Spirit soul is... (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"spirit soul is" |"spirit soul is" |"spirit soul, is" |"spirit souls are"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

Devotee (2): (to child) You're thinking that Lord Jesus Christ had a relationship with Joseph. Joseph was married to his mother Mary. And so he's thinking what is his, what is Jesus's relationship with Joseph since Jesus is son of God, and Joseph raised him from little boy?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like every spirit soul is son of God, but materially we think that some..., somebody as father. But real father is God. That is stated in the i:

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ

tāsāṁ yonir brahma mahad

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

This mahat-tattva, this material world, just like a child, a child is born, the father gives the seed and mother develops the body. The child's body is developed... Actually all, all of us, we have got this body from mother. Therefore we have got very natural affinity with mother. The child can forget his father, but he cannot forget his mother. Mother's relationship is so intimate. Similarly, this material body we have got from the material energy; therefore we are so much materialist. We are thinking of this country, that community, this family, how materialistic, because this body is material. But so far spirit soul I am concerned, I am the son or the part and parcel of the Supreme.

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

Devotee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Prabhupāda: You know that? Yes. So I explained there that "Here is a nice technological institute, but where is your, this technological department, to understand?" So the students very much appreciated it. Factually, this is the defect. We know... This will be the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā, that there is something which minus, this body is useless. But nobody is trying to understand what is that something. There is no technological institute to understand what is that something. Is it not defective? And still, they are very much proud of advancement of education. The real thing is missing. You have got all departments for comforts of this body, for maintaining this body, but the thing which minus this body, the body is useless, what about that thing? That is Bhagavad-gītā. That is Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is teaching that technology. You should try to understand this Bhagavad-gītā is not technology for the external body. Bhagavad-gītā is the technology of the dehī which is within the body, which is moving the body, which is keeping the body fit. This body is fit very nice, very beautiful, very attractive. How long? So long the spirit soul is there. As soon as the spirit soul is off, immediately it begins to decompose. There may be a nice, beautiful young girl, everyone is hankering after her, but as soon as the spirit soul is gone, nobody will like to accept it. Immediately it becomes useless. (laughs) Huh? So nobody is very serious what is that thing? That is Bhagavad-gītā. Yes.

Śrīmatī: Is that what age is then, as the spirit soul is leaving the body, do you become older?

Prabhupāda: No, spirit soul is not old. The body is changing, that is the process.

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

Spirit soul is evergreen. The body is changing. That is to be understood. Body is changing. That everyone can understand. Just like in your childhood your body was different. Just like this child, a different body. And when that child will be young girl, that will be a different body. But the spirit soul is there in this body and that body. So this is the proof that spirit soul does not change, the body changed. This is the proof. I am thinking of my childhood. That means I am the same "I" which I was existing in my childhood, and I remember in my childhood I was doing this, I did that. But that childhood body is no longer. That is gone. Therefore it is conclusion that my body has changed, but I am the same. Is it not? This is simple truth. So this body will change, still I shall remain. I may enter into another body, that doesn't matter, but I shall remain. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). As I am changing my body even in the present circumstances, similarly, the ultimate change does not mean I am dead. I enter into another... That also explained, vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā (BG 2.22), that I change.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

He says, Kṛṣṇa says, that "This body, either dead or alive, has nothing to be lamented." Dead body, suppose when the body is dead, it has no value. What is the use of lamenting? You can lament for many thousands of years, it will not come to life. So there is no cause of lamenting on dead body. And so far spirit soul is concerned, that is eternal. Even it appears to be dead, or with the death of this body, he does not die. So why one should be overwhelmed, "Oh, my father is dead, my such and such relative is dead," and crying? He's not dead. This knowledge one must have. Then he'll be cheerful in all cases and he'll be interested simply in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is nothing to be lamented for the body, either alive or dead. That is being instructed by Kṛṣṇa in this chapter.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

Spirit, as it is, spirit—very small. It is mentioned in the śāstra. The dimension of the spirit is one ten-thousandth portion of the tip of the hair—very small particle, smaller than the atom. This atom enters into the father's semina, and the semina is injected in the mother's womb, and then the two seminas, being emulsified, it creates a small body like a pea. And because the spirit soul is there, it develops into body. This is the science.

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

When you actually understand that you are not this body—therefore you are not American, nor Indian nor Mexican, but you are spirit soul—then your spiritual education begins. And that is... In Sanskrit it is called ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am spirit soul." Spiritual... Spirit soul has no connection with this material world. When one understands fully this, I mean to say, fact, that spirit soul is different from this material world, then he's actually learned. In that stage he's called situated in brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. The symptom of brahma-bhūtaḥ is brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). As soon as one becomes self-realized, he becomes jubilant, jolly. So long one identifies with this body, he is unhappy, full of anxiety.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

The basic principle of spiritual understanding. The basic principle of spiritual understanding is to know the spirit soul first of all. What is that spirit soul? That spirit soul is within this body. Dehinaḥ asmin dehe. Asmin, this, asmin means this, and dehe means the body. Asmin dehe, in this body there is spirit soul who is called dehī. Dehī means one who possesses this body. Just like your coat, your shirt, you possess this coat and shirt. Not that you are the coat and the shirt. Try to understand clearly. This is my shirt, I am not this. I am different. I am within the shirt. Similarly, this body, this is gross coat. Just like you, when you put on your dress, you have one underwear, shirt, and then over that shirt there is coat. It is very easy to understand, there is no difficulty. Similarly, the spirit soul is within this coat and shirt. What is this coat? This gross body. There are five..., eight material elements: earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and ego. These are eight material elements. And out of these eight, gross elements we can see or perceive with your material senses. I can touch this earth; I can taste the water; I can smell the air; I can feel the sky; in this way. These are gross. And still there are finer elements, just like mind.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

Therefore, the so-called modern scientific world advanced, they do not know what is the actual living force within this body which is moving this body. So long the soul or the living force is within this body, it is moving. As soon as the spirit soul is out of the body, it is..., we call it is dead. So we have got medical science for this body, we have got psychology for the mind, everything we've got, but where is the science of the soul, which is moving the body and the mind? Where is that science? Is there any such science? You are all students, I think. To understand what is the basic principle of moving this body and the mind, is there any department of knowledge in the universities all over the world to understand this science? Is there any? Then where is your knowledge? Somebody is accepting the mind as the self, and somebody is accepting the, this gross body as the self. They do not know that both the body and the mind, both of them are material. And the force or the entity which is moving this body and mind, that is spirit. So they have no knowledge.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

According to the chemist there is no taste of pota cyanide. Because what is this... Whether it is sour or sweet, because there was no chance of tasting it. As soon as the taste is, the man is finished. He cannot say what is the sour or sweet. So if a material thing, a small particle, has got so much power that immediately it can stop the function of the body, immediately spreads all over the body, so the soul, the spiritual spark, grain, a small grain, just like atom, it is so powerful that so long that spiritual grain, spirit is in the heart, this body is so nice. As soon as it is passed, immediately body begins to decompose. Immediately. So it is so powerful. If a material thing can spread all over the body, why not the spirit? This is consciousness. Because the spirit soul is within the heart, I can pinch any part of my body, I feel that this is consciousness. This is consciousness. Go on reading. So because... Just like the effect of a poisonous grain of material thing is immediately felt all over the body, similarly by the consciousness which is spreading all over the body, you can understand that there is soul.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- London, August 20, 1973:

Paṇḍita means those who are learned. Learned means brāhmaṇa, not śūdra. Śūdras, they are not learned. Mlecchas, yavanas, śūdras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra (SB 2.4.18), so many. Learned means brāhmaṇa. Learned means that one who knows that Brahman. Brahman, the spirit soul, is part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. So one who has come to that knowledge, that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul; ahaṁ brahmāsmi," that is knowledge. Knowledge begins from there. If one does not reach to that point, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, then he is animal. The animal thinking like that, "I am rickshaw," "I am motorcar," "I am cat," "I am dog," "I am this," "I am that." That is animal thinking. But a person... Learned thinking is that "I am not this body; I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi." And when you are farther advanced from Brahman knowledge... The knowledge begins from there. When you make further advancement, then you can understand that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is perfect knowledge.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975:

Actually spiritual consciousness keeps the body fit. Just like in the body the spirit soul is there and the consciousness is also there, maybe polluted, but as soon as the spirit soul gives up this body, the body immediately begins to decompose. So the decomposition of the body is checked by the spiritual presence. So if you become advanced in spiritual consciousness there is no question of suffering from bodily disease.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975:

You can simply take the information that the dimension of the spirit soul is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of your hair. Very small particle, that is spirit soul. The dimension is given. You have got your hair. You can just imagine only; you cannot measure. And you divide the top of your hair into ten thousand parts, and that one part is the measurement of the spirit soul. That small particle is so powerful. Just imagine what is spiritual power. It is less than the atom. Therefore it is described in the Vedic lit..., aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān: "The spirit is greater than the greatest, and the smaller than the smallest."

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

Therefore one who knows that the spirit soul is eternal, deathless, birthless, ever-new, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇaḥ. Nityaḥ śāśvataḥ ayaṁ purāṇaḥ. Purāṇa means very old. We do not know how old we are because we are transmigrating from one body to another. We do not know when we have begun this. Therefore, actually we are very old, but, at the same time, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇaḥ. Although very old,... Just like Kṛṣṇa is ādi-puruṣa, the original person. Still, you'll find Kṛṣṇa always a young man of sixteen to twenty years' age. You'll never find Kṛṣṇa's picture as old. Nava-yauvana. Kṛṣṇa is always nava-yauvana. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanam (Bs. 5.33). Ādyam, the original person, and the oldest; at the same time, He is always in youthful life. Ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanam. So anyone who knows that how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another, dhīras tatra na muhyati, those who are sober, learned, he is not disturbed.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- Hyderabad, November 22, 1972:

So if this body was running simply on combination of matter, and some matter is lacking, so why not bring that matter and put into it, and it will run? But that is not possible. That is, that was... The living force which was running this body was a different element, spirit. Nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ. We have discussed this verse. That is living force. And Kṛṣṇa says, vināśam avyayasya asya. This consciousness has no annihilation. Vināśa. Nobody can kill this consciousness, or the soul. One can do harm to this material body, but not to the spirit soul and consciousness. Vināśam avyaya. Avyaya means which is never deteriorates. That is avyaya. Vināśam avyayasya asya na kaścit kartum arhati. Nobody can kill. Nobody can kill consciousness, nobody can kill the soul. Therefore it is said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). "The consciousness, or the spirit soul, is never killed, never annihilated, on the destruction of this body."

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 17, 1975:

So to live irresponsibly like cats and dogs is very risky life. Because so long we shall be engaged in the matter of sense gratification—material life means sense gratification—we shall increase our prolongation of repetition of birth and death. So this irresponsible life of eating, sleeping, sex life and defense like cats and dogs will not help us. Therefore... Because this kind of activities will oblige me to accept another body, and as soon as we accept another material body we become subjected to the stringent laws of material nature. And the material miserable conditions are summarized into four items: birth, death, old age and disease. So those who are not in knowledge of the spirit soul, they are very irresponsibly prolonging his life in material activities. Material science could not find out the spirit soul within the body because the magnitude, the dimension of the spirit soul, is very, very small.

Lecture on BG 2.18 -- Hyderabad, November 23, 1972:

In geometry, they finish it: "(A) Point has no length and breadth," but that is not the fact. A point has also length and breadth, but we cannot measure it. Aprameya. Similarly, there is length and breadth of the soul also. That is also mentioned in the Vedic literature. (aside:) Go little back side. It is said in the Purāṇas: keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca, jīva-bhāgaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sa anantyāya kalpate (CC Madhya 19.140). The spirit soul is measured, first of all, divide the tip of your hair into one hundred parts, and then take one part again, and again divide it into one hundred parts. That portion is the measurement of the soul. Or, in other words, one ten-thousandth part of the tip of your hair. Now, we have no measuring instrument. Therefore, because we have no measuring instrument, although the soul is there, within this body, we cannot find it out. Although the soul and the Supersoul both are situated within the heart, and the heart is the center of all vitality, energy of this body... That is accepted.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

Those who are trying to merge into the Brahman existence, for them, it is not very safe. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: vimukta-māninaḥ. Vimukta-māninaḥ. They're thinking that "Now I have merged into the Brahman effulgence. Now I am safe." No, it is not safe. Because it is said, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty (SB 10.2.32). Even after great austerities and penance, one may rise, paraṁ padam, in the, merging into the Brahman effulgence. Still, from there, he falls down. He falls down. Because Brahman, the spirit soul, is ānandamaya. As Kṛṣṇa, or the Absolute, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So simply by merging into the Brahman existence, one cannot become ānandamaya. Just like you are going very high in the sky. So to remain in the sky, it is not very ānandamaya. If you can get shelter in some planet, then it is ānandamaya. Otherwise, you have to come back again on this planet.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

Because spirit soul is eternal. It has to be cleansed, the material contamination. So when he's clean, then hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). When our senses are purified... Not this American hand or Indian hand. "It is Kṛṣṇa's hand. This hand should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, in sweeping the temple." If he thinks like this, he is far, far greater than any Vedāntist. If he simply knows that "This hand belongs to Kṛṣṇa," then he is far, far greater than any Vedāntist. These Vedāntists... Of course, all devotees, they are Vedāntists. But somebody thinks that he has monopolized as Vedānta. Veda means knowledge. Anta means ultimate. So Vedānta means ultimate knowledge. So ultimate knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So the so-called Vedāntist, if he cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is the meaning of that Vedāntist? It has no meaning. They, the, he's perfect vedāntī, who knows that "Kṛṣṇa is Supreme. He's my Lord. I am His eternal servant." This is Vedānta knowledge.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

So definition by negation. Directly we cannot appreciate what is that spiritual fragment, particle, which is within this body. Because the length and breadth of that spirit soul is impossible to be measured by our material instruments, although the scientists say that we can measure it. Anyway, even it is possible, first of all, you have to see where the soul is situated. Then you can attempt to measure it. First of all, you cannot see even. Because it is very, very small, one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Now, because we cannot see, by our experimental knowledge we cannot appreciate; therefore Kṛṣṇa is describing the existence of the self soul in a negative way: "It is not this." Sometimes when we cannot understand, the explanation is given: "It is not this." If I cannot express what it is, then we can express in a negative way that "It is not this." So what is that "not this"? The "not this" is that "It is not material." The spirit soul is not material. But we have got experience of material things.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

In the Vedas it is said this living entity is always without any touch with this material world. It is simply a covering. It is not in touch. Just like my body, the present, this body, although it is covered by the shirt and the coat, it is not attached. It is not mixed up. The body keeps always separate. Similarly, the soul always keeps separate from this material covering. It is simply on account of various plans and desires that he's making for lording over this material nature. Everyone can see. The, every living being is trying to lord it over the material nature. That is his disease. He wants to lord it. He's servant, but artificially, he wants to become Lord. That is the disease. Everyone... Ultimately, when he fails to lord it over the material world, he says, "Oh, this material world is false. Now I shall become one with the Supreme." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. But because the spirit soul is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so by nature, he is joyful. He is seeking after joy. Every one of us, we are working so hard to find out some pleasure of life.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

So in so many different ways, Kṛṣṇa is convincing how the spirit soul is immortal. In different ways. Avyakto 'yam. It is not manifest to the blunt material eyes. We cannot see, Because as we have explained several times, the magnitude of the soul is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair, very small. I think, smaller than the atom. That spirit soul is everywhere. Sarva-ga. Sarva-gata. Everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). And wherever the spirit soul is there within this material world, he has got a body and there is heart, and within that heart, Kṛṣṇa is also there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Both of them, living there. Therefore aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. Kṛṣṇa can become greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest. This is God.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Because it is already described that soul cannot be burned, soul cannot be moistened, soul cannot be dried up, soul cannot be killed, soul cannot be cut into pieces. So many things. Just opposite of matter. Any material thing you take, even stone, iron, it can be burned, it can be cut into pieces, it can dry up, and so many things, all applicable to the matter. But so far the spirit soul is concerned, it is just the opposite. Therefore the conclusion is there, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Even after this body is annihilated the soul remains eternal. Just like if somebody comes and drives us out of this room, that does not mean that I am finished. I shall go and take shelter of another room. Similarly, when the soul, when the body is killed or annihilated by nature or by force, the soul takes shelter of another body. That is the conclusion.

Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

Therefore, this body, although this is material, coming from the same source, still it is inferior. So when the dehī, or the spirit soul, although by nature it is superior than the material nature, but still, because he's encaged within the material nature, he's forgetful of Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. But, as it is stated here, that dehe sarvasya, sarvasya dehe, the same spirit is there. Therefore, those who are not rascals, those who are intelligent and in complete knowledge, they do not find any distinction between a human being or an animal. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. Because he's paṇḍita, he's learned, he knows that the spirit soul is there. Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe (BG 5.18). Within the first-class learned brāhmaṇa, there is the soul, the same quality soul. Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi, in the cow, hastini, in the elephant, śuni—śuni means the dog—caṇḍāla, the lowest kind of human being, everywhere the soul is there.

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

Bhoga means enjoyment, enjoyment, enjoyment of the body. Everyone wants enjoyment. Who does not want enjoyment? But is that (indistinct)? No. Enjoyment, why (indistinct)? Without pure life... (too faint) (break) ...pure constitution... (break) ...made of enjoyment. So we want for enjoyment to be, naturally. It is not unnatural. But the process of enjoyment is... We, therefore, do not get complete satisfaction by material enjoyment. Enjoyment is your birthright because you are spirit soul. Spirit soul. The constitution of the spirit soul is three divisions: enjoyment, eternity, and knowledge. (break) Spirit soul is full of knowledge, full of happiness, and unending, not that this knowledge...

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

...but the spirit is there. Just like if anyone, relative, dies, father dies—take for instance—he is crying, "My father is gone. My father is gone." "But where your father has gone? Your father is here, sleeping." "No no, he is gone." "But did you see how he has gone? Have you got the eyes? How he has gone? But you did not see. You always saw this material body, flesh." So as the spirit soul is not flesh, but you can understand that spirit soul has gone.

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

Just like this electric bulb is here, and the light of the electric bulb is diffused all over the, I mean to say, room. We can see. Similarly, the spirit soul is within your heart. It is situated there. But it is so powerful that its light is spread all over this body so that wherever you pinch, you feel, by consciousness, "Oh, I am feeling some pain." That consciousness. And as soon as that consciousness is gone from this body, if your head is cut off, or your leg is cut off, by chopped off, you don't feel anything.

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

The atmosphere is different in every planet. Just like the atmosphere in the water is different from the land, but we know there are living entities within the water, on the land, on the air, within the earth, within the ether. Everywhere there is. Sarva-ga. Therefore living entity is called sarva-ga. The body is differently made. The spirit soul is the same. Your spirit soul, my spirit soul, is the same. But your body is called American body, my body is called Indian body. That is the difference. Just like you have got a different dress. I have got a different dress. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vi... The body is just like dress.

Lecture on BG 4.6 -- Bombay, March 26, 1974:

So we living entities, a small particle, very atomic small particle, one ten thousandth part of the top of the hair. It can simply be imagined. We are acintya. But we understand from Vedic literature what is the magnitude. It is not nirākāra. That is not a fact. It has got ākāra. But at our present position, material condition, we cannot measure it. And because we cannot measure it... Just like in geometry, I have studied that point has no breadth and length. But actually there is breadth and length, but we cannot measure it. Similarly, the magnitude of the spirit soul is smaller than the point. We cannot measure it with our material measuring instruments. Anyway, even if you can, that is the magnitude.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:

Just like the spirit soul is eternal, similarly, the spirit soul's natural occupation is also eternal. That cannot be changed. But when the spirit soul identifies himself with this body and the mind, that is changed. Just like at the present moment you have got American body. So your dharma or your occupational duty is different from another body. And the next life, if you change this body, you become say other animal or human being, then your occupational duty changes. But if you stick up to the spiritual platform, then that service mood to the Supreme Personality of Godhead will never change, either in this body or next body.

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

So ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt. The Vedic version says, Vedānta, that "A spirit soul is by nature joyful." Therefore—we are spirit soul—we are hankering after joy, where there is dance, where there is cinema, where there is nice food, where there is nice song, nice picture, nice beautiful woman or man. Everyone is searching after joy. Therefore the Supreme must be joyful. But I am conditioned. Therefore my joy is being checked up. But He is not conditioned. His joy is unlimited. He is everlastingly in enjoyment in Vṛndāvana, dancing with gopī.

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

So spiritual activities means devotional service. Spiritual activities mean devotional service, activities in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means, as I have repeatedly explained, that you have to forget your identification with the matter, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). You have to forget your body as American, Indian, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, śūdra, Hindu, Muslim. That you have to forget. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am spirit soul." That is real identification. And when the spirit soul is active, sometimes the Māyāvādī philosophers, they think, "Now I've realized that I am not this body, I am not matter, I am spirit soul, so now I have become Nārāyaṇa. I have become the Supreme." But no, that is also mistake. When you realize that "Supreme is the Supreme Brahman, Parabrahman, I am part and parcel of the Supreme, I am also Brahman, but I am not the Supreme Brahman, therefore my business is to serve Parabrahman." That is real spiritual life. That is the beginning of spiritual life.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Public Meeting -- Rome, May 25, 1974:

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that if you like, you can go to the heavenly planets, higher planetary system. Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). In the higher planetary systems, you get more, I mean to say, elevated standard of life. You can live there for millions of years, and there is better facilities for sense enjoyment. But anywhere you go within this material world, you cannot avoid the four principles, namely birth, death, old age and disease. The birth, death, old age and disease are the inconveniences of the body. The spirit soul has no birth, no death, no old age and no disease, neither the spirit soul is annihilated after the destruction of this body. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is the statement of the Bhagavad-gītā, that after the annihilation of this body, the spirit soul does not annihilate. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to stop this disease: birth, death, old age and disease. And this can be achieved very easily if you simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

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

As we have got this body, your body, my body, or anyone's body, it is temporary, similarly, this material nature is temporary. Temporary means it has a beginning, it stays for some time, then it transforms, then it becomes old, and it vanquishes. The spiritual nature, however, is different from this nature. The spiritual nature has no beginning, neither it has end. That is called sanātana, eternal. We living entities, we belong to that spiritual nature. Therefore, about us, it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit: "The spiritual spirit soul is never born, neither dies at any time." Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). It is farther described that "This spiritual spark, which you are, I am, it is..." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre: (BG 2.20) "When the body is destroyed, the spiritual spark, that does not destroy. That remains eternal."

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

Death means to leave this body and carried by the subtle body to another gross body. That is called death. We are carried by the mind, intelligence and ego, subtle body. Just like we can experience a good scent of rose flower is carried by the air. We cannot see, but we know that the flavor is being carried by the air. Similarly, although we do not see how the spirit soul is being carried by the subtle body, but it is being carried, and it is being put into the womb of another mother to develop another gross body. So this body is offered by nature. This body is given by the material nature. Similarly, we, or I, the spirit soul, being carried by the subtle body, and the nature is giving me another gross body. In this way we are transmigrating from one body to another. This is called evolution. And there are 8,400,000's of bodies, and we are going through one after another.

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

This can be understood in another way: Just like every one of us we love our body. Or I love your body. But what is the reason? The reason is because the spirit soul is there. Nobody loves a body, either his own body or other's body, when it is dead. Therefore the conclusion is that each, every one of us, we love our body because I, the spirit soul, is there. Therefore the conclusion is that I love myself, or yourself, the spirit soul. Then the next question will be "Then why one should love the spirit soul?" The spirit soul is loved because it is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore ultimate goal is Kṛṣṇa. We do not know that. Therefore we sometimes love the body or sometimes love the mind or sometimes love the soul or in this way, but the ultimate aim is to love Kṛṣṇa. That is our natural instinct.

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

Now suppose you study very analytically these twenty-four elements. And what is the idea of studying these elemental, analytical study of this material world? Because we have to find out what is the main principle which is working behind these twenty-four elements. What is the main principle? Now, suppose I have got these senses, and suppose there are material elements, earth, water, fire, all these things are there. But are they sufficient by themselves? No. They are not sufficient by themselves. Unless that spirit soul is there, so they are lying down. Just take for example this land of America. It was lying, oh, vast land. Still you have got many lands vacant. So they are lying vacant. And so when the Europeans came there, they gradually developed. Now they nice. So simply these material elements has no value. Unless there is spiritual touch, there is no value.

Lecture on BG 6.2-5 -- Los Angeles, February 14, 1969:

So senses are controlled by the mind. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). My body means senses, my activities means sensual activities, that's all. But above the senses is the mind. Above the mind is the intelligence. And above the intelligence is the spirit soul. If one is on the spiritual platform, on the soul platform, then his intelligence is spiritualized, his mind is spiritualized, his senses are spiritualized, he is spiritualized. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because actually the spirit soul is working but he has given his power of attorney to this nonsense mind. He is sleeping. But when he's awakened, the master is awakened, the servant cannot do anything nonsense. Similarly if you are awakened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your intelligence, your mind, or your senses cannot act nonsensically. They must according to that. That is spiritualization. That is called purification.

Lecture on BG 6.2-5 -- Los Angeles, February 14, 1969:

And who is this māyā? That is explained. Yayā sammohito jīva. The same māyā, the same illusory energy which has covered these conditioned souls. And who are those conditioned? Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam (SB 1.7.5). Although this spirit soul is as light as Kṛṣṇa or God, although small. But he's identifying himself with this material world. Yayā sammohitaḥ, this is called illusion. When we identify ourself with this matter, yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam, paro 'pi manute 'nartham. Although he is transcendental, still he's engaged in nonsensical activities. Paro 'pi manute 'narthaṁ tat-kṛtaṁ cābhipadyate. And he acts dictated by this māyā. These are very nicely explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the First Canto you'll find, Seventh Chapter.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

The real way is to stop these four functions of my conditional life. The four functions of conditional life means birth, death, old age, and disease. Actually, I am a spirit soul. That is explained in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā, that the spirit soul is never born or is never dead. He continues his life even after the destruction of this particular type of body. This body is only a flash, for some years only. But it will be finished. It is being finished by degrees. Just like I'm an old man of seventy-three years old. Suppose if I live eighty years or a hundred years, these seventy-three years I have already died. That is finished. Now a few years I may remain. So we are dying from the date of our birth. That is a fact. So Bhagavad-gītā gives you the solution of these four problems. And Kṛṣṇa here is suggesting, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. If you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and if you think of Kṛṣṇa always, your consciousness becomes always overwhelmed with Kṛṣṇa thoughts, then Kṛṣṇa says the result will be asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). "Then you will understand Me perfectly, without any doubt."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

Eko 'py asau racayitum. Just like this body has developed. How it has developed? Because the spirit soul is there. The spirit soul is injected by the semina of the father, and it is put within the womb of the mother. And then the two secretions develops into small body, like a pea, and that develops, gradually. When the development is complete, on the seventh month, the child moves. His sense, consciousness, comes. He's in the dreaming condition then. In the beginning, he's unconscious. Suṣupti. Then dreaming condition. He returns to his consciousness. And then he wants to come out. And then, in due course of time, at the end of ten months, the child comes out. This is the process of bodily construction, material bodily construction. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). This is the beginning of body. So a dead child, coming out, does not grow because the soul is not there.

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

So people are after realization of Brahman, Brahman realization. Brahman realization is not very difficult for a intelligent man, because one can understand that he's Brahman, he's not this body. That is the first instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā: dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe, in this body, there is the proprietor of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram iti abhidhīyate. This body is kṣetra, is field of activities according to our karma. But the proprietor of the body, the soul, he's Brahman. He's spirit soul. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). That Brahman, that spirit soul, is never annihilated after the destruction of this body. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

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

Here the material nature is you take your birth or appearance and again disappear and again appear. This is the instruction of spiritual life. The spirit soul is there, but it is not getting a permanent settlement. This is material world. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). As the body is changing, there are so many children, they will also become old like me. But the spirit soul is there. In the presence of mother, although the body is changing, the mother knows that "My son is there." Although from babyhood the son has grown to boyhood, the body, original body, child's body, baby's body, is not existing, the mother knows that "My boy is there."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

We do not know what is the position of my real self. That we do not know. This is called ignorance. That instruction is given in the Bhagavad-gītā in the beginning. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This living spirit... Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This, I mean to say, spirit soul is never born. Then what is this birth? The birth is of this body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram (BG 2.13). This change of body We are changing body. But I am the eternal. I know that I had a body of a child. The body is gone. The childhood body is no more existing. But I know that I had a body. This is the proof that I am eternal; the body is changing. This is the way. I was a young man; now I am old man. But I know, "I was young man. My body was like this. I was doing that." But now that is not possible because that body has gone. So similarly, the conclusion is that when this body will be vanquished, I shall accept another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). This is simple method of understanding the transmigration of the soul.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Just like a living man and a dead man. Living man means the body is carrying the spirit soul, and dead man means the body is there, but there is no spirit soul. But as soon as the body is dead or the spirit soul is out of it, immediately it begins to decompose. The same body, as long as carrying the soul, there is no such thing. Therefore if you keep your body spiritualized, then there is no question of decomposition or diseases. Another example: just like if you take an iron rod and put into the fire, it becomes warm, warmer, and at the end, it becomes red-hot. When it is red-hot, it is no more iron rod, but it is fire. You touch that iron rod, red-hot, anyplace, it will burn. Similarly, if you make your body spiritualized by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is no question of disease.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Bombay, February 19, 1974:

So there is soul and there is the gross material body and there is the subtle material body. The soul is the basic principle, but to get a body, as I have already explained, the secretion discharged by the father and the mother, they mix up, they are emulsified and forms in the body of a pea. And the soul comes through the semina of the father and he's situated there. Then the body develops. Now, just try to understand. Because the spirit soul is there, therefore matter is developing. If the soul is not there, if the child is dead, no more development. No more development. No dead child develops a body. Everyone knows. Therefore these material elements come from the spirit soul, not that spirit soul comes from the material elements. This is not. This is wrong theory.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you always remember that everything, whatever we are using, that is Kṛṣṇa's energy... We are also Kṛṣṇa's energy, jīva-bhūta. That will be explained in the next verse. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. Another prakṛti, parā-prakṛti, spiritual energy. What is that? Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate (BG 7.5). So both of us... The matter is also Kṛṣṇa's energy, and the spirit soul is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. And there is another, spiritual world. That is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. Everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy. So when the spiritual energy is engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, even this material energy, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, that also becomes converted into spiritual energy exactly like that iron rod converted into fire.

Lecture on BG 7.6 -- Hyderabad, December 11, 1976:

So this change is going on of the external body, not of the spirit soul. The spirit soul is individual, Kṛṣṇa is individual, and it continues. Every one of us, we were individual in the past, we are individual at the present moment, and we shall continue to be individual in future. But when we are covered by this material body, this individuality becomes differentiated. Otherwise, even though individual—we are spirit soul—we are one, spirit soul. And without any material contamination, our relationship is permanent. Kṛṣṇa is the origin, master, prabhu, and we are emanation from Kṛṣṇa, servants. So and this relationship continues. Then there is no impediment on account of this bodily covering. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). When we are not contaminated by the body, we remain pure. With that senses, when we serve Kṛṣṇa, that is our liberation. That is called bhakti.

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

So spirit soul is aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. Spirit soul is the greater than the greatest and it is the smaller than the smallest. So we cannot see the smallest; we cannot see the greatest. Greater than the greatest. We can think of the greatest, the sky, the expansion of the sky—unlimited. But such skies, God is so great that innumerable, millions and billions of skies are within Him. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya... (Bs. 5.48). Therefore we have to refer to the authoritative scripture to get knowledge. As I told you the other day, that transcendental knowledge has to be acquired by aural reception. There is no other way.

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

Try to understand. Just like we are all merged into the matter. If you dissect my body, you won't find where is that small particle spirit. It is already merged, but still, we have got individuality. That means spirit soul is individual. Otherwise, so far your body is concerned, my body is concerned, there is blood, you have got blood; you have got muscle, I have got muscle; you have got bones, I have got bones. What is the difference? But why you are individual, I am individual? Because the spirit soul is individual. We are merged in the matter but we keep our individuality. Similarly, you merge in the spirit, you keep your individuality. How can you lose your individuality?

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Melbourne, April 20, 1976:

Rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram. Pavitram means very pure. Because unless we are purified, we cannot be free from these four miserable conditions especially, namely birth, death, old age, and disease. Birth, death, old age is meant for this body, and the body is obtained by the spirit soul. The spirit soul is pure; there is no doubt about it because it is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa or God. So God is pure. Just like gold is gold. And the fragments of gold is also gold, the same quality. But the fragments of gold sometimes becomes mixed up with dirty things. So we are in the same condition. Becoming fragments of God, we are sometimes put into this material world and we are materially contaminated. So this knowledge, rāja-vidyā, most confidential. If we can learn it, then we become pure, completely pure.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

Just imagine. Here in this material world there is sex life. That is considered to be the highest pleasure. But the spiritual world means there is no sex life. Although there are very beautiful women, very beautiful men, with four hands. The men are with four hands there and very attractive. All of them are young. They never become old. Because in the spiritual world there is no birth, death, old age and disease. That is spiritual world. So there is no... Old age is due to this body. Otherwise, spirit soul is everlastingly young. You can think over yourself. Just like I am now old man. So sometime I think that in my childhood, when I was born, I was jumping and dancing. Now I cannot do that. Because of this old body. So we are hampered on account of this material body. Encagement.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

Now, here is a general prescription for all people for transcendental realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yat karoṣi, whatever you do, it doesn't matter. So you do it for Kṛṣṇa. And how to do it we discussed in the last meeting, that you are doing something; simply change the consciousness that you're doing for Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is inactive. It is not possible. You cannot be inactive even for a second. Because as living entities, our position is that we shall be always active. Don't you see? As soon as I am out of this body, the body has no more activities. All activities stopped. Again, when I enter another body, my activities from the womb of my mother begins. At the age of seven months only, the child becomes active. So spirit soul is always active. So all these activities should be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, yat karoṣi, whatever you do.

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. That is the real vision. A paṇḍita means he sees. There is... For a advanced spiritualist, advanced Kṛṣṇa consciousness person, there is no such distinctive, "Here is American; here is Indian; here is brāhmaṇa; here is śūdra; here is Hindu; here is Muslim." No. He has no such vision. He has the vision that within this body, the spirit soul is there. That is part and parcel of God, or Kṛṣṇa. He is suffering on account of different dresses, different conception of... Therefore he should be released from this misconception of life. That is called paṇḍita.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 24, 1973:

So Arjuna is asking this question, prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva: "Kindly give me instruction about this prakṛti and puruṣa." Kṣetram. Kṣetram means the field of activity, and kṣetrajñam. Kṣetrajñam means one who knows, "This is my field." Just like the cultivator, he cultivates the land. From government there is demarcation of the land. The cultivator knows, "This is my portion of land." Similarly, every one of us, we are cultivating and we are given a field. This is the body. The spirit soul is the owner of the body or the occupier of the body. Actually, he's not the owner. That will be explained by Kṛṣṇa. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). "This body, my dear Arjuna, is called kṣetra." Kṣetra means the field of activities.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

Therefore those who are fully Kṛṣṇa conscious or fully advanced in spiritual consciousness, they do not make any difference between an insect and a elephant because he knows very well that the same spirit soul is there within the elephant and within insect, within the microbe, because the dimension of the spirit soul is very small. You cannot imagine. It is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpita (CC Madhya 19.140), everything is there. So such minute particle is so powerful that it is managing the body of the elephant and it is managing the body of the ant.

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

People are after knowledge. So many there are, departments of knowledge. But according to Bhagavad-gītā, real knowledge is to understand the soul, the Supersoul, and the material world. So He's analyzing these material elements: mahā-bhūtāny ahaṅkāraḥ. Mahā-bhūtāni. There are five gross elements, which are called mahā-bhūtāni, great material elements. And what are those? Khadiny ahaṅkāras tad-hetus tamaso bhūtādi-saṁjño buddhis tad-hetur...pradhāno mahān avyaktaṁ tad-hetus tri-guṇavasthaṁ pradhāna indriyāṇi śrotrādīni,(?) one after another. This sky and false ego is due to the intelligence. Everything begins from the subtle. The most subtle element is the spirit soul, and little grosser than the spirit soul is the intelligence. And little grosser than the intelligence is the false ego identification. And little grosser than the false..., intelligence, is the mind. And from mind, then the senses. And the senses, next the grosser element is the body. So we have to analyze according to the śāstra, because it is not possible. Suppose the modern scientist is given to find out where is the soul in this body. It is not possible.

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

As soon as one is a realized soul, he will be nonviolent. These are the different stages of acquiring knowledge. And when one is in full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes qualified with all the good qualities, all the good godly qualities. The Bhāgavata says, yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12) If one is actually in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then all godly, good qualities will develop. Because we are part and parcel of God, the godly qualities are there. It is simply covered. Just like the fire is covered by ashes. If you fan out the ashes, then the fire comes out. Similarly, spirit soul is pure. So when he comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he becomes pure soul. Amānitvam adambhitvam. Amānitvaṁ sva-sat-kāraṇam apekṣatvam, adambhitvam dharmikatva-khyāti-phalaka-dharmācaraṇa-virahaḥ.

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

Brahman means Kṛṣṇa. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa is addressed as paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). When Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, in the tenth chapter we'll find, he's addressing Kṛṣṇa, that "You are Paraṁ Brahman." Brahman, all of us are Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. It is not very difficult to understand. "I am not this body, matter, but I am spirit soul." Therefore anyone can understand that he is Brahman. Spirit soul is Brahman, not the Paraṁ Brahman. Paraṁ Brahman is Kṛṣṇa. We are Brahman, but part and parcel of the Brahman. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (15.7). We are part and parcel of the Paraṁ Brahman. Therefore we are Brahman.

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

That spirit soul is above the intelligence. Grossly, we can understand our material senses, indriyāṇi. Then, above these material senses, we can understand also that without the action of the mind, these material senses also do not work. If mind is not in order, in spite of my possessing these hands and legs, I cannot work. Madman just like. He cannot work properly because mind is distorted. So superior than the senses is the mind. Mind is superior than the senses, and the intelligence is still more superior than the mind, and the spirit soul is still more superior than the intelligence. That is the position.

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

When it is said sarvendriya-vivarjitam, "devoid of all senses," that means He's devoid of..., He has nothing to do with these material senses. He has got senses. He has got eyes, He has got ears, legs, everything. But they are not material. They are spiritual, but we cannot see spiritual. Therefore we say "God is nirākāra, the spirit soul is nirākāra." This is our nonsense. It is not that God has no ākāra. He has got ākāra. You have to qualify yourself to see the form of the Lord. That is required. That how we can learn? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "What I am actually," tattvataḥ, "in truth, if you want to know, then you have to take the path of devotional service." He never says that "By karma or by jñāna, by yoga, you can see Me." No. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 13.16 -- Bombay, October 10, 1973:

Just like a small grain of poison, venomous poison. If it is injected in your body, you will die immediately. It has got so power. Similarly, the minute spirit soul is so minute, one ten-thousandth part. Still, because that minute spirit soul is there, you are moving, you are acting, your brain is working, you are denying the existence of God, you are doing all these things. Sūkṣmatvāt tad avijñeyaṁ dūrastham, dūrasthaṁ cāntike ca tat.

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

And the human life is a great chance to understand that how we have been put into the clutches of prakṛti. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-sthaḥ. How I have been put in... You cannot... If somebody says "It is all right I am put within this material nature, prakṛti. So what is the wrong? Let me remain." That is called ignorance. Because you are a spirit soul. You are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The spirit soul is transmigrating from one body to another beginning from the aquatic life up to this human life and above this human life this transmigration is going on. Tathā

Lecture on BG 16.1-3 -- Hawaii, January 29, 1975:

So this is the preliminary knowledge of advancing in spiritual knowledge. You do not know what is spirit and what is the spiritual knowledge. This is spirit, that spirit is there. Asmin dehe, in this body, there is the spirit soul, and the spirit soul is permanent. The spirit soul is permanent, and it is expressing in different way according to the change of body. Just like this child is now just like ordinary animal. But this body, when he will change, he will express in a different way. He will express in a different way. Similarly, if you get the cat's body, you will express in a different way. If you get a dog's body, you will express in a different way. If you get the body of a tree, that you cannot express. You will have to stand simply. You have to suffer. You cannot protest. Somebody is taking, cutting, take your fruit, cutting your branch, but you cannot protest.

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

Now, what to speak of Kṛṣṇa, you can, if you think of yourself... This material body, how it has developed, such big body? Because the living spark is there. The gigantic material thing grows on the basis of spirit soul. We can understand that. The spirit soul is the basis. Our body, very small particle, spiritual particle, takes shelter in the womb of the mother, and gradually the living spark develops this body. That is our practical experience. And if, some way or other, the living spark is gone... Suppose a dead child is born. It will not grow. It will not change. So this is very simple thing, that on this living being the matter grows, not from matter living being comes in. So we have written a small pamphlet, and in German language it is already published. People are very gladly accepting, reading this book.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hyderabad, December 15, 1976:

They do not know, neither they try to understand. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Within this body the spirit soul is there. They cannot understand. Therefore their self-interest is mistaken. Real self-interest is that "I am spirit soul, I am son of God, my father is very, very rich, opulent. I have given up my father's association and therefore I am suffering." Otherwise there is no question of suffering. We have got experience. A very rich man's son, why he should suffer? So here Kṛṣṇa says that ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "I am the seed-giving father of all living entities." Then... God means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ, six kinds of opulences. He is complete. He is the proprietor of everything, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). So if I am the son of a person who is the proprietor of everything, where is the question of my suffering?

Lecture on BG 16.10 -- Hawaii, February 6, 1975:

We have discussed very elaborately. Anyone who has got intelligence, he can understand that "I am not this body. Within this body there is a living force, and without that living force the body is useless, lump of matter. That's all. So long the spirit soul is there, I am Mr. such and such, I am Mr. this, I am Mr. that." (child coughing) (aside:) So this child should be... But as soon as the spirit soul is away, that Mr. lying on the floor, if somebody kicks on his face, he does not protest. "Mr." finished. But the fools still take care of that bodily "Mr," not the soul "Mr." Without the soul, it is nothing but a lump of matter.