Sreyas

Expressions researched:
"Sreyah" |"Sreyah-srti" |"Sreyas" |"sreya" |"sreyase"

SB Canto 3

SB 3.29.3, Translation and Purport:

Devahūti continued: My dear Lord, please also describe in detail, both for me and for people in general, the continual process of birth and death, for by hearing of such calamities we may become detached from the activities of this material world.

In this verse the word saṁsṛtīḥ is very important. Śreyaḥ-sṛti means the prosperous path of advancement towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and saṁsṛti means the continued journey on the path of birth and death towards the darkest region of material existence. People who have no knowledge of this material world, God and their actual intimate relationship with Him are actually going to the darkest region of material existence in the name of progress in the material advancement of civilization. To enter the darkest region of material existence means to enter into a species of life other than the human species.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.20.14, Translation and Purport:

To give protection to the general mass of people who are citizens of the state is the prescribed occupational duty for a king. By acting in that way, the king in his next life shares one sixth of the result of the pious activities of the citizens. But a king or executive head of state who simply collects taxes from the citizens but does not give them proper protection as human beings has the results of his own pious activities taken away by the citizens, and in exchange for his not giving protection he becomes liable to punishment for the impious activities of his subjects.

The question may be raised here that if everyone engaged in spiritual activities to attain salvation and became indifferent to the activities of the material world, then how could things as they are go on? And if things are to go on as they ought to, how can a head of state be indifferent to such activities? In answer to this question, the word śreyaḥ, auspicious, is used here. The division of activities in society as arranged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead was not blindly or accidentally created, as foolish people say. The brāhmaṇa must do his duty properly, and the kṣatriya, the vaiśya and even the śūdra must do the same. And every one of them can achieve the highest perfection of life-liberation from this material bondage. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (18.45). Sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ: "By executing one's prescribed duties, one can attain the highest perfection."

SB Canto 6

SB 6.10.10, Purport:

The word upakuryāt means para-upakāra, helping others. Of course, in human society there are many institutions to help others, but because philanthropists do not know how to help others, their propensity for philanthropy is ineffectual. They do not know the ultimate goal of life (śreya ācaraṇam), which is to please the Supreme Lord. If all philanthropic and humanitarian activities were directed toward achieving the ultimate goal of life—to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead—they would all be perfect. Humanitarian work without Kṛṣṇa is nothing. Kṛṣṇa must be brought to the center of all our activities; otherwise no activity will have value.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.3.13, Purport:

The word bhūtyai means "for increasing opulence," and the word śreyase refers to ultimately returning home, back to Godhead. In spiritual advancement, one's material position improves at the same time that the path of liberation becomes clear and one is freed from material bondage. If one is situated in an opulent position in spiritual advancement, his opulence never decreases. Therefore such a spiritual benediction is called bhūti or vibhūti. Kṛṣṇa confirms this in Bhagavad-gītā (10.41). Yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ. .. mama tejo-'ṁśa-sambhavam: if a devotee advances in spiritual consciousness and thus becomes materially opulent also, his position is a special gift from the Lord. Such opulence is never to be considered material. At the present, especially on this planet earth, the influence of Lord Brahmā has decreased considerably, and the representatives of Hiraṇyakaśipu—the Rākṣasas and demons—have taken charge. Therefore there is no protection of brahminical culture and cows, which are the basic prerequisites for all kinds of good fortune. This age is very dangerous because society is being managed by demons and Rākṣasas.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.12.6, Purport:

One is in the material world when he thinks, "I am this body, and everything with reference to my body is mine." Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This is the symptom of material life. In the materialistic conception of life, one thinks, "This is my house, this is my land, this is my family, this is my state," and so on. But those who are munayaḥ, saintly persons following in the footsteps of Nārada Muni, simply engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord without any personal desire for sense gratification. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). Either in this life or in the next, the only concern of such saintly devotees is to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus they are also absolute because they have no other desires. Being freed from the dualities of material desire, they are called śreyas-kāmāḥ. In other words, they are not concerned with dharma (religiosity), artha (economic development), or kāma (sense gratification). The only concern of such devotees is mokṣa, liberation. This mokṣa does not refer to becoming one with the Supreme like the Māyāvādī philosophers. Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained that real mokṣa means taking shelter of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead. The Lord clearly explained this fact while instructing Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya wanted to correct the word mukti-pade in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu informed him that there is no need to correct any word in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He explained that mukti-pade refers to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, who offers mukti and is therefore called Mukunda. A pure devotee is not concerned with material things. He is not concerned with religiosity, economic development or sense gratification. He is interested only in serving the lotus feet of the Lord.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 9.42, Translation and Purport:

“"It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words."

There are two kinds of general activities—śreyas, or activities which are ultimately beneficial and auspicious, and preyas, or those which are immediately beneficial and auspicious. For example, children are fond of playing. They do not want to go to school to receive an education, and they think that to play all day and night and enjoy with their friends is the aim of life. Even in the transcendental life of Lord Kṛṣṇa, we find that when He was a child He was very fond of playing with His friends of the same age, the cowherd boys. He would not even go home to take His dinner. Mother Yaśodā would have to come out to induce Him to come home. Thus it is a child's nature to engage all day and night in playing, not caring even for his health and other important concerns. This is an example of preyas, or immediately beneficial activities. But there are also śreyas, or activities which are ultimately auspicious. According to Vedic civilization, a human being must be God conscious. He should understand what God is, what this material world is, who he is, and what their interrelationships are. This is called śreyas, or ultimately auspicious activity.

In this verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that one should be interested in śreyas. To achieve the ultimate goal of śreyas, or good fortune, one should engage everything, including his life, wealth and words, not only for himself but for others also. However, unless one is interested in śreyas in his own life, he cannot preach of śreyas for the benefit of others.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

Pradyumna:

na ca śreyo 'nupaśyāmi

hatvā svajanam āhave

na kāṅkṣe vijayaṁ kṛṣṇa

na ca rājyaṁ sukhāni ca

(BG 1.31)

Translation: "I do not see how any good can come from killing my own kinsmen in this battle, nor can I, my dear Kṛṣṇa, desire any subsequent victory, kingdom, or happiness."

Prabhupāda: So there are two things, śreyas and preyas. Here Arjuna is speaking of śreyas. Śreyas means ultimate good, and preyas means immediately palatable. That is called preyas. So everyone should be interested for śreyas, not for preyas. Just like a child, he likes to play all day and night. Naturally. Playful child. So that is called preyas. He likes immediate pleasure. But his father says, "My dear child, just go to school or read book." So father is asking for śreyas, ultimate good. If he is not educated at the, at childhood, then how he will prosper in his future life? So considering the future prospect, ultimate good, that is called śreyas. And preyas means immediate. Just like we eat something which I may not digest, or it may have some bad effect later on. But people are interested—the immediate benefit, without calculation of future benefit.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

So Arjuna is in gṛhastha-āśrama. He wants to serve Kṛṣṇa. He's Kṛṣṇa's friend. He is a devotee. Kṛṣṇa has already recommended. In the Fourth Chapter He will declare, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). "You are My dear friend. You are My devotee." So he is qualified, gṛhastha-āśramī. He is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but he is also family man. He has his wife, children. So here the problem is what is śreyas? What is ultimate good? That is mistaken here. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is required. He is thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is not so important. My family is important. My family." Although he is devotee. Therefore kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, in the lower stage of devotee, in the lower stage of devotion, one may be interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but his real interest is how to improve this material life.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

So Arjuna is talking of the ultimate good. But he is talking ultimate good with the point of view from material conception. He does not know... He knows, but he is playing the part of a person who does not know that ultimate śreyas, ultimate good, is Kṛṣṇa. Ultimate good is not that "We live with family—that is good." No. When you live with family because you cannot renounce, so that is allowed. But you live with family with Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is there, but he is thinking in terms of material role, that "If my kinsmen are dead, I kill them, then where is my good? It is no good. What shall I do with the victory and happiness? Where is happiness? I cannot live without them." This is the conception.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

Temporary sentiment. These people, they attach to family life. They may say like that, that "I don't want this happiness, don't want this very nice position, victory. I don't want." But he wants everything. He wants everything. Because he does not know what is the śreyas. Śreyas is Kṛṣṇa. Actually, when one gets Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he can say that "I don't want this." They will not say that. Why they will say, "Don't want this"? Here what we have got? Suppose I have got a kingdom. So that is my kingdom? No. That is Kṛṣṇa's kingdom. Because Kṛṣṇa says bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor. I may be His representative. Kṛṣṇa wants that everyone should be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is thinking of the śreyas and preyas. Actual śreyas means to achieve Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanting in Arjuna. He is showing that feature of life, that he wants better the society, friendship and love. He does not want to kill them. Then everything will be finished. But actually the fact is that even after killing the so-called kinsmen, if he can satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that is his śreyas. That is his śreyas. That he does not know. And because he does not know, therefore this Bhagavad-gītā is there. He is playing the part that he does not know that Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal of life, not this so-called society, friendship and love. He is playing that part, that he does not know. He is thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is not important." Kṛṣṇa has already asked him to fight, but he is considering that "Kṛṣṇa, You are asking me to fight, and I have to kill my own kinsmen. Then where is my victory?" So therefore he said... Here in the previous verse, he has said, paśyāmi viparītāni keśava: (BG 1.30) "You are asking me to fight, for my victory, for my happiness, but I see it will be just the opposite." Paśyāmi viparītāni. This is his problem. And to solve this problem, Arjuna became the disciple of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa advised him this Bhagavad-gītā, and that is the prelude.

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

So guru is Kṛṣṇa. Here is the example given by Arjuna. Pṛcchāmi tvām. Who is that tvām? Kṛṣṇa. "Why you are asking Me?" Dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ (BG 2.7). "I am bewildered in my duties, dharma." Dharma means duty. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Sammūḍha-cetāḥ. "So what I have to do?" Yac chreyaḥ. "What is actually my duty?" Śreyaḥ. Śreyaḥ and preyaḥ. Preyaḥ... They are two things. Preya means which I like immediately, very nice. And śreya means ultimate goal. They are two things. Just like a child wants to play all day. That is childish nature. That is śreya. And preya means he must take education so that in future his life will be settled up. That is preya, śreya. So Arjuna is asking not preya. He's asking instruction from Kṛṣṇa not for the purpose of confirming his śreya. Śreya means immediately he was thinking that: "I shall be happy by not fighting, not by killing my kinsmen." That, he was, like a child, he was thinking. Śreya. But when he came to his consciousness... Not actually consciousness, because he's intelligent. He's asking for preya, uh, śreya. Yac chreyaḥ syāt. "What is the, actually, my ultimate goal of life?" Yac chreyaḥ syāt. Yac chreyaḥ syāt niścitaṁ (BG 2.7). Niścitam means fixed-up, without any mistake. Niścitam. In Bhāgavata, there is, called niścitaṁ. Niścitam means you haven't got to make research. It is already settled up. "This is the decision:" Because we, with our teeny brain, we cannot find out what is the actual niścitaṁ, fixed-up sreya. That we do not know. That you have to ask from Kṛṣṇa. Or his representative. These are the things. Yac chreya syāt niścitaṁ brūhi tan me.

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

Who requires a guru? Guru's not a fashion. "Oh, I have got a guru. I shall make a guru." Guru means one who's serious. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. One has to seek out a guru. Why? Jijñāsu śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive of the Supreme. Not guru make a fashion. Just like we keep a dog, fashion. Similarly, we keep a guru. That is not guru karma (?). "Guru will act according to my decision." Not like that. Guru means one who can give you Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. Kṛṣṇa sei tomāra. Because Kṛṣṇa is guru. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Vedeṣu durlabhaṁ adurlabhaṁ ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Vedeṣu durlabhaṁ. If you want to search out... Although Vedas means knowledge, and the ultimate knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

One has to become first of all situated in the brahminical qualification, satyaṁ śamo damas titiksva ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma karma sva-bhāva... (BG 18.42). Then touch Veda. Otherwise, what you'll understand Vedas? Nonsense. Therefore, Vedas says: tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum (MU 1.2.12). You must approach a guru to understand Veda. And what is that Veda? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The Vedas means, to study Vedas means to understand Kṛṣṇa. And surrender unto Him. This is Vedic knowledge. Where Arjuna says that: prapannam. "Now I am surrender unto You. I am now no more going to talk with You on equal level just as if I know so many things." He was right, but he was thinking on the material platform. He was thinking that praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ (BG 1.40). If everyone... This is material point. But Vedic knowledge is spiritual, uttamam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsu śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Uttamam. This śreya. Uttamam. Yac chreya syāt niścitaṁ. Fixed-up. There is, there is no question of changing. That instruction is now, will be given by Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityaja mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. And this takes place—bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19).

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

One has to become first of all situated in the brahminical qualification, satyaṁ śamo damas titiksva ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma karma sva-bhāva... (BG 18.42). Then touch Veda. Otherwise, what you'll understand Vedas? Nonsense. Therefore, Vedas says: tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum (MU 1.2.12). You must approach a guru to understand Veda. And what is that Veda? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The Vedas means, to study Vedas means to understand Kṛṣṇa. And surrender unto Him. This is Vedic knowledge. Where Arjuna says that: prapannam. "Now I am surrender unto You. I am now no more going to talk with You on equal level just as if I know so many things." He was right, but he was thinking on the material platform. He was thinking that praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ (BG 1.40). If everyone... This is material point. But Vedic knowledge is spiritual, uttamam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsu śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Uttamam. This śreya. Uttamam. Yac chreya syāt niścitaṁ. Fixed-up. There is, there is no question of changing. That instruction is now, will be given by Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityaja mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. And this takes place—bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19).

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

From the tattva-darśī. Jñāninaḥ, tattva-darśinaḥ, these are the words. So in the human form of life therefore, in every society, the system is that the children are sent to school, colleges, to understand things. Similarly, for spiritual understanding, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet means one must. There is no alternative. One cannot say "I'll..., I may not go." No, if you do not go, then you are cheated. That is our Vaiṣṇava system. Ādau gurvāśrayam. The first thing is to take shelter of the bona fide spiritual master. Ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchā. Not that I'll, as it has become a system: "I'll make a guru. Now my business is finished. I've got a guru." No. Tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Guru means, to accept guru means to inquire from him about the Absolute Truth. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. These are the Vedic injunctions. One who is jijñāsu, means inquisitive. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Śreyaḥ. Śreyaḥ means beneficial. So uttamam, the prime benefit. One who is inquisitive to know about the prime benefit of life, for him there is need of accepting a guru.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Bombay, April 1, 1974:

The immediate result and remote result is described in Sanskrit word, śreyas and preyas. Preyas means immediate benefit and śreyas means ultimate benefit. So those who are interested in the ultimate benefit go back to home, back to Godhead. For them, worshiping the Supreme Lord is most beneficial. And those who are interested in the matter of temporary benefit, dhanaṁ dehi, rūpaṁ dehi, yaśo dehi. Just like by worshiping goddess Durgā we want all these things. But we forget that whatever we get, material benefit, with the end of this material body, everything is lost. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "At the end, I, as death, I take away all your material possession." Sarva-haro mṛtyuḥ.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

So how this Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be developed by the easiest method? tatra tatrāñjasāyuṣman bhavatā yad viniścitam. Now, this question is asked from a person who is self-realized, not from a shop-keeper. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Here is a guru because he has learned sufficiently from Vyāsadeva and other sages therefore they are asking from him, not from a... Āyuṣman. They are blessing, "Be blessed with long span of life." Although he was young, still he's asking, they're asking, great, great learned brāhmaṇas and sages, "What you have decided to be the easiest process to achieve the highest goal of life?" Puṁsām ekāntataḥ śreyas. Ekāntataḥ, absolute. Śreyas. Śreyas means benefit.

There are two kinds of benefit: one is called preyas and one is called śreyas. Preyas means immediately very pleasing, immediately. The senses, sense satisfaction, very pleasing immediately. But śreyas means ultimate goal, ultimately. Just like a child, for him preyas means he wants to play, he doesn't want to go to school and, but his śreyas means he must go to school, must be educated so that his future life may be secure. That is called śreyas. So our life, this human form of life, should be used for śreyas. It is said, puṁsām ekāntataḥ śreyas. We should not be attracted by the preyas. Preyas. But modern education is so nasty that they encourage preyas. Especially in the, not in this country, everywhere. That boys and girls are not checked, rather encouraged, encouraged in the matter of immature sex life. Preyas. They want it, "All right, do it, take tablets and enjoy." This is dangerous. For this reason, the generation are becoming degraded, because they are not aiming at the śreyas. They are simply aiming at the preyas, immediate pleasing thing. They do not know that immature sex life spoils the brain, spoils strength. Everything is spoiled. In student life, brahmacārī system is very nice. If he keeps brahmacārī without any sex life, then his brain becomes very potent. He can remember, memory becomes very sharp, bodily sense becomes very solid. In this way his life becomes very solid for future śreyas. But that is not being taught at the present moment. But here the ṛṣis, the great sages, they are asking, puṁsām ekāntataḥ śreyas. Tan naḥ śaṁsitum arhasi, "Kindly describe what we should accept." This is called inquiry. Everyone should be inquisitive for the ultimate benefit of life. What is that ultimate benefit of life? The ultimate benefit of life is to stop this repetition of birth and death, old age and disease. That is ultimate benefit of life. But they do not know.

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

When there is prominence of goodness then we can understand what is what, what is God, what I am, what is this world. That is knowledge. And above this, transcendental, not only knowledge but practical application of knowledge in life. That is called śuddha-sattva, practical application. Only theoretically know, "Yes, there is God.... (break) ...when you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, that is śuddha-sattva. So here the question is that puṁsām ekāntataḥ śreyas tan naḥ śaṁsitum arhasi. "Now we are very much eager to hear from you, to listen from you, kindly let us know what is the easiest method to achieve the highest goal of life." This is the question. So next verse. Read. Oh, purport. Hm.

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

Prabhupāda: So these intelligence are there even in the lowest animals, even in the ant. So advancement of civilization, how to make this body comfortable, that is not advancement of civilization. That kind of civilization is there even in the cats and dogs. They know. Nobody has to go to the university to learn how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life, how to defend. Nobody hasn't got to. It doesn't require education. It is already there, everyone. If you attack me, I shall immediately defend with my hands. You see? Natural. So ekāntataḥ śreyas means don't spoil this human form of life only for satisfying the animal propensities. You try to advance in spiritual consciousness. That is ekāntataḥ śreyas. Hm. What is the next?

Devotee: (reading purport) "The ācāryas therefore give directions in spiritual well-being for people in general."

Prabhupāda: That is ācārya. Ācārya does not write any book of sex psychology, Freud's philosophy. That is not ācārya, that is rascal. Ācārya gives direction how one can make advance in spiritual consciousness, that is ācārya. Then?

Devotee: "Foreseeing the incompetencies of the people in this age of Kali, or the iron age of quarrel, the sages requested that Suta Gosvāmī give a summary of all revealed scriptures because the people of this age are condemned in every respect."

Prabhupāda: But the directions should be taken from scriptures. But there are many scriptures. So ācārya means, just like Gosvāmīs, they would read all the scriptures and take the essence of it and give it to his disciples that, "You act like this." Because he knows what to give, how to manipulate, so that his ekāntataḥ śreyas will be achieved. Ultimate goal.

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

Śreya means the ultimate benefit goal of life. People are very much attached to the immediate benefit. Just like children. Children, if you give him two paise-worth lozenges, he is very much attached. But if you want to engage him in education, he is not very much attached. So there are two things, śreya and preya. Preya means immediate enjoyment, and śreya means future benefit. So śreya uttamam. Everyone is doing something. Just like a child is being educated for future happiness. But this happiness, this material happiness, is temporary. Even if you are educated very nicely, become a big lawyer or high-court judge or anything big post, they are all temporary. Because as soon as the body is finished, everything is finished. Then again you have to take birth. There is no guarantee what kind of birth. Suppose you get birth again in human society. Then you have to take again education, again endeavor, if you want to become some big post. Therefore everything here is temporary, anitya. Anitya. Anitya means they are not permanent. But here it is said, śreya uttamam. Uttamam means udgata tamaṁ yasmād. This material world is called tamaḥ. Therefore Vedic advice is tamasi mā jyotir gama: "Don't remain in this darkness. Try to go to the light." Jyotir gama.

So uttama means... This word we have..., uttama. The uttama means transcendental, beyond this material world. So there is śreya, ultimate benefit of life, beyond this material world. So one who is interested the śreya, or ultimate benefit of life beyond this material world, for him there is need of accepting a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Uttamam, not for this... Generally, people go to accept a guru for some material benefit, for cheap āśīrvāda, so that he can become more opulent in this material world. But that is not śreya. These things will be finished. These things will be finished with your body, and body is sure to be finished. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am the death, and I take away everything at the death, at the time of your... " Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. You make all asset. You make good bank balance, skyscraper building, good family, everything, but everything will be taken away at the time of death. Then another chapter. Then you do not know what chapter begins. That will depend on your karma. The same thing, contamination. As you have made your mental condition, sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6), you will get..., nature will give a similar body. This is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.5.4 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1968:

The Bhāgavata says, "Not that kind of inquisitiveness. Not for any material inquiry." There is no need of asking about any material things which are hackneyed. Jijñāsuḥ śreya. "What is my ultimate goal of life?" That inquiry. Now, everyone knows that "My ultimate goal of life is to accumulate a big bank balance." Generally, we think like that. Or somebody thinks that "If I possess a big skyscraper house and several motorcars, that is ultimate goal of my life." But Bhāgavata says, "Not that kind of inquiries. You do not require to enquire about how to achieve a skyscraper house or several motorcars or very good apartment." Just materialists, as they want. That you may enquire or not enquire. What is destined to you, it will come. It will come. The Bhāgavata says that "Either you enquire..." You go to astrologer, "What is in my fate? Whether I am getting such and such things or not?" You enquire or not enquire, if you are destined to achieve that thing, it will come automatically. Everyone is bound up by the reaction of his past work.

Lecture on SB 1.16.13-15 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1974:

So when one is inquisitive, jijñāsu... And jijñāsu means, what kind of jijñāsu, inquisitive? Śreya uttamam. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. There are fields, different fields of activities. So when becomes inquisitive to know the ultimate necessity, ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti, ultimate necessity. Śreya uttamam. There are two things: śreya and preya. I have discussed all these thing many times. Preya means immediately very palatable. That is called preya. And śreya means ultimately good. Suppose if you take some palatable foodstuff, it may be very palatable to you... There are many examples. Just like smoking. Smoking. Everyone knows, the scientists, the doctor, they declare, "This is a nonsense thing. It should be avoided." They advertise even in the packet also. But people still smoke. But that is called preya. That is called preya. Preya means immediately very nice. And śreya means when one gives it up, "No, it will keep my health nice." That is śreya. Try to understand what is śreya and preya. Another example: just like a child he wants to play whole day. Even Kṛṣṇa was playing with His friends. Mother Yaśodā had to call Him thrice, four times, then He would come back. So that is the nature of children—they want to play whole day and night. But that is not preya, er, that is not śreya. The mother, the parents, take care, "My dear boy, come here, take your bath, change your dress, take your food. It is already late." So he does not know that these things are śreya. He wants to play. Just try to understand śreya and preya. Preya means according to one's position, there are different subject matter of sense gratification. That is called preya. And śreya means for future goodness. Ultimate good. That is called preya, er, śreya. Therefore a human being is he who is inquisitive about his ultimate goal of life, to know "How, what is my ultimate goal of life?" That is human being. So jijñāsu.

So when a human becomes jijñāsu, inquisitive, śreya uttamam... Śreya means ultimate goal of life, and uttamam... Uttamam. Tama means darkness. Tama means darkness. Not in the darkness, but uttamam. Udgata-tamaṁ yasmāt. When he transcends this darkness field of activities... Tamasi mā jyotir gama: "Don't remain in the darkness activities. Come to the light activities." So when one becomes inquisitive for the light activity, he is human being. He's called jñānī. The karmīs, they are in darkness. Their activity has no meaning. The other day we have discussed, vyartha-karmabhiḥ. Vyartha-karmabhiḥ. Vyartha means futile, useless. The karmīs, they are thinking very busy. If you go to see a karmī, he will say, "Oh, I have no time." "What you are doing, sir?" "No, I am very busy. I am earning money." So... But śāstra says, "You are simply wasting your time." Vyartha-karmabhiḥ. Vyartha-karmabhiḥ. The karmīs, they are working simply for useless result. How useless result? Because you have to change your body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). That is a fact. You believe or not believe, you are changing your body every moment. So simply you have no eyes to see, you have no brain to understand. You may be... Because you are cat and dog, you cannot understand. Because the cats and dogs, they cannot understand that there is another life after this dog's body and cat's body. They cannot understand. So anyone who cannot understand the simple truth of the transmigration of the soul, he is no better than this cat and dog.

Lecture on SB 3.25.12 -- Bombay, November 12, 1974:

This verse we have discussed. "I have taken shelter unto You..." This is the process. The mother is not ordering the son. It doesn't matter whether he is son or somebody else. When one is interested in uttamam... Tasmād jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Śreya and preya, there are two things. Śreya and preya. Just like children, they like to play. That is called preya, preya. Very nice. But śreya means go to school and take education for future improvement of life. That is called śreya. So human being should be interested in śreya, not in preya. That is not human life. Preya means immediately gives me some sense pleasure: "Oh, it is very nice." No. That is human life. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. We require these things. We require to eat something for maintaining the body. But not that we shall be accustomed to eat very palatable things. No. That is not good. Bhāla nā khāibe āra bhāla nā paribe. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised His disciples, "Never eat very palatable foodstuff. Never talk these village talks." Ordinary novel, literature, newspaper, He forbade. Fortunately, in our Society there is no newspaper.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

Śreyaḥ and preyaḥ, there are two things. One is called preyaḥ. Preyaḥ means immediately pleasing. And śreyaḥ means ultimately benefit, benediction. Generally, conditioned souls, they are attracted with immediate pleasing things. Just like children. They are attracted by playthings more than education. They do not like to go to school. They like to play the whole day. In my childhood also, I was very naughty boy, and I was not going to school. And my mother kept a special man to drag me to the school. At that time, there was no system like in your country, school buses. One had to go to school on foot. So my father was very lenient. I was not going to school. Preyaḥ, pleasing. Children like to play. Similarly, there are two paths, śreyaḥ and preyaḥ.

So śreyaḥ means... Preyaḥ means sense gratification. We have got our senses, material senses, and we want to satisfy them without consideration, the sequence, the bad results of sense gratification. In the Bhāgavatam there is one passage in which it is stated that yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). Persons who are conditioned in the society, friendship, and love, this is the attraction for material life. "Society, friendship and love," they think, "divinely bestowed upon man."

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

So we like society, friendship. Oh, I do not know how many intimate friendship I had, but those are now just like dream, everything finished. Now I am making new friendships with your countrymen, with you younger boys of this country, and I have forgotten the friendship which I made the whole life in India. So this friendship, this love, this society, this country—everything illusion. Just like dream. At night we dream, "Oh, I have been made a king," and in the morning I see everything finished. So we should not be attached to these temporary attractions. We admit these are temporary attractions, but we are still... Just like children. They are attracted to the..., but the parents, they're guiding, "Oh, you must go to school." Niḥśreyasāya. That is śreyaḥ. The boy, the child, does not like it, but the parents, they are anxious, "Oh, my child is not going to school; he is being spoiled." So dragging him.

Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:

Niḥśreyasa. Śreya. Śreya means ultimate good. There are two things: preya and śreya. Śreya means ultimate good. If you act in such a way that ultimately you actually become happy, that is called śreya. And if you want immediately some happiness—never mind what it will be in future—that is called preya. So less intelligent person or children, they want preya. They do not want śreya. A child is playing whole day. He likes it. That is preya. And if you want to send him to school to be educated, he doesn't like. That is śreya, ultimate good. So nobody is interested. Still, the śāstra gives us instruction that "You try for this śreya. Don't be captivated by the preya." Preya and śreya. And this śreya, the supreme śreya, is bhakti-yoga. Therefore it is said that etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ niḥśreyasa udayaḥ. śreyasa and niḥśreyasa. Niḥśreyasa means ultimate. Niḥśreyasa udayaḥ. As soon as you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your ultimate good or ultimate perfection begins immediately.

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

Knowledge means jñānaṁ niḥśreyasārthāya puruṣasya ātma-darśanam, that is knowledge. Atma-darśanam, self-realization. That is jñānam. Otherwise this lower jñāna or knowledge, how to eat, how to sleep, how to perform sexual life, and how to defend, this knowledge is there even in the mosquito or small ant. And what to speak of other, higher grade living entities. That is jñānam, but that is not niḥśreyasāya. Śreya and preya, there are two things. Preya means to fulfill immediate necessities of life. That is called preya. And śreya means the knowledge, śreya means the goal of life. Niḥśreyasāya, niḥśreyasāya. Niḥśreyasāya means the ultimate benefit. That education is lacking. In the material world, the jñāna, especially in the present age, jñāna means technical knowledge. How to eat, how to sleep. Now they are Somebody was telling me that they have invented eating, eatables from petrol.

Lecture on SB 3.26.29 -- Bombay, January 6, 1975:

Our business is athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is our life. Now this human form of life should be inquisitive: jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. That is life. You must be very much inquisitive to understand what is your ultimate goal of life. Śreya uttamam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21).

Therefore Bhāgavata says that in order to understand the Supreme goal of life, śreya uttamam... Śreya means the best. Śreya and preya. Preya means immediately palatable, and śreya means ultimately beneficial. That is called śreya. Just like for a child, playing is priya, preya. He likes to play. But he is by force, by the parents, he is studied books. That is called preya. But because without education, his future life will be dark. So parents know it. Therefore, although the child likes to play—that is preya—the parents engages them into śreya, into education. So that is the Vaiṣṇava's duty. These rascals and fools, they are busy in material sense gratification, and it has become the duty of the devotee.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

So how you can become svāmī? Because we are falsely thinking that "I am the proprietor. I am the enjoyer. I am the leader. I am the friend of my family, my society, my nation," so many ways, you have to convert these things. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the friend of everyone." But we are taking the place of Kṛṣṇa, leadership. I am declaring to my countrymen, to my follower, that "I am your friend." So actually, I cannot be friend because I do not know what is the goal of life. I cannot lead them properly. Some immediate convenience we can offer, and people, being less intelligent, they are after immediate profit. It is called preyas. Just like if you say to a small child, "Don't go to school. Please come and play with me," he would like to play with his friend. That is immediate profit. But if you ask him to go to the school, that is remote profit. That is called śreyas. And preyas. Preyas me ans immediate profit. Two young men, if one friend says to the other friend, "Oh, let us go to the cinema," that is very palatable. And if he says, "Let us go to this meeting in Hare Kṛṣṇa Land," that is not very palatable. This is the distinction between śreyas and preyas. Niḥśreyasāya. Niḥśreyasāya means ultimate goal of life, ultimate profit of life.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

Everywhere, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also the same thing is explained, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsur śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). If you are inquisitive to understand transcendental truth, the Absolute Truth, the guru is... To have a guru is not a fashion. Now it has become a fashion. If somebody shows some jugglery, people become very much anxious to accept such guru. No. Guru means, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. Who requires a guru? Jijñāsu śreya uttamam, one who is very much anxious to know about the ultimate benefit of life. For him guru is required. Not a fashion. Just like we keep a dog as a fashion. Nowadays it is a fashion to keep a dog. So don't keep a guru like a dog. And who will hear you? "Come on. Come on." Yes. Not like that. Guru require then where you can surrender. Not like a dog, but master, where you can surrender. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta, prapadyeta means you must surrender.

And why you should surrender? Jijñāsu. If you are actually inquisitive, inquirer, what about? Śreya uttamam. Śreya means the ultimate benefit of life. And preya means immediate benefit of life. There are two things: śreya and preya. The human life is meant for sreya. And animal life is meant for preya, immediate benefit. That is called preya. And śreya means ultimate benefit of life. That one who is inquisitive to understand about the ultimate goal of life, for him there is need of guru, not a fashion. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsur śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Then what is that guru? That is also explained: śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Śābde means Vedic literature. Vedic He has drowned himself, he has bathed himself in the ocean of Vedas. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. Just like if you take bathing in a river, deep down you'll become refreshed. Similarly, one has to take śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. And what is the symptom? How I shall know that he has taken bathing fully in the ocean of Veda? Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam, he has finished all desires for material happiness or distress. He is brāhmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. He has taken shelter of Brahman—the same thing, Para-brahman, Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), one who has taken fully shelter under the lotus feet of Para-brahman, Kṛṣṇa, you have to take shelter of such a guru. Otherwise you'll not be able to get out of these clutches of māyā. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21), every śāstra you go.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1976:

The more you are inclined to render service, the more spiritual truth becomes revealed. And two things: if you are not inquisitive, don't bother yourself to have a guru. Useless. There is no need. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). Tasmād. Therefore. What is therefore? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. If you are inquisitive about transcendental science, śreya uttamam... Śreya and preya—two things are there. Śreya means ultimate good, and preya means immediate sense gratification, it is preya. And śreya means ultimate good. So if one is inquisitive to know what is the ultimate goal of life, for him, a guru is required. But if he wants immediate some sense gratification, he doesn't require a guru. For sense gratification there is no need of guru. Even these birds and beasts, they know how to gratify senses. There is no need of university or teacher. Say for sex life, nobody requires to go to the university. They know. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. These four things, there is no need of university education. But at the present moment to go to university means how to gratify the senses very scientifically. Scientifically. How to steal scientifically. Does it require any scientific knowledge how to cut throat and how to steal? No. They require education for spiritual understanding, tad-vijñānārtham, not this vijñānārtham, this material knowledge. It doesn't require. It is simply a waste of time. This modern university education is simply a waste of time.

Lecture on SB 5.5.16 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1976:

So our business is like that. We are making big, big plans to be happy like the monkeys. Therefore here it is said that arthān samīheta nikāma-kāmaḥ. So it is the duty of everyone to do something for his welfare. But here the beginning is lokaḥ svayaṁ śreyasi naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ: "These rascals, they are blind to their real interest." Śreyas means real interest, and preyas means immediate profit. So nikāma-kāmaḥ, sense gratification, is very nice immediately. "I enjoy sex life. This is very nice. Why shall I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? Let me enjoy sex." Śreyasi. And preyasi: "This is pleasure." And it is not pleasure; therefore naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ. He does not know that this sense pleasure is not his actual pleasure. It is creating different types of miserable conditions. Naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ. He has no eyes. Arthān samīheta nikāma-kāmaḥ. Based on... He does not know, either it is legal sex or illegal sex. There are two kinds of sex life, legal and illegal. Legal is married life sex. That is taken as legal. And without marriage, like cats and dogs in the street or here and there, that is illegal. So legal sex life is still allowed.

Lecture on SB 5.5.16 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1976:

So for such persons... That is niṣkiñcana. Eta saba chāḍi, haya niṣkiñcana, ekanta bhave naya, kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇa.(?). In Caitanya-caritāmṛta... So we have to become niṣkiñcana, no more material business, no more. That is called niṣkiñcanasya. Who can take this niṣkiñcana? Bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Unless one is eager to serve the Lord, nobody can be niṣkiñcana. Everyone is a kiñcana, "Something mine, something mine, something mine." So for such person, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya pāraṁ paraṁ jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya... Why bhagavad-bhajana is required? Yes, it is most essential, śreya. Śreyasi naṣṭa-dṛṣṭiḥ. We do not know. Kṛṣṇa says that "If you do not come to Me, if you do not accept Me, then," nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, "you will continue the cycle of birth and death." And that means ananta-duḥkham, ananta-duḥkham, one life after one life, one life after one life. This will go on.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

The Vedic injunction says, tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam, śābde pare ca niṣnātam. One is advised... First of all, who will accept a guru? Guru is not a plaything, that "I must have a guru, and I will never care to obey his orders, but because it is a fashion to keep a guru, I shall keep a guru." That kind of guru is useless, and that kind of disciple is also useless. One must seek after a guru—when? When he is inquisitive to understand the transcendental knowledge. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. It is not a fashion. It should be very serious. One who is very much eager to understand transcendental knowledge, śreya uttamam... Jijñāsuḥ śreya. Śreyaḥ and preyaḥ. There are two kinds of paths. Preyaḥ means immediate satisfaction or sense gratification, and preyaḥ means spiritual happiness, er, śreyaḥ. Śreyaḥ means spiritual happiness. Just like children, they are interested with playing. That is preyaḥ. Whereas, the elderly persons, they are interested to give education.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

Mālatī: Prabhupāda? Can you explain more about preyaḥ and śreyaḥ?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Śreyaḥ means ultimate benefit, and preyaḥ means immediate sense gratification. That is called... That is the difference between śreyaḥ and preyaḥ. That's all right.

Revatīnandana: So the transcendentalists are śreyaḥ? And the karmīs and others are...

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are after preyaḥ. Those who are after śreyaḥ, they should follow the catur-āśrama, varṇāśrama. The varṇāśrama, according to Vedic system, the four kinds of varṇas or social caste, and four kinds of spiritual order, āśramas. That is the beginning of preyaḥ. Without this acceptance of these principles, according to Vedic principles, one is not considered as human being or civilized man. Because that is a system, if we follow that system, gradually we rise to the platform of śreyaḥ. If anyone does not follow regulative principles, it is very hard for him to come to the standard of śreyaḥ. But in this age, in Kali-yuga, every man is so fallen that he cannot follow any regulative principles according to the Vedic scriptures. As such, they have been accepted as śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In this age everyone should be accepted as śūdra." But then how to elevate them? For elevating them, this..., not the Vedic system is to be followed but Pañcarātriki. Pañcarātriki... Just like we are trying to elevate these Europeans and Americans according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi. Everyone should be followed. It is not that Indians should not follow; only the others will. No. It is for everyone, Pañcarātriki-vidhi. The Pañcarātriki-vidhi means that if anyone has got little tendency for being elevated to the śreyaḥ platform, he should be given chance. That is called Pañcarātriki-vidhi. Just like dīkṣā, initiation. Śūdras are not given initiation. A śūdra cannot be initiated. Only the brāhmaṇas can be initiated, or dvija, or the vaiśyas and the kṣatriyas, the higher caste, not the śūdras. But according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi, even the śūdras or less than the śūdras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18), everyone can be initiated by a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, not by others. That is the system.

Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Toronto, June 18, 1976:

So one who requires to go to the world of light, he requires a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ (SB 11.3.21). Jijñāsuḥ means inquisitive. Everyone is jijñāsuḥ. We go to the market to purchase something, we are also jijñāsuḥ there. "What is the price of this? What is the price of that?" That is also inquiry. But not, inquiry is not like that, as we go to the market and other material markets. That is also, inquiry is the life—but material inquiry. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Śreya, śreya means ultimate goal of life. In the material world, there is no question of śreya; it is all preya. There are two things, preya and śreya. Immediate benefit, that is called preya. Just like child. If you ask child to sit down and read book, he would not like. If you offer one lugdu, he will immediately accept. A small child, we see, you have seen: we distribute biscuits and immediately, the small child, immediately he knows how to take it and put it in the mouth. This is called preya, "dear." They do not know anything else. If you give him poison, he will like to eat. This is child's nature. So if you ask the child, "Now you sit down and read books and write," he would not like. That is called śreya. To become educated is good for him for future, but he doesn't like. But if we give our lugdu, immediately he'll accept. This is the distinction between śreya and preya.

So we must be interested in śreya, not preya. Preya is sense gratification. The material life, sense gratification is only required. This is material world. Yan maithunādi gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). This śreya, or this preya, very dear things, ultimately, sex life, maithunādi... (break) ...married, the same sex life. Then he gets some children. Then he again grandsons. They go on. Yan maithunādi. Here, the happiness is centered around that sex life. Kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham. And as soon as he enters into sex life, iva duḥkha-duḥkham, one after another, one after another, one after another. So this is preya. But śreya is now to approach the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Therefore here it is said, yathā hi puruṣasyeha viṣṇoḥ padopasarpaṇam, how to be engaged in the worship of the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu. That is possible. This ṣreya means sense gratification, culminating in sex life. That is available. That will be explained in the next verse.

Lecture on SB 7.9.54 -- Vrndavana, April 9, 1976:

So here those who are dhīra actually, those who have understood his identity... Ke āmi kena āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. This was the question by Sanātana Gosvāmī to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "You asked me to join Your movement. I was minster in Nawab Hussain Shah's government, chief minister. Now I have... On Your word I have given up. So You have kindly brought me from this hellish condition, simply politics and pounds, shilling, pence. So it is a great mercy for me of Your Lordship. But my first question is ke āmi: 'What I am?' " This is the first question. It must be... Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Here the same word is used, śreyas-kāmāḥ. Śreyas-kāmāḥ. Anyone who is dhīra, he'll inquire about the ultimate goal of life, śreyas. There are two things, śreyas and preyas. Preyas means immediately very nice. Suppose somebody says that "Oh, there is a very nice dancing girl singing, and why you are here, saṅkīrtana? What you'll enjoy? Come here. There's a very nice girl." That is preyas. Preyas means immediately very pleasing. And one comes here, that is śreyas, means it will do him ultimately good. So there are two things, way. Those who are foolish persons, they are after śreyas..., er, preyas, immediately palatable. And those who are intelligent, dhīra, they are after śreyas. Śreyas-kāmāḥ. Without becoming śreyas-kāmāḥ, nobody can be Kṛṣṇa conscious. If one is preyas-kāmāḥ, if one wants to enjoy this material world, sense gratification, he cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is not possible. Only śreyas-kāmāḥ.

So how to... "Yes, I am śreyas-kāmāḥ. I... Yes, I want what is the ultimate goal of life. Yes." That is... Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is a fact. So śāstra also says, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). The śreyas-kāmāḥ. If you are actually serious about the ultimate goal of life, then you approach a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. If you are actually inquisitive to understand what is sreyas, that is śreyas-kāmāḥ. kāmāḥ means desiring, and śreyas means ultimate good. Not preyas-kāmāḥ. If you want to enjoy these material facilities, then you can go to such kind of men, such kind of men, and... If you want to learn drinking, so go to a club where drinking is very encouraged. Preyas-kāmāḥ. If you want to enjoy sex, go to the club where prostitutes are available. That is preyas-kāmāḥ. But if you want to reach the goal of life, then go to Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. There are two kinds of men, sreyas-kāmāḥ, preyas-kāmāḥ, so two things are there. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for the śreyas-kāmāḥ. And who becomes śreyas-kāmāḥ? Mahā-bhāga, with great fortune. Not ordinary person. Unfortunate or misfortunate, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Mahā-bhāga. Very, very great fortunate person.

Lecture on SB 10.22.35 -- Bombay, March 19, 1971:

Just like we accept a kind of dress. Similarly, according to my desire, according to my karma, I have accepted a certain type of body and according to that body, I am subject to different types of pains and pleasures. This is going on. Therefore Bhāgavata says especially in this body it is the duty of everyone, śreya ācaraṇam. There are two words in the Vedic literature—śreya and preya. Preya means... Just like ordinarily everyone is engaged in some sort of duty for sense gratification. Everyone is working very hard to satisfy the senses according to his standard of desire. So that is called preya, immediate benefit. But besides this preya, there is another departmental activities which is śreya. Just like children, they like to play. That is preya. But his guardians are anxious that the child may not be spoiled, he may be educated for his future life. That is śreya. So Bhāgavata says that in this life, we should not be after preya, immediate benefit or immediate object of sense gratification. We should be thoughtful what I am, why I am put into these material conditions of life, and what is the way to get out of it. That is śreya. Śreya ācaraṇam.

So, people should be engaged, in the human form of life, for activities of ultimate goal of life, and that is Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. That they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Being captivated by the external energy, māyā, we have forgotten our interest. We are working for a different interest. That is preya, not for śreya. The śreya is Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. So I do not wish to take much of your time, you are all busy men. And I thank you very much that you have come. And we require your cooperation, prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. Somebody should dedicate his life for this great movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 11.3.21 -- New York, April 13, 1969:

The spiritual master should be approached by a person who is inquisitive to understand śreya uttamam, what is the highest benefit, spiritual benefit, beyond this material existence. For that purpose. Śreya. Śreya means the benefit, highest benefit. Preya and śreya. Preya means immediately I want some benefit, and śreya means the ultimate benefit. One who is inquisitive about the ultimate benefit, he should be inquisitive or inquire from a bona fide spiritual master. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam.

Now, the next question is, "Who is spiritual master, where I have to go and inquire?" Otherwise I'll be misled. I may approach a person who is not actually bona fide spiritual master. That should also be known. And what is that? That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the Vedas and Bhagavad-gītā—everywhere the same thing is. Here also it is said that you should approach a bona fide spiritual master. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam, to whom? Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam: (SB 11.3.21) one who has actually taken full bath in the ocean of transcendental knowledge.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.12 -- Mayapur, April 5, 1975:

Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) "One has to surrender to guru." Why? Jijñāsu: "If you are inquisitive to know the Absolute Truth." And if you want to know something which is flickering, relative truth, that is another thing. But if you want to know the Absolute Truth, śreyaḥ uttamam... Absolute Truth means ultimate benefit, śreya. Ultimate... Yes, exactly the word, benefit. If you want ultimate benefit, then guruṁ prapadyeta. Who is guru? Śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam: one who is expert in understanding the Vedic literature, śābde pare ca, especially transcendental.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- June 14, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Anyway, you have followed somebody at least, standard.

John Fahey: Oh, yeah, people I heard.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So that is the way of learning what is God. The main business is that one must know God. It is not that because I approach some person and he did not know, he could give me the right knowledge of God, then I give up this idea of knowing God. No. That will not..., that is not good for human life. Then you remain animal. I might have been cheated or I might not have approached the proper person, but that does not mean that I can stop that idea. That is not... In another place it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One who is actually inquisitive to understand the highest benefit of life, he must approach a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsu means inquisitive. Śreya—the highest benefit of life. Uttamam-highest. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Ṣābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ. What is the qualification of such a person? Ṣābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ. He is completely well versed in the transcendental science.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Śreyas. Here we are also jijñāsu, we are going to the market; "What is the rate of this share? What is the rate of this commodity? What is the rate of rice? What is...?" We are also jijñāsu. But śāstra says jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: "One must be inquiring about the highest perfection of life." That is human life. Śreya uttamam. Śreyas means... śreyas and preyas. Goodness, welfare, good. A small child does not know what is his śreyas. If you give a two payasā worth lozenges, he thinks, "This is my object, end of... I have got now nice sweet lozenges." But as you advance, then the śreyas is different. It is preyas. Immediately which you like, that is called preyas. But what is your ultimate good, that is called śreyas. Śreyas and preyas. So people are interested in the bodily concept of life. Anything which is immediately pleasing to my senses, we take it, "This is my end of life." Therefore śāstra says, śreya uttamam, not that śreyas which is immediately very pleasing to you. What is immediately pleasing to you, it will be a source of great displeasure at the end. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So uttamam. Uttamam. Ut means transcendental, and tama means this material world. "Beyond this material world," Uttama. Śreya uttamam. Because we are not this material body, therefore our śreyas, our highest perfection of life, is different. Here the perfection of life—you get a comfortable life of the body.

Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: I am arranging for my happiness with so many material paraphernalia, but still I am not happy." This inquiry should be there. That is called jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. And that is brahma-jijñāsā. So brahma-jijñāsā is not for everyone. Brahma-jijñāsā. And for brahma-jijñāsā one should make a guru, not for any material welfare. If I get some money, if some guru gives me some money, some gold, I think he is Bhagavān. Because I am attached to this gold and material things. That is not śreyas. But people like that. If somebody by miracles give you some money, some gold, they think, "Oh, here is God. Here is God, here is God." But that is not śreyas. And if gold is the standard of happiness, then... There are many persons, Birlas and others, they possess huge stock of gold. Does it mean that they will not die? They will not suffer from disease? But foolish persons, they think, "If I get some gold, then I'll be happy." And that is foolishness. Nothing material will make you happy. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, real happiness means to approach Him. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya (BG 9.32). No? What is that? Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ (BG 8.15). Find out this verse. Duḥkhālayam... The second line you can find out.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- September 26, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Prabhupāda: ...position is if you can get a bungalow like this, and two cars, good wife, then life is successful. Is it not?

Kartikeya: Yes.

Prabhupāda: "Never mind I am going to be a dog next life."

Kartikeya: They are not knowing anything today. They continue to live as it is.

Prabhupāda: Śreyaḥ, preyaḥ, immediate. This is Western civilization. Tathā dehāntara-praptiḥ (BG 2.13). (Hindi) In the material world, even in the position of Indra, king of heaven, he has got also so many problems. Is there any temple?

Kartikeya: Yes. Śiva temple.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 30, 1976, Fiji:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-saṁmūḍha-cetāḥ, yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me.

Prabhupāda: Yac chreyaḥ syāt, yac chreyaḥ syāt tat brūhi me niścitam. So the spiritual master's duty is how to benefit the disciple, śreyaḥ. What is the translation?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. So because he accepted discipleship, so He immediately chastised him that "You rascal, you are talking like a very learned man, but you are on the platform of bodily conception of life, the platform of the animals." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who accepts this body as self, he's animal. He's not even a human being.