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Saint (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, api cet sudarācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). "Even a devotee is sometimes found not acting properly, but because he has got that unflinching faith and devotion upon Me," Kṛṣṇa says, "therefore he is saint." Only for that one qualification—he does not know except Kṛṣṇa. So to such person, even some flaws are found in their character... Just like we have imposed some rules that illicit sex relationship and intoxication, meat-eating, so many things. So... Of course, intentionally one should not break these laws. But even sometimes we may find that there is some flaw in one's part... Suppose if I see somebody smoking, but he is doing Kṛṣṇa consciousness very nicely. So we should not deride. We shall give him concession to reform. It does not mean that because he has accidentally smoked, smoking, that does not mean he has become immediately disqualified. As Arjuna is showing: "Although they have become avaricious, still, they are my superiors. Still. Still, they are my superiors." This is called unflinching faith. In spite of seeing my respectful superior abominable, not willingly, but by accident, still, I should not withdraw my respect.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- New York, March 4, 1966:

Woman: Yes. In the Indian places known as sacred places...

Prabhupāda: Sac... Yes.

Woman: ...isn't ...sacred places...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Woman: ...isn't it also a fact that there is more magnetism there because of the meeting of...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Certainly.

Woman: ...saints and more people...?(?)

Prabhupāda: Certainly. Certainly. Certainly. Therefore the place itself has got some magnetism. You see?

Woman: Yes. And when...

Prabhupāda: Just like at Vṛndāvana, at Vṛndāvana... That is practical. Now here I am sitting, New York, a very great, the world's greatest city, so magnificent city, but my heart is always hankering after that Vṛndāvana.

Woman: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I am not happy here.

Woman: Yes, I know.

Prabhupāda: I shall be very happy to return to my Vṛndāvana, that sacred place. "But then why you are...?" Now, because it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. Because I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty. I, I... That is my personal convenience, if I go and sit down at Vṛndāvana, I shall be very comfortable there. And I'll be, I'll have no anxiety, nothing of the sort. You see? But I have taken all the risk in the old age because I am in duty-bound. I am in duty-bound. So I have to execute my duty in spite of all my inconveniences. That is the idea.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

Faith is the beginning. Ādau śraddhā. Śraddhā. And this faith, faithfulness, as much as it is intensified, you make your progress far. So this faith has to be intensified. The beginning is the faith. And now, as you make your faith intensified, so you become progressive in the spiritual path.(?) (life?) Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). If you have got some faith, then you will find out some sādhu, sādhu or some saint, some sage, who can give you some spiritual enlightenment. That is called sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Ādau śraddhā. The basic principle is śraddhā, and the next step is sādhu-saṅga, association of spiritually realized persons. That is called sādhu... Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā. And if there is actually association of spiritually self-realized persons, then he will give you some process of spiritual activities. That is called bhajana-kriyā.

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

Santa means saints and sages. They do not take anything without offering yajña. At least, whenever you take something, if you offer the same thing to the Lord—"My Lord, it is by Your grace I have got this eatable. You kindly accept it and I shall take the remnants"—this is yajña. This is also yajña.

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

One who has accepted the holy land of pilgrimage—the water only. Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu: "But they have no interest with persons who are actually experienced in spiritual consciousness of life." In the holy land, especially in India, you'll find there are many sages and saints, they are living there and culturing spiritual knowledge. And one should go there. If they are at all interested to go to holy land, they should find out such men, where they are sitting, what they are doing, and take advantage of it. But people do not do that. They go there, take bath in the water, purchase some playthings for their children and clothing and come back, and they think that "We have done a great thing, traveled in the holy land."

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

So this Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to the rājarṣis, the great kings who were just like saints and sages. They were on the throne, but they were all, I mean to say, dedicated souls for the peace and prosperity of the people. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. When he was born, this Mahārāja Parīkṣit is the... What is called? Posthumous son? Born after the death of his father? What is called, English word? Posthumous. So his father died before his birth. In the Battle of Kurukṣetra there were two parties, cousin-brothers fighting. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit's father, Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, he was only sixteen-years-old boy, but he was fortunately married. His marriage is also very peculiar.

Lecture on BG 4.3 -- Bombay, March 23, 1974:

When Kṛṣṇa was speaking Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, it was in the battlefield. It is not a parlor, discussing, smoking and discussing Vedānta philosophy. No. It is not like that. Very serious, in the battlefield. And Kṛṣṇa selected Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa selected... At that time, when Kṛṣṇa was present, there were very, very great learned scholars. Even Vyāsadeva was present there, the Vedavyāsa. And many others—Asita, Devala... Great, great saintly persons and saints. Rājarṣis. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was rājarṣi. Because in the previous verse He said, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

You'll find that there are many sages and saints who are almost spiritually realized souls, don't care for all this heat and cold. Still you'll find. If you happen to go to Allahabad in the month of December, there is a fair. All sādhus come there and in the severe cold and... Of course, not so cold as in your country, but still, sometimes it is forty degrees, temperature. But you'll find many saints there, bare, I mean to say, body. There is no dress. They are sitting, dead of night. You see? They don't care for cold or heat. You see? Because they are spiritually advanced.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

Now, it is very nice verse that "Santaḥ, those who are spiritually advanced, great sages and saints out of their love for Kṛṣṇa, they see Kṛṣṇa at every moment, every moment." Santaḥ sadaiva. Sadaiva means always, without any interval. They always see Kṛṣṇa. Santaḥ sadaiva. And where does he see? Hṛdayeṣu, in their heart, always see Kṛṣṇa is present there. Then why? Why? Because he has acquired that qualification by elevation. So of course, to understand Kṛṣṇa, to see Kṛṣṇa, it requires the spiritual elevation of life. It is... But that elevation is being taught in the Bhagavad-gītā step by step, step by step. We are in the, just in the... So one has to understand Kṛṣṇa by, step by step. This study of Bhagavad-gītā, as you make progress seriously, that is your elevation. That is your elevation. So when one is perfectly elevated.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). Always, you'll know, there is always a class of men who are always God-fearing. There may be the percentage of such persons very small. But you'll find. That is the way of nature. There will be some percentage who are devoted to God. They are called sādhu. Sādhu. Sādhu. Sādhu means... Sādhu's description is there. Sādhu means sage, or saint. Who is a saint? Who is a sādhu. That description is given. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ.

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ
suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ
sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ
(SB 3.25.21)

This is the definition of sādhu. Saint, who is a saint? A saint is called who is very tolerant, tolerant, tolerant to the utmost.

You have got very good example of Lord Jesus Christ, a great saint, or sādhu also. He was, of course, more than sādhu. Now, just see his behavior, how much tolerant he was. He was being crucified and he was praying God, "O Lord, forgive these people, what they are doing." That, this is the significance of sādhu. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ. For their personal sake, they're always very tolerant, but they are very kind to all people, all living entities, very kind. In spite of their all disadvantages, they try to give something, real knowledge, to the people in general. Kāruṇikāḥ. And suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām. And a sādhu is not a friend of a particular class, particular community or particular country. No. A sādhu, a saint, is he who is friend of all, not only of human being, even of animals and less than animals. These are the qualification of sādhu. Ajāta-śatravaḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

And they have no enemies. Or they are not anyone's enemy. Everyone's friend. Enemy, of course, even the greatest man, you will find some enemy. This is the nature of this world. Even the most perfect man will have some enemy. So that is different thing. But the sādhu, the saint, is no, no one's enemy. He's friend of everyone. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām, ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ (SB 3.25.21). Ajāta... They are nobody's enemy, and santa, always peaceful. These are the qualifications of sādhu.

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

The sādhu... In the Bhagavad-gītā, in the last meeting, I have described to some extent what is the qualification of a sādhu. Sādhu means saintly person. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām (SB 3.25.21). He's tolerant, he's very kind to everyone, and he's friend to all living entities. He has no enemy, or he is nobody's enemy. And he's peaceful. These are some of the qualification. There are twenty-six qualification in detail. But these are some of the qualification. And in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the description of a sādhu, saintly person, is given by the Lord Himself.

And what is that? He says,

api cet su-durācāro
bhajate mām ananya-bhāk
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ
samyag vyavasito hi saḥ
(BG 9.30)

He says, "Arjuna, a person who is cent-percent engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he might be externally, ephemerally seen to be addicted to some bad habits. Still, you should consider him to be a saint. You should consider him to be saint."

What is that? Now, suppose we have contaminated so many things in our material life. There are, in the material calculation, there are so many things which are the list. One list is for morality, and another list is for immorality. I do not wish to discuss this list because in, for a person which is immorality, for another person, it is not immorality; it is morality. Just like according to our conception, Hindu conception, drinking of wine is immoral, whereas in your country drinking of wine is not immoral. It is common thing. Of course, so according to time, class, place, the conception of morality and immorality are different. But there is a, a sense of immorality and morality in everywhere. That is a fact.

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

So Kṛṣṇa says that "Even if you see a person immoral, but he is completely engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it should be concluded that he is a saint." He's a saintly person. That is the description given by Kṛṣṇa of sādhu. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). So in other words, He says, "Any person who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Never mind, he might have something externally immoral habits due to his past association. It doesn't matter." So some way or other, one should be Kṛṣṇa conscious. And then, gradually, he will become a saintly person; as he goes on executing this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then, with his advancement, he becomes a perfect saint. That you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. And how Kṛṣṇa says that even if he's externally a little immoral... Of course, a devotee or a person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's never immoral. But it may be that due to his past association he may appear to be immoral or he may fall down, fall down. Due to habits, we may sometimes fall down.

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

So therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "In that condition, one who has decided to stop all bad or immoral habits and just to make his progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even by chance, if he does something which is immoral in the face of the society, that should not be taken account of." Of course, that is by chance. And in the next verse, you'll find, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā: "Because he has dovetailed himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is sure that he will become a saintly, I mean to say, a pure saint very soon. Very soon."

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

That is nastik theory. This nastik or atheism... There were many saints in India also. One of them is Carvaka. He's very famous atheist. His philosophy is hedonism. Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet yāvaj jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet. His theory is, because in India the luxury is to eat something which is cooked in ghee: luci, purī, halavā. So Carvaka Muni says that you take loan from your friends if you have no money and eat as much as possible ghee. Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet yāvaj jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet. And so long you live, you live by gratifying your senses. Here sukham means sense gratification.

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

So just believe it. It is standard. It is accepted by all the great stalwart scholars and ācāryas of repute. Just like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, great scholars and ācāryas. They have accepted it. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We have to follow the footprints of great saints and sages, those who have achieved success by this indication of Bhagavad-gītā. Don't follow your whims. Take the standard advice. Just try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Just try to understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. And the result is that after leaving this body, you are no more going to accept any material body, but you enter into the spiritual kingdom and you have your spiritual body which is eternal, full of knowledge and blissful. This is the chance.

Lecture on BG 4.23 -- Bombay, April 12, 1974:

So the best thing is that we should be submissive. We should not be proud. That will not help us. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatām. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. The so-called speculative knowledge should be given up. Jñāne prayāsam, namanta eva. Just be submissive. Namanta eva. Śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. San-mukharitām, those who are perfectly saint.... Just like Vyāsadeva, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, san-mukharitām. They have accepted.... Caitanya Mahāprabhu.... San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. In this way we can understand, we can take the lesson, everything is clear.

Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:

So a person who has renounced everything for service of the Lord. Sannyāsī. Sannyāsī means sat-nyāsī. Sat means the supreme eternal, and nyāsī means renounced. So sannyāsī... He is a sannyāsī who has renounced everything for the sake of the Lord. He's called sannyāsī. And he has no hatred for anything because in his vision everything is meant for the service of the Lord. So therefore he cannot hate anything. Sometimes it (is) advertised that "Such and such saint, he does not touch money. He does not touch money. When money is offered to him, his hand becomes turned." But a Bhagavad-gītā does not say that. Bhagavad-gītā does not say that "Because money is offered to you, therefore you shall turn your hand." Yes. Because a devotee's life is dedicated to the Supreme, so he also thinks that "This money can be utilized for the service of the Lord." Just like there are many instances in India.

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

Just like Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna. What is the idea of speaking so many things? Just to cut off his attachment from the so-called material affection. He is affected with something which is stumbling his progress in his own duty. So He is, Kṛṣṇa is presenting His Bhagavad-gītā just to cut off. Santā eva hi chindanti uktibhiḥ. Uktibhiḥ. Chindanti means cut. Now, for cutting something we require some sharpened instrument. But here, to cut off the mind from attachment, it requires sharpened ukti. Ukti means words. Sharpened topics. There should not be... Just like when a person cuts something, there is no mercy, similarly when a sādhu or a person saint, speaks to his student, he does not make, show any mercy. He speaks the truth so that his mind may be cut off from the unreal attachment.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām. Always glorifying, they are mahātmās. They are great souls. If you want to be great soul in terms of the Vedic literature, in terms of Bhagavad-gītā, in terms of great saints and sages, then you have to adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. No other process will be possible. It is not impossible. Just imagine. A personality like Arjuna, with all facilities of life and five thousand years before the circumstances were different, and still, he denied. So yoga system... Actually, if you simply making a show, showbottle of meditation, if you are satisfied, oh, that is a different thing. Make yourself a showbottle. But showbottle demonstration will not make you successful. It is clearly according to Bhagavad-gītā.

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

Now, I'll give you one example. There was a little boy, five years old, in royal family, Mahārāja Dhruva. He was insulted by his stepmother. The little boy was sitting on the lap of his father, and the stepmother dragged the boy: "Oh, you cannot sit down, sit on the father's, on the lap of your father, because you are not born of me." Oh, the boy became very much, I mean to say, aggrieved at the... Because he was the son of a kṣatriya—they are in modes of passion—so he took it a great insult, and he went to his own mother. The king had two queens. The, I mean to, the senior queen had this boy, and the junior queen had no son. So junior queen was very much envious of this boy. And so he... She dragged the boy from the lap of his father, but the boy felt insulted. He went to his mother and cried, "Mother, my," I mean to say, "junior mother has insulted me in this way. I was sitting."

"Oh, yes, my boy. What can I do? I am helpless. Your father does not like me."

"Then how can I take revenge?"

"My dear boy, you are helpless. If God helps you, then you can take revenge." Because womanly character...

"Oh, where is God?"

She said, "Oh, I understand so many great sages and saints, they go to the jungle and forest. They see God there. They undergo penances and austerity and then find God there."

Oh, he at once went to the forest. Then he was asking the tiger, "Oh, you are God?" The elephant, "You are God?" In this way, when Nārāyaṇa saw, "Oh, this boy is very much inquisitive," so He sent Nārada that "Go and see what is the condition of this boy."

So Nārada came. Nārada is the agent of God. "My dear boy, you are royal... You belong to the royal family. You cannot suffer all this penance and austerity. Please go back to your home. Your father is very much anxious for you. Your mother is very much anxious for you."

The boy said, "My dear sir, you don't try to dissuade me in that way. If you know something about God, how can I see God, then tell me. Otherwise you go away. Don't disturb me." So he was firmly determined.

Now, this boy was initiated by Nārada. When he saw that "This boy is determined," then he initiated him and gave him mantra, that namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. He chanted that mantra and became perfect, and God came before him.

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

The boy said, "My dear sir, you don't try to dissuade me in that way. If you know something about God, how can I see God, then tell me. Otherwise you go away. Don't disturb me." So he was firmly determined.

Now, this boy was initiated by Nārada. When he saw that "This boy is determined," then he initiated him and gave him mantra, that namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. He chanted that mantra and became perfect, and God came before him.

Now, when God came before him, God offered him: "My dear Dhruva, what do you want? Take whatever you like." Then Dhruva said, "My dear Sir," sthānābhilāṣī tapasi sthito 'ham, "oḥ, I was situated in this severe type of penance simply for the matter of my father's kingdom, a land." Sthānābhilāṣī tapasi sthito 'haṁ tvāṁ prāptavān deva-munīndra-guhyam: "But I have now seen You, and You who is impossible to be seen even by the great sages and great saints. So I have seen You. So what is my profit?"

Now, kācaṁ vicinvann api divya-ratnam: "As if I came out of my home to find out some particles of glass, but I have found out a very valuable diamond." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "Oh, I am satisfied. I have no necessity of asking from You."

Lecture on BG 9.13 -- New York, November 28, 1966:

Now, sages, saints, philosophers, and transcendentalists, yogis, jñānīs—they are all searching, "What is the ultimate source?" So they have found out. What is that? They have found out. In the Brahma-saṁhitā, we see, there is a very nice verse. They say that

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Kāraṇa means cause. Sarva-kāraṇa, the cause of all causes. There are different causes. Just like take for this cotton cloth. What is the cause? The cotton cloth is made of thread. Thread is the cause of this cloth. Now, what is the cause of the thread? (incomplete) (end)

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- New York, January 6, 1967:

So the villagers understood that a vyādha, a hunter, has become a great saint. So everyone was coming and offering some rice, some flowers, some fruits. So he was executing his devotional service according to the instruction of Nārada. Then, after some time, Nārada wanted to show that devotee to his friend, Pārvata Muni, and he was coming to that devotee, hunter devotee. At that time the devotee was going to receive Nārada, and while going, he was very careful that an ant may not be killed on the path. So he was jumping. Whenever there was an ant, he was jumping. So Nārada inquired that "While you were coming here, why you were jumping?" So he said, "Sir, there were so many ants. So how can I kill ant?" Just see. The same man who was without any kindness killing so many animals, he has become kind to the ant even.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I can't understand why we should have an impure desire when we are already serving...

Prabhupāda: Because you have got little freedom. Why one is not coming here and going to the liquor shop? It is his desire. Because he has associated with a different type of material quality... The same man who was drinking, now, as soon as they come in our association, he becomes a saint. Why? The American government spent millions of dollars to stop this habit of intoxication, LSD. And as soon as the same man comes to our society, he immediately gives up. Why? It is practical. Immediately. At the initiation time we ask that "You don't touch all these things." Yes. That's all. See practically. Especially in the Western countries they are habituated to all these things, meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, gambling. How they give it up? Association. We are opening so many branches all over the world to give opportunity of association. It is not a business firm. Just to give spiritual association, chance. Why you are going the street saṅkīrtana? We are giving chance: "Come here, be saved." It is not business.

Lecture on BG 15.15 -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Hari-śauri: Sometimes there's some discrepancy, two parties, they may both want to serve but they have different ways, different ideas how to execute the same order, so there may be some argument.

Prabhupāda: Service means you must take order from the master. That is service. Otherwise it is mental concoction. Actually, the servant requests, "How can I serve you?" So when the master orders, "You serve me like this," then you do that, that is service. And if you manufacture your service, that is not service. That is your sense gratification. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. You have to see how he is pleased. Now if he wants a glass of water and if you bring a nice glass of milk, you can say milk is better than water, you take it. That is not service. He wants water, you give him water. Don't manufacture better thing. Just like Kṛṣṇa wanted Arjuna to fight, and he became a nonviolent saint, "No, Kṛṣṇa, I'll not fight." That is disobedience. Kṛṣṇa says fight, you must fight. Don't bring philosophy of nonviolence. That is nonsense. What He says, do it. That is service. That he did later on. Sometimes they misunderstand Bhagavad-gītā, that Arjuna is not willing to fight and Kṛṣṇa is inducing him to fight. They misunderstand that Arjuna is better than Kṛṣṇa. But that's not the fact. What Kṛṣṇa says, we have to execute that. We should not manufacture our own ideas. That is not service.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

Pradyumna: (responsively) "...the sages; ūcuḥ—said; tvayā—by you; khalu—undoubtedly; purāṇāni—the supplements to the Vedas with illustrated narrations..."

Prabhupāda: Supplements. Because Vedic language is so difficult... It is sometimes very difficult to understand. So Purāṇa, another meaning of Purāṇa means supplement. So they are explanation of the Vedic knowledge in a supplementary way by taking references from the history, from the life of great saints and sages. So they are addition, addendum. Go on. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that the Purāṇas are not Veda. That is not the fact. Here in the Bhāgavata says the Purāṇa is part of the Vedas. As Upaniṣad is part of Vedas... It is written in simplified language so that those who are less educated, less having brain substance...

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

Just like if I meet my friend... Suppose he's a businessman. So I'll ask you how your business going on nicely. Similarly, Viśvāmitra Muni, he was not a businessman. He was a great saint, and he was living in the forest. So what was the purpose? The purpose was aihiṣṭaṁ yat tat punar-janma-jayāya. As you are trying to conquer over the repetition of birth, punar-janma-jayāya... The people do not know, at the present moment, that the business is to conquer over the repetition of birth and death, punar-janma-jayāya.

Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:

Third incarnation Devarṣi, ṛṣi among the demigods. Just like there are ṛṣis among the kings, they are called rājarṣi. In the Bhagavad-gītā the word rājarṣi is used. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Formerly the kings were just like great saintly persons. They were not ordinary vote collectors. They were so saintly there was no need of electing another president every five years. They are ṛṣis, these words are there. So in the third millennium, they were almost all ṛṣis. They were so enlightened that everyone of the population were just like great saints, saintly persons.

Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:

Pure devotion means to pray to the Lord, begging some service. "My Lord, kindly engage me in Your service." That is the perfection of life, when one is engaged in the service of the Lord in love. You can become a very great saint and live in a secluded place and become puffed-up that you have become very great personality, and people may come to see him, that "He's not to be seen, he's engaged in chanting." My Guru Mahārāja has condemned this. He said, mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. "My dear mind, your mental concoction, you are thinking that you have become a very big Vaiṣṇava. You do not do anything and sit down in a secluded place and imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura, chanting. So you are a nonsense."

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Los Angeles, April 20, 1973:

Dveṣya means enemy. We, we are envious of our enemy and we are friendly to our friends. So Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Even He appears to be inimical to some demon, actually He's friend. When a demon is killed, that means his demonic activities are killed. He becomes a saint immediately. Otherwise how he's promoted immediately to the brahma-jyotir? All these demons who were killed by Kṛṣṇa, they immediately merge into the brahma-jyotir-nirviśeṣa. The only difference is, of course, the brahma-jyotir, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. They are one. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). That is one truth, Absolute Truth, in different features only.

Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

Santaḥ, saintly persons. This word, Sanskrit word, santaḥ, is also I think Latin. "Saint," santaḥ. Santaḥ means saintly persons. So santaḥ, those who are saintly persons, those who have developed love of Kṛṣṇa, they can see Kṛṣṇa every moment. Santaḥ sadaiva. Sadaiva means "every moment." They do not see anything except Kṛṣṇa. That is saintly person. Rascals inquire, "Have you seen God?" "Not seen God, sir. He is seeing every moment." There is no question of seeing God once. No. Sadaiva. Santaḥ sadaiva.

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

Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, ruddhā guhāḥ kim, "Whether the caves of the mountain are closed?" They are open for you. The caves of the mountain are open for you, the trees are there to supply you food, and people throw away old garments, that is your dress. And water? Water supply? Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "Whether the rivers are dried up?" There is water. In this way he gives a very nice list so that you can become very independent. There is no problem for your bodily demands. But one has to practice. Formerly the saints, mendicants, sages, they used to practice like that, that not dependent on any condition. And so far God, God is within you. So you haven't got to go anywhere to search out God. God is with you, and you can be independent in this way.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

Prahlāda Mahārāja, our predecessor guru... There are twelve mahājanas: Brahmā, Svayambhu, Nārada, Śambhu, Kapilo, Kumāra, Manu, Prahlāda, Janaka, Bhīṣma, Bali, Vaiyāsakir, vayam. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). It is said in the Vedas that we have to follow the footprints of mahājana. Mahājana means great authorized devotees. And they have been described, twelve. Svayambhūr means Lord Brahmā; Nārada, Nārada Muni the great saint; Śambhu, Lord Śiva... Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kaumāra (SB 6.3.20)—the four Kumāras, sanat-kumāra ādi. Then Kapila, Kapiladeva, Devahūti's son.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:

Dharma saṁsthāpanārthāya yuge yuge sambhavāmi. So the Lord appears with two missions. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām: just to rescue the devotees or the persons in goodness, sādhu. Sādhu. There is description, definition of who is a sādhu. Sādhu means saintly person. In French language, I think it called saint? Saint? But actually the saint is in Sanskrit language also. Santa. Santa. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. In Sanskrit language the saintly persons are called santa. Maybe it is Latin derivative, because in Latin there are many words resembling Sanskrit. And Professor Rowe, a great English scholar in India, an Englishman, professor in Presidency College, he wrote one grammar, English grammar. In our childhood we had to read. He has stated that "Sanskrit is the mother of all languages."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

Prabhupāda: Why you are quoting Aurobindo?

Guest (1): He is, he was also a saint.

Prabhupāda: There were many saints.

Guest (1): So I can ask one more question. Śrī Kṛṣṇa says...

Prabhupāda: Why don't you touch Bhagavad-gītā? Yes. Do you think Aurobindo is greater than Kṛṣṇa?

Guest (1): He says that...

Prabhupāda: He says he is greater than Kṛṣṇa?

Guest (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then he's a nonsense, if anyone says like that.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

Nirguṇo bhavet. The liberation from material bondage is called nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means the three qualities, three modes of material nature, is nullified. As soon as we are transcendental to the three modes of material nature, that is called liberation. So just like there is injunction in the Vedic literature: to live in the city is rājasika; to live in the forest is sattvika, goodness. Sattvika quality means to live in goodness is to live in a forest. Therefore formerly, all the sages and saints, they used to live in a forest. Still there are many transcendentalists, they live in the forest, because forest is considered to be situation in goodness. Similarly, those who live in cities and villages, in society, human society, that is rājasika. And those who live in the liquor shop and similar, gambling shop and other, they are called tamasika.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:

So here Yamunācārya says, "My dear Lord, tvāṁ śīla-rūpa-caritaiḥ parama-prakṛṣṭaiḥ..." Oh, just like Kṛṣṇa, His character, His activities. Now His character was certified by Bhīṣma. Bhīṣma. Bhīṣma was at that time Arjuna's grandfather. So practically he was, in age, Kṛṣṇa's grandfather. Kṛṣṇa's grandfather, Bhīṣma. He was fighting in the battlefield, a great warrior, kṣatriya, a great... He's called pitāmaha, Grandfather Bhīṣma. He's known as Grandfather Bhīṣma. Now his character is spotless. His character... Although he was living as a householder, he was more, more than any sage or any saint. Bhīṣma. The history of Bhīṣma is that he was son of Ganges. So Ganges was his mother, and his father, Mahārāja Śāntanu, after the death of his mother, he wanted to marry again. At that time, Bhīṣma was elderly.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

Still, as I have several times mentioned, if you go to Vṛndāvana you'll find unlimited potency of spiritual atmosphere still. And therefore Lord Caitanya recommended that ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayaḥ tad dhāma vṛndāvanam: "As Lord Kṛṣṇa is worshipable, similarly His place, Vṛndāvana, is as good as Kṛṣṇa. It is also worshipable." And actually, still in India, if you go to Vṛndāvana, you'll see so many saints and sages are still there. They are worshiping Vṛndāvana-dhāma.

Festival Lectures

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

As soon as he heard, "Oh, what this nonsense boy is speaking?" he became so angry that sphuritādharaḥ. When one becomes angry, his lips vi..., I mean to say, jumps. What is called? Quiver, yes. So he became so angry that it is said, sphuritādharaḥ. (He) immediately called his teacher. He's king... Because he thought, "The rascal teachers, they have taught him like this. I have entrusted the boy to the teachers, to brāhmaṇas, and they have taught this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So call him. Otherwise, how is that this small boy, five years old only, he's talking just like a great saint? So call his teacher!"

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

Woman: Are you familiar with Joan of Arc? She was a saint.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Woman: Is there any person in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam similar to her?

Prabhupāda: You want to see Joan of Arc in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Why don't you take Joan of Arc of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Any activities of devotees, that is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. What do you mean by Bhāgavatam? Bhāgavatam, Bhāgavatam, Bhāgav, this word comes from Bhagavān. Bhāgavata, Bhāgavad-śabda. The word is Bhāgavata. And pertaining to Bhāgavata is Bhāgavata. So Bhāgavata can be expanded to any unlimited. So anything in relationship with God, that is Bhāgavatam. So if Joan of Arc, she was in relationship with God, she is also Bhāgavatam. You should expand Bhāgavatam in that way.

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

One has to anoint the eyes with love of God. Then he can see. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Santaḥ, saintly person. Sant. Just like your San Francisco, the Sant (Saint) is Sanskrit word, santaḥ. The saint word is Sanskrit word. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Those who are saints, sants, they always see God within and without. They have got eyes to see. What is that special eyes? That is love of God, that's all.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Sri Ranga, Romaharsana, Sridhara Dasas -- Los Angeles, July 3, 1970:

Balarāma had some straw. So all the sages said that "Sir, we allowed him to sit on the vyāsāsana, and he was speaking. Now what is to be done? He's killed." So then Balarāma said, "All right. If you want, I can make him immediately alive." So they also considered that "If we say that 'Make him alive,' then... Balarāma's decision was to kill him. Then we overrule Him." Just see how the behavior. Then the saints and sages said, "No, Sir. We do not want. Whatever You have done, that is all right. But You do something, that we blessed this man for long life to speak. Now he is dead. So our version is also nullified. But we want that our version may not be nullified and Your action may not be nullified. You do something like that." (laughter)

General Lectures

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:

So that is the definition given by great saints and sages, this definition given by Parāśara Muni, a great sage. He was the father of Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is called Veda-Vyāsa. His another name is Veda-Vyāsa. Veda-Vyāsa means... His actual name is Vyāsadeva, but because he compiled all the Vedic knowledge in book form... Before the advent of this present age, which is known as Kali-yuga... He compiled all Vedic knowledge... Before that, there was no necessity of book writing, neither there was facility of printing books. There was no press. People had no necessity of keeping knowledge in writing.

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

Although nobody goes to the forest to set fire, it takes automatically. Similarly, in this material existence of life, we do not want any problem, but problems are created. Just like automatically there is fire in the forest without our endeavor, similarly, material problems are created automatically by our dealings, by our behavior. So if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the first result will be that you will understand your real constitutional position, for which many great mystics, sages and saints are meditating, "What I am?" That, I mean to say, procedure of spiritual realization will be the first installment, your profit.

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

Student (1): ...and excluding everything other than complete devotion to Christ. Would you comment on this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's very nice. We completely agree. We say that chant the holy name of God. The vibration, the sound which you chant, that must be the holy name of God. Then it is all right. It doesn't matter what is the language. Language has nothing, no significance. But this word "Kṛṣṇa," we consider it is transcendental vibration because all great saints and ācāryas, they chanted, especially Lord Caitanya.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. if you simply give your aural reception to the Kṛṣṇa kathā. Kṛṣṇa kathā means what is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the Bhagavad-gītā, and Kṛṣṇa kathā means speeches and words which are spoken about Kṛṣṇa. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also Kṛṣṇa kathā, and Bhagavad-gītā is also Kṛṣṇa kathā. One is directly spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa, end one is spoken by Lord, I mean to say, Vyāsadeva, the great saint Vyāsadeva, about Kṛṣṇa. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "You preach this Kṛṣṇa kathā to everyone and then you become a spiritual master under My order."

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

But this Kṛṣṇa name means "all-attractive." He attracts everyone. That is the real name, all-attractive. You have seen Kṛṣṇa's picture. He is attractive to the animals, cows, calves, birds, bees, trees, plants, water, in Vṛndāvana. He's attractive to the cowherds boy. He's attractive to the gopīs, He's attractive to Nanda Mahārāja, He's attractive to the Pāṇḍavas. He's still attractive to the whole human society. Therefore, if any particular name can be given to God, that is Kṛṣṇa. And Parāśara Muni, a great saint, father of Vyāsadeva, who compiled all the Vedic literatures, his father, Parāśara Muni, He gave definition of God:

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

From the animalistic life, the animal cannot talk of God, cannot understand of God, cannot see God. But if we remain in the animalistic way of life, then it is not possible to see God and talk with Him. But if we purify ourself, if we apply the ointment of love of God on the eye, then premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ, those who are saints... I think this "saint" word has come from the Sanskrit world santaḥ. Santaḥ is Sanskrit word. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Those who are saintly persons, those who have trained themselves in the affairs of love of Godhead, they can see God constantly within their heart. That is possible.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: But because he was so vague, this left room for someone like Hitler to come in and use this philosophy...

Prabhupāda: Well, Hitler came not as a king, he came as a usurper. He's not king. That is going on that any rascal, somehow or other he gets power, he becomes the head. But he has no training how to become actually the protector of the citizens. Therefore after the whole world is in trouble. He whimsically declares war and involve all the citizens, implicate. Therefore this support to monarchy is better in this sense that a person, by saint to saint, or by disciplic succession, or hereditary succession, he can be trained and if one man is trained nicely, he can govern over hundreds and thousands inhabitants(?) very nicely.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Śyāmasundara: Just like the seasons. We just place ourselves in the seasons, take us towards something, towards springtime. (break) Yes. So the other type of morality he calls "open morality." This is determined by individuals, in a dynamic way. You blaze new trails guided by...

Prabhupāda: As soon as it is invented by individual men or society, this is all rascaldom. It has no value.

Śyāmasundara: He calls it the higher morality. Just like St. Paul or some great saint receives inspiration from God, and he blazes a new trail to morality in the society.

Prabhupāda: That is nice. Because he is God conscious, he can dictate what is real morality.

Śyāmasundara: He is speaking in this case of St. Paul.

Prabhupāda: So St. Paul, he is a sādhu. So our process is that sādhu, guru, śāstra. We have to accept everything through saintly persons, confirmed by the scripture, and described or explained by guru. Then it is perfect. The scriptures are already there, and we have to see how the scriptures are being followed by saintly persons. And if there is any difficulties, they should be explained by the spiritual master. Then it is confirmed: sādhu-śāstra-guru vākya (cittete koriyā aikya). Scriptures you cannot understand directly. Then you have to see how the scriptural injunctions are being followed by saintly persons. Even if you cannot understand, then the spiritual master will explain to you.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Hayagrīva: Typical of the latter part of the nineteenth century, James' only acquaintance with Hinduism was through the impersonalists, and he spoke of samādhi and the mystical experience in this way. He says, "The Vedantists say that one may stumble into superconsciousness sporadically without the previous discipline, but it is then impure. The test of its purity, like our test of religious value, is empirical. Its fruits must be good for life. When a man comes out of samādhi they assure us that he remains enlightened—a sage, a prophet, a saint, his whole character changed, his life changed, illumined." What is this samādhi or...

Prabhupāda: Samādhi means ecstasy, always in God consciousness. That is samādhi. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata āntarātmanā (BG 6.47). The yogis means they are always remaining in meditation of the Supreme Lord. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā. Mind is always absorbed in God. That is samādhi. He has no other thought than God. So if we can continue in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is samādhi.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966:

Prabhupāda: Durlabha means very valuable. It is obtained with, after a great struggle of existence. We have to come through so many species of life: aquatics, birds, then trees, then reptiles, then beasts... There are so many, so many. There are eighty-four lakhs, means 8,400,000 species of life, and we had to pass through by gradual evolution. This theory is accepted by Darwin also, evolutionary theory. So this human body is very valuable. So he requests, "My dear mind,..." Mind, of course, in the lower animal life the mind is there also. Also mind is not developed, but they have got mind. It is a... In the very lower animal living condition, the mind is not at all developed, but at least, in animal life there is mind. Now, the devotee requesting that "This life, this human form of life, is very valuable. Don't waste it. Don't waste it, but you just to make your life successful in the association of saints and sages."

Woman: What?

Prabhupāda: Saints. Saints. S, A, I, N, T, S. Saints and sages.

Woman: No, no.

Prabhupāda: You have no saint?

Girl: Saints and sages, S, A, I,...

Woman: Saints?

Prabhupāda: Saints.

Woman: Oh, saints and sages.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Saints and sages. Yes. "So you should not make association with anybody else, but you make your association only with saints and sages and make your, this valuable human form of life successful. Don't waste your time. You worship Lord Kṛṣṇa with the help of the saints and sages and make your life successful." That he is requesting. "Don't drive in this irresponsible way to put me into the ocean." And it is also requested that "We are just like in the ocean of birth and death." This material cosmic situation is sometimes explained as the ocean, and these planets, they are explained as islands. And actually, they are islands in the air. Just like we have got islands in the sea and ocean, similarly, these planets are islands in the air, air islands, so many planets.

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966:

Due to our this abnormal encagement in the material body, we are put into the birth and death. Otherwise, I am not subjected to birth and death. I am eternal. I am eternal. So he is requested that "Don't waste your time, my dear mind." Because mind is taking me here and there. So he's requesting mind. It is very philosophical. This is concentration, requesting the mind, "Don't put me into the ocean of birth and death. Please save me, and just make your life successful in the association of saints and sages. That is my request." Bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana. So worship, worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord, and, at the same time, association of saints and sages, that makes our life successful. Association of good persons and, at the same time, simultaneously, devotional service to the Lord. These two things combinedly can make our life successful.

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966:

Everyone is very busy, very busy. But he does not see that "All these, what I am doing, all these body ultimately become either ash or animal stool or turn into earth. So why I am taking so much trouble?" Therefore the revealed scripture advises that "You have to maintain your body. That's all right. But for simply material comforts, you should not devote time more than it is absolutely required." That means don't increase your bodily necessities. Don't increase your bodily necessities. That was the standard of Indian civilization. They did not, the sages and saints, they did not advise to increase the necessities of the body. They, I mean to say, planned the social system in such a way that people should be satisfied only for, by the bare necessities of life. We require some eating, we require some sleeping, or shelter place, and we require some sense gratification, and we require some protection from enemies.

Page Title:Saint (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:08 of May, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=55, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:55