That is called Bhāgavata-dharma. First of all we must know what is God. Then we must know what is our relationship with God. Then, as soon as relationship is known, then what is our duty?

When the finger is pinched, you feel pains and pleasure—because they are part and parcel. Now, this is our relationship with God: part and parcel. God, or Kṛṣṇa, is the whole, and we are part and parcel. Then what is our duty?
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

There are 8,400,000's of forms. All together, every one of us, not only human being, but also animal, beast, birds, trees, plants, insect, everyone—they are all part and parcel of the Supreme, just like the hair, a piece of hair, is also part and parcel of the body. When one hair is picked up, you feel pains and pleasure. When the finger is pinched, you feel pains and pleasure—because they are part and parcel. Now, this is our relationship with God: part and parcel. God, or Kṛṣṇa, is the whole, and we are part and parcel. Then what is our duty? If this relationship is accepted, then what is the duty of the part and parcel? The duty of the part and parcel is to serve the whole. Anyone can understand. This finger is part and parcel of my body, so as the body desires, the finger is working. I desire the finger may work here like this; immediately works.

What is my relationship with God?
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Melbourne, April 3, 1972, Lecture at Christian Monastery:

So this is very scientific movement, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), cleansing the heart: "What I am? What is God? What is my relationship with God? What is this material world? Why I have come here? Why I am suffering? Why I have to accept birth? Why I have to accept death? Why I have to accept disease? Why I have to accept old age?" These are the problems. These are the problems, and these problems can be solved in human form of life, not in the life of cats and dogs. They cannot. So our only request is that you make your life successful. Come to the real understanding of your existence. And this is possible simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Yes.

Similarly, our real problem is that we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or God. We must revive our God consciousness again—that is not very difficult task—and save time, how to reestablish our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa has advised in the Bhagavad-gītā: āgamāpāyino 'nityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. The so-called distress and happiness, they come and go like seasonal changes. Just like we have got summer season, winter season. The winter also not staying for good, neither the summer is staying for good. It will change. Cakravat parivartante sukhāni duḥkhāni ca. There are so many. So we should not bother about this material happiness and distress. That is perfect civilization. We shall depend on the arrangement of God, as lower animals, they are depending. The birds, rising early in the morning, they chirp, but they are not hampered, "Where to find out food?" They know, "There is somewhere our food." They go and get it. Similarly, our real problem is that we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or God. We must revive our God consciousness again—that is not very difficult task—and save time, how to reestablish our relationship with God.

Real dharma is to know our relationship with God. Our relationship with God is that He is the Supreme Prabhu, the Supreme, and we are aṇu.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

The dharma is... Here it is stated, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣ... (SB 1.2.8). How to awaken our consciousness to understand Kṛṣṇa, that is real dharma. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). This is the description of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So there is no question of the created dharma. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra: "Cheating type of dharma is completely rejected." Real dharma is to know our relationship with God. Our relationship with God is that He is the Supreme Prabhu, the Supreme, and we are aṇu.

nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām
eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān
(Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13)

That is our relationship. God is also a person like us. We are also persons. Nityānām, cetanānām. We are also living entities, and God is also a living entity, a person. But what is the difference?

Real dharma is you try to understand what is your relationship with God and then act accordingly. Your life is perfect.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

We are also living entities, and God is also a living entity, a person. But what is the difference? The difference is God is maintaining everyone, and we are being maintained. That is the difference. We are all persons. Just like father in the family. Father is also a person, and the children, they are also persons. But what is the difference? The father maintains. Similarly, we are all children of God, children of Kṛṣṇa. He is the maintainer. So what is our duty? To feel obliged. That is our duty. That is dharma. Not that you manufacture some dharma, type. Real dharma is you try to understand what is your relationship with God and then act accordingly. Your life is perfect.

If you love for God has enhanced, if you understand what is God, if you understand what is your relationship with God, and if you understand what is the end of life, what is the end of or the object of human life, then your life, is successful.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, April 18, 1974:

When we actually develop our love for God, that is real religion... That is first-class religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. It doesn't matter. The result... Phalena paricīyate. Just like a businessman. It doesn't matter what business he is doing. If he has got some money, then we say he is successful businessman. It doesn't matter whether he is this business or that business. Similarly, it doesn't matter what kind of religion you are following. If you love for God has enhanced, if you understand what is God, if you understand what is your relationship with God, and if you understand what is the end of life, what is the end of or the object of human life, then your life, is successful.

If you love your father, then you love your brother. But if you do not know who is your father, then how you can say "universal brotherhood"? This is all hypocrisy. You first of all know. You must first of all know what you are, what is God, what is your relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975:

So long you identify with this body when you are in the material conception of life, there is no question of spiritual understanding, there is no question of joyfulness, there is no question of freedom from lamentation and hankering and there is no question of equality. It is all false show.

So therefore here is the explanation, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Paro dharmaḥ. Here it does not say that "Hindu religion is the best" or "Christian religion is the best" or "Muhammadan religion is the best." No. That religion is best which teaches the follower how to love God. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharma yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). If one is lover of God, then he is lover of everyone because he knows everyone is part and parcel of God. If you love your father, then you love your brother. But if you do not know who is your father, then how you can say "universal brotherhood"? This is all hypocrisy. You first of all know. You must first of all know what you are, what is God, what is your relationship with God.

That is absolute world. Don't think "Why shall I become a servant?" No, whatever you like, you can become, but in relationship with God, everything is one.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

What is that original knowledge? Original knowledge is that God is the Supreme Father, I am His eternal son, or eternal servant, as you... Son is always servant because son, real son is obedient and servant is also obedient. And as we have got distinction here, servant and son, in the absolute world there is no such distinction. A son is as good as the servant and servant is as good as the son. That is absolute world. Don't think "Why shall I become a servant?" No, whatever you like, you can become, but in relationship with God, everything is one. There is no such distinction. So janayaty āś..., this is jñāna, this is knowledge. That God is great, I am very insignificant small, my business is to serve. This is jñāna, this is knowledge. This is knowledge. If simply we can understand this little philosophy, that God is great, I am very small.

So if you do not God, if you do not know what you are, if you do not know what is your relationship with God, then what is your jñāna?
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

The so-called university education, D.H.C., Ph.D., they are simply expansion of ajñāna. He is again... Therefore the more a person is so-called scientist, educated, he is more godless. That means he is going deeper and deeper into the ajñāna. Because jñāna means to know God. That is not real jñāna. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Not ajñānavān. So if you do not God, if you do not know what you are, if you do not know what is your relationship with God, then what is your jñāna?

As soon as you understand God, your relationship with God, then jñāna and vairāgya will be there.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

So bhakti is not ordinary thing, this bhakti-yoga. You have to understand it. You have to practice it, under training, as these boys and girls are going. Then you will understand what is God. And as soon as you understand God, your relationship with God, then jñāna and vairāgya will be there. Jñāna. By jñāna you will understand that you are not this material, any product of this material world. This is called vairāgya, jñāna. And vairāgya means if you are not interested in this material world, then your real interest is spiritual life, that makes your life successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

In relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa. And there everything is eternal.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- New Vrindaban, September 6, 1972:

If he does not pay me salary, I give up his service. I am friend of (indistinct). If my intention is not fulfilled, then I give up that friendship. My love with a boy or with a girl is there, but as soon as there is some discrepancy there is divorce. So here everything is perverted and with so many faulty ideas, but this, this very thing is there in the Kingdom of God. In relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa. And there everything is eternal. By becoming servant of God, you'll eternally enjoy, same as master. By becoming a friend of God, you enjoy eternal friendship. By becoming father or mother of God, you enjoy the parental affection between father and son. And by becoming lover of God, you become eternally happy.

This is the only business of human birth, being, to understand his constitutional position, to understand God and relationship with God. We are avoiding this. What is the solution?
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

So our life (is) being spoiled without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our mission, that we are trying to save men from great falldown. Uttisthatā jāgrata prāpya varān nibhodata, this is the Vedic injunction. Don't sleep. Uttisthitā: "Just get up." Jāgrata: "Be awakened." Prāpya varān nibhodata. You have got this benediction of human form of life. Nibhodata. Try to understand the advantage, nibhodata. This is the only business of human birth, being, to understand his constitutional position, to understand God and relationship with God. We are avoiding this. What is the solution?

Dharma means some relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

In the civilized human society, there is dharma. Either you take it as characteristic or a faith, but a civilized nation has a kind of dharma, either Christian dharma or Hindu dharma or Muhammadan dharma. Anyone. Dharma means some relationship with God. That is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam... (SB 6.3.19). That is another definition of dharma: "Dharma means to abide by the laws of God." So everyone is trying to abide by the laws. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ sarvaśaḥ pārtha. Sarvaśaḥ pārtha. That is also stated in the Bhagavad... Everyone is trying to approach. Here the ultimate injunction is that dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena kathāsu yaḥ (SB 1.2.8). Viṣvaksena is another name of Kṛṣṇa.

This is the message of Bhagavad-gītā. So dharma means to understand my relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

This is the message of Bhagavad-gītā. So dharma means to understand my relationship with God. That is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like a good citizen means who knows the relationship with the state. That is good citizenship. Bad citizenship means who doesn't care for the state. That is criminal. They are put into the prison house. So similarly, the living entities, they are part and parcel of God. But when they are not ready or prepared to abide by the laws of God, they are put into this material world. Beginning from Brahmā, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16), they are rotating in this way. So dharma means to abide by the laws of God. Just like good citizen means to abide by the state laws. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19).

Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Real dharma is Bhāgavatam," means our understanding our relationship with God, Bhagavān. That is real dharma.
Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

Therefore the Vedic civilization is to educate from the very beginning a child to become a brahmacārī. That is the basic principle of education. Prahlāda Mahārāja said, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). Not that "In old age, when I shall retire, I shall see what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That will be very difficult. From the very beginning of life, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān... Especially... There are many kinds of religious principles, but dharmān bhāgavatān. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Real dharma is Bhāgavatam," means our understanding our relationship with God, Bhagavān. That is real dharma.

To understand God, our relationship with God, our duty, everything should be understood, scientifically.
Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Los Angeles, August 23, 1972:

Therefore any religion without scientific understanding through philosophy, it is simply sentiment. It is not religion. And philosophy without religious understanding is mental speculation. That is also useless. Philosophy which does not search ultimately what is truth, what is God, that philosophy is mental speculation. And the knowledge of God without philosophy is simply sentiment. They should be combined. To understand God, our relationship with God, our duty, everything should be understood, scientifically.

In his spiritual body, he comes back home, back to Godhead. So the same thing is expressed here: kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa ātmani īśvare. He sees, ātmani dṛṣṭa, he realized his relationship with God, īśvare.
Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

So for a devotee, there is no more karma, or there is no more material body. Kṛṣṇa also confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). After giving up this body, a devotee, he does not get anymore birth in this material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). In his spiritual body, he comes back home, back to Godhead. So the same thing is expressed here: kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa ātmani īśvare. He sees, ātmani dṛṣṭa, he realized his relationship with God, īśvare. He realized that "I am eternal servant of God, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). He realizes it. And because he realizes it, he engages himself in that way. That is the perfection of life.

There is no such education, that students may understand what is Viṣṇu, what is God, what he is, what is his relationship with God, Viṣṇu. These things are unknown to the modern educationist.
Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

There are two ways. Our life, they are going in two ways. One way is liberation, and the other way is bondage. Just like you have seen the reel. The reel is rolling. One way it is rolling to roll the thread, and another it is giving way to the thread. Similarly, we can lead in two ways, our life, either towards liberation or towards darkness of bondage. This, our human life, by gradual evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life. Now we can move it two ways, either towards liberation or towards bondage. We do not know, modern education. There is no such information what is called bondage and what is called liberation. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know. There is no such education, that students may understand what is Viṣṇu, what is God, what he is, what is his relationship with God, Viṣṇu. These things are unknown to the modern educationist.

Why one should, Christian become Hindu, Hindu become Christian? They should know what is God, what He is, what is his relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

Therefore there is great necessity of spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to actually educate the human being to the highest perfect of life. That is required. It is not a religious system, competing with some other religion. Just like they are thinking that we are making Christians, Hindus. This is nonsense. We are not concerned with Hindus, Muslims or Christians. We are not... If these boys... They're educated boys; they have no business to come..., become Hindu from Christian. They have no business. They're... Many people before me, many swamis went there to make Christians, Hindu. They kicked there on their face. They did not become successful. Because they talked nonsense. Why one should, Christian become Hindu, Hindu become Christian? They should know what is God, what He is, what is his relationship with God. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is. It is not a movement for making Hindus to Muslim or Muslim to Hindus or Christian to Hin... This is not that movement. They clearly understand this. Therefore they are following. They are accepting. If I would have preached that Hindu religion is better than Christian religion, they would have kicked me out long ago. It is a science; it is a philosophy.

In Vaiṣṇava philosophy, everything in relationship with God is service.
Lecture on SB 1.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, September 17, 1972:

So there are many conception of God. But there is a conception of God: to accept God as son. That is only in Vaiṣṇava philosophy, because we are eternal servants of God. That is our philosophy. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). The living entity, his real constitutional position is to serve God. We have several times explained this fact, that the part and parcel of God must be engaged in the service of the Lord. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. Its duty is to serve the body. It has no other duty. The finger cannot go elsewhere and serve something else; it must serve my body. Therefore, it is part and parcel. Similarly, if I am part and parcel of God, then my only duty is to serve God. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. So therefore, in Vaiṣṇava philosophy, everything in relationship with God is service.

That goal of life is to search out God and your relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.5.4 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1968:

Your goal of life is that which you cannot achieve even by traveling the whole space. What is that? That goal of life is to search out God and your relationship with God. Because you are part and parcel of God, and somehow or other, you have been entrapped by this material atmosphere, and you are not happy. Nobody is happy. If one says that "I am happy," he must be a crazy man or he must be speaking lie. Nobody is happy. How you can be happy? Because we are always full of anxiety. That is our condition. Even if you are sitting here in the classroom of Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, still, I am thinking, "What will happen tomorrow? This business I have got to do." Some anxiety.

Our forgetfulness is also another illusion. We forget our relationship with God, or Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

Just like Kṛṣṇa said. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā He says, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. Just to reestablish religion. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. People forget. Nature's, material nature's function is that, to put you into illusion always. So our forgetfulness is also another illusion. We forget our relationship with God, or Kṛṣṇa. Then adharma. That is... Instead of becoming servant of Kṛṣṇa, I become servant of so many things. I become servant of my family, servant of my country, society, humanity, cats, dogs, so many things. Servant I remain, but I become servant of so many things.

You have to be very serious to understand your relationship with God and go back to Godhead.
Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

The idea is that one has not only to understand little about God, but one has to live in God. Then his life will be successful. Not that "Yes, God is great, and I go weekly in the church or in the temple. I offer my respect." No, that will not make you liberated. You have to be very serious to understand your relationship with God and go back to Godhead. Then your life will be successful, not that simply by understanding little. No. That is the same position. Just like you cannot derive any benefit or you cannot sit down very nicely in a tottering ship, so if you keep your life always tottering... That tottering, that stage, or, I mean to say, what is called, tilting stage of life can be stopped only by devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Sambandha means "First of all, what is my relationship with God." That is called sambandha.
Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:

In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same three things are there: sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana.

Sambandha means "First of all, what is my relationship with God." That is called sambandha. Just like first of all a boy or a girl is to be married. So... That is the Vedic system. The father, mother, selects. That is called sambandha. When they fixed up that "This boy will be married with that girl," that is called sambandha. So relationship. Then when the sambandha is established by marriage, when the boy or girl is married, then the sambandha is done.

Everyone says there is God, but what is God and what is our relationship with God, that is to be understood.
Lecture on SB 1.7.5 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1976:

The animal has no information, neither he has got capacity to understand what he is, what is his relationship with God, what he has to do. Sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. The whole Vedic principles are based on these three principles. Sambandha. Sambandha means relationship. Everyone says there is God, but what is God and what is our relationship with God, that is to be understood. Sambandha. Then as soon as relationship is understood, then our real activity begins. That real activities is called bhakti, and the material activities, which is not bhakti, that is māyā. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is said,

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ
viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ
notpādayed yadi ratiṁ
śrama eva hi kevalam
(SB 1.2.8)
That māyā is forgetfulness of our relationship with God. That is māyā.
Lecture on SB 1.7.24 -- Vrndavana, September 21, 1976:

We are mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Why you are conditioned? The condition is because māyā-mohita-cetasaḥ. Māyā-mohita. They are bewildered by māyā. Māyā means "what is not." Mā-yā. So because we are under the clutches of māyā, this material world, therefore we have been conditioned. And what is that māyā? That māyā is forgetfulness of our relationship with God. That is māyā. Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. This jīva, when we forget Kṛṣṇa, our relationship with Kṛṣṇa... What is that relationship? Caitanya Mahāprabhu says jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That is our relationship. We are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.

It is for self-realization, to understand what I am, what is God, what is my relationship with God, and what is the aim of my life.
Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :

Similarly, those who are working very hard day and night simply for sense gratification, they are no better than these hogs and dogs. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān. He does not know "Why I have got this first class body, human body, civilized body? What is my business?" Not for eating meat, and gambling, and intoxication. It is for self-realization, to understand what I am, what is God, what is my relationship with God, and what is the aim of my life. It is meant for that. But they donot know, and because they do not know, asses, mūḍhas Kṛṣṇa says, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ they will not accept the existence of God, although God is inside and outside. This is the description of the mūḍhāḥ.

One who does not know what is God, and what is his relationship with God, he is a mūḍha.
Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :

One who does not know what is God, and what is his relationship with God, he is a mūḍha. In so many places, there are so many śāstras you will find this word mūḍha. Here it is said, na lakṣyase mūḍha. Mūḍha-dṛśa, whose sense perception is just like blind man. A blind man is given a elephant, an elephant. Now, "Mr. Blind Man, just understand what is this." So, he is blind, he simply, I mean to say, moves his hand over the leg. "Sir, it is a column. It is a big column." So blind man, he cannot see; he thought that elephant is big column. So anyone who is speculating about God, he is the blind man studying the elephant, like that. Or the frog in the well studying Atlantic Ocean. What he will understand?

Material world means forgetfulness, forgetting our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

This is our ultimate goal of life. Human form of life is meant for that purpose, that in this life we have to understand our relationship with God, sambandha, and, according to that relationship, we have to chalk our plan of working. Because we must fulfill that relationship. This is called in Sanskrit sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. Sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. Just like in ordinary dealings, one businessman is going to do business with another man. So, first of all, the relationship is established by some agreement. Then the transaction takes place. One is supplier, one is purchaser. Then the result is profit. Three things are there. In husband and wife, the same thing. First of all sambandha, the relationship, who will I marry, which girl, which boy. First of all plan... In the beginning... Formerly it was settled up by the parents. Still in India it is settled up by the parents. That is called sambandha. Then the marriage takes place. Then husband and wife relationship, they live together. Then there is the profit, a child. Similarly the human life is meant for reestablishing our relationship with God. In this material world... Material world means forgetfulness, forgetting our relationship with God. That is called material world. No Kṛṣṇa consciousness—that is material world. As soon as there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness and acting on the basis of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is no more material world; it is spiritual world.

Nobody knows what is relationship with God. So where is dharma? The, all bogus.
Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:

Dharmeṇa means, religious principle means to act according to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is religious principle. It is not that you manufacture some dharma: "We are Hindus," "We are Muslims," "We are Christians." These are not dharmas. Nobody cares for God. Nobody carries out the order of God. Nobody knows what is God. Nobody knows what is relationship with God. So where is dharma? The, all bogus. Therefore Bhāgavata says: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). This so-called cheating type of religious system is kicked out in Bhāgavatam. Real dharma. What is that real dharma?

As soon as you find someone, somebody, that he does not understand what is God, or his relationship with God, or, and what is the ultimate object of life, he's a rascal.
Lecture on SB 1.10.20 -- London, May 24, 1973:

As soon as you find someone, somebody, that he does not understand what is God, or his relationship with God, or, and what is the ultimate object of life, he's a rascal. And as soon as you find somebody, that he has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). How he has surrendered? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." Actually, He's everything. The whole world is combination of two energies, material energy and spiritual energy. And Kṛṣṇa is the source of two energies. Therefore ultimate Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes.

We have got an intimate relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.14.43 -- New York, April 7, 1973 :

Just like we, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we, we are not meant for the ksatriya's business or vaisya's business, the devotees, but if required they can take. Real business is, brāhmaṇa's business is to know the Vedas, the Brahman, the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth. He, he must know, and he must distribute the knowledge. This is brāhmaṇa. Kīrtayanto. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ. This is brāhmaṇa's business.

So, we have taken this business that preach that there is God. We have got an intimate relationship with God. So if you act, act accordingly, then they will be happy. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. These rascals, they have forgotten, or they do not care to know, God, and that is the cause of their suffering.

When we come to that position to understand our intimate relationship with God, or Kṛṣṇa, that is called svarūpa-siddhi, svarūpa-siddhi.
Lecture on SB 1.15.28 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1973:

So we have got that intimate relation. So when we come to that position to understand our intimate relationship with God, or Kṛṣṇa, that is called svarūpa-siddhi, svarūpa-siddhi. Svarūpa-siddhi means realization of perfection, svarūpa-siddhi. So here Sūta Gosvāmī says sauhārdena gāḍhena, śānta. If an old friend meets another old friend, they become very much delighted. Similarly, if the father meets the lost child, he becomes very delighted and the child also becomes delighted. The husband, wife separated, again they meet. So they become very delighted. It is quite natural. The master and servant after many, many years, if they again meet, they become very delighted.

Your intelligence was given to understand what is God, what is your relationship with God, why you are rotting in this material world under shadow illusion of so-called happiness.
Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:

When you are in the jungle, you are a tiger, you can eat animals. But when you are civilized, when you can produce nice foodstuff, so many nice grains, fruits, and milk, why should you eat meat? That means you are misusing your advanced intelligence improperly. Therefore you must suffer. You are using your intelligence... Your intelligence was given to understand what is God, what is your relationship with God, why you are rotting in this material world under shadow illusion of so-called happiness. These things are to be known in human form of body. Not like working very hard like cats and dogs and asses and eat little food and do all sinful activities. This is not human intelligence.

To know God, my relationship with God, and what is my ultimate goal of life, and how to attain it—these three subject matters are Vedic knowledge.
Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

In the Bhagavad-gītā, traiguṇya-viṣayā vedāḥ. Trayī. There are three subject matters in the Vedas. The first subject matter is to know God and what is my relationship with God. This is the first subject matter. Then second subject matter is that what is the ultimate goal of life, and the third subject matter is how to attain it. To know God, my relationship with God, and what is my ultimate goal of life, and how to attain it—these three subject matters are Vedic knowledge. That is everywhere.

Religion must be in relationship with God, any religion.
Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

If you do not know what is God, a vague idea, that is not religion. You must know what is God. Just like to become American citizen, it requires to know something of the history of America. So if American citizen, if you ask him, "What you are?" "Now I am American." "Who is your president?" "I do not know." What is this nonsense, American? Would you like to hear from him that "I do not know who is president"? Similarly, a human being professing some certain type of religion, but you ask him, "What is God?" Religion must be in relationship with God, any religion. But ask him, "What is God?" No answer.

Now you try to understand what is your relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

So in order to save the human society from this dangerous condition, without any knowledge of God, without any knowledge of religious principle, there must be some strong king, strong government, to save the people. Because this human life is a chance. Other inferior type of life, animals, birds, beasts, trees, it is not possible. They are also living entities, but human life is developed consciousness. So this is nature's gift, that "Now you try to understand what is God. Now you try to understand what is your relationship with God. Now you practice yourself, how to go back home, back to home, back to..." This is the business of the human society. So unless the king or government looks after it, how people will be advanced?

The living entity is sanātana and God is sanātana and the spiritual world is sanātana, and the process by which your lost relationship with God established and you go back to home back to Godhead, that is called sanātana-dharma. Sanātana-dharma. That is our eternal relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

Actually, Hindu is not a religion. Hindu is a name given by the foreigners. The religion is, of India, varṇāśrama-dharma, following the institution of four varṇas and four āśramas. That is varṇ... Or sanātana-dharma. Sanātana-dharma means eternal, eternal religion. Religion of human being is one. That is called sanātana. A living entity is described as sanātana. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūto jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find sanātanaḥ, and Kṛṣṇa is also addressed in the Eleventh Chapter as sanātanas tvam. And there is another place, or spiritual world, which is also called sanātana. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). So this sanātana term is very important. The living entity is sanātana and God is sanātana and the spiritual world is sanātana, and the process by which your lost relationship with God established and you go back to home back to Godhead, that is called sanātana-dharma. Sanātana-dharma. That is our eternal relationship with God. And there is a place. So the system which makes these two sanātana, God and the living entity, meet again and they go back to enjoy life in the spiritual world, that system is called sanātana-dharma. Therefore sanātana-dharma is not meant for any particular class or particular country or particular nation or community. No. It is meant for the whole human being, especially human being; otherwise, all living entities.

If you understand what is God and if you know what is your relationship with God, then you are perfect.
Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

Devotee (5): What will happen to the souls who have not become Kṛṣṇa consciousness at the end of Kali-yuga? What does Kṛṣṇa do with them?

Prabhupāda: He'll suffer. He'll suffer. Anyone who does not... Kṛṣṇa conscious means God conscious. The human life is meant for realizing God. So every religious system is meant for giving education about God. That is the system. Either you take Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion, the idea is to understand God. So therefore, any religion you take, it doesn't matter. If you understand what is God and if you know what is your relationship with God, then you are perfect. (end)

The whole Vedic civilization is based on this, that you must know what is your relationship with God. It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Buddhist.
Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:

This is bhāgavata-dharma, everything in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Otherwise that is not dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means to understand God, our relationship with God, and how to work in that relation. That is dharma. Sambandha, prayojana. Sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. Caitanya Mahāprabhu prescribes this. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this, that you must know what is your relationship with God. It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Buddhist.

The ultimate goal of life is to search out or is to reestablish your lost relationship with God. That is the mission of human life. Otherwise what is the difference between animal life and human life?
Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

So there is no problem for executing devotional service to the Lord. And that is the highest perfection of all religious principles. But we have to practice. And that is not possible in this age. This age is called Kali. It is very difficult age. People are not very much interested to the most important problem of life. They are alpāyuṣa. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. People are short-living and manda. Manda means very slow for ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is to search out or is to reestablish your lost relationship with God. That is the mission of human life. Otherwise what is the difference between animal life and human life? The animal life, they are also busy for eating, sleeping, mating and defending. So if we human beings, we are also similarly busy, then what is the difference?

People open hospitals, schools, colleges, charitable institution. They are nice. But the best contribution to the human society is to revive his lost relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

So that is the highest gift to the human society. There are so many welfare activities in the human society. People open hospitals, schools, colleges, charitable institution. They are nice. But the best contribution to the human society is to revive his lost relationship with God. Just like a rich man's son. Someway or other he has left his father's home and he's loitering here and there. Somebody finds him: "Oh, you are Mr. such and such. You are the son of such and such gentleman. He's very rich man. Why you are suffering? Come, come with me. I shall take to your father." So this is one kind of welfare activity. And another welfare activity, the same person who is loitering in the street, somebody says, "Oh, you are hungry. All right, come on. I shall give you some bread." That is also welfare activity, but this welfare activity, to get the lost son to his father, rich father, not ordinary father, that is the best service. Similarly, all living entities... As Kṛṣṇa claims in the Bhagavad-gītā... Kṛṣṇa claims,

We have no quarrel with Hindus and Muslims or Christians or Buddhists. But our objective is that religion means there is connection, relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is postgraduate position of all religions. It is not any sectarian religion. You accept Christianity—very good. You accept Muhammadanism, Islamism—very good. You accept Hinduism—that's all right. We have no quarrel with Hindus and Muslims or Christians or Buddhists. But our objective is that religion means there is connection, relationship with God.

If the training is how to know God, how to know your relationship with God, that is real training. That chance is in the human form of body.
Lecture on SB 2.3.2-3 -- Los Angeles, May 20, 1972:

A means not, and bodha means knowledge. Without any knowledge. That's a fact. If you are born with knowledge, then there was no need of sending the children to school. There was no need. He is born. No. Everyone is born rascal. That is to be understood. And therefore he has to be trained. So if the training is simply how to eat more, how to sleep more, how to have sex life more, and how to defend more, that is animal training. But if the training is how to know God, how to know your relationship with God, that is real training. That chance is in the human form of body. So if a human being does not take this chance, this facility, then his all activities are failure. Simply for nothing he's wasting time. Failure. Then?

If one can understand oneself and the Supreme Self and what is this material world, why we have come here, what is my relation with God, what is my relation with this world, this is knowledge. They are called jñānavān.
Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

Suppose you are a very big engineer, and another man is ordinary electric mistri. The qualification is the same: earning livelihood by some art. If there is some wrong in the electric line, I cannot repair it. I call one mistri. He knows the art. He immediately revives the electric current. So this sort of knowledge is called śilpa, śilpa-jñāna, "artistic knowledge." That is not knowledge. Real knowledge is Vedic knowledge, Vedānta knowledge, to know oneself, "What I am, what is God, Bhagavān, what is my relation with Him, and what is my duty, and what is the ultimate goal of life." This is knowledge. Etaj jñānaṁ tad ajñānam anyathā. Kṛṣṇa says, "This is jñānam." Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña-jñānam. If one can understand oneself and the Supreme Self and what is this material world, why we have come here, what is my relation with God, what is my relation with this world, this is knowledge. They are called jñānavān. Jñānavān, they are searching after knowledge. Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.

Here are millions and millions of person who don't care, just like animal. They don't care to know what is God, what is our relationship with God, how to act in that relationship.
Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

Tattva means truth. So the idea is how to understand the Supreme Person, Supreme Being, in tattvataḥ, in truth.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

This tattva word has been used in the Bhagavad-gītā, that everyone has got some idea of God. Not everyone; but out of many many millions of person: manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. Not ordinary men. There are millions and millions of person who don't care, just like animal. They don't care to know what is God, what is our relationship with God, how to act in that relationship. The Vedic instruction, the whole Vedic instruction is for this purpose. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is the purpose of Veda.

First of all we have to know what is our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

So first of all we have to know what is our relationship with God. That you do not know. Neither you try for it. This child... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, Kṛṣṇa says, not we say, that out of many many thousands and millions of persons, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3), so kaścid, somebody becomes interested what is the purpose of life. That is actually awakening of human life. Otherwise like cats and dogs: eating, sleeping, having sex intercourse, and after some time finished, that is the life of cats and dogs. That is not human life. Human life as it is stated in the Vedas, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life is meant for inquiring about the Supreme Being, Brahman, Parabrahman. That is human life. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this basic principle that to understand the Absolute Truth.

Because in the human life if one tries he can understand God, he can understand himself, he can understand what is his relationship with God, he can understand how to act in that relationship and thus make his life perfect.
Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

Siddhi means perfection of life, to understand God. Because in the human life if one tries he can understand God, he can understand himself, he can understand what is his relationship with God, he can understand how to act in that relationship and thus make his life perfect. That is human life.

That is wanted, because without being purified, nobody can understand, "What is God, what is my relationship with God, who is God, what does He do, what is His name...," nothing interest.(?).
Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:

That is wanted, because without being purified, nobody can understand, "What is God, what is my relationship with God, who is God, what does He do, what is His name...," nothing interest.(?) Dirty things within the heart, they cannot understand, dirty things, on account of sinful life. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).

In this way, if we understand our position and God's position and our relationship with God, in this way, if we become enlightened, jñānam, then ātma-darśanam. Ātma-darśanam, that means self-realization.
Lecture on SB 3.26.3 -- Bombay, December 15, 1974:

Your position is prakṛteḥ paraḥ. Why you are rotting in this, within this material world?" In this way, if we understand our position and God's position and our relationship with God, in this way, if we become enlightened, jñānam, then ātma-darśanam. Ātma-darśanam, that means self-realization.

So this human life is meant for self-realization, not simply wasting time like cats and dogs, eating, sleeping, mating, and... No. That is not human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Everyone should be interested himself, God, and his relationship. Then the life will be successful.

The material nature has got relationship with both God and the living entities, but the activities of the two living entities, namely the aṇu and vibhu.
Lecture on SB 3.26.9 -- Bombay, December 21, 1974:

We should understand this relationship. The material nature has got relationship with both God and the living entities, but the activities of the two living entities, namely the aṇu and vibhu... God is Vibhu or Prabhu, and living entity is aṇu or servant, and the via media is the material nature. So we cannot control material nature. That is not possible. We are controlled. We are being controlled.

Bhakti means our relationship with God is bhakti, giving service.
Lecture on SB 3.26.21 -- Bombay, December 30, 1974:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's standard of devotion: nothing to possess. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye. Nothing to possess.

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

(Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

Bhakti. Bhakti means our relationship with God is bhakti, giving service. God is great, and we are most insignificant servant of God. Our business is to give service to God. When you come to this stage, then there will be śānti. Otherwise there is no possibility of śānti.

Any sense you say, there is relationship with God. So unless you revive your relationship with God which is dormant, there is no śānti. There cannot be any śānti. So try to understand God.
Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

So this bhakti is the first-class religion, Paro dharma. All other different kinds of religious systems, they are material. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Buddhist"—these are all material designation. Actually, it is not dharma. Just like gold. Gold cannot be Hindu gold, Christian gold, Muslim gold. Gold is gold. There is no question of Hindu gold or Muslim gold. Similarly, dharma, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means relationship with God. So human being in any society, any part of the world, there is a consciousness or sense of understanding God. The method may be different; that is another thing. But the idea is how to know God. Just like Christians, they say, "O God, give us our daily bread." So there is relationship. Muslim they say, allah akbar, "God is great." So in Hindu-conception generally say, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So any sense you say, there is relationship with God. So unless you revive your relationship with God which is dormant, there is no śānti. There cannot be any śānti. So try to understand God.

Dharma means relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Bhakti means loving service. When you develop your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa and you begin to serve Him, that is called bhakti.

So this bhakti is the first-class religion, Paro dharma. All other different kinds of religious systems, they are material. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Buddhist"—these are all material designation. Actually, it is not dharma. Just like gold. Gold cannot be Hindu gold, Christian gold, Muslim gold. Gold is gold. There is no question of Hindu gold or Muslim gold. Similarly, dharma, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means relationship with God.

Any sense you say, there is relationship with God. So unless you revive your relationship with God which is dormant, there is no śānti. There cannot be any śānti. So try to understand God.
Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

So human being in any society, any part of the world, there is a consciousness or sense of understanding God. The method may be different; that is another thing. But the idea is how to know God. Just like Christians, they say, "O God, give us our daily bread." So there is relationship. Muslim they say, allah akbar, "God is great." So in Hindu-conception generally say, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So any sense you say, there is relationship with God. So unless you revive your relationship with God which is dormant, there is no śānti. There cannot be any śānti. So try to understand God.

We can understand from Vedic knowledge what is our position, what is our relationship with God, how we shall act in that relationship.
Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

We can understand from Vedic knowledge what is our position, what is our relationship with God, how we shall act in that relationship. These are the opportunities in this human form of life—not in the form of cats and dogs. So in spite of getting this opportunity, if we do not understand God, if we do not understand what is our relationship with God, then according to śāstra it is called ātma-han. Ātma-han means suicide. If you cut your throat yourself, who can save you? So we should not become ātma-han and spoil this life.

So in the human form of life if we do not purify our existence, if we do not realize God, if we do not understand what is my relationship with God, then we are simply wasting time living like cats and dogs.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

The laws of nature is working, and he is infecting a particular type of the modes of material nature, he is preparing his next body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu.

So in the human form of life if we do not purify our existence, if we do not realize God, if we do not understand what is my relationship with God, then we are simply wasting time living like cats and dogs. These things should be stopped. And our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for stopping this rascal civilization and giving you life.

Bhāgavata-dharma means to understand God and our relationship with God and act accordingly.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

In tiffin hours the other children of the demons, they were playing, and Prahlāda Mahārāja was asking to sit down and hear him. He was preaching, "My dear friends," kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān, "don't spoil your life by playing. Now this is the period of understanding bhāgavata-dharma." Bhāgavata-dharma means to understand God and our relationship with God and act accordingly. That is called bhāgavata-dharma.

If you want to know God, if you want to know the relationship with God, if you know what is your business after understanding God, then bhakti.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977:

If you want to know God, if you want to know the relationship with God, if you know what is your business after understanding God, then bhakti. Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa, no... Although there are different ways of self-realization—karma, jñāna, yoga, bhakti, these are the principles. But Kṛṣṇa recommends that "If you want to know Me actually, then bhaktyā." Kṛṣṇa teaches Arjuna Bhagavad-gītā because Arjuna was a devotee. Bhakto 'si me priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "Because you are My dear friend and bhakta, therefore I am teaching you."

Spiritual advancement is never checked by material condition. Therefore it is said praśāntā. Vimanyavaḥ: "He is never angry, never angry." Vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ. Su... And well-wisher for everyone. That is the vision of mahānta. He is seeing that "Without God consciousness, without his relationship with God, he is suffering."
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

Spiritual advancement of life is never hindered by any material condition. It is not that "I am under such and such condition. I cannot make any advancement in spiritual life." No. Spiritual advancement is never checked by material condition. Therefore it is said praśāntā. Vimanyavaḥ: "He is never angry, never angry." Vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ. Su... And well-wisher for everyone. That is the vision of mahānta. He is seeing that "Without God consciousness, without his relationship with God, he is suffering."

The gṛhastha..., householder mahātmās are that their aim of life is to revive their relationship with God. That is the first qualification.
Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

So how householder can be a mahātmā, that is also described here.

ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā
janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu
gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu
na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke
(SB 5.5.3)

The gṛhastha..., householder mahātmās are that their aim of life is to revive their relationship with God. That is the first qualification. Ye vā mayi īśe, their aim of life. They are living with... All mahātmā means their idea is how to attain spiritual perfection. How to attain spiritual perfection. That is mahātmā. So a householder, a gentleman or a person living with family, wife and children, his real aim is how to achieve the lost relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Everything has a relationship with God because God is situated everywhere. We should not make any particular distinction between the poor and the rich like the foolish worshipers of daridra-nārāyaṇa.
Lecture on SB 5.5.26 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1976:

As confirmed in Brahma-saṁhitā: aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). The Lord is situated in this universe as Garbhodakśayī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. He is also situated within every atom. According to the Vedic statement, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). The Supreme Lord is situated everywhere, and wherever He is situated is His temple. We even offer respects to a temple from a distant place, and all living entites should similarly be offered respect. This is different from the theory of pantheism, which holds that everything is God. Everything has a relationship with God because God is situated everywhere. We should not make any particular distinction between the poor and the rich like the foolish worshipers of daridra-nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa is present in the rich as well as the poor. One should not simply think Nārāyaṇa is situated among the poor. He is everywhere. An advanced devotee will offer respects to everyone—even to cats and dogs.

Everything is in relationship with God, but he, the rascal atheist, he'll say, jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8), there is no īśvaram.
Lecture on SB 5.5.28 -- Vrndavana, November 15, 1976:

There is a verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. That is called māyā. Māyā means viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Everything is in relationship with God, but he, the rascal atheist, he'll say, jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8), there is no īśvaram. This is materially This is material world, forgetfulness. Viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ.

Developed consciousness means they can understand what is past, what is future, what is present. Especially to understand his position as spirit soul, to understand God, to understand what is His relation with God, and what he should do in that relationship—these things are understandable in the human form of life, not otherwise.
Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

Developed consciousness means they can understand what is past, what is future, what is present. Especially to understand his position as spirit soul, to understand God, to understand what is His relation with God, and what he should do in that relationship—these things are understandable in the human form of life, not otherwise. We cannot invite dogs and cats to come here and hear about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. No. That is not possible. But a human being, he can hear. He can understand.

The spiritual life means to understand yourself and understand God and understand your relationship with God and act accordingly. That is spiritual life. It is not difficult.
Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

The spiritual life means to understand yourself and understand God and understand your relationship with God and act accordingly. That is spiritual life. It is not difficult. How to understand God? You can understand just like you understand so many things from books. So there is book, God is explaining Himself, "I am like this." So you understand Him. Then you become qualified. Yes?

Bhāgavatam means in relationship with God and in relationship with the devotees of God. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam.
Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

Bhāgavatam means in relationship with God and in relationship with the devotees of God. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are preaching the cult of Bhāgavatam. It is a scientific method.

Vaiṣṇava is anxious to see that these rascals who has forgotten completely his relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa, and making gorgeous arrangement for living fifty years only, although he is eternal He is not making any eternal arrangement.
Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1975:

A Vaiṣṇava is not only interested for his own benefit. His own benefit is already done as soon as he has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. He has nothing else desire over. Everything is finished, protected by Kṛṣṇa. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaś... (BG 9.31). But they work in the human society on behalf of Kṛṣṇa so that they may be happy, peaceful, and make progress in spiritual life. That is Vaiṣṇava's duty. Otherwise Vaiṣṇava has nothing to ask. Kṛṣṇa knows how to help him, how to give him all protection. So he has no anxiety. His only anxiety is śoce tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Vaiṣṇava is anxious to see that these rascals who has forgotten completely his relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa, and making gorgeous arrangement for living fifty years only, although he is eternal He is not making any eternal arrangement.

There cannot be Hindu gold, Muslim gold, Christian gold. No. Simply you have to see whether it is actually gold, acceptable. That should be the subject matter of theology, to know actually what is God and to understand what is our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

God is one, and you have to see what is the characteristic of God. Just like when it is gold, everyone wants to see whether it is actually gold or imitation gold. That we have to see. There cannot be Hindu gold, Muslim gold, Christian gold. No. Simply you have to see whether it is actually gold, acceptable. That should be the subject matter of theology, to know actually what is God and to understand what is our relationship with God.

Human life is meant for understanding "What I am? What is God? What is relationship with God? Why I am here in this material world? Why I am suffering?" These are the questions for human life.
Lecture on SB 6.1.18 -- Honolulu, May 18, 1976:

Ask anybody, very learned scholar, scientist, philosopher, or medical man, engineer, lawyer, that "What is the aim of life?" Nobody knows. They think aim of life—eat, drink, be merry, and enjoy, that's all. This is aim of life. So that is not the aim of life. That eat, drink, be merry and enjoy, that is being done by the cats and dogs and hogs. So do you mean to say that this human form of life is also meant for that purpose? No. Human life is meant for understanding "What I am? What is God? What is relationship with God? Why I am here in this material world? Why I am suffering?" These are the questions for human life.

We invite human beings because there is chance. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. A human being can understand what is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 6.1.38 -- Los Angeles, June 4, 1976:

We cannot invite the cats and dogs in this temple and take this lesson on Bhāgavata and Bhagavad-gītā. We invite human beings. We invite human beings because there is chance. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. A human being can understand what is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God. And if we act according to that, our life is successful. Simply denying God and manufacturing atom bomb and killing, is that civilization? No.

Thank you very much.

Everything has got relationship with God. We must know that, that nothing can exist without God.
Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, July 25, 1975:

What you say material, that is also expansion of the energy of Kṛṣṇa. So actually it is not material. But when you use it for other purposes than Kṛṣṇa, that is material. You should know this philosophy very nicely.

Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī said, prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi. Īśāvāsyam idam sarvam (ISO 1). Everything has got relationship with God. We must know that, that nothing can exist without God. Therefore in other sense, everything is God. So everything is God, then how it is material?

They do not care for anything, to understand God or his relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- New Orleans Farm, August 1, 1975:

For special, for the devotees... He is situated in everyone's heart, but a devotee who is trying to understand Kṛṣṇa He helps. He helps. To the nondevotees, they have no concern with the... They are just like animal—eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. They do not care for anything, to understand God or his relationship with God. For them, they think there is no God, and Kṛṣṇa also says, "Yes, there is no God. You sleep." That's all. Therefore sat-saṅga required. This sat-saṅga, satāṁ prasaṅgāt. By the association of devotee we awaken our inquisitiveness about God. Therefore the centers are required. It is not unnecessarily we are opening so many centers. No. It is for the benefit of the human society. (aside:) You can... This fly...

Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is that paropakāra, benefit of the human society. All living entities within this material world, they are in ignorance, all 8,400,000 different forms of life. (aside:) This nearby come, the... Come near. Yes. This is specially meant for driving away the flies. (laughter) Yes. This cāmara is meant for that. Even it is touching body, there is no harm. So all living entities, they are ajñaḥ; they have forgotten what is the value of life. So in the human form of life, where there is chance of getting the real light, if they spoil in this way like cats and dogs, the whole world, what is the position of the world?

If you do not endeavor to understand what is God, what you are, what is your relationship with God, what is your duty—these things, if you do not learn, then you are punishable immediately.
Lecture on SB 6.1.68 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1975:

And laws of nature means laws of God. What is prakṛti? Prakṛti is acting under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Just like a police constable is working under the direction of magistrate or superior office, similarly, prakṛti is giving us various types of miserable condition of life directed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ suyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Kṛṣṇa says, "Under My superintendence the laws of nature is working." And what is the laws of nature? That in the human form of life, if you do not endeavor to understand what is God, what you are, what is your relationship with God, what is your duty—these things, if you do not learn, then you are punishable immediately.

kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāvchā kare
pasate māyāra tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare

As soon as you forget Kṛṣṇa and you want to act independently, then immediately you are captured by māyā and you are punished.

Bhāgavata means in relationship with God, or Bhagavān. Bhāgavata-śabda and then Bhāgavata. That is dharma. So bhāgavata-dharma. Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma.
Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975:

Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Otherwise it is not dharma; it is cheating. Otherwise, why Kṛṣṇa said sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)? Because that is bhāgavata-dharma. Bhagavān is speaking. Therefore, what Bhagavān is speaking, that is in relationship with Bhagavān. Therefore it is called bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata means in relationship with God, or Bhagavān. Bhāgavata-śabda and then Bhāgavata. That is dharma. So bhāgavata-dharma. Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Dharma does no mean I manufacture at my home some religion and it becomes dharma. No. That kind of religion is rejected. Dharmaḥ projjhita kaivato 'tra: "That kind of cheating religion is rejected." Projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita. That is not religion. Religion is for... Religion means the relationship between Bhagavān and me, or everything. Bhāgavata-dharma. So the Bhāgavata-dharma is spoken by Bhagavān Himself, Bhagavad-gītā. So He says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society must be divided into four classes: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. He says.

Because they have no relationship with God, they are puzzled that "How I shall understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not?"
Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Where is Mr. Singh? He was saying that "I shall do my duty, and I do not want to know whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not pleased." This is not bhakti. This is not bhakti. Bhakti means the bhakta's only business is to understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased by my activity. That is bhakta's business. But because they have no relationship with God, they are puzzled that "How I shall understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not?" They are puzzled. That answer is given by Viśvanātha Cakravartī, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ: ** "If you please the representative of Kṛṣṇa, guru, then He is pleased." Yasya prasādād bhagavat... Otherwise you cannot understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not. You can understand also, because if you follow the Kṛṣṇa's instructions... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If one is completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and he has no other business than to serve Him, then he can understand that "I am now... Even if I do not understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not, by the formula I can understand that because I am fully surrendered—I have no other business—then Kṛṣṇa must be pleased." That is the... And practical.

The principle of religion is our relationship with God. In any religion where is no such conception, that is not religion.
Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:

So Yamarāja says that "Nobody can manufacture, even the great sages or demigods, or the chief of the siddhas, who have attained all kinds of perfections, and what to speak of others?" This is very important verse, that any manufactured religion, that is not religion. That is not... The principle of religion is our relationship with God. In any religion where is no such conception, that is not religion. This is bhāgavata-dharma, direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Personality. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is specially teaching this, I mean to say, fact, direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Na siddha-mukhyā asurāḥ, asurā manuṣyāḥ. Asurāḥ means they are also very powerful, but almost atheists. Just like in the modern world there are many powerful men and materially advanced, many powerful men. But because they are godless—they have no sense of God—they are called asuras. The example is Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu. And manuṣyāḥ, manuṣyāḥ, ordinary men. So everyone is described here, that nobody can. You cannot say, "If the asuras cannot, then the demigods can, or the human society can, or the siddhas can." No.

The relationship with God and the living entity. That is dharma. Bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ, guhyaṁ viśuddham: "This is very confidential and without any material contamination,"
Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:

Then he says, guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā amṛtam aśnute. Dvādaśaite vijānīmo dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ: "My dear boys, these twelve men..." Dvādaśa. Two and ten, dvādaśa. Dvādaśaite vijānīmaḥ: "We know what are the principles of dharma. We know, we twelve personalities, authorities." Dharmaṁ bhāgavatam. Dharmam means bhāgavata-dharma, the relationship with God and the living entity. That is dharma. Bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ, guhyaṁ viśuddham: "This is very confidential and without any material contamination," durbodham, "and very difficult to understand, the principles of religion, very difficult." They are reading Bhagavad-gītā so many years together, but when the question comes that "Surrender unto Me," they cannot understand. Durbodham: "It is very difficult to understand." Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā: "But fortunately, if anyone understands, jñātvā..." Jñātvā means "If one understands," amṛtam aśnute, "he can drink the nectarine." If actually one understands the religious principle, he becomes, I mean to say, free from all material contamination. Amṛtam aśnute: "He is a fit candidate to drink the nectar of devotion." Amṛtam aśnute. Etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ. Now, what is the best principle of executing dharma, religion?

Sambandha means we must know what is our relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa. That is called sambandha. Everyone is speaking about God.
Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

So the Bhagavad-gītā is giving us directly information about our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa personally giving instruction that is His position and what is our position, what is our relationship with Him and what is the ultimate goal of life. These are called in Sanskrit language, sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. Sambandha means we must know what is our relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa. That is called sambandha. Everyone is speaking about God. That is human nature. Any civilized form of human society has some sort of religious principles, to understand God. That is a fact. So in the human form of life, this is the main question. This is called brahma-jijñāsā. "What is my relationship with God? What I am? Why I am suffering in this material world? Is there a solution?" This is the business of human form of life, not to imitate the animals, how to eat nicely, how to live nicely, how to have sexual intercourse nicely and how to defend. These are animal propensities.

"What is God, what is my relationship with God, what is the ultimate goal of life, how shall I work in this material world?"
Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

Therefore Bhāgavata says, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye: (SB 5.5.1) "This human form of life is not meant for to work so hard like hogs and dogs simply for sense gratification." The aim is only sense gratification. In the modern civilization they have no other aim. They do not know "What is God, what is my relationship with God, what is the ultimate goal of life, how shall I work in this material world?" These questions are rejected. It is very abominable condition of the human society. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important to enlivening the whole human society to his real position, constitutional position. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109).

To understand God and to understand our relationship with God, it is not to be done by mental speculation.
Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

Prahlāda Mahārāja at the age of five years only he was a great devotee. Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas, great authorities of this line, devotional line. (aside:) You can take your seats. To understand God and to understand our relationship with God, it is not to be done by mental speculation. It is not possible. God is not so cheap thing that one can understand by mental speculation. In the present age people are very much fond of mental speculation. In the śāstra it is said, tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "Simply by arguing you cannot come to the right conclusion." You may be very good arguer, but another arguer may defeat you by his argument. So in this way, simply by dry arguments it is not possible to come to the conclusion. Tarko 'pratiṣṭha śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Scripture. There are different scriptures. If you simply... Scripture means Vedic, Vedas. There are four Vedas and many other also, corollaries. So by studying at home these books, that is also not possible to understand. And nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. And if you follow philosophers, so one philosopher is differing from another philosopher. Just like our Śyāmasundara has brought one book, Ideas of Philosophers, different philosophers talking differently. So how you can take the conclusion? Even Aristotle, he is talking so many things nonsense. So mental speculators, philosophers. In this way you cannot.

They do not know what is God, what is his relationship with God. Therefore preaching is necessary.
Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

Just like our boys going on the street try to teach all others how to learn devotional service. This is our business. Prahlāda Mahārāja is our ācārya, former ācārya. So following his footsteps, we have to do that. Everyone did that, preaching. Preaching is required. People are in ignorance. They do not know what is God, what is his relationship with God. Therefore preaching is necessary. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was doing that. Therefore the teacher said that naisargikīyaṁ matir asya rājan niyaccha manyum: "Don't be unnecessarily angry upon us. We did not teach him. By nature he is like that."

So this is also another feature, that why one becomes devotee, why the other does not become? That means in his former life he was a devotee. It could not be finished in one life, but in this life automatically he is trying to become devotee. Therefore devotional service is so nice that even if you cannot finish the whole course in one life, next life you are guaranteed to get a very nice birth so that you can develop further. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭoḥ sañjāyate (BG 6.41).

So the science of God, or our relationship with God and our dealings with God, is called bhāgavata-dharma.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

Because we are part and parcel of the Supreme, therefore all the qualities of God can be found in each and every living entity in minute quantity. So you can claim that you are also minute god, but you cannot claim that you are Supreme God. This is the definition of God! So the science of God, or our relationship with God and our dealings with God, is called bhāgavata-dharma, occupation with God..., dealings with God. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam means how we can learn.

First of all, we have to understand what is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God. And as soon as the relationship is established, then there is dealings. And as soon as there is dealing, then there is some profit. There must be some profit. Just like a businessman, another businessman, they first of all make some connection, that "You are supplier. I am..." I mean to say. What is called? "Receiver." Because a businessman, one businessman sells. Another businessman purchases. "So you are purchaser. I am seller." So our agreement is made that "I shall supply you. You shall purchase." This is called relationship. In every dealings we must have first of all the relationship.

You must know what is your position, you must know what is God, and you must know what is your relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

You can take any, accept any form of relationship. There must be a standard of dealing, and there must be a result out of that. This is called Bhāgavata-dharma. You must know what is your position, you must know what is God, and you must know what is your relationship with God. Then you must deal with God in that way. Then you get the desired result. This is perfection of life. It is called bhāgavata-dharma.

So what is our relationship with God? I have already explained that the six opulences are there in God in full and the same six opulences are in me, but in particle. Just like the ocean water. It contains tons, millions of tons salt, ocean water, salt. You take a drop of ocean water. You analyze. You will find a grain of salt also. The salt is there also. Similarly, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, what is our relationship? Relationship is

mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ
jīva-loke sanātanaḥ
manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi
prakṛti-sthāni karṣati
(BG 15.7)

Kṛṣṇa says that "All the living entities, they are My part and parcels, but manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi, due to their contaminated mind, they are struggling hard in this material nature." We are struggling very hard as part and parcel. Just like this hand is part and parcel of my body. So what is the real function of the hand? It must always remain attached with this body. Then it is in healthy condition.

I don't care for it. Similarly, we living entities, we are also part and parcel of God, but because we have separated ourself, our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

So long this hand is attached with my body, if there is some pain, I can spend thousands of dollars to relieve that pain. The same hand, when it is cut off from the body, if you trample with your legs my hand, I don't care for it. Similarly, we living entities, we are also part and parcel of God, but because we have separated ourself, our relationship with God, therefore we are being trampled own by the materialistic laws, the material laws—always pinching, so many miseries. But we have become so fool that we do not realize that this is a platform where simply miseries are being experienced. That is called māyā.

We are always in miseries, but if I ask you or you ask me "How are you," I will say, "Oh, it is very nice." What is very nice? We are sitting here. The heat is so extensive, everyone is feeling inconvenienced. But if you ask me, "Sir, how are you," I will say, "It is very nice." This is called māyā. We are always under some tribulation, always, either now it is very hot, it is warm, and after few months, it will be too cold. So either you are in cold or you are in heat. So these are miseries. If not heat and cold, it is all right, atmosphere, oh, there is something, mental misery. If there is no mental misery, there is some bodily misery. If there is no mental misery, bodily misery or natural misery, then somebody must..

"This human form body should be utilized fully for understanding our real position, our relationship with God, and our transaction, our dealings, and the basis of our relationship with God, and what is the real goal of life."
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

What is that freedom? "Freedom from the cycle of birth and death." He should not become a father or mother or spiritual master, like that. And Prahlāda Mahārāja is also instructing in this way, that "This human form body should be utilized fully for understanding our real position, our relationship with God, and our transaction, our dealings, and the basis of our relationship with God, and what is the real goal of life." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that the real goal of life is premā pum-artho mahān, prema, to attain love. Of course, in this material world, so many things are going on in the name of love. But actually there is no love. They are all lust. But going on in trade in the name of love. Love is possible only with Kṛṣṇa, or God. Premā pum-artho mahān. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Not any other thing.

Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Generally, people understand eating, sleeping, mating and fearing. That is the lowest grade of life. A little higher grade of life, they try to understand about some religious principle, and they are generally become religious for some gain, some material gain.

I am using this transparent via media to see, similarly, because we have forgotten our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God, so we have to see through the transparent via media of spiritual master.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

So spiritual master is the negotiator. He is the broker. Of course, without any brokerage, but he is supposed to be the broker or the transparent medium. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "the transparent media, via media." Just like my eyes are not very perfect, so I am using this transparent via media to see, similarly, because we have forgotten our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God, so we have to see through the transparent via media of spiritual master. Otherwise it is very difficult. That is the process. That is the process. Therefore Bhāgavata, er, Vedic literature gives you injunction, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Tad-vijñānārtham. Tat means spiritual or transcendental. If you want to understand about transcendental science, then tad-vijñānārtham, in order to understand that transcendental love, so gurum eva. Eva. Gurum means a spiritual master. Eva. Eva means must. And gacchet. Gacchet also, it is used in the obli..., or the imperative, "must." And who is a guru? Who is a spiritual master? That is also defined there. Otherwise he will be puzzled where to go.

Similarly, our relationship with God cannot be separated. God is supplying us everything, although we think, "There is no God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

Let me go back to my father." And the father is always anxious to receive the boy. So he goes back to his father. The father says, "Yes, my dear boy, please come. I was so much anxious." So this separation means the father and the son relationship cannot be separated. But the son's rebellion to the father is separated. Similarly, our relationship with God cannot be separated. God is supplying us everything, although we think, "There is no God, God is dead," and all nonsense you may say. But it is due to God's grace that you are eating daily. That's a fact. Either you say, "God give us our daily bread," or you don't say, God is anxious to supply you bread. He is so kind because you are His son. (end)

Again we can repeat. Bhāgavata-dharma means to reestablish our lost relationship with God. This is Bhāga-vata.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot be God conscious or Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore this word is used, prājñā. Prājñā means... Pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpena, specifically. Jñā, jñā means a man of intellect. So Bhāgavata-dharma, what is that Bhāgavata-dharma? That I have already explained. Again we can repeat. Bhāgavata-dharma means to reestablish our lost relationship with God. This is Bhāga-vata.

Therefore in every section of human society there is attempt to reestablish our relationship with God. But at the present moment there is systematic propaganda to forget whatever little relationship we have got. We do not understand what is the science of God, but still, people know that there is something like God. So we are just trying. This is the symptom of this Kali-yuga. They will manufacture objects of worship, but not worship God. They will present so many false god, but they will not worship the real God. One has to worship something. Because it is my nature.

Bhāgavata-dharma means to revive our lost relationship with God. We should know what is God. We should know what we are, living entities.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

Somebody worships God and somebody worships dog. Because I cannot remain without worshiping. Worshiping means loving. Without love there is no worship, there is no question.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that this bhāgavata-dharma... Bhāgavata-dharma means to revive our lost relationship with God. We should know what is God. We should know what we are, living entities. We should know what is this material nature. We should know what is time, and we should know what are our real activities. Why don't you come forward? The sunshine is troubling you. So come forward. Yes. Sit comfortably. So bhāgavata-dharma means it is scientific knowledge. It is not sentiment. Religion without philosophical understanding is sentiment. And philosophy without understanding of God is mental speculation. So we should not be both, neither sentimentalist nor dry mental speculator. There is a class of mental speculators, they're writing volumes of books but there is no substance.

His point of view is that this Bhāgavata-dharma or the occupational duty in relationship with God. Everyone has got some sort of engagement, occupation.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

This instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja to his class fellows we are discussing for the last few days. His point of view is that this Bhāgavata-dharma or the occupational duty in relationship with God. Everyone has got some sort of engagement, occupation. Bhāgavata says

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
(SB 1.2.13)

Everyone is engaged in a particular type of occupational duty. Never mind what is that occupation. You may be a religious priest, you may be a politician, you may be a nationalist, you may be a chemist, you may be a physist(physicist), you may be a philosopher, you may be a businessman, engineer, whatever you may be. It doesn't matter. You may be Christian, you may be Hindu, you may be dark, you may be white, whatever is there. You have got a particular type of duty. Nobody is without any occupation. Everyone is engaged some sort of duty.

Now, because the advanced consciousness which are to be used for understanding our relationship with God, we are utilizing, misusing it for sense gratification.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Deha-yogena dehinām. So that sense... Just like a dog has no economic problems. So a cat has no economic problems, a bird has no economic problem. But we civilized human being, we have got economic problem. Why? Now, because the advanced consciousness which are to be used for understanding our relationship with God, we are utilizing, misusing it for sense gratification. The advanced consciousness which was given to us by the law of nature, to utilize it to understand what is God, what is my relationship with Him, and what is my duty in that relationship, this is the boon to understand in the human life, but we don't care for it.

That is the misunderstanding of this present civilization. We are trying to improve the dog civilization. What is that dog civilization? A dog sleeps. So we are trying to improve the accommodation of sleeping. Dog eats. Oh, we are trying to improve the condition of our eating. The dog eats some meat, but we are not meat-eaters, but we want to imitate dog, so therefore we have to arrange so many things. We have to maintain a big slaughterhouse. So dog has no problem, but we have got problems. Because we are misusing our advanced consciousness simply in the same way as the dog. Eating, sleeping, mating or defending.

As soon as you know your relationship with God, then you have got some duty. Oh, when you're engaged in such duties then you are already in the liberated stage.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

And for that understanding here is Bhagavad-gītā. So why don't you take this advantage? We are trying to place before you Bhagavad-gītā. We are not charging anything, fees from you, that "You give me thirty-five dollars or fifty dollars." No. We are distributing this knowledge free. Please come and take ad... There is no loss on your part, but there is so much gain. And try to understand it nicely. The result will be tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). If you simply can understand this preliminary thing, what is God, that's all. Then you have got duty. As soon as you know your relationship with God, then you have got some duty. Oh, when you're engaged in such duties then you are already in the liberated stage. You are already in the liberated stage. Simply by understanding God you become liberated. Your certificate is there, you can enter. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Thank you very much. Is that clear?

So bhāgavata-dharma means relationship with God, Bhagavān. Therefore you will see in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is Bhagavad-gītā means the dharma or the religious principle preached by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

"In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all rascaldom, cheating type of religion, is kicked out." This is bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma means bhagavān, bhāgavata-śabda. From bhagavān the word bhāgavata has come. So bhāgavata-dharma means relationship with God, Bhagavān. Therefore you will see in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is Bhagavad-gītā means the dharma or the religious principle preached by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is bhāgavata-dharma. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is bhāgavata-dharma. So dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Any other dharma which does not teach anything about God, that is cheating, kaitava.

Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41). Dharmārtha. Dharma, the religious principles, artha means economic development, kāma means sense gratification, and mokṣa means liberation. So above mokṣa there is bhāgavata-dharma. When one has attained actually mokṣa. Mokṣa means mukti, liberation. What is that liberation? Mukti hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpena vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). This is called mukti. Mukti does not mean that after mukti one is finished; one becomes nirākāra or another two hand grow. Not like that. It is a change of consciousness. That is called mukti. Real mukti means change of consciousness. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109).

When the rascals forget what is the relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what is the relationship with God, he becomes entangled in this material affair, māyā.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

So what is that dharma? This Bhāgavata-dharma. When the rascals forget what is the relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what is the relationship with God, he becomes entangled in this material affair, māyā. He is harassed, harassed in this way, that he has to take birth one after another, beginning from Brahmā down to the small ant. There are so many varieties of life. So according to karma, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1), by superior arrangement one has to accept a type of body. That we are forgetting. We are thinking that we shall remain free like this. That is not possible. Your every inch of activity is being recorded and at the end of life these things will be taken into account, karmaṇā. And by the superior arrangement you have to accept one type of body. Today you may become a prime minister but your activities will be recorded and tomorrow after your death you may have to accept the body of a dog. That is the law of nature.

Actually dharma means God and our relationship with God and acting according to that relationship so that we may attain the ultimate goal of life.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

The dharma which is a type of cheating process, that kind of dharma is projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita, means it is thrown away or kicked out. So real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma, real dharma. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). Actually dharma means God and our relationship with God and acting according to that relationship so that we may attain the ultimate goal of life. That is dharma, sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana, these three things.

The whole Vedas are divided into three states. Sambandha, what is our connection God. That is called sambandha. And then abhidheya. According to that relationship we have to act. That is called abhidheya. And why do we act? Because we have got the goal of life, to achieve the goal of life. So what is the goal of life? The goal of life is that, to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is goal of life. We are part and parcel of God. God is sanātana and He has His own abode, sanātana. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20).

Because we are in this material world we have forgotten our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

There is no more fire quality. But if you take it again and put it into the fire, again it becomes spark.

So our position is like that. Somehow or other, we have come to this material world. Although we are a small particle, fragmental parts of the Supreme Lord, but because we are in this material world we have forgotten our relationship with God, and our... Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). We are struggling against the laws of material world, so many other things. Here also we are serving because we are eternally servant. But because we have given up the service of the Supreme Lord, we have been engaged as servant of so many things. But nobody is satisfied, as (the) honorable Justice said, that nobody is satisfied. That's a fact. It cannot be satisfied. It cannot be satisfied because we are constitutionally servant of God but we have been placed in this material world to serve so many other things which is not fitting. Therefore we are creating plans of service. That is called mental concoction. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7).

He is working, what we are, what is our relationship with God, why we are here, why we are transmigrating from one body to another—all these are called bhāgavata-dharma.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Without pilot, even the arrangement is very nice, good machinery assembly, but it cannot work. Similarly, this nature, although we find very wonderfully working, but behind this nature, there is the living entity, supreme living entity, God. So to understand that God, how He is working, what we are, what is our relationship with God, why we are here, why we are transmigrating from one body to another—all these are called bhāgavata-dharma. This is called bhāgavata-dharma.

Bhāgavata means in relationship with God. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma means we are presenting God. People are searching out whether there is God, God is dead or alive. But we are giving, "Here is God. Here is His name, here is His address, here is His activities." Everything we are giving distinctly. Not blindly, but there is philosophy, there is reason, there is logic, and these are all stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, sixty volumes. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that everyone from the very childhood, that means when education begins, this bhāgavata-dharma. Otherwise, we are missing the point. We are missing the opportunity of this human form of life.

In Japan, in Canada, everywhere, we have got this type of devotees, and they are understanding what is God, what is our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Four or five years ago they did not know what is this bhāgavata-dharma, what is this Kṛṣṇa. Now you can see the result, that all over the world, not only in Europe, but in America, Australia, in Japan, in Canada, everywhere, we have got this type of devotees, and they are understanding what is God, what is our relationship with God. It doesn't matter, God is neither Hindu, Muslim, or Christian—God is God. So it is the duty of everyone. It is not that only Christians should understand God and the Hindus should understand nobody. No. Any human being. Any living entity in the human form of life must understand. Otherwise, he's missing the opportunity. So we have got to say many things about this thing. In short time, we cannot speak so many things, but we invite you to take advantage of this movement, try to understand the science of God and be benefited. (break)

If we do not know what is our sambandha, relationship with God, then why one should be interested to worship God? There is no question.
Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Vrndavana, December 3, 1975:

This is called sambandha-jñāna. (bells ring, Deities open) There are three things—sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana. Sambandha means first of all we have to establish what is our relationship with God. This is called sambandha-jñāna. Any Vedic literature, it is dealing with three things—sambandha, abhidheya, and prayojana. Everywhere... In our relationship with mundane world... You are American. So American means the sambandha, the relationship. You have got intimate relationship with the country known as America. This is called sambandha. Unless you know what is your relationship with America there is no question of fighting for America, because the relationship is there. Similarly, in any country... This is, of course, artificial, man-made sambandha, externally. But the principle, to know first of all our relationship, then act accordingly and then the purpose for which we establish relationship, that is obtained. A businessman, he enters into business contract with another businessman. The agreement is there, that "We shall transact business as purchaser or seller, as agent or as principle." This is called sambandha-jñāna. If we do not know what is our sambandha, relationship with God, then why one should be interested to worship God? There is no question. Therefore sambandha-jñāna is the first principle to understand.

So our present material condition of life means that we are forgotten of our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Vrndavana, December 3, 1975:

He is the supreme father, and as the father and the sons are related eternally, you cannot be separated. There may be misunderstanding between the father and the son, but the son is always the son, and the father is always the father. That cannot be separated. So our present material condition of life means that we are forgotten of our relationship with God. This is our position. Therefore people are... Some of them are agnostics. Some of them are atheist. Some of them are this, that, so many. They want to forget God. They have already forgotten, and on account of their forgetfulness they are conditioned by nature. The father wants the sons may come back, and the sons have forgotten the father. Therefore the father comes as incarnation. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Why Kṛṣṇa comes? Not only He comes, He sends His so many incarnation. Some of them are svāṁśa. Some of them are vibhinnāṁśa. Everyone is coming here to canvass, to get back the sons back to home, back to Godhead. In different countries, in different atmosphere the business is going on to reestablish the lost or forgotten relationship with God. This is going on.

Real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma, relationship with God. You may call it bhāgavata-dharma or the occupational duty in relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Vrndavana, December 3, 1975:

So here Prahlāda Mahārāja recommended in the first verse, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha: (SB 7.6.1) "From the very beginning of childhood one should be trained up to act according to the bhāgavata-dharma." That is real life. But instead of bhāgavata-dharma, they have created so many false dharmas. So many. So that is our mistake. Real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma, relationship with God. You may call it bhāgavata-dharma or the occupational duty in relationship with God. That is compulsory. You cannot say that "I do not need it." No. That is compulsory. If you are not in bhāgavata-dharma, then you are misled. That is described, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2). Where there is no question of to understand the relationship with God, that kind of religious system is bogus and cheating. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ (SB 6.3.19). This is the purport. Therefore it is said that why bhāgavata-dharma should be learned or one should be trained up in bhāgavata-dharma. Because yathā hi puruṣasya: "Of all living entities..." Puruṣasya iha viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam. Viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇa means the same thing, as you say, "back to home, back to Godhead."

Devatā means they are fully aware of the existence of God, their relationship with God, duty with reference to God, they are called devatās. That is the difference between daityas.
Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:

That is called daitya family. And human family, or devata family... There are two classes: daitya and devatā. Daitya means they do not know anything, just like animals, simply after sense gratification. They are called daityas. And devatā means they are fully aware of the existence of God, their relationship with God, duty with reference to God, they are called devatās. That is the difference between daityas... So Prahlāda Mahārāja, circumstantially, because he was to deliver the daityas, so he took his birth, by the will of the Supreme Lord, he took birth in a daitya family. Sometimes devotees come in a particular type of family to deliver the community or the society. So here the class friends were all daityas, born of daitya family. They are not born of very enlightened family. So therefore he's addressing, daityā. Sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha... (aside:) Sit properly.

We have forgotten about our relationship with God, and this is the only chance, human form of life, we can revive our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

So we must take to śāstra-vidhi. This is the actual advancement of civilization. Because life after life we have forgotten about our relationship with God, and this is the only chance, human form of life, we can revive our relationship with God. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that anādi bahir-mukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karilā. Why these Veda, Purāṇas are there? Especially in India, we have got so many Vedic literatures. First of all, the four Vedas—Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva. Then their gist philosophy, Vedānta-sūtra. Then Vedānta explanation, the Purāṇas. Purāṇa means supplementary. Ordinary person, they cannot understand the Vedic language. Therefore from historical references these Vedic principles are taught. That is called Purāṇas. And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is called Mahā-purāṇa. It is spotless Purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because in other Purāṇas there are material activities, but in this Mahā-purāṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, simply spiritual activities. That is wanted. So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written by Vyāsadeva under the instruction of Nārada. Mahā-purāṇa. So we have to take advantage of this. So many valuable literatures. The human life is meant for that.

The ultimate goal of life is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to understand God, to understand oneself, "What I am, what is God, what is my relationship with God."
Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

Because the spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, cannot be injected in the animal society. So na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi visnum: (SB 7.5.31) they do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to understand God, to understand oneself, "What I am, what is God, what is my relationship with God." This is human civilization. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is trying to instruct his class fellows like this.

So he says that unless you practice from childhood, when you will be grown-up, then you will be encumbered with so many things that there will be practically no possibility. And this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, is recommended in this age because that classification of eight divisions of human society is gone. And it is not possible to introduce it again. I am not speaking that it cannot be introduced in this country or that country. Even where it was being practiced, in India, there also it is gone.

" And in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God, there is other service. Just like we are giving this service. Kṛṣṇa consciousness we are spreading, why? It is not a business. But because we have established our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God, we want to propagate it.
Lecture on SB 7.7.25-28 -- San Francisco, March 13, 1967:

"The Supreme Lord is my Lord. I am His eternal servant. My business is to serve Him, nothing more." This is called pure devotion. Either you call Kṛṣṇa or Jehovah, or whatever name you like, you give, but God is one. So if you simply become to this consciousness, that "I am eternal servant of God, and my business is to serve God..." And in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God, there is other service. Just like we are giving this service. Kṛṣṇa consciousness we are spreading, why? It is not a business. But because we have established our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God, we want to propagate it. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean to be aloof from this material world, but his activities are different. He is not in that activity which will create anxiety. Here we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Oh, there is no business. We don't expect anything from you. But if you accept it, then our mission is nice. If you don't accept it, so there is no anxiety.

We are executing the will of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who takes up this responsibility of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he is very dear to Me." Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' sarva deśa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa in the form of devotee.

If you want to make your relationship with God, then it is bhakti. And our process, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is not for proselytizing, that.
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

However you may be great in material science, knowledge, opulence, economic development, or everything, but if you want to see God, then you have to accept this process, bhakti. In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same thing affirmed. Not only in the Bhagavad-gītā—in all Vedic scriptures the same thing is affirmed. Simply if you want to see God, if you want to make your relationship with God, then it is bhakti. And our process, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is not for proselytizing, that "You are Christian. You become Hindu," or "You are Hindu. You become Christian," or "You are Muhammadan. You..." No. We don't recommend in that way. You remain in your religious faith, but we simply request you that you develop your love of God. That's all. We want to test your religion capacity—how much you have developed your love of God. That's all. We do not want to see how, what kind of rituals and performances you are doing. Phalena paricīyate. We want to see the result, how much you have tried or how much you have developed your love of Godhead. That's all. That is the Bhāgavata recommendation.

Therefore according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is no actually bread problem. The only problem is that we have forgotten our relationship with God.
Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Montreal, August 17, 1968:

Without asking. We go to temple or churches to ask for our daily bread, but the birds and beasts, they have no churches, no temples, they do not ask. But how do they get their bread? Therefore according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is no actually bread problem. The only problem is that we have forgotten our relationship with God. Whatever... Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido (SB 1.5.18). Therefore the instruction of Bhāgavata is, "Just try to revive your lost relationship with God, or Kṛṣṇa." That relationship is never extinguished, but sometimes it is covered. Just like a crazy boy forgets his father and mother and home, goes away. But the relationship between the son and the parents cannot be lost. As soon as the son comes back, the parents receives him very nicely. Similarly, we are all sons of the Supreme Lord. We have forgotten our father, we have forgotten our relationship, and we are loitering in this material world as helpless, and if we revive our consciousness, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that "My home is in the spiritual world. I am a foreigner in this material world..."

Then try to achieve your lost loving relationship with God. Then your life is successful.
Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 19, 1968:

And then our prayer as subordinate, submissive, it is very nicely placed, and God accepts, and then our lost friendship is reestablished. That is the highest perfection of life. Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached this philosophy, prema pumārtho mahān, that if you want success of your life, then try to achieve your lost loving relationship with God. Then your life is successful. If you want to have success otherwise, that is your defeat.

The Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto. We are all born ignorant. Unless there is ignorance, nobody takes birth in this material world. Anyone—may be he is Brahmā or the smallest insignificant creature like a germ or an ant—everyone has got body, a particular type of body. So anyone who has got this material body, he is more or less sinful. That is the verdict. Without being sinful, we do not get this material body. And as soon as we are out of the influence of this material energy, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). How?

Better that he has some relationship with God: "My dear father, You give me." At least, he accepts—"The father sends the bread." That is very good.
Lecture on SB 7.9.12-13 -- Montreal, August 20, 1968:

We simply ask, "Oh, give me my bread or grains. Then my business is finished." No. That is the difference. But this man who is going to church or temple to ask for food is better than that man who has no connection with God, so much better that he has some relationship with God: "My dear father, You give me." At least, he accepts—"The father sends the bread." That is very good. But when the son will be intelligent, he will know, "The father sends the bread even without my prayer. Therefore I must offer my gratitude." That is intelligence. That is pure devotion. (break) Father is not only my father; He is father of all living entities. So He is supplying other living entities. They cannot offer any gratitude. The beast, the birds, they cannot offer any gratitude. But I am human being, I have got developed consciousness. I must feel grateful for God's mercy and offer my gratitude. That is my duty. (end)

If you have got any relationship with God and if you know His name and address, (laughter) then you chant His name.
Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

That's all. Anyone can do. It is not difficult at all. Then if you say that "You are from India. Your Caitanya is Indian, and He is recommending Hare Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I chant? I have got my own God." All right, if you have got your own God, then you chant His name. Caitanya Mahāprabhu doesn't say that you chant simply Kṛṣṇa's name. If you have got any relationship with God and if you know His name and address, (laughter) then you chant His name. Unfortunately, you do not know who is God; neither you know His address, neither His activities. So take this Kṛṣṇa. Here is a solid name. And we give you His address, His father's name, His mother's name, everything. So if you have got your own God's name, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said you can chant. Have you got any name, anyone, God's name? Nobody knows?

Page Title:Relationship with God (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:Labangalatika, Suan, Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:01 of Mar, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=116, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:116