Starvation (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"starvation" |"starve" |"starved" |"starves" |"starving"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.15 -- London, July 15, 1973:

That is higher intelligence, that "Why shall I ask food from God? God is supplying food to the cats, dogs, ants, elephants, and I want little food, he will not supply me? And especially when I engage myself in His service? Ordinary man pays to his servant, and I shall starve if I am engaged in the service of God?" This is intelligence. This is intelligence. “Why shall I bother God? If He likes, I will starve. That doesn’t matter. But I must engage myself in the service of the Lord.” This is intelligence. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This intelligence comes after many, many births of endeavoring for self-realization. It is not easily comes.

So there is no question of scarcity for devotee. Just like this morning I was discussing with a gentleman. So a devotee is not in need of everything. Why he should be? He cannot be. Even one who is not devotee, if he is getting supplies from God, how is it that the devotee will not get? Just like the government. The government, although there is prisonhouse, the government supplies the food. Not that because they have gone to the prisonhouse, they are starving. Rather, those who are unemployed, they prefer prisonhouse, that without any service, they will get free food.

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

Śūdra, unless he finds out a master to provide him, his all education is useless.

Nowadays they are educated, but they must have a good service. That means he's a śūdra. Without finding a master, his education has no value. So therefore in the śāstra it is said, kalau śūdrā sambhavāḥ. Kalau, "In this age, Kali-yuga, everyone is śūdra." Because he cannot even live without having a master. He must have a master to provide him. But the Vedic culture is that brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they will not accept any service. No. They will die of starvation. Especially brāhmaṇa. That is enjoined in the śāstras, that a brāhmaṇa, if he is in bad position some way or other, economically, he may accept the position of a kṣatriya or a vaiśya, but he should not accept the position of a śūdra. That is doggish. This is so injunction.

Therefore formerly a brāhmaṇa, when he accepts a service from anywhere, he was rejected from the brāhmaṇa society.

Lecture on BG 1.23 -- London, July 19, 1973:

Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. So whatever Kṛṣṇa gives you as prasādam, as His favor, you accept it and be satisfied. This is the basic principle of peace in the world. But because people are not educated in that way, everyone is wanting more and more and more and more. There is no satisfaction. So that is durbuddhi. The Vedic culture is that "You be satisfied with your position." There is no question of starving in any position of life. People are trying to make economic development, but according to śāstra, it is not possible to develop your economic position simply by endeavor. You are destined to have some portion mixed up with happiness and distress. That is the nature.

Lecture on BG 1.23 -- London, July 19, 1973:

There is no question of starving in any position of life. People are trying to make economic development, but according to śāstra, it is not possible to develop your economic position simply by endeavor. You are destined to have some portion mixed up with happiness and distress.

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

So Kṛṣṇa is the supreme master of all mystic power. Therefore He is called Yogeśvara. He is called Yogeśvara. So if Kṛṣṇa is on your side, then you do not require to practice yoga. If you are a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, because how much power shall get. You may gain some power by this mystic process, but you cannot be equal with Kṛṣṇa's power. Just like aṇimā, laghimā. To make everything very light, or become very light, the yogi can fly in the air without an aeroplane. He can go even in the sun planet, moon planet, without any sputnik. Simply (break)

...his wife. But he was a yogi and she was devoted, so became lean and thin, because she could not eat very nicely. A yogi cannot supply nice food. Simply starvation, starvation. (laugh) That is yogi. So he thought that this poor girl came to me, his father is king. She is not accustomed to so much trouble, so she asked her, "What you want?" "No, because I have come to you, I want some children, and a little comfortable life." "All right." So he made an aeroplane by yogic power, a big town. Not this 747. The 747 is the biggest plane, but not like this. A big town with lake, with palatial building, maid-servants, servants, and that big plane went all round the universe. He showed all the planets to his wife. This is yogic power. This is yogic power. So where is that yogi? So here, Yogeśvara. All these mystic powers can be attained by ordinary man if he wants, there is process. But Kṛṣṇa is the master of all yogic power, Yogeśvara.

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

But he was a yogi and she was devoted, so became lean and thin, because she could not eat very nicely. A yogi cannot supply nice food. Simply starvation, starvation. (laugh) That is yogi. So he thought that this poor girl came to me, his father is king. She is not accustomed to so much trouble, so she asked her, "What you want?" "No, because I have come to you, I want some children, and a little comfortable life." "All right."

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

When the unwanted children, irresponsible children, they do not follow any more the tradition, the family tradition, or jāti-dharma, so they create a class of population in the varṇa-saṅkara. So everything becomes topsy-turvy, hellish condition. And actually it has so happened. Now there is no more jāti-dharma. Everyone is engaged somehow or other to fill up the belly. Formerly, formerly there was stricture. The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, these three higher castes, there were certain restrictions. The brāhmaṇa would not do this or the brāhmaṇa must do this. So that is called jāti-dharma. A brāhmaṇa cannot accept service from anywhere. I have discussed many times. A kṣatriya also cannot. And vaiśya cannot. Only the śūdra can become servant of others. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam. So, at the present moment, nobody can observe the strict rules and regulations, that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family. I cannot accept anyone's service." Then you will have to starve. Because he has no brahminical capacity... By education, by culture, he's a śūdra, although falsely he's claiming that he is a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. So his jāti-dharma, family tradition, family rituals, everything is lost due to this unwanted children. Unwanted children make everything topsy-turvy.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

The brāhmaṇa would not do this or the brāhmaṇa must do this. So that is called jāti-dharma. A brāhmaṇa cannot accept service from anywhere. I have discussed many times. A kṣatriya also cannot. And vaiśya cannot. Only the śūdra can become servant of others. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So, at the present moment, nobody can observe the strict rules and regulations, that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family. I cannot accept anyone's service." Then you will have to starve. Because he has no brahminical capacity... By education, by culture, he's a śūdra, although falsely he's claiming that he is a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. So his jāti-dharma, family tradition, family rituals, everything is lost due to this unwanted children. Unwanted children make everything topsy-turvy. So Arjuna is visualizing all the future calamities.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973:

So the first step Kṛṣṇa took in educating Arjuna... The Bhagavad-gītā is now being actually being spoken, bhagavān uvāca. The first basic principle is explained to Arjuna that "You do not know anything. Don't talk just like a learned man." Actually, that is our own... Every one of us in the same position. Just like yesterday, two boys came. No philosophy, talking like nonsense, starvation, as if he has taken, what is called? Contract for stopping starvation. He's starving, everyone is starving, this law, the nature will go on. Somebody, because there are three qualities of the nature—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So the natural laws will go on under the three laws. Therefore always we shall find three classes or three status of living condition. That will be explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Even, everywhere there are different species of life. Everywhere these three qualities are working.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- London, August 19, 1973:

So make your life successful, that "I am not this body." Simply by understand... "I am not this body. I am embodied within this body, encaged. But I am not this cage." Just like a bird is within the cage. The cage is not the bird. But foolish persons, they are taking care of the cage, not of the bird. The bird, out of starvation, is suffering. So we are suffering spiritual starvation. Therefore nobody is happy in this material world. Spiritual starvation. Therefore we see in an opulent country like America, enough food, enough residence, enough material enjoyment, still they are becoming hippies, all over the world. They are not satisfied, because it is spiritual starvation. Materially we may be very opulent, but if you starve spiritually, you cannot be happy. This is the process.

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

If you remain in a room, to serve the room, does it mean that serving you? You are within a room. Simply cleansing the room, does it mean serving you? The present moment, what they are doing? Just like my Guru Mahārāja used to say that a man has fallen on the water, and one brave man came. He said that "I shall save this man." And he also jumped in the water and brought his coat and shirt, and he said, "Now the man is saved." Is it saving the man? So similarly, the service of humanity means they are serving the body. Where is the soul? They do not know how to serve. Just like washing the cage, and the bird within the cage, it is starving (imitates bird): "kanh kanh kanh." So they do not know what is service. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). They are thinking this body. That is, that is... We are explaining this morning: antavanta ime dehāḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:

So anyone who's accepting this material body as very important... Just like the other day, some rascals came. They were very much eager for feeding this body. Those who are starving, starvation... Starvation of the bodily concept of life. But there is spiritual starvation. That we are not taking care. Material starvation may be there, but actually that is not a problem because there is sufficient arrangement for maintaining this material body. Real starvation is of the soul. The soul is not getting spiritual food. Here, in this meeting, this is meant for giving to the starving spirit soul. And as soon as you get some spiritual food, then we become happy. That is the situation. Yayātmā suprasīdati. Unless you get spiritual food there cannot be satisfaction of the real soul. The same example, within the cage there is the bird. If you simply wash the cage very nicely and cover it and paint it and the bird within the cage is crying, starving... What is this civilization? Similarly, we spirit soul, we have been encaged within this body, so our natural aspiration is to get freedom from this encagement. As much as the bird is struggling to get freedom from the cage.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

You'll die. There is an example in the Hitopadeśa. Na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ. Suptasya siṁhasya. Siṁha means lion. If the lion thinks that "I am so powerful animal, king of the forest. Why shall I work?" Therefore, it is said that if he does not work, then he'll have to starve. Even though he's a lion. Because he may be lion, but if he sleeps, that "I am king. Let me sleep and my food will come automatically in my mouth," that is not possible. This is the example. Very good example. Na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ. A lion is sleeping. If he does not work, he'll also starve. He'll also starve. And what to speak of cats and dogs. So this is not possible.

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

He is forbidden to take any food because any food will aggravate his disease, but still, because he has to exist, he is given some glucose water, some barley water, some fruit juice, little. Just... It is also psychological. The patient may think also that "I am eating something. I am eating, not I am starving. I am eating." That is also psychological effect. At the same time, this light food, fruit juice or glucose water, that is easily digested, so there is no harm.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Because he knows that "Kṛṣṇa, I ask or I do not ask, Kṛṣṇa is supplying me bread. He's supplying bread to the beast, birds and animals, insects, and I have sacrificed my life for Kṛṣṇa, and He'll not supply me bread?" Is it very intelligent? No. He knows perfectly well that "Kṛṣṇa is taking care of me. Now it is my duty how much service I can render to Kṛṣṇa. That is my business." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is not miser. He is supplying millions and millions of living entities bread. So what is the use of asking Him? Without asking Him... The birds, the beasts, they have no church and pray to God, "Oh, give us our daily bread," but nobody is starving. Nobody is starving. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That one Supreme is supplying everyone's necessities. Either you go to church or don't go to church, Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He's supplying food everyone.

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

Negation. "All right. I shall not do this, which will produce reaction." That, I mean to say, forceful negation will not stand. "I shall not do this." Or, for example, take the small incident of our life, eating. Now, because eating has reaction, because whatever I am eating I have to repay for that... Either you eat vegetable or flesh, that doesn't matter. "Then let me... I shall not eat." Oh, that cannot be. How you cannot eat? You cannot do it. If you have to live, then you have to eat. So here the Lord says, viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ. Just like a person is diseased. He is advised by the doctor that "You shall not take such and such things." So he is starving or he is fasting. Suppose in the typhoid fever the doctor has advised him not to take any solid food. So under the instruction of the doctor, he is not taking any solid food. But suppose his brother is eating some bread. Oh, he likes that "If I could eat." But that means within himself... He is, by force, by the instruction of the physician, he is forced not to eat.

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

Just like father, however misguided a son may be, whenever the father gets a chance, he says, "My dear son, you don't do this. It is not good. You do this." So that is the duty of the father. Similarly, we are bent upon continuing our sinful activities but there is sufficient arrangement by Kṛṣṇa to instruct us and to lead us back to Godhead, back to home.

Guest: How do you account for the fact that man sometimes takes animals and feeds them and protects them, whereas otherwise these animals might have died of starvation or exposure or something?

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

Guest: How do you account for the fact that man sometimes takes animals and feeds them and protects them, whereas otherwise these animals might have died of starvation or exposure or something?

Prabhupāda: Why you are anxious about the animals being starvation? You take care of yourself. You don't be philanthropic, "Oh, they'll starve. Let me eat." What is this philanthropy? Kṛṣṇa is supplying food. If he dies out of starvation, it is Kṛṣṇa's responsibility. Nobody dies of starvation. That is a false theory. Have you seen any animal dying of starvation? Have you got any experience? Have you seen any bird died of starvation? There is no question of starvation in the kingdom of God. We are manufacturing these theories for our own satisfaction, sense satisfaction. There is no question of starvation in the law of God. Elephant eats hundred pounds at a time. Who is supplying foodstuff? There are millions of elephants in the African jungle, in Indian jungles. They require one hundred pounds at a time to eat. Who is supplying food? So there is no question of starvation in the kingdom of God. Starvation is for the so-called civilized men.

Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

Guest (2): Does the higher nature include anything outside of you? That is, any communication of your fellow man, helping him in some way, that is, perhaps some way alleviating his material suffering. If he is suffering materially, is there anything that Kṛṣṇa... In my readings of the Bhagavad-gītā I haven't seen where Kṛṣṇa deals with the social aspect of man, helping the man who is starving, say, to overcome his suffering or providing his material needs. Rather, the emphasis is on away from the material.

Prabhupāda: This is material nature, of course, but one thing is that if you want to help a person, your aim should be to help a person for the ultimate goal. Just like I will give you an example that a physician treating a patient, he is also engaged in giving some assistance to the suffering man. Now, he treats the root of the disease. Now, the patient says, "Doctor, I have got very much headache today." Doctor knows: "Yes. All right. I shall see." He says, "I have got a great pain in here." Now, the doctor sees that these are the symptoms of his main disease.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

So we are part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa, so we also must be feeling enjoy. Why we are so much distressed—adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika? This question should arise. If this question does not arise, then we are as good as cats and dogs. That's all. The cats and dogs never inquire. Cat will never inquire that "Why I am starving? Why I am dying? Why everybody chases me? I have to go out." The dog also. So if in the human form of life we remain blind without seeing the problems of life and still we say we are very much joyful, enjoying life, where is your enjoyment? There is no enjoyment.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

You cannot manufacture religion. And what is actual religion? If you follow, then you are religious. The actual religion is the God's order. That is... everyone follows some principle of religion to understand God. And in our Vedic system the only purpose of life is to understand God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. In the human form of life we have no other business. No other. Other business, that, cats and dogs are also doing, and we are also doing. That is automatic. It is not that other animals, they are starving. They are also eating and we are also eating. But the facility is, the other animals lower than the human being, they haven't got to do any business or any profession or go from one country to another to earn livelihood. That is their advantage.

Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:

You'll be surprised in 1942 there was an artificial famine in India by politicians and practically they were starving. And one American gentleman, very responsible man, he was present. He said that "In our country if such starvation would have happened there would have been revolution." But the Vedic culture is so nice that nobody even stole a pin from others pocket. They starved. Because the culture is they are satisfied. "Well, God has put me in this condition. Why shall I encroach upon other's property?" That is Vedic culture. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to God. Whatever He has allotted to me, that is my possession. I can... tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā: "Whatever is allotted to you, be satisfied." Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam: "You do not encroach upon other's property."

If anyone is satisfied in this way in Kṛṣṇa consciousness where is the question of stealing? There is no question of stealing. There is no need of law for the thieves. People will become so honest. He will be satisfied.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

This is required in human life. It is not forbidden, that "You starve," no. That is not stated in the śāstra: Yāvad artha-vinirṇayam. To keep your health and body, and the body and the soul together, you must live very nicely so that you may not be diseased. Because this human form of life is meant for making progress so that all the problems of life may be solved. It is required. Yukta. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya. In another place, yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-da.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

Economic development means to get more money and to satisfy senses more and more. This is the modern theory. But Kṛṣṇa says that to achieve the perfection of life, one should be nirāśīḥ. Nirāśīḥ means unnecessarily desiring for sense gratification, unnecessarily. Everyone has got right to live and live nicely. For that purpose there is sufficient arrangement by the Lord. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. There is sufficient arrangement. No living being will starve. There is such arrangement. But when we forget more and more Kṛṣṇa and God, nature will punish. There will be restriction of supply of foodstuffs. That is nature's law.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

So unless one is freed from the bodily concept of life, he cannot be satisfied in anything which is easily achieved, easily gained. That is called yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ. Because he knows that "I don't require anything, but because I have got this body, I cannot neglect it also. So let me eat something, let me earn something." Whatever God gives him.... God has given everyone. Nobody is starving, nobody cannot starve, especially those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious. They cannot starve. There is no question of starving, either by Kṛṣṇa conscious or not Kṛṣṇa conscious, but he is getting his food.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

Now, that is sacrifice. They sacrificed their labor for the spiritual master, for the teacher, and whatever they got, they surrendered to the teacher. And it is said that after cooking, if the teacher asked the student, "My dear boy, you come and take your meals," then he will take. Otherwise, if the teacher forgets to call him one day for his meals, then he should not go and ask the teacher that "Sir, I have not taken my food. Give me my food." Rather, he should starve. So much penances, so much regulative(?) was there. These are called sacrifice.

So student life is meant for sacrifice. They should undergo training under serious regulations and penances so that life may be built up for future hope and future spiritual realization. But the sacrifice is meant for the student life.

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

The knowledge which the pigeons, the cats and dogs have got, we are lacking in that knowledge, that the whole thing belongs to the Supreme Lord and we can accept them, whatever we need, not more than that. That is knowledge. That is knowledge. There will be no difficulty. The whole world is made by the Lord's arrangement that you have no scarcity. Everything is sufficient. Everything is sufficient. There will be no scarcity, provided you know the distribution. The distribution is... There is fallacy, distribution: one is taking is more and the other is starving. Therefore, the starving population, they are making protest, "Why we shall starve?" But that is also defective.

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Just like if you make your promise that "I shall take only kṛṣṇa-prasādam," then your nonsense eating or satisfying the tongue by nonsense eating—immediately stopped. That is subdued. God does not say that "You starve." God does not say. Or "You do not eat nice things." But God says, "You eat really nice things; don't eat nonsense nice things." Instead of eating nonsense meat, you eat sweetballs. You see? It is not stoppage, but giving better.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

So yoga-yukto viśuddhātmā (BG 5.7). One who is viśuddhātmā, one who is situated in his pure consciousness, then vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ. (aside:) Sit down. Don't disturb. Sit down. Vijitātmā, and jitendriyaḥ. Jitendriyaḥ means that greedy, greediness. I want more. As soon as he becomes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his greediness goes away. "I don't want more. I don't want more." So if everybody thinks like that, that "I don't want more," then where is the trouble in this world? There is no trouble. Because by grace of God, there is enough food, enough sufficient stock. Simply it is the anomaly of distribution by the human society that is creating one starving and one... And that starvation is also due to his own work. There are so many. But for perfection, the perfection of the world situation, this is required. Yoga-yukto viśuddhātmā. When one is dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is pure soul.

Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

Therefore those who are actually saintly person they simply depend on Kṛṣṇa. Why? If Kṛṣṇa is supplying food to the elephant, beginning from the elephant to the ant, why not to me? I am engaged in His service. He is so ungrateful? If you serve... If you render some service somewhere he pays you, gives you some wages. So if you are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service do you think you will starve? Why? You cannot starve. He is well-wisher of all living entities. Why not for you? This confidence must be there. If He is well-wisher for everyone and I am engaged in His service, He is not my well-wisher? So we should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa. We shall simply exert our all energies for the service of Kṛṣṇa, everything will be all right.

Lecture on BG 6.11-21 -- New York, September 7, 1966:

Now, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is personally teaching what is His kingdom, what He is, what you are, and what is your relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Everything is being taught in the Bhagavad-gītā. And a sane man, an intelligent man, must take advantage of these processes. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, nātyaśnatas tu yogo 'sti. "Anyone who eats more than necessary, oh, he cannot perform yoga." Na ati aśnatas yogo 'sti na ca ekāntam anaśnataḥ (BG 6.16). "A person," I mean to say, "willfully trying to keep himself in starvation, he cannot perform yoga. Neither the person who eats more than he requires, he also cannot perform yoga." The eating process should be moderate, only for keeping the body and soul together. Not for enjoyment of the tongue.

Lecture on BG 6.11-21 -- New York, September 7, 1966:

No. Dream there must be, more or less. As soon as you go asleep, oh, dream there must be. That may be good dream, bad dream, or for long time or for little time. But dream there must be. Now, Kṛṣṇa says that na ca ati svapna-śīlasya. That means "One who dreams very much while sleeping, he cannot execute yoga." Na jāgrato naiva cārjuna. "And one who cannot sleep at night..." I have got a young friend, he cannot sleep. So for him, it is not yoga...yoga process is not possible. He may note down here. So sleep also required. You cannot remain without sleeping. That is also required. That means somehow or other, you should keep your body fit. You should not eat more, you sleeping. That is also required. That means somehow or other, you should keep your body fit. You should not eat more, you shall not voluntarily starve, you should not be voluntarily awake, and neither, and if you keep yourself peaceful, then you'll not sleep...you'll not dream also. When the bile is very much agitated, then we see so many dreams due to the air which is coming out of agitated bile. And if you keep yourself peaceful, cool mind, cool head, cool, I mean to say, stomach, then there will, there will be ordinary sleep.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

Why you increase your fat? The nonsense they will not understand. That if I have to reduce it, why I increase it? Why not be satisfied with simple foodstuff? If you eat grains and vegetables and light foodstuffs, you'll never get fatty. You see? You'll never get fatty. Reduce eating as much as possible. Don't eat at night. Practice yoga like this. If you become voracious eater, you'll be—there are two kinds of diseases. The voracious eaters, they are attacked with diabetes and those who cannot eat sufficiently, they are tuberculists (?). So you cannot eat more or you cannot eat less. You just eat what you require. If you eat more then you must be diseased. And if you eat less, you must be diseased. That will be explained. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi.... You are not to starve, but don't eat more. Our program, kṛṣṇa-prasāda, is that you eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda.

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

Yes, we are not neglecting. We are not neglecting. But we are not worried. That is the difference. We are trying to serve you, but we are not worried about you. Because I know that you will be provided with everything by God. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. It is stated, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaḥ. God is not very poor man that He cannot maintain you. He will maintain you. There may be millions of population. God is quite able to feed them. Why do you think that God is so poor? We have already explained that He is full with all opulences. So it does not matter whether there is increase of population. But if the people are unfaithful, they must be punished with starvation. That is God's will. It is not that they will not be fed. There is no question of overpopulation.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- London, March 10, 1975:

Therefore you are infecting that material mode of nature, and according to the infection, you will develop the next body. Just like according to infection you develop the disease, so this material body is disease. That we do not understand. We are soaping this material body, keeping it fit, but we do not know that this is disease. Anyone, does anyone want to keep the disease and say, "My dear disease, please live with me forever"? (laughter) Is there any intelligent man say like that? Disease is to be cured, is to be driven away. In Hindi they say, jara ar para okhane kha na baviya ar.(?) Means "Unwanted guest and disease, you do not give him to eat, and he will go away." He will go away. So any disease, you starve for few days, two days, three days, it will go. And any unwanted guest, you don't supply him food. He will automatically go away. So disease should not be maintained. Disease should be cured.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

So jñānaṁ te ahaṁ sa-vijñānam. Sa-vijñānam means with practical application. As there is theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge in scientific advancement, so simply theoretical knowledge will not help me. Theoretically I may know that I am not this body, but practically it must be known. If not, if I am not this body, then I am soul. Then I am working here in this world only for my body. What I am doing about my soul? That is knowledge. Suppose I have got this coat and pant and hat. If he simply tries, dry clean the coat and do not put any food in the stomach, how long this civilization will go on? Starving. So the whole world is in disturbed condition because there is no spiritual food, only material cleansing the shirt and coat. That is going on. Like cats and dogs, they are interested with the body.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

The necessities of this body are four: we must eat something; we must have rest, sleep for some time; we must defend ourself from the attack of enemies; and we must have the facility for sex life also. These things are necessary for keeping up this body. But one who is going to liberate himself from this material entanglement, he cannot use this excessively. There must be regulated. Just like a diseased person, he is put under regulation. He is also given to eat something. Although eating is not very good for a diseased person, still, he is allowed to eat something, some barley water, some fruit juice, some light food, so that... Starvation is also not good, so he is allowed, but he cannot be allowed foodstuff according to the patient's desire. The foodstuff is allowed to him according to the direction of the physician.

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966:

He is maintaining everyone. That's a fact. There are 8,400,000's of species of life, and, out of which, human society, human beings, are a very small number, say, about 200,000 species of life. Balance eight hundred, two hundred thousand species of life, they are animal and aquatics, birds, beasts, uncivilized men, so many species of life. They have no economic problem. They have no economic problem. There is no question of starvation. They are eating, they are sleeping, they are having their mating, opposite sex, and they are defending also in their own way. So they have no problem. Only the civilized men, they have got problems. Only that small number of civilized men, so-called civilized men, they have got.

Lecture on BG 10.4 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

It is a false notion that you are independent. You are not independent. It is a false notion. Nobody is independent. We may be puffed up that "We belong to an independent nation. Now we have got..." Just like Indian. We were under British rule. Now we have got independence. This is all false notion. What is that independence? The nature's law is forcing starvation. What is this independence? They are now begging grains from other countries. In British time there was no begging at least. Now their independence means they are begging. So these are all false notions.

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Europeans and Americans, they are now comfortable, so they can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." When I go to India, sometimes they speak like that, that "India does not require Kṛṣṇa consciousness because they are in a very awkward condition so far economic condition is there." But that is not the actual fact. The other day, where? I think in Sydney. Some boy, present, he was..., "We have to supply food to the hungry who are dying without food in starvation. Then when I asked him, "how many men you have seen dying out of starvation?" he could not reply. He said, "No. I have not seen." Still, these are pleas, that "People are dying of starvation, people are dying naked." As soon as I ask, "How many people you have seen dying of starvation or naked?" The reply is "No. I have not seen."

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Actually, nobody is dying out of starvation, nobody, not even an animal, not even a bird, dying of starvation, not a beast. God is supplying everyone's food. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He is supplying food to the elephant. In Africa there are millions of elephants. They take food, at a time, forty kilos. But they are also being supplied with food. But who is supplying food? We have not arranged food for the elephants, or we have not arranged any food for the ant within our room, but they are being fed by the laws of nature, by God's arrangement. So that is not question. This is our false, I mean to say, idea, that "We shall die out of starvation if we do not make economic condition better." You do it, but you must know that food is already there.

Lecture on BG 13.17 -- Bombay, October 11, 1973:

And actually, God is feeding us. You will find in Africa, there are millions of elephants. Who is giving them food? In your home, within the hole, you will find millions of ants. Are you giving them food? Who is giving them food? There are so many birds and beasts. There is no ration, government ration for them. They are eating. No bird we have seen ever that it has died out of starvation. We have never experienced. But we are engaged in philanthropic work, to give food to the poor, as if God is unable to give food to the poor, because we have taken the position of God. So this is not our business. God has food for everyone. If one is suffering, that is his own fault. Just like in the hospital, you'll go. You'll find so many patients are starving. Does it mean the patients are starving for want of food? No. He must starve; otherwise he will not be cured. That is destiny, called.

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

Just like here is Kṛṣṇa. We are all working for Kṛṣṇa whole day and night, but we are not starving. We are not starving, we are getting Kṛṣṇa's prasāda, nice foodstuff. So this cooperation should be... If you supply food to the stomach, the energy will be distributed to the hands, legs, fingers, eyes. And if you do not supply food, you cannot say that the fingers, if they capture a nice sweetmeat and if he cooperates, "No, I shall not give to the stomach. I shall eat." He cannot eat, the fingers cannot eat. It must give to the stomach and take the prasādam energy. Then the fingers and eyes will work, so we must serve.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hyderabad, December 14, 1976:

Those who are rascals, fools, if you speak something valuable for his life he'll not hear you. He'll become angry. The example is given, payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. Just like if a snake, if you ask the snake that "I shall give you daily a cup of milk. Do not commit this harmful life, biting unnecessarily others. You come here, take a cup of milk and live peacefully," that he will not be able. He... By drinking, drinking that cup of milk, his poison will increase, and as soon as the poison is increased—it is also another itching sensation—he wants to bite. He'll bite. So the result will be payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. The more they starve, that is good for them because the poison will not increase.

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

But you cannot say at any stage that "I am independent." That is not possible. Your constitution is to remain dependent. Therefore the Vedas says, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He's maintaining you. God is maintaining. That's a fact. We cannot maintain your, ourself. He has given heat, light, air, water, fruits, flowers, grains, everything. Everything is there for you. There is no scarcity. Simply being less intelligent, taking shelter of lusty desires, false prestige, we are mismanaging the gift of God. Therefore we are in scarcity, therefore starvation. By God's arrangement there is everything. Pūrṇam idam (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). Everything is complete. Pūrṇam adaḥ. This creation is complete. Pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate. Because it is created by God, it is complete, so you cannot find out any deficiency. Pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate, pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate.

Lecture on BG 16.11-12 -- Hawaii, February 7, 1975:

Why should I give me away to the animal life? Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. Viṣaya means the four necessities of material life. That is called viṣaya. Viṣaya, four nece... What are the four necessities? That so long we have got this material body, we have to eat. We cannot starve. That is not possible. So similarly, we have to take rest, sleeping, and similarly, we have to enjoy or give satisfaction to our senses, and similarly, we have to defend. This is called viṣaya. So śāstra says that this..., viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt: "In any form of life you'll get full facilities for the bodily necessities of life, full facilities."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

In 1942 there was a famine, man-made famine, and in India so many people practically died of starvation. Not died, but they died by eating. There was scarcity of foodstuff, but when public began to give them food, so they ate so much that they fell sick and died, so many people. Not by starvation, by eating. By starvation, nobody dies; by overeating, one dies. That is a statistic. The next death rate is for over-eating. In America is it not? Who said me the other day? The first death rate is from...

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

So He has provided everyone's food. There is no problem. It is mistake to accept it that "Because there is overpopulation in the world, there is problem." Just now like we were walking on the St. James Park, the swan, ducks, they are producing one dozen children at a time. And that is also twice, thrice in a year. So they have no problem. Where is the problem of overpopulation? They are not starving. Unless you go and capture them and kill them, they are not dying. You see from the birds, animals—nobody dies of starvation. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Kṛṣṇa is there. He is supplying food for everyone. So where...? There is no question of starvation. Then why rivalry? Rivalry means "I want to enjoy more sense gratification"

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:

Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham. As much. We must eat. We must eat to the point that we may not die of starvation, not that "There is nice food, oh, let me eat. Then I cannot digest and I go three times to the W.C." (laughter) Not like that. That anāsaktasya. One should be unattached, that "I have to eat something for maintaining the body and soul together." Not that to the excess. Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Edinburgh, July 17, 1972:

So whatever Kṛṣṇa will do, that is all right. Let me utilize my valuable time of this human form of life in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. People will not agree to this. But actually, if anyone wants peace of the mind, yenātmā suprasīdati, then this process should be adopted. This is practical also. There are many saintly persons. They do not try where to go, where to take money, or where to eat. They're busy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "If Kṛṣṇa sends some food, I shall eat. Otherwise, it doesn't matter. I shall starve." They have got that determination, strict. They do not go anywhere, but Kṛṣṇa sends him everything. Just like Bilvamaṅgala. He was not going anywhere. He was living in Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa personally was coming to give him some milk.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

So one must have... Now you will be surprised to know that our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, our monthly cost is eight lakhs of rupees, all over the world. But Kṛṣṇa is providing us. We have got simple a few books and we are selling. You will be surprised. We are selling 30-to 40,000 rupees per day. So we have no problem. Because we believe. If I serve to a ordinary man, he gives some salary. He gives some food. And we are engaged in service of Kṛṣṇa, we shall starve? No. We have got that confidence.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

So actually this statement of the śāstras, that kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ, hardly there is brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya because nobody is doing their duty. Instead of producing food grains, vaiśyas are engaged in running on big, big factories. So factory cannot produce food grains. Therefore there is food shortage or people are not getting ample foodstuff, they are starving, and there must be agitation. There is no brāhmaṇa's guidance, there is no kṣatriya kings, and śūdras are also not executing their duty. Then what will be the result? This is the result. This is the result.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Why should we not? If God is great, if our father is so great, why should we not love? We flatter somebody here, having a say, a few millions of dollars, we flatter, and who is the richest of all, we should not love Him? Why? What is the reason? And actually He is supplying everything, eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He is supplying all necessities of life to all living entities, beginning from the ant to the elephant. So why not to us? We have dedicated our whole life for the service of God, so God is giving food to the ant, to the elephant, why not to us? So don't think that you will starve in God consciousness. You will never starve. You go on with your duty, loving God and preaching love of God. You will always be opulent, be sure.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Then kāmasya na indriya-prītiḥ lābhaḥ jīveta yāvatā. You must have sense gratification, eating, sleeping, mating—but as far as you can maintain your body very nicely. Not that voluntarily you shall starve. No. Just like these boys, these girls, are we..., we are not starving, but our eating kṛṣṇa-prasādam means just to live nicely for executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are not meant for going to the cinema or for other sense gratification purposes, but because we have got this body, there is no question that we shall stop eating. We eat prasādam, kṛṣṇa-prasādam, and that is very palatable.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Then kāmasya na indriya-prītiḥ lābhaḥ jīveta yāvatā. You must have sense gratification, eating, sleeping, mating—but as far as you can maintain your body very nicely. Not that voluntarily you shall starve. No. Just like these boys, these girls, are we..., we are not starving, but our eating kṛṣṇa-prasādam means just to live nicely for executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are not meant for going to the cinema or for other sense gratification purposes, but because we have got this body, there is no question that we shall stop eating. We eat prasādam, kṛṣṇa-prasādam, and that is very palatable.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

So Sūta Gosvāmī said that kāmasya nendriya prītiḥ. We have got some demands of body—eating, sleeping, mating. That's all right. But don't use it..., don't spoil it by sense gratification. You can eat; there are so many nice thing, kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Why should you eat meat? Why should you eat, drink and all nonsense? Be little frugal. No aindriya prītiḥ, kāmasya nendriya prītiḥ jīvetayāvatā. You simply taste such foodstuff, kṛṣṇa-prasāda, so that you can lead very healthy life and execute your Kṛṣṇa consciousness business. It is not that you have to voluntarily stop and make yourself weak. No. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, yuktāhāra-vihārasya, yoga bhavati siddhira. Artificial starving, artificial vairāgya has no meaning. You should live nicely, but not for sense gratification. That is the recommendation of the śāstra. Don't indulge in sense gratification, but live very healthy life so that you can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kāmasya nendriya prītiḥ jīveta yāvatā-jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. The real business is jīvasya.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

So there are 8,400,000 species of life. They're all eating at the cost of God. Why human being is so much busy for solving economic problem? Because a foolish civilization. That's all. Everything is there. Simply you have to work little. Because this world, this material world, is made in such a way that unless you work little, you cannot get your food. That Viṣṇu Purāṇa, it is said, avidyā-karma-saṁjñānyā tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate. Avidyā. Ignorance. (talking in background) (aside:) Ask them, not... (Hindi) Avidyā-karma-saṁjña. This material world is ignorance, darkness. Because he, people have no knowledge of that Kṛṣṇa is providing everyone food. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. That is the injunction of the Vedas, that one supreme one is supplying food to everyone. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. So Kṛṣṇa is supplying everyone. Nobody has to starve. The only business is how to develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our only business. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). Simply if we become engaged for economic development, fulfilling the belly, and we forget our real business, developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is not very intelligent work.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). If one does not understand Kṛṣṇa and does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, he is simply uselessly wasting his time. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata it is said, kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ. Kāmasya nendriya-prītir lābho jīveta yāvatā (SB 1.2.10). Simply take so much as you will need, not for sense gratification. That is the process. Don't take more, don't take less. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya. Śāstra does not advise you that you starve, unnecessarily you starve. No. Kṛṣṇa has condemned one who unnecessarily starves. You take foodstuffs. But don't take anything which is forbidden. Take kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). Don't try to satisfy your senses. The senses will be satisfied. There are so many varieties of food, kṛṣṇa-prasādam. That you will... These Europeans and Americans, they used to take meat. Now if you give them, bribe that "You take again meat..." Because they have learned to cook so many nice foodstuffs. Ask any one of them. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā. When you get better thing, nivartate, then you give up which is not very good.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:

So therefore people are not following the rules and regulations given by God or by nature's own way. They have invented their own way of living condition. Therefore they are suffering. Now we see in Calcutta or any other... Now it is a problem. Everywhere the problem will be food shortage and fuel shortage, power shortage. This is the prediction of many, many great scientists. Because people are committing so many sinful life, they must starve. That is the punishment. That is the punishment. These sinful rascals must be punished. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram andha-yoniṣu (BG 16.19). These godless persons, dviṣataḥ, envious of God: "Why there should be God? Why Kṛṣṇa shall be God?", envious...

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

I have several times explained in this class that nobody has got any food problem. Simply the so-called civilized, advanced in science, these people have got problems of foodgrains. Otherwise, there are millions of elephants, they are eating very nicely. There are ants, there are elephants, there are tigers, there are monkeys, there are trees... So many, 8,400,000 forms of body. How they are eating? Unless they are eating... We kill animals, but the animals do not come to the..., to us, that "We are starving. Give us food." Never. By nature, there is arrangement, foodstuff. The cows, the other animals, they are eating grass. There is profuse growth of grass. So they are not eating your nice foodstuff, sandeśa, rasagullā. You are making sandeśa, rasagullā from the milk which they deliver. They are eating grass and delivering you nice foodstuff, milk. And from the milk, you can make hundreds and thousands of nice, nutritious, full of vitamin foodstuff. But no. We are so fool that instead of utilizing the milk, we are utilizing the blood. You see?

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

No. He'll die of starvation. He'll not accept any employment. That is brāhmaṇa. Kṣatriya also that, and vaiśya also. Only śūdra. A vaiśya will find out some business. He'll find out some business. So there is a practical story. One Mr. Nandi, long, long ago, in the Calcutta, he went to some friend that, "If you can give me a little capital, I can start some business." So he said, "You are vaiśya? Mercantile?" "Yes." "Oh, you are asking money from me? Money's on the street. You can find out." So he said, "I don't find." "You don't find? What is that?" "That, that is a dead mouse." "That is your capital." Just see.

Lecture on SB 1.7.22 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1976:

And the Vaiṣṇava is not afraid of his life. There is no fearfulness. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. These things are problems of this material world. A Vaiṣṇava has no problem. He knows that "If Kṛṣṇa can give food to the elephant down to the ant, so Kṛṣṇa will give me food. So why shall I endeavor for? When Kṛṣṇa gives, I shall eat. That's all. If He does not give, I shall starve. What is the wrong there?" This is Vaiṣṇava. He's not afraid. He has no problem of āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. No. So far maithuna is concerned, it is completely rejected. Bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya apahinoti kāmam. This is Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means as he makes progress in devotional service, these material lusty desires become vanquished.

Lecture on SB 1.7.24 -- Vrndavana, September 21, 1976:

You are doing your duty very nicely. Your dharma means your occupational duty. Suppose you are engineer. You are doing duty very nicely. Or a medical man, or a business man, or anyone—everyone has to do something. You cannot sit down idly and you'll get your livelihood. Even if you are a lion you have to work. Na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ. This is... The material world is like that. Even if you are as powerful as a lion, you cannot sleep. If you think, "I am lion, I am the king of the forest. Let me sleep, and the animal will come and enter in my mouth." No, that is not possible. Even if you are animal, you have to catch up an animal. Then you'll be able to eat. Otherwise you'll have to starve. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ. "You must do your duty." Śarīra-yātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

So here it is said, tathā ayaṁ ca avatāras te... Arjuna said that "You have descended to," I mean to say, "lessen the burden of this world." Bhuvo bhāra-jihīrṣayā. There are many instances like that. When Pṛthu Mahārāja was the king, there was no production food production Because his father was a great sinful king, so on account of that there was no production. And Pṛthu Mahārāja wanted... He was a very good king. He is incarnation also. He asked the earth, "Why you are not producing? If you do not produce, I shall kill you." This is mentioned in the Fourth Canto. And mother earth said, "My dear King, why you are angry upon me? It is my duty. When the people become rākṣasas, I'll restrict my supply. Let them starve and die. I shall do that. This is my duty. Why you are angry with me?" The more people will be godless, there will be starvation, no supply.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

There is no question of population. But if you are sinful, if you are godless, then however restrictive means you take... What is that? Sterilization? You have to starve. There is no question of diminishing the population. It is a question how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise, everything will be finished.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

But these rascals, they are being put into severe penalties. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). More and mo... The more they are forgetting God, they are put in, they are put into more and more miserable condition. Practically we see, with the advancement Kali-yuga, people are forgetting his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and the price of commodity and the food grains, the price is increasing. They cannot eat sufficiently. So many people are dying of starvation. If they cannot eat, how they will live?

Lecture on SB 1.8.27 -- Los Angeles, April 19, 1973:

Just like there is leader. Leader is one, and followers, there are many. Similarly Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Living Entity, and we are subordinate, dependent living entities. That is the difference. Dependent, we can understand, if Kṛṣṇa does not supply us food, we starve. That's a fact. We cannot produce anything. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. So Kṛṣṇa is maintaining, and we are being maintained. Therefore Kṛṣṇa shall be the predominator, and we shall be predominated. That is our natural constitutional position. Therefore if we want to become predominator falsely in this material world, that is illusion, That we must give up. That we must give up. We shall always try to become predominated by Kṛṣṇa. That is successful life.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

So our business is not to realize simply that "I... ahaṁ brahmāsmi." That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When you understand that you are not this body but you are spirit soul, then, actually, if you realize, then, if I understand... Na jāyate na mriyate vā. The soul does not die. Then here the karmīs are working very hard because he's upset that "If I do not work hard, if I do not get money, then I shall die out of starvation." But if you are actually Brahman realized, if you understand that "I'll not die," then where is your activities? You'll not die. If somebody, some physician, gives you a tablet: "Now you take this tablet. You'll not die," then you'll stop working immediately, because "I'll not die." So brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

And You have broken that, and You have distributed the butter to the monkeys, so You must be punished." So the aim is to serve Kṛṣṇa, not that Yaśodā is thinking, "My butter is spoiled by this child. Therefore He should be punished." He (she) is anxious to see that "Kṛṣṇa may not starve for want of butter. He's child. He does not know. He has distributed the butter to the monkeys." But Kṛṣṇa knows that "These monkeys are not ordinary monkeys." Those monkeys, they have taken birth in Vṛndāvana and come to Kṛṣṇa. Do you think they're ordinary monkeys? They're devotees. They're devotees. They're playing as monkey for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. These are the intricate meanings of understanding Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9).

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

Kāma, the just opposite word is love. Kāma and..., kāma means lust, and love means loving Kṛṣṇa. So that is wanted. But here in this material world they are engaged in very, very hard work. They have invented so many factories, iron factories, melting the iron, these machinery, and it is called ugra karma, asuric karma. After all, you will eat some bread and some fruit or some flower. Why you have invented so big, big factories? That is avidyā, nescience, avidyā. Suppose hundred years ago there was no factory. So all the people of the world were starving? Eh? Nobody was staring. In, in, in our Vedic literature we don't find any mention anywhere about the factory. No. There is no mention. And how opulent they were.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:

This is our position. Kṛṣṇa is bhoktā, and we are parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. That means we have to work for Kṛṣṇa. This is a fact. If you don't work for Kṛṣṇa, then you'll starve. That is the position. But these rascals, they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Exactly in the same way as these rascals, different parts of the body, limbs, they did not know that "Without satisfying the stomach, we shall die," similarly these rascals, these karmīs, these, those who have come to this material world, they do not know that without conscious, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without satisfying Kṛṣṇa, they'll simply starve. Struggle for existence. Kliśyanti. Simply their labor will be frustrated. That is the philosophy.

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Mayapura, October 20, 1974:

But people have lost such habit. They come empty-handed—"darśana"—that "I'll not give you anything, but you are a saintly person. Give me darśana, and give me your āśirvāda, and then I enjoy my senses. That's all. Nothing to give you, but you give me your āśirvāda. You give me the dust of your feet. I become benefited. You starve." But (chuckling) that is not the process. So the hunter, he was following the instruction of his Guru Mahārāja, Nārada Muni, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and sitting very peacefully. So people would come, and they were surprised.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974:

The whole time is wasted. When they will think of "No, the people are suffering for want of food. The people are suffering for unnecessary increase of price, although things are available in the black market. How to manage this?" That is the duty of the government first. But nobody is caring. Hundreds and thousands of people are starving, unemployment, but they are getting their fat salary, and they are satisfied. Bring income tax and divide amongst themselves, that's all.

Lecture on SB 1.8.49 -- Mayapura, October 29, 1974:

Real guru. So why rejected? When Śukrācārya was thinking that "This man Bali is going to give everything to Viṣṇu. Here is Vāmana. Then how I shall live? Because I get something from this man, and I live. So if he's going to give everything to Viṣṇu, then what is our position? We shall starve." That is their business only, how to exploit the disciple and take money from him and fill up the belly. That is Śukrācārya's business. Therefore Bali Mahārāja rejected, "No, no, I don't want you." So there are many instances. Svajana-tyāga. The gopīs, when they were going to Kṛṣṇa, they, all the svajana, their brother, the husband, their sons and everyone forbade, "Oh, where you are going, where you are going?" Or the yājñika brāhmaṇas' patnī, they also did not care for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- London, November 25, 1973:

We are trying to give as much possible happiness to our students. Otherwise unless he is, one feels happy, how... It is little difficult. Unless one is very advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one cannot adjust things. Therefore our policy is that... What is called? Yogo bhavati siddhi. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi. We are yogis, but we are not that kind of yogi, unnecessarily giving trouble to the body. No. Yuktāhāra. you eat. You require to eat. You eat. Don't starve. Don't unnecessarily fast. But don't eat voraciously. That is bad. That is not yukta. You eat, but don't eat voraciously: "Because there is something very palatable, let me eat voraciously," and then again fall sick. An if you cannot digest, then you will sleep. You will sleep only.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- London, November 25, 1973:

We are trying to give as much possible happiness to our students. Otherwise unless he is, one feels happy, how... It is little difficult. Unless one is very advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one cannot adjust things. Therefore our policy is that... What is called? Yogo bhavati siddhi. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi. We are yogis, but we are not that kind of yogi, unnecessarily giving trouble to the body. No. Yuktāhāra. you eat. You require to eat. You eat. Don't starve. Don't unnecessarily fast. But don't eat voraciously. That is bad. That is not yukta.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

Yes. Tools and machinery are already there. But why there is scarcity? Now there is no petrol, whole world. You have got the drilling machine, tools and machinery, everything. Then why you are in scarcity? Because now Kṛṣṇa is against you. Therefore in spite of the oil underground, in spite of tools and machine, you'll starve. This is nature's process. You have created such a situation. Now, in spite of having everything... Just like it is said by Vaiṣṇava kavi, nire kari vas namre kila peyas (?) Just like you are on the ocean and you are thirsty. You are in the ocean, profuse water, but you cannot touch a drop. Nire kari vas namre kila peyas. Thirsty, you want water, but you are in the water, in the ocean. Now drink it. Similarly, if Kṛṣṇa does not desire, you may have ample things, everything there, but still the key is in the hand of Kṛṣṇa. Unless He opens it, you cannot get. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

Why the man dies? Because Kṛṣṇa wanted. That's it. Similarly, we have created so many countereffects for all our miserable condition. That is called struggle for existence. But if there is no sanction from Kṛṣṇa, these counteractions will not be useful. You'll have to starve. You'll have to die. All these methods cannot help you. Mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10). Therefore Kṛṣṇa says mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. So everything, without Kṛṣṇa's sanction... They say, "Not a blade of grass moves without the sanction of God." This is the position. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa takes birth. That is Janmāṣṭamī. So if anyone tries to understand why the Aja, the Unborn, takes birth, janma karma... And God, Kṛṣṇa, who has nothing to do... That is the Vedic information. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Why He has to do? Actually He hasn't got to do anything. He has to enjoy only. Just like we see the Deity Kṛṣṇa is not working in the factory as a factory manager. He's enjoying the company of Rādhārāṇī. We have to work. If we enjoy with our so-called Rādhārāṇī, then we'll starve to death. We have to work. But God is not like that. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. These are the informations from Vedas, Upaniṣads, that He has nothing to do. Yes.

Lecture on SB 1.14.43 -- New York, April 7, 1973 :

He said that "My father was just like a serpent, vṛścika, scorpion. So killing of a serpent or scorpion nobody is unhappy. So my Lord, You don't be angry. Now everything is finished, my father is finished." So, that was. But still the śāstra says that even in your house there is a serpent, see that he is not fasting without food. This is the spiritual communism. They are now after communism, but they do not know what is communism. Everyone will be taken care of. That is communism, real communism. Nobody should starve. Nobody should have any want in the state. That is communism.

Lecture on SB 1.14.43 -- New York, April 7, 1973 :

That is the difference between God and ourself. We are also person, God is also person. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. He is also living entity, we are also living entity. So what is the difference between God and ourself? That ekaḥ, that one living entity, nityaḥ, singular number. So, bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He supplies the necessities of life to all these plural number, bahūnām. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. Those who know Sanskrit, this nityaḥ means singular number person, and the nityānām, that is plural number. Both of them are persons, both of them are living entities, but why that singular number is considered to the supreme? Because He supplies foodstuff to all the plural. So actually Kṛṣṇa has everything ready for supplying to all the living entities. Nobody is meant for starving. No. That is not. Just like in the prison house, although the prisoners they are condemned, still government takes care of their food, of their hospitalization, not that they should starve. No. Similarly, although in this material world we are all condemned, we are prisoners, prisoners. We cannot move, we cannot go from one planet to another. They are trying so much. Now they have failed. They do not talk now. (laughter) It is not possible, because we are prisoners. Conditioned. You will have to remain in this planet. One has to remain in their planet. There is no question that out of your own will and freedom, because you have no freedom.

Lecture on SB 1.15.1 -- New York, November 29, 1973:

But if you accept things to be enjoyed by you, tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā (ISO 1), as Kṛṣṇa offers you, then you'll become happy. If you make, just like a diseased patient, if he wants to enjoy life in his own whimsical way, he'll continue his disease. But if he accepts the modes of life according to the directions of the physician, then he becomes free from So there are two methods, pravṛtti and nivṛtti. Pravṛtti means "I have got inclination to eat this or to enjoy this. Why not? I shall do it. I have got my freedom." "But you have no freedom sir, you are simply..." That is māyā. You have no freedom. We get experience, suppose there is very nice palatable food. If I think, let me eat as much as possible, then next day I'll have to starve. Immediately dysentery or indigestion.

Lecture on SB 1.15.50 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1973:

So if one can give up this attachment from very beginning of life, that is brahmacārī. A brahmacārī is trained that "Don't be attached. You will save so much time and save your life." That is brahmacārī life. Because this attachment is the continuation of our material life. We have got different attachment, different varieties of attachment. The central point is sex. Therefore school, college means that to train the students how to become detached. That is the school, college. That is brahmacārī system. A brahmacārī should live under the guidance of the spiritual master as menial servant, and whatever he collects, he would give to the spiritual master. If the spiritual master says, "Now you can eat," then he will eat; otherwise he will starve. He will not take the things of spiritual master by his own hand. First of all... No. This is the austerity of brahmacārī. And no meeting with young girls. Even the wife of the spiritual master is young, the brahmacārī is not allowed to go there. There are so many. These are described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

No brāhmaṇa could take service and especially service of a low-class man. That is ... In Bhāgavata you will see especially that if a brāhmaṇa is in difficulty, he may accept the profession of a kṣatriya or utmost of a vaiśya, but never take the profession of a śūdra. What is the profession of śūdra? Śūdra ... Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma śvabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). One who is hankering after service, he is śūdra. He has no capacity to live independently. The brāhmaṇa, real brāhmaṇa, he will starve, he will die out of starvation.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

No brāhmaṇa could take service and especially service of a low-class man. That is ... In Bhāgavata you will see especially that if a brāhmaṇa is in difficulty, he may accept the profession of a kṣatriya or utmost of a vaiśya, but never take the profession of a śūdra. What is the profession of śūdra? Śūdra ... Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma śvabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). One who is hankering after service, he is śūdra. He has no capacity to live independently. The brāhmaṇa, real brāhmaṇa, he will starve, he will die out of starvation.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

You have no sufficient means." "No, I am not poverty-stricken. My students, they get some alms of rice. So my wife boils the rice, and here is a tamarind tree. So I take some leaves and boil it, and that's sufficient. Why I am poverty-stricken?" He's satisfied, whatever is coming automatically, that's all. He doesn't require any higher standard of life, any botheration. He is satisfied, little rice and tamarind juice. That's all. So in each and every home, formerly, this independence was very much valued. So at the modern education this independence is being killed. People are becoming unemployed, machine. Machine ... High technologist means he must find out a job where technological machines are there. Otherwise he will starve, and he will have to go round, factory to factory: "Will you give me some service?" "No vacancy." Yes. So we shall discuss further next, tomorrow.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4 -- Japan, April 22, 1972:

For meals the birds, bees, they are not going to office. There are 8,400,000 forms of life. Only the civilized form of, the so-called civilized men, they are undergoing so much trouble for their meals. But others, they are not going fifty miles. They have got ready food. They sit down on any tree. Oh, there are enough fruits. Little eating, finish their business. Or take the elephants also. They are eating so much. They have got also food. Therefore śāstra says that "Food is already there." So many people say, "Oh, so many people are dying, starving." And where is the man? Show me who is dying for starvation. These are all pleas. They won't take any tapasya for understanding, but they will work hard like asses, like hogs and dogs, for two meals. But we should consider that we are taking so much penances for simply filling our this hungry belly, appetite. Why not little tapasya for Kṛṣṇa, chanting sixteen rounds? But will... That is also very difficult. Then? Tapasya, penance in pure bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on SB 3.26.28 -- Bombay, January 5, 1975:

So we are viṣaya. Everyone are. We are eating. Everyone is eating. Who can say, "I am not eating"? So viṣaya. So our business should be not to be attached for eating. Then shall I starve and die? No, you eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Eating is not stopped. Eating is not stopped. Eating means as you are cooking for yourself at home, the same cooking, do it for Kṛṣṇa and offer it to Kṛṣṇa and eat it. That's all. The mode of life should be changed. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not that you shall give up eating. No, how can I give you that? No, it is not possible. Neither Kṛṣṇa says, "Just give up eating." Never you will find in the Bhagavad... Yuktāhāra-vihārasya. You must eat what you need. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā. Kṛṣṇa never says that "Unnecessarily you starve." You never find in the Bhagavad-gītā; neither any ācārya will say. Rather, you offer to Kṛṣṇa first-class foodstuff because He is the enjoyer, and Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He will leave everything for you for taking prasādam. So automatically you can satisfy your tongue. You offer to Kṛṣṇa first-class food, and Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He will eat; at the same time, He will keep it for you. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam eva avaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). Kṛṣṇa's eating is not like that: because you have given Him very nice foodstuff, He will eat everything and nothing for you. (laughter) That is not Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa eats everything, He accepts your service, and keeps everything for you.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

Whatever he will ask, the brahmacārī will do. It is so much strict that brahmacārī, whatever he collects, he gives to the spiritual master, the spiritual master's property. It is not his property. And the spiritual master, if he forgets to call one disciple, "My dear son, come and take your prasādam," then he will not take prasādam even, without being called. He will starve. Of course, spiritual master does not forget, but these are the injunctions, that if he does not ask you, "Come and take your prasādam," then you should not touch, yourself. There are so many strictures.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

And according to the gravity of the disease you have to pay more, which you may not have. You have to gather, you have to borrow, you have to beg. So these tribulations are called tapasya. So just for curing our ordinary disease we have to pay to the doctor, pay for the medicine, and then we have to starve also. We cannot take anything. So many things forbidden. So this austerity is called tapasya, denial, self-denial. So we should learn it. If we want to utilize this body sane, like a sane man, then we should learn tapasya. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). And this tapa, what is the purpose of tapasya? Tapasya everyone knows. Just like a man walking on the street, pulling a thela. What is the purpose? He'll get five or ten rupees, whole day working like an ass. That is also tapasya. Tapasya means labor. So he's thinking, "I'll get ten rupees by working." He cannot pull it, the load is so heavy. Still, some way or other... That is also tapasya. A scientist discovering something, he has to work very hard, and make experiments So many things. That is also tapasya. But not that kind of tapasya. That kind of tapasya is not required. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). You are working hard for maintaining your body and soul together. You have to work hard. But here, that hard work should be for self-realization, divine contact. That is called divyam.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

By God's grace somebody is coming, somebody is giving something, somebody is giving something. Just like in your country also you are offering, somebody is offering food, somebody is offering something. So there is arrangement by God's law, everyone shall eat. It is not that... You have never seen any animal or any bird has died for starvation. No. There is no starvation in the law of God. Everyone has food. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. By the laws of nature, by God's order, everyone has, I mean to say, provision for four things. What is that? Eating, shelter, and sense gratification, and defense. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. This is secure. Everyone. If you see a bird, bird's life. By nature, one bird has got another mate. A male and female, they are together. Anywhere you go: a tiger, a tigress; a dog, a she-dog; a hog, a she-hog. So these are not problems. Here also, anyone. A boy, a girl; a man, woman; there is. So the arrangement is there. That is not problem.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

"Oh, God cannot give us protection. Let me try my own technology. I shall protect myself." This is the world(?). That means he's not detached with these material activities. Kṛṣṇa says also that "You give up..." Just like we are also saying. There are so many proposals. They come, philanthropists: "People are starving. We have to see first of all." The Communists say, "Then we can discuss about spiritual... There are so many people starving," as if they have taken contract for feeding them. But these are only simply big, big words. They cannot do anything. Neither they are willing. They are simply after their own sense gratification. Otherwise, why so many people all over the world, there is voluntary starving? Just like the hippies. Why they are lying down on the street, on the park, no fixed-up program for eating, sleeping? They are not poor men's sons.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

So from this taxi affair, I could understand that these people are not happy. And another incident I saw that... Śyāmasundara was there. Even... He could not collect even nice rice, nice ḍāl, only milk was available. Milk and yogurt, that is very sufficiently available. No vegetable, no fruit, no grain, at least, men like us cannot live there happily. (indistinct) But they'll not get any food. Unless he's meat-eater, he'll have to starve. The whole world is coming to like that. And it is said in the śāstra, gradually this condition of human civilization will deteriorate to such extent that no more rice will be available, no more wheat will be available, no more sugar will be available. Everything will be... No more milk will be available. Finished. Simply you have to eat the seeds of the... There is not fruit, only seed. Just like in the mango, there is one seed and pulp. The pulp will not be available, only seed will be available. These are already foretold. No fruits will be available, no grains will be available, no milk will be available.

Lecture on SB 5.5.18 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1976:

You are in the hands of the laws of prakṛti, even in this life. Even in this life. If you can eat one chatta, and if you will eat little more, immediately you will become diseased. Immediately. Nature will punish you, three days' starvation. You have taken more. So this is the law of nature. You cannot violate the... There is salt is required, little in the food. If it is a little more, you cannot take. If it is a little, you cannot take. So stricture, you cannot violate even a slightest degree the laws of nature. But these rascals are thinking that "I am independent." Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). We should take guidance of the spiritual master or the guru or Kṛṣṇa. Guidance of guru means guidance of Kṛṣṇa, because ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit (SB 11.17.27). Ācāryaṁ mām, ācārya is as good as guru, as good as Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Not only Kṛṣṇa's mercy, but guru's mercy, both mercy required. Guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja.

Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976:

There is no scarcity. Kṛṣṇa has created this world in such a way that there is no question of starvation in any part of the world. There is no question. Sufficient. Pūrṇam idam (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). There is no question of starvation. But because we have rebelled against the principle of universal brotherhood we are all suffering. I have several times said that there are ample space. There is no question of scarcity. Ample space. I am traveling all over the world. So much space lying vacant in America, in Africa, Australia. Why the Chinese or the Indians should be congested, overpopulation? But they will not allow. "It is my country." "Have you got visa?" immigration. "Yes, I have got." "All right, three months. Then get out." This is going on. Because they are rascals, they are falsely claiming, "This is my country. This is my property. Nobody can come here." This is a dog's philosophy. Just like the dogs. They have selected one neighborhood, and three, four dogs, they live peacefully. Not peacefully—they also fight amongst them. But if another dog comes, immediately the four, five dogs will attack: "Why you have come here? Why you have come here? Gow! Gow! Gow!"

Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976:

Yarhi vāva sa bhagavān lokam imaṁ yogasyāddhā. (SB 5.5.32) So this is another process of yoga-siddhi, ājagara-vṛtti, ājagara, python, lying down in one place, eating and passing urine, stool, everything. Ājagara-vṛtti. Ājagara, the python, it lies down in one place, big, big python, sometimes covered by the earth, but still, he gets his food. Big, big animals enter into the home of the python. And the python can eat even a full horse, what to speak of other animals. But still, Kṛṣṇa supplies him food. He hasn't got to go anywhere. So sometimes saintly persons, they sit down in one place. If Kṛṣṇa sends him food he will eat; otherwise he will starve. In our ācārya-sampradāya, Mādhavendra Purī, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, they were doing that. In Vṛndāvana Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, he was blind. He was sitting in one place, and Kṛṣṇa used to come and supply him milk.

Lecture on SB 5.6.6 -- Vrndavana, November 28, 1976:

So our request is that you have taken to this vairāgya-vidyā. So vairāgya-vidyā, we do not say that you starve, don't eat anything, don't sleep at all. No. It should be regulated. Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārtham upayuñjataḥ. Don't be attached to eating, sleeping. That is not good. But you must eat, you must sleep as little as possible, and try to conquer over it. My mind dictating, "Sleep seventeen hours." No. That is tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Why shall you sleep more than four hours or five hours, or utmost six hours? That's all, not more than that. That is vairāgya-vidyā. We have to learn it. That is devotional service. Vairāgya-vidyā nija-bhakti-yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). He's teaching. Kṛṣṇa Himself is teaching. Here you see. Ṛṣabhadeva is Kṛṣṇa. Vairāgyā-vidyā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He taught vairāgya-vidyā. Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam, māyā-mṛgaṁ dayitayepsitam anvadhāvad vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam (SB 11.5.34).

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

These are bogus proposition. It has no meaning. (laughter) It has no meaning. If you think within yourself, "I am eating," will you be satisfied? You starve and simply think, "I have eaten everything." (laughter) Is that very practical proposal? You must eat. We don't say all these bogus proposition. All right. Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1970:

If God can provide food and shelter for cats and dogs, do you think God will not provide food and shelter for His confidential devotee? Is God so blind or ingratitude or unable? If He is able to feed innumerable living entities within this universe, does it mean that one who has sacrificed his life for God's service, he will starve? No. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ pranaśyati: (BG 9.31) "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna, you declare it to the world that My devotee will never be vanquished." Never be vanquished. Another place it is said, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham: (BG 9.22) "Those who are constantly engaged in My service, for them, I personally carry all the necessities to his home." So rest assured that if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you become God conscious, there will be no scarcity of happiness. Don't think that "If I devote my life only for Kṛṣṇa consciousness I will be starving." No. So this enlightenment is given by godly persons.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

It will not, not eatable. Because God has given you salt, the seas and oceans of salt, you cannot make it use more than is necessary. If you think that "There is so much salt, let me eat it," no, you can not do. Any, any action. Just like in this material world, sex life is very pleasing, but if you enjoy more, then you become impotent, the reaction. If you can eat say four ounce, and if you eat five ounce, immediately there is indigestion; two days you will have to starve.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:

So this education is lacking now. They are... Everyone is thinking that he's independent, he can do whatever he likes. That is not possible. Then you'll be punished. Nature's law is so strict, stringent. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape the stringent laws of nature. Little discrepancy... Suppose you can eat eight ounce. If you eat nine ounce, then you will have to starve for three days. There is no excuse. "Why you have eaten more than eight ounce?" The nature says... Just like we require salt in our foodstuff, everyone. But if the salt is little more, it is useless. And if the salt is little less, that is also useless. It must be exactly to the quantity.

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1975:

The first installment is that you cleanse your heart. The next installment is bhava-mahā-davāgni-nirvāpaṇam. If your heart is cleansed, then you can understand what is your position in this material world. And with a dirty heart, you cannot understand. If your heart is clean, then you can understand that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. So what I am doing really for me? I am spirit soul. I am not this body. I am soaping over this body, but as I am, I am starving." This is going on. The material civilization means they are taking care of the body and no information of the soul which is within the body. This is material civilization. And our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not so much attention for the body, but full attention for the soul. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, just opposite.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

He suggests that you have to elevate yourself to the platform of knowledge. How it is done? That is prescribed herein. The first thing is tapasya. The first... Tapasya means you have to accept some austerity. The same example can be given that the doctor says... Suppose a diabetic patient. So doctor prohibits him that "You cannot eat. You have to starve for some days." So I do not like to starve, nobody likes to starve. But because doctor says you have to starve, if you want to cure a disease, then I have to voluntarily accept, accept starving. This is called tapasya: voluntarily accept some miserable condition of life. That is good. And human life is meant for that purpose.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- Honolulu, May 12, 1976:

I am His part and parcel, son. So if He has provided food for the elephant, who eats at a time forty kilos, he can eat, and I eat only, say, half a pound, I cannot eat?" This is knowledge. "Why shall I steal? I shall depend on God." This is knowledge. So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I am God's part... Why shall I starve? There are so many... Out of 8,400,000 forms of life, eight million forms of life are less than the human being. Human being, only 400,000. Out of that, civilized men very few. Out of that, Americans are very few, Indians are very few. So "If so many, 8,300,000 forms of life, they can get without stealing, why shall I steal?" This is knowledge. Prāyaścitta vimarśanam. As soon as he becomes in quite perfect knowledge, then whole problem solved.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- Honolulu, May 12, 1976:

I am His part and parcel, son. So if He has provided food for the elephant, who eats at a time forty kilos, he can eat, and I eat only, say, half a pound, I cannot eat?" This is knowledge. "Why shall I steal? I shall depend on God." This is knowledge. So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I am God's part... Why shall I starve? There are so many... Out of 8,400,000 forms of life, eight million forms of life are less than the human being. Human being, only 400,000. Out of that, civilized men very few. Out of that, Americans are very few, Indians are very few. So "If so many, 8,300,000 forms of life, they can get without stealing, why shall I steal?" This is knowledge. Prāyaścitta vimarśanam. As soon as he becomes in quite perfect knowledge, then whole problem solved.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Honolulu, May 14, 1976:

Then you will make plan: "Let me have illicit sex. Let me have intoxication." As soon as you have got money. Best thing is, as soon as you get money, immediately you spend it for Kṛṣṇa. Tyāgena, charity. Charity. Tyāgena means charity. Not that you starve. No. That kind of starvation... You keep yourself fit to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but don't keep much money. Immediately give in charity to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can take your charity as much as you can give.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:

So in this way Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, one of the six Gosvāmīs, very important devotee, he used to live. He used to eat every alternate day, not daily. One day starving, and the next day, a little butter. But he was observing his regulative principles, taking thrice daily bath and offering daṇḍavat, what is called? Counting, numerical. Just like we count twenty-five rounds minimum, so Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was also chanting by counting.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:

Anyway, so bandī. Bandī means now especially in the United States, nobody goes out at night. No gentleman goes out at night. In our Brooklyn temple nobody goes out at night. Just see. America is so advanced in civilization, and the result is that one cannot go on a street at night. In India it is so poverty-stricken. Still, even in villages, they are freely moving, man, woman, at dead of night. They know there is no danger. Still, although they are so poverty-stricken now... You will be surprised that in 1942 there was an artificial famine created by the government. People suffered starvation, and poor men, they died out of starvation. But there was no report of stealing. No report. One American gentleman went there, "If this is the condition in our country, there would have been revolution. And these people do not even steal others' properties, dying starvation." Lonely man is going. He will arrest him, "Give me whatever you have got. Otherwise I will kill you." So this is bandī.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Honolulu, May 31, 1976:

So all of a sudden one gets cholera. So the doctor says that you are very bilious, or cholera (indistinct). So nature's law is so perfect. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape. Suppose you can eat two ounce, and if you eat four ounce, then you have to starve three days. This is the law. "There's some very palatable dishes. Now eat, let me eat it to my satisfaction," and you'll overeat. No. The nature's law is that you have to starve for three days. Next eating will be after three days.

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

There is no need of service. Everything is there complete. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa (Bs. 5.29). It is said that there are kalpa-vṛkṣa, desire tree. Desire tree means a tree from which you can get enything you desire. Then why there should be service? Here service is forced. If you don't render service, then you will starve. This nature is called avidyā-karma-saṁjñānya tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate. Karma-saṁjñā. Here one may be king, but still he has to work, and what to speak of the poor man. Everyone has to work. This is called avidyā-karma-saṁjñā. But in the spiritual world there is no question of work.

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

The master says "You please dance," the dog will dance. So master, because the dog knows that "He is my master. If I don't dance, then I will starve." So actually that is the position. Nobody is master here. But when you falsely claim that "I am master," that is māyā. Everyone is serving, but under the impression that he is master. The head of the family, he is thinking that "I am the master," but actually he is serving each and every member of the family. The state executive officer—you may call a king or a president—he is thinking that "I am king," "I am president," but actually he is serving. That is his position. Unless he serves properly, immediately he will be dethroned or next time he will not be elected. So that is our position.

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

There are two classes of men in this world. One is called daiva, and the other is called āsura. Āsura means rebelled against God: "Don't care for God. I am God. You are God. Everyone is God. Why you are searching after God? There are so many Gods in the streets, lying on the footpath, daridra-nārāyaṇa. You serve these Gods." You see? This is illusion. Daridra-nārāyaṇa, starving God. So many subscription are raised in America in the name of serving these daridra-nārāyaṇas in India. Now these Americans are questioning that "You take money for serving the daridra-nārāyaṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:

Of course, there is no yajñic brāhmaṇas at the present moment. Still, if you advertise that "Here there will be big yajña," you will get lots of brāhmaṇas immediately: "Oh, there will be yajña." But in the Kali-yuga there is no yajñic brāhmaṇa. No yajña will be successful. Kṛte yad yajato makhaiḥ. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). Makha means yajña. You cannot perform yajña now. It is not possible. Where is the ghee? Where is the grain? People are starving without food grains. How you can... Formerly tons and tons of food grains, ghee were sacrificed. That is yajña. So this is not possible. Up to Tretā-yuga it was possible. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Meditation, this is a farce. So many foolish people, they are misled by other rascal: "meditation." What meditation? Meditation is so easy thing? Vālmikī Muni meditated for sixty thousands of years.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18 -- Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971:

That is for blood pressure medicine. Blood pressure medicine. That is different thing. But he was eating very little. His secretaries, his grandson and granddaughter-in-law and some other girls, they were assisting. So he would, even in the jail... Government, when imprisoned him, he will take his goat. A great politician—he would not accept government supplied food. Goat must be milked before him, and the milk is made hot and given to him. He would not allow any other food. Then he will starve. He will fast. So government was obliged to give him whatever he wanted as his food. So Gandhi was not sleeping very much. Even ordinary, Subash Bose, he was not sleeping very much. And Napoleon Bonaparte, he also was not sleeping very much. So there were many instances, even the karmī. That means when one is engaged in some serious business, he sleeps less. When I was in your country and was not attacked by the heart, so at night I was taping, and I was taping still two tapes. Two tapes. Therefore I was able to write so many books. Yes.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:

They are also living entities. And who is arranging for their food? You are not very much busy to... Although it is your duty. That is also Bhāgavata communism. Bhāgavata communism says that even if you have got a lizard in your room, you must give him something to eat. If you have got a serpent in your room, you must give it something to eat. Nobody in your house should starve. You see? This is Bhāgavata communism, not that "Only my brother and sister will not starve, and other animals should be killed." This is not communism. Here is communism. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness communism, that a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is thinking even for the ant, even for the lizard, even for the serpent. That is real communism.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:

Prabhupāda: Yes, I know. Not from that book, but from Bhāgavata I have read Lord Buddha's life. So we know Lord Buddha. It is not that we do not know him, but we know from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In Bhāgavatam there is description of Lord Buddha. The reason is that when a doctor says a patient that "You must starve," what is the reason? Sometimes doctors says to his patient that "You cannot eat. You must starve." Why?

Woman (1): To help heal.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore when, by nature's way, one is starving, you should know that he is getting better. You should not be bothered about that thing. Suppose doctor advises some patient that he should starve. And if you become very compassionate and give him some bread, you will be doing harm to him. Your business is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. You should not be disturbed by nature's process. But if you want to help anyone, just try to help him in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That will be real benefit.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:

Proportion is the same. So karma, the karma, the law of karma is there. Everyone is subjected to law of karma, and he has to enjoy or suffer according to law of karma. So we cannot interfere. We can simply teach everybody that sometimes you are becoming in the point of starvation, and sometimes you are becoming extravagant in opulence. But this is changing. Your life, this material existence, is always changing. Sometimes I am very rich man. Sometimes I am very poor man. Sometimes I am human being. Sometimes I am cats and dogs. We shall stop this business of changing. Bhagavad-gītā says, mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. If we try this life to go back to Godhead, go back to home, that is our success. We should not bother about the condition of life. Whatever condition of life we are put in, we may be satisfied.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:

So we should endeavor for improving Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then our life will be successful. Sometimes you will find mother is supplying very nice foodstuff to one child, and other child the mother is supplying only little barley water. Do you mean to say mother is unkind to one child and not unkind to other? Because mother knows better than anyone that this child cannot digest. There is some trouble in his stomach. He should be given light food. And the other child is all right. Similarly, mother nature is the guidance. So if somebody is starving, it should be noted like that, that he is put into that circumstances to get better. That's all. So any other question? (break) Everyone, I shall request you to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. We have enjoyed so many lives in the past, or suffered. Now, this life, at least one life may be devoted for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and see the result. That is our request.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- New Vrindaban, June 26, 1976:

When the Americans came here, how much they risked their life. So because you require money, we have to risk our life in so many ways. So the best thing is that we have to minimize our wants. We should be satisfied with the yāvad artha-prayojana, as little as possible. Not that we shall starve. That is not recommended. But don't increase.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- New Vrindaban, June 26, 1976:

Poor people, they do not know what is their self-interest, what is the aim of life. Therefore Vyāsadeva he is called vidvāṁs. Vidvāṁs means very learned. He has compiled the śāstra. Anartha, unnecessarily want. Wants we have increased. Now we, instead of wasting our time for increasing our unnecessary needs of life, we shall be satisfied with the bare necessities of life. Eating, sleeping, mating, we can minimize it. But don't, we don't say that you starve, you keep your body uncomfortably, and then fall sick, and then your Kṛṣṇa conscious business is hampered. No. Yavad-artha prayojana.

Lecture on SB 7.6.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 29, 1976:

So a gṛhastha, of course, required to accumulate some money because he's living with family, but so far brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsī is concerned, they should not keep any money. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so strict that his personal servant, one day he was taking after eating a little, what is called, myrobalum (indistinct), haritaki. So one day he was giving myrobalum (indistinct) and Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Where you got this myrobalum (indistinct)?" So he said, "I kept it from yesterday." "Oh, you are stocking?" He immediately criticized him. "You are stocking? This is not good." So this principle... Of course, even if we do not stock, don't think that we'll starve. Kṛṣṇa has provided. But we should be depending on Kṛṣṇa. There is no anxiety. Actually, there is no anxiety. We have experienced this. I was alone for many years, but not a single day I was starving. No. There was food.

Lecture on SB 7.9.2 -- Mayapur, February 12, 1977:

Don't spoil your money in other way. Then you'll always remain rich. You'll never become poor. But as soon as you try to cheat Nārāyaṇa, that "I have taken Your Lakṣmī," you starve. That policy is very bad.

Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1976:

So if we actually want to serve according to our means, Kṛṣṇa is ready to accept our service. But you cannot think that "Without my service, Kṛṣṇa is starving." No, that is not. Nija-lābha-pūrṇaḥ. He's always complete in Himself. He doesn't require our help. But if we serve Kṛṣṇa, then we become benefited. That is... Yad yaj jano bhagavate vidadhīta mānam. If you offer respect, Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's representative, then you'll be respectful.

Lecture on SB 7.9.27 -- Mayapur, March 5, 1976:

He has desire: "Give me facility for eating stool." "Give me favor, facility, to drink fresh blood." "All right, you take the suitable body. You want fresh blood? I'll... You get the tiger's body, the nails and the claws and the teeth. As soon as touches you, immediately all blood sucking." So He has delivered: "All right, take this facility." But what is the advantage of this facility? The facility is... You know. The tigers, they do not get food every day. He has got the facility to suck blood, but... All the implements he has got, but there is no chance. Because every animal knows, "In that part of the forest there is tiger," they do not go, so he starves. He starves. You'll find so many rich men, they have got enough money, but they cannot eat more. They cannot eat more.

Lecture on SB 7.12.5 -- Bombay, April 16, 1976:

But here it is said that he should not ask permission even. If guru calls him, then he can take; otherwise guru has forgotten to call him somehow or other, so he should starve, or he should fast on that day.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Acyutānanda: When people are starving and they have no clothing, then how can they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? First give them food, then clothing and education, and then Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, are they starving? Then why they not become Kṛṣṇa conscious?

Acyutānanda: They said because first they had, had to give them food so that they could have time to...

Prabhupāda: No. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, practically, we are not starving.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

Formerly Sanātana Gosvāmī, because he accepted the service of Nawab Hussein Shah, he was rejected from the brāhmaṇa society. In the Bhāgavata also it is stated if a brāhmaṇa is in difficulty, he may accept the profession of a kṣatriya or a vaiśya, but never of a śūdra. Śūdra has been described there as dog. A dog, without having a master, he cannot live very nicely. Street dog is very wretched, but a dog under the care of a good master is very healthy and very happy. Similarly a śūdra cannot live without having a master. That has been described as the dog's business. So similarly a brāhmaṇa will never accept any service. He'll starve, but he'll never accept any service. That is against brāhmaṇa principles. Therefore ṣaṭ-karma-nipu... He can accept charity if somebody gives willfully. Dana pratigraha. But pratigraha dāna. He'll take, pratigraha, accept charity, but whatever he requires, he'll spend, and the balance he'll immediately distribute. Dāna. In Bengal it is said, lakteke baundiki (?). The... Why? A brāhmaṇa gets one lakh of rupees; next day, he's again beggar. Why? He'll not keep anything. Whatever he requires for the day's expenditure, he will take it and balance he will again distribute.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975:

So we have to, according to the śāstric injunction, according to the spiritual master instruction, everywhere we have to organize this Kṛṣṇa family. So Kṛṣṇa family does not mean starvation. Kṛṣṇa family means to enjoy simply. Simply minus this material contamination. Chāḍi anācāra. Anācāra. Anācāra means not proper behavior. Proper behavior means to remain always pious, and improper behavior means to become impious, sinful. If you become sinful, then you cannot enter into the family of Kṛṣṇa; that is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is described in the Bhagavad-gītā by Arjuna—paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Pavitra. Pavitra means pure, completely pure, without any material contamination.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975:

So we have to, according to the śāstric injunction, according to the spiritual master instruction, everywhere we have to organize this Kṛṣṇa family. So Kṛṣṇa family does not mean starvation. Kṛṣṇa family means to enjoy simply. Simply minus this material contamination. Chāḍi anācāra. Anācāra. Anācāra means not proper behavior. Proper behavior means to remain always pious, and improper behavior means to become impious, sinful. If you become sinful, then you cannot enter into the family of Kṛṣṇa; that is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is described in the Bhagavad-gītā by Arjuna—paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Pavitra. Pavitra means pure, completely pure, without any material contamination.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

He becomes at once, because service is meant for the śūdras, not for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, and vaiśyas. They would never accept anybody's obligation as service. They will starve. That was the principle. Only the śūdras could accept service. So because this Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī accepted government office—although it was government office, but it was service—so they were outside the brāhmaṇa community. So all these Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted. Otherwise, at that time social condition was very strict. You have heard the name of Rabindranath Tagore. They were also in that way ostracized. They were out of brāhmaṇa community. They also belonged to the brāhmaṇa community. So therefore he is presenting himself that nīca jāti. Nīca jāti: "I am lower caste." Why? Nīca-saṅgī: "Because my association nīca, my association Muhammadan. They are not brāhmaṇas. They are not highly qualified. Because my association lower, so I am lower also." And patita: "I have fallen down from the standard of my paternal position." Patita: "I am fallen." Adhama. Adhama means "I am the lowest of the human beings."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

Therefore it is advised that our fearfulness, "How I shall live? What I shall eat? Where I shall live? Where I'll, I'll have my shelter...?" We are always perplexed with all these fearfulness. Why? Because we have forgotten that there is one who is giving me all protection. We are, we have become so foolish that..., that the lower animals than the human being, they have no economic problem. They are freely living. In the morning they do not care where they shall eat. But there is eating. No animal, no bird, is dying of starvation. Have you seen any animal or any bird has died out of starvation? And who is providing him? So they have no economic problem. The only this foolish, advanced, civilized man, under the name of so-called misusing the intelligence, which was given to him for realization of God, misusing for sense gratification, and therefore they are troubled.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

So in that blindness he was penancing, austerity in Vṛndāvana. So by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa came like a boy. "Oh, my dear sir, why you are starving? Why don't you take some milk?" "Oh, who are You, my dear boy?" "Oh, I am a boy of this village. I am a cowherd boy. If you like, I can give you daily some milk." "All right." So Kṛṣṇa supplied him milk. So there was friendship. And he has written that bhakti is such a thing that muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān: "Mukti, mukti is nothing for me." So this is his verse, muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān: "So we have no desire for mukti. When Kṛṣṇa comes to supply milk, oh, then what is the use of my mukti?" You see? That's a great soul, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. It is worth to remember his name. For seven hundred hears he lived in Vṛndāvana, and he has written a nice book which is Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. That is a very authoritative book, Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. Lord Caitanya picked up this book, and He recommended all His devotees to read that Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta book.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

You'll get your bread. Just like the birds or beast, they are getting their bread without going to the church. They do not go to the church for asking God, "Give us our daily bread." The bread is there in the tree. They go and take as much bread as they like. Similarly, your bread is also settled up, either you go to the church or do not go to the church. That is not a problem. Nobody is dying on the street out of starvation. When you find somebody is lying dead on the footpath, the cause is some might have shot him down or by some other means he's killed. But you no, you'll not find either a bird or a beast or an ant or human being died of starvation. Never. The food is already there. Don't bother. If you have to bother, if you have to tax your brain, just do it for Kṛṣṇa, for God. That is proper utilization of your time. Bread is already there.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

You'll get your bread. Just like the birds or beast, they are getting their bread without going to the church. They do not go to the church for asking God, "Give us our daily bread." The bread is there in the tree. They go and take as much bread as they like. Similarly, your bread is also settled up, either you go to the church or do not go to the church. That is not a problem. Nobody is dying on the street out of starvation. When you find somebody is lying dead on the footpath, the cause is some might have shot him down or by some other means he's killed. But you no, you'll not find either a bird or a beast or an ant or human being died of starvation. Never. The food is already there. Don't bother.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

But because we are foolish, we think... Not only think. Sometimes we are put into difficulty by the laws of nature, starvation. Just like if you eat more and then next two days you cannot eat; you have to starve. Similarly the difficulty in this material world is that we take more than what we need; therefore we have created problems. Otherwise there is sufficient supply from God's side. There is no scarcity, no problem. We have created problems. Just like in your country sometimes I have heard that you throw away grains, thousands of tons of grains, in the water. That means you have enough food. But there are countries who are starving. So it could be adjusted by sending this food. Instead of throwing in the water, they could be sent to the starving countries. But people will not do that. The point is from God's arrangement, there is enough food within this planet. There is enough land, enough food-producing prospect. But we have arranged in such a way that in one part the people are suffering, and one part, they are throwing the grains in the water. This is not God's arrangement. This is our arrangement. Therefore the problems are created by men. Now the so-called politician, they create problems. Otherwise, by nature's ways, by God's way, everything is complete.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

People were hungry. They were purchasing. But the beauty is one American gentleman was present at that time. He remarked that "People are starving in this way. In our country, there would have been revolution." Yes. But the people of India are so trained that in spite of creating this artificial famine, they did not commit any theft, stealing others' property. They died peacefully. Of course, this is a single instance. But the thing is that problems are not created by God. They are created by us. Just like in the... One, my German Godbrother, he said that during the First World War... Perhaps some of you know. The politicians created war and there was war. So people went to church.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- Los Angeles, July 1, 1971:

Teṣām means not ordinary person. Those who are devotees, sincere devotees, to show them a special favor... God is kind to everyone, but He is specially kind to His devotees. That is His special. He is kind to everyone. Otherwise how everyone is eating? Nobody is starving. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Eka, that one eternal being, He is supplying everyone's necessities. And the plural number of eternals, they are dependent on that one. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968:

At this particular time in the world it is very much necessary that all people hear about Kṛṣṇa and that they should become attracted to chanting the name of Kṛṣṇa, to hearing about Kṛṣṇa's wonderful pastimes. So that by this exquisite attraction for Kṛṣṇa they might forget their lower desires, which are now leading everybody to a hellish condition of life in which it seems inevitable there are going to be wars and pestilences and starvation, diseases, all kinds of social injustice. All these things are unavoidable so long as the world at large does not understand who owns everything, who owns the land, who owns the money, who owns the food. So long as they don't understand that Kṛṣṇa is the owner and enjoyer of everything, so long as they don't understand that it is the highest enjoyment for the living soul to serve Kṛṣṇa, it is the perfect harmony in this condition to serve Kṛṣṇa, so long there will be fighting due to ignorance and deluded cross purposes.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- New Vrindaban, September 2, 1972:

Formerly if somebody is attacked by another man, many persons will come to help him: "Why this man is attacked?" But at the present moment if one man is attacked, the passersby will not care for it because they have lost their sympathy or mercifulness for others. Our neighbor may starve, but we don't care for it. But formerly the sympathy for other living entities, even for an ant... Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, while he was touring on his kingdom, he saw that one man was trying to kill a cow. Parīkṣit Mahārāja saw. Immediately he took his sword that "Who are you?

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

That's all. Dhānyena dhanavān. A man was considered to be rich man if he has sufficient quantity of grains in his possession. Similarly, if one has sufficient number of cows in his possession, he was considered rich man. Not that bank balance. There was no such bank, neither this paper money. They actually possessing the foodstuff and milk. And actually this is economic solution. If you have got sufficient milk, then you can make so many nice nutritious, full of vitamin values preparation and grains. There is no question of economic starvation if you have got simply grains and cows. So that was the standard of economic solution in days yore.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- Paris, August 11, 1975:

So now by the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this movement has come to your country, and especially in a nice village like this, utilize it properly. It is a very ideal place. Not only this, there are many thousands of places like this. People should take advantage to live in such nice place, produce their necessities of life, and keep them fit and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and realize self. We don't say that you starve or become weak in health or weak in intelligence. No. You remain quite fit in intelligence and health, but don't be unnecessarily in need. The difficulty of the modern educated person is... Not educated, but so-called educated, they are attracted in the city for so many things unnecessary. Just like the club, the restaurant, the liquor and the cigarette, so many things. But if your attention is diverted to Kṛṣṇa, you will not feel inclined to enjoy all these unnecessary things. That is the test of spiritual life, that bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti, advancement of devotional life, means no more taste for all these nonsense. That is the test.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture and Bhagavan dasa's Marriage Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, June 4, 1969:

"The highest perfection is that one who comes to Me, reaches the abode of Kṛṣṇa, then he hasn't got to accept this miserable body." We do not understand that this body is miserable. Actually, any body. Either you get a princely body or a dog's body, because you have accepted a material body, therefore you have to suffer. You have to suffer. There is no excuse. Because you have got American beautiful body... Sometimes I meet some American gentlemen. They are under impression that India is a starving country. Accepting that India is starving country, but does it mean that America is a very happy country? No. That is their mistake. They simply think that "Because we have got enough money, therefore we are in happiness." No. If there is happiness, why the young boys and girls become hippies? No. Happiness is different. So long you have got this material body, there is no question of happiness, either this American body or Indian body. That they do not know. They are thinking that "Let me get an American body, or a demigod body or this body, that body, that body." But Bhāgavata says, yāvan na prītir mayi vāsudeve na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat. So long one does not develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or love of Godhead, there is no question of getting out of this entanglement of material body. There is no question. You have to accept some body, either you accept this body or that body. And as soon as you accept this body, material body, you have to go the threefold miseries.

Initiation Lecture Excerpt -- London, September 7, 1971:

There is necessity of creating brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇava. This movement is meant for that purpose. So be careful. Don't be turned again to śūdra and mlecchas. Go on making progress to become pure Vaiṣṇava. Then your life is successful and you'll give the best service to the human society. (aside:) You can... But what can be done? Still you have to remain a Vaiṣṇava. And perhaps you know it, the tigers cannot eat daily. Tiger life means almost starvation. You'll find, if you have ever seen a real photograph in forest of a tiger, the belly is... There is no food. They cannot get food. Because they are ferocious, by nature's law, it is not allowed by the..., he'll take food every day. No. After fifteen days, one month, gets a prey and eats the blood. They cannot eat. So tiger life is not very comfortable life. (laughter) You'll have to starve. And if you become Vaiṣṇava, three times you get nice prasādam. (laughter) This is practical. You see. (laughter) You see. All these tigers, they are eating in the restaurant.

Sannyasa Initiation -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:

Just like in America they produce huge amount of grains. Sometimes they throw it in the sea on account of overproduction. Why overproduction should be given on the sea? It should be utilized. There are so many people starving. But this political situation is there that everyone is thinking "This is my country. This is my home. This is my land." This is called māyā. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti. Everyone is under this impression, "I am this body, and anything belonging to this body, that is mine." or "my nation." This conception should be given up. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the same thing is confirmed.

General Lectures

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

Prabhupāda: We have to fast practically by feeding others. (laughter) You are after food; we are rejecting food. Is it not?

Haṁsadūta: Yes. We're having trouble avoiding it.

Revatīnandana: We're trying to reject it.

Haṁsadūta: I think all of us had thought when you called us to India, "Now we will have to starve." So we came, and there is so much to eat.

Revatīnandana: When we left New York City, the last Sunday, Ṛṣi-kumāra cooked a tremendous feast. So we ate until we couldn't move, 'cause we thought it was our last feast. We thought there'd never be any more prasādam. (laughter) Now we have to...

Prabhupāda: There was a famine in India in 1942, big famine. I particularly inquired among the disciples of my Guru Mahārāja, and even the remote village, they said that "We have no difficulty." No. And another, there was a havoc, earthquake, in Bihar sometime in 1933 or that... And one of our Godbrother, Mr. Munshi Chatterjee, when he heard that quarter is completely demolished, so he was in the office. He was thinking, "What shall I do by going home? There is no more home. Everything is..." Then he said, "Let me go and see." And when he came there, only his house was left. Only his house. All house dismantled. The only. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). That we have seen in many instances. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta is never vanquished.

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

So prāpañcika. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says the process is anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ. You... We should be unattached to the material necessities of life. It is not that we shall neglect this body. Because a body is vehicle for understanding. So we cannot neglect it. Just like you take care of your car. You ride on your car. For business you go from one place to another. So you have to keep it fit so that it can move very nicely, it can carry out your order. Similarly, there is no necessity of neglecting this body. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yuktāhāra vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi. We do not say that "You don't eat," but we say that "You eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda, bhagavat-prasāda." You satisfy your tongue. You do not starve, but you satisfy your tongue by the foodstuff which is offered to Kṛṣṇa. That is our proposal. We do not say that "You don't sleep," but we say, "Yes, you sleep. But sleep as much as possible so that to keep your body fit." We do not say that "You don't have sex life." But you have, have it.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

Because there may be some difficulty. Just like here Kṛṣṇa says that gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ (BG 2.11). He is ordering completely that the subject matter of this body is not very important thing. The most important thing is to understand about the spirit soul which is within the body. But at the present moment the whole world is giving simply stress on the body. Just like last night there was question, that to serve the humanity. Yes, serve the humanity... Is it not a service to the humanity to give real knowledge? But the service to the body is not neglected. Just like we are giving this knowledge to the world. It does not mean that we are starving or anyone who comes to us, he will starve. In our Māyāpur center daily one hundred men are being fed. And in our Bombay center... Similarly, in our Los Angeles... In all centers our temple is open. Any man can come and eat and live with us. Here also, we have opened temple. We invite anyone. If one person thinks that he is in scarcity or he has no... I don't think in your country such person is there. But still, if there is, he is cordially invited, "Please come and live with us. We shall supply all, everything, necessities of life." But you shall have to live with us as we live. That's all. That is the only condition.

Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973:

In the Western country, that feeling is now very prominent because there are so many confused, frustrated young men who are known as hippies. They are not satisfied with the ways of life as their fathers and grandfathers are living. They are protesting rather. That means there is spiritual starvation. Therefore we see also as soon as some swami or yogi comes from India, they flock together. They go there to receive some message, because the hankering is already there. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now you should take advantage of this hankering and the movement (of) Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is for your profit. You want something spiritual, and here is the spiritual movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply you have to study this movement very carefully and with intelligence. Then you'll understand that this is the thing we are hankering after. This is the position.

Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973:

So I must eat what I need and you must eat what you need. That's not a very big philosophical problem. Everyone knows what you eat. But don't eat more. Suppose I can eat so much. And if I eat more, then I get indigestion. That is the punishment of the laws of nature. I get dysentery. Then I'll have to starve for three days because I've eaten more. So yuktāhāra-vihārasya yoga bhavati siddhitaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said if you want to be a yogi or spiritualist, you should not take more than what you can digest, what can you eat. Yuktāhāra. You can satisfy your hunger, but according to yogic principle. Or from health point of view, even if you can eat so much, you can understand that "I can eat so much," you should not eat the whole thing. You should eat half. And one fourth you shall fill up with water, and one fourth you should leave vacant so that there may be ventilation, your digestion will be easily done. This is Āyurvedic law. Even if you think that you can eat so much, you should not voluntarily eat so much. You should eat half, and one-fourth you should fill up with water, and one-fourth you keep vacant for air ventilation. Then there will be no disease. It is hygienic principle. And as soon as you eat more than what you can digest, you become diseased. That means you are punished. Similarly, in every action you can have your portion as you need, but don't take more. Then it is helpful to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yuktāhāra vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

And if, by any chance, would your system...? Supposing we could transform all the members of the Swiss community into peasants, having their piece of land and living in rural communities, I suppose from what I know that many would starve and would have not sufficiently to eat because conditions here, conditions of climate, etc., are not of the same category of the ones which may exist in Asia or in other countries. The basic problem is that in former centuries most of the male population of that country which population was mainly composed of peasants had to expatriate and become soldiers abroad because there was not enough food. So what do you say about these things?

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: There are so many ingredients for cooking—they are not combined together. I am the cooker; I am cooking, first of all oil, and the spices, then the rice, then the dahl, then the water. In this way nice foodstuff is coming out. So this combination means God. Otherwise where is the instant the combination is taking place? I place all the ingredients in the kitchen room, and after one hour if I go, "Oh, where is my food?" (laughing) You nonsense, who is cooking your food? You starve. Just take help of a living being, then he'll cook and then you can eat. This is our experience. So why does he say combination? Wherefrom the combination comes? He is such a fool he does not know how combination takes place.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is willingness in a negative way: "I shall not will. I shall not will. Because I have got experience that by willing I have suffered so much, so I shall not will." But that stage you cannot stay for a long time. Then you have to again will in the same way.

Śyāmasundara: What about these men who perform great austerities, lash their bodies, starve, and...

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is also the same thing, not willing. They have no knowledge of good willing; therefore they simply want to kill bad willing. Because they are insufficient in knowledge that in this way willing cannot be reformed. Just like a child is accustomed to play. If you stop playing, then he will be dull, he'll be diseased. But you must give him good engagement. Just like DDD, he stopped playing. He was worshiping Jagannātha, and he said, "It is māyā." He stopped. Just like your daughter, when she is engaged in worshiping Deity, she is engladdened. So give good engagement, good willing, and he will automatically give up all this nonsense bad willing. But if you want to stop artificially willing, that will be not possible. That you can stop for the time, but it will again act.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. If anyone prefers to starve, they may not come. That law will be not be obligatory to a person who prefers to starve.

Devotee: That isn't the point. The critics make difference. He says that free will can be essentially eliminated. He says you no longer have the choice to be agreeable or not agreeable.

Prabhupāda: No. That is not possible. That is another foolishness.

Devotee: Just like the child he was training, that if he ever missed a meal he would be severely punished. Then he may never want to miss a meal.

Devotee: Or he may never want to take a meal out of (indistinct).

Śyāmasundara: Actually, his idea is not to let them be punished but to reward.

Prabhupāda: This is the (indistinct), that the thief has learned from the lawbooks, from the religious books, that stealing is bad. If one steals he'll be punished.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: Yes. But he got the opportunity to become capitalist. And there are so many in our country also (indistinct) that I was a (indistinct) I was out getting money, I was starving, and now I have become first-class. (laughter)

Śyāmasundara: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. They get credit. I recall one book, in Mathura one Mr. (indistinct), he was begging his brother, he became a very businessman, so he wrote his history, that I was begging now I am sitting (break) like that. That's all. So, the theory(?) that my propensity is there, that as soon as I get the opportunity I suck the blood of others and become fat. So unless he changes mentality, there is no question of changing capitalist or communist or this or that. It is all useless.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: We haven't got to study more. And we could get some idea by talking with that professor that, how much foolish he is. He says that after death everything is finished. And he is passing on as a big professor, Indian department, Indology or something. So, if his knowledge is like that, if the sample of the citizen is like that boy, then what is their position? They may theorize so many things. So far as we are concerned, foreigners, we could not get even food to our satisfaction. There is no (indistinct) vegetables, no fruits, milk was (indistinct), no rice. That Madrasi gentleman, if he would not have contributed some dahl and rice and the..., then practically we would have starved.