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Superintendent (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

So anyway, so as we are here, in this small government, our business is to satisfy the governor... Suppose if you decry the queen. If you say publicly in a meeting that "Queen is a prostitute." Then what will be? Immediately you will be arrested and punished. In your private house you can say. Nobody will hear. But if you say such thing nonsense in public, immediately you will be criminal. Therefore your duty is to respect the queen, to abide by the orders of the government. That is your aim of good citizenship. What is the difference between good citizen and outlaws? The difference is a good citizen is always trying to satisfy the government by abiding the laws given by the government. So therefore our ultimate goal is to satisfy the supreme government, Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa is the supreme. These universes, they are Kṛṣṇa's kingdom. There are many kingdoms. Just like we have got many universes within this material world, similarly, there are many spiritual planets in the spiritual world. These are common-sense affairs. Why people will not understand? Therefore our business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, to become perfect, satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). So how viṣṇur ārādhyate? This is the philosophy. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Suppose in an office your immediate boss, some superintendent of the office, you follow his orders, although he is not final. Above the superintendent of the office, there is another secretary. Above the secretary, there is one other director. Above the director, there is managing director. These are common-sense things. Similarly there are many, many controllers, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. So it is common-sense affair that our aim of life is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. This is common sense. Is there any other reasoning that "Why He should be satisfied?"? No. You have to satisfy.

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

Punar janma naiti, does not mean that soul is finished. No. This body, material body, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This material body, when it is dissolved, pañcatvaṁ prāpta, mixes with these five elements, earth, water, fire, air, it does not mean that the soul is finished. The soul is there. The soul is transmigrating to another body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). By the supervision of the external energy, and superior superintendent, we are transferred to a different body by the subtle body, mana, buddhi, ahaṅkāra. But these foolish people, they do not know how the soul is... They do not know what is soul and how the soul is being transferred. But these things are all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Delhi, November 3, 1973:
If the spiritual master is pleased, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased. That is the test. If he is not pleased, then he has no other way. That is very simple to understand. Suppose anyone who is working in the office, the immediate boss is the head, head clerk or the superintendent of that department. So everyone is working. If he satisfies the superintendent or the head clerk, then it is to be understood that he has satisfied the managing director. It is not very difficult. Your immediate boss, representative of Kṛṣṇa, he is to be satisfied. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasya **. Therefore the guidance of spiritual master is required. Kṛṣṇa comes in the form of spiritual master to guide. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

Have you heard any sound of the frog? "Ka-ka-ka, ka-ka-ka." You have heard? (laughter) Have you heard? Yes? So what is the result of that sound? In rainy season the frogs they sing very nicely. So they like rainy season. "Ka-ka-ka, ka-ka-ka, ka-ka-ka," like that. The result is the snake can understand, "Here is a frog." He stealthily comes and immediately finishes "ka-ka-ka." (laughter) Similarly, anything, vibration, except this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are like "ka-ka-ka." And the result is that one day Yamarāja, the superintendent of death comes and captures. "All right. Come on. That's all. Finished. Finish your 'ka-ka-ka.' " He might have been very great lecturer, politician, but when death comes your ka-ka-ka finished. Immediately "ka-ka-ka" finished. You have seen. Your President, Mr. Kennedy, was going to lecture, or he finished some lecture, is going to another place and the "ka-ka-ka" finished immediately.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Melbourne, June 29, 1974 :

So therefore yasya prasādād, our business is to please guru. If he is satisfied, then Kṛṣṇa immediately becomes satisfied, because he is the agent. That is very easy to understand. Suppose you are working in office, your immediate boss the superintendent, if he is pleased, that means the managing director is also pleased. You haven't got to please the managing director separately. If you please his representative, then the managing director sees the report, "Yes this man is working nice." That he will accept. He has never seen him. But that is not the fact, Kṛṣṇa also seeing you. So this is called mad-āśritāḥ. Yuñjan..., mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa, because you have no direct touch of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's representative. Then this yuñjan begins.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

"This prakṛti, this material energy, is acting under My superintendence." How material energy can act independently? That is not very good understanding. Suppose this electric fan is running on, but it is not running on independently. There is electric energy, there is powerhouse, there is the superintending engineer in the powerhouse. So at the end there is living force. Matter cannot work independently. We have no such experience. Anything you take, matter, material, it has no power to work independently. Behind that, there is spiritual existence.

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

Just like if you are a candidate or criminal within the jail walls, the caretaking person is the jail superintendent. And he is taking care. There is taking care, but it, the care, is taken by the jail superintendent. But if you are a free citizen, the government personally or the king personally takes care of you. That is the way. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says that

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
(BG 18.66)
Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

If you do not become directly under the care of Kṛṣṇa, then you are under the care of this material energy. He takes care. The same way as the jail superintendent takes cares of the criminals, similarly, those who are criminals, non-devotees, does not care for God, they are under the laws of material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā mām eva ye prapadyante (BG 7.14). The jail superintendent business is to correct the criminal so that he may become a right citizen, a lawful citizen. Similarly, this māyā's business is to give you always trouble, tri-tāpa-yatana, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, just to kick you, those who are non-devotees, just to correct you to become a devotee of the Lord. Unless you become devotee of the Lord, the kicking of material laws, stringent laws of nature will go on.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

In another place it is said: mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10). He is not working like foolish man. He is working as the superintendent. Every detail he's taking account, how you are doing. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā: mayā-adhyakṣeṇa. Kṛṣṇa says "You do this." Immediately, nature will do that. Kṛṣṇa says, "You do this." Immediately... Not only nature, we are also doing under Kṛṣṇa's direction. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, fifteenth chapter: sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15). "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Here also, the same thing. Sarva kṣetreṣu. Not only I am sitting, but Kṛṣṇa is also sitting. So Kṛṣṇa is sanctioning. Kṛṣṇa is giving permission. Then I am doing. I cannot alone do it.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Bombay, October 28, 1973:

Just like if you stand on the shore of a lake, you will find all the trees reflected in the water downwards. Real tree is on the shore of the lake, and the reflection is downwards. The upper part of the tree has gone down. So this material world is compared with that reflection. It is chāya. In Brahma-saṁhitā also, it is said, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). The superintending deity of this material world is goddess Durgā, durgā-śakti. So she creates this material world. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekāḥ. Kṛṣṇa's energy. Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). This material energy is His energy. The energy is always compared with feminine part. And the energetic is always compared with the male part. Male part and female part. Kṛṣṇa also said in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). So He is the seed-giving father.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

Just like yesterday we visited the Savarmati (?) jail. So all the prisoners who are there, it is to be understood they are all sinful, or criminals. Otherwise, how they are put into the jail. So this material world is jail. You cannot have freedom here. It is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And the superintendent of jail is Durgā-devī. You have seen the many, there are many worshiper of goddess Durgā. She is the superintendent of this jail. Durgā. Durgā means fort. So this material world is just like a fort, and the predominating deity is the Durgā-devī. Therefore she is equipped with so many weapons, ten kinds of weapons on ten hands. That means there are ten directions. The four corners, east, west, south, north, and the four corners, up and down. These are the ten directions. So you cannot escape.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:

Ah, breaking stone. He doesn't want. But there is jail superintendent—"All right, you must break so many." And there is stick. "If you don't break, then..." So it is going on. Māyā. Māyā is kicking always, "You must do it." Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). "You wanted to eat anything and everything. All right, you take this body of hog and eat stool." That's all. This is māyā, prakṛti. He has given you a body. You have to suffer according to the body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Why there are different types of bodies, different types of enjoyment? Everyone is in the material world. Why one has become hog, one has become dog, and one has become very rich man, and demigod? Why? Who is making arrangement? Who wants to become cat and dog? Who does not want to become king? But why this is arrangement? Who is doing this? This rascal cannot understand.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

Just like in a big office, some many clerks are waiting. The business is that everyone should be ready to satisfy the office routine work, or satisfy the managing director. But how one can see the managing director is satisfied or not? Immediately in the office, in every department, there is a superintendent. So if the superintendent is satisfied, you must know the managing director is satisfied. Similarly, you are under the direction of your spiritual master. If you see that the spiritual master is satisfied, then you should know that Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That is confirmed by Viśvanātha Cakravartī: yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. And yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi: If the spiritual master is not satisfied, then you are gone to hell. Yasya aprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. Because who will recommend to Kṛṣṇa the promotion and so many things?

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:

There are two kinds of bhāgavata: book bhāgavata and devotee bhāgavata. So in the Śiva Purāṇa, there was a question by Pārvatī to Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva and Pārvatī, husband and wife. Pārvatī means the material nature. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). Durgā-devī. Durgā-devī is in charge of this material world. It is called durgā, durgā, just like fort. And the superintendent of this fort is Durgā. You cannot go out of this fort; you are imprisoned. So such Durgā-devī, who is so powerful energy—she can create, annihilate, maintain, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana—she is always sitting by the side of her husband, Lord Śiva, and questioning about spiritual enquiries. Just see. Such powerful deity is also ignorant about spiritual life. So the husband, Lord Śiva, is Vaiṣṇava, and she's always asking, and sitting down underneath a bael tree. She can create so many universes, but for her, no building; only underneath a tree.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Just like one is a prisoner. So if he pleases the superintendent of prison, he can get some little facilities. Now I have seen, practically, that one young boy, he was imprisoned for some criminal act. So he was typing in the office of the jail superintendent. So that means he was educated, but he was put into ordinary prison term. He was breaking some stone. But he satisfied the jail superintendent that "I am not accustomed to this. However, I can serve you in some other way." So, he saw that "He is educated. He knows. All right. You come to my office. Just help me, in typing."

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

So this facility one can have. But not released from the prison house. That is not in the power of the superintendent. Similarly, all the demigods, they can give you a temporary facility, but they cannot give you relief from this prison house. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). People are going to heavenly planets and our planets... Just like they are going to the moon planet. But they are again coming down, again coming down. Either by machine or by fruitive activities, you can be transferred to higher planetary system, but again you have to come back. Kṣīṇe puṇye punaḥ martya-lokaṁ viśanti. You cannot get release. If you want to get release, then you have to come to Viṣṇu. Then you will get release. Śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Viṣṇu can do. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. This is Hari.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Just like in the jail. The same example: the boy was given a little relief. Instead of breaking stone, he was allowed to type in the office. That does not mean his problem is solved. His problem is solved when he's out of the prison. That is. But that the superintendent of police cannot give. That will be given by the government. Similarly, if we want to get relief from this prison house of material existence, we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No other method will relieve us.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

Take for example this table. There is a creator. Somebody has manufactured it. Or this microphone, somebody has created it. Anything you take, you have to find out some creator. And such a vast, gigantic thing, going on so nicely and punctually... The sun is rising punctually, the moon is rising punctually, the fortnight is going on, the season is coming punctually—everything. Why there should be no creator or no superintendent? That answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). "Under My superintendence." So if you accept this, then the whole problem is solved. But if we don't accept it, then we have to speculate. But we never to come to the right conclusion, how this creation began. That is not possible to understand by such way.

Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

Viṣṇu expanding Himself in three avatāras. Sattva-guṇa He takes charge Himself, sattva-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa it is given to Brahmā in charge, and tamo-guṇa is given to the Lord Śiva. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya. Sṛṣṭi, creation, is done by Brahmā, rajo-guṇa; and sthiti, maintenance, is done by Viṣṇu; and destruction is done by Lord Śiva, tamo-guṇa. He is not tamo-guṇa. In charge of tamo-guṇa. Just like somebody becomes superintendent of jail. It does not mean that the superintendent is also one of the prisoners. No. He's in charge of the jail department. Similarly, Lord Śiva, He's not in tamo-guṇa. He's transcendental. He is almost Viṣṇu. He's neither ordinary human being. Lord Śiva is in between viṣṇu-tattva and jīva-tattva. So how he can be in the tamo-guṇa? Nobody is... They are all transcendental. Especially Lord Viṣṇu.

Lecture on SB 1.8.23 -- Los Angeles, April 15, 1973:

Lord Viṣṇu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. So for the maintenance of this material world there are three guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So each one of them has taken charge of one department. So Lord Viṣṇu has taken the department of sattva-guṇa, and Lord Brahmā has taken the department of rajo-guṇa, and Lord Śiva has taken the department of tamo-guṇa. They are not under the influence of these guṇas. Just like a, the superintendent of jail. He's not a prisoner; he's controlling officer. Similarly Lord Śiva, Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Brahmā, although they are controlling each department, they are not under the controlling department. We may not commit mistake.

Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Los Angeles, April 21, 1973:

So here Kuntīdevī is describing that: "Your appearance in this material world is not misleading, bewildering." We are thinking that: "Kṛṣṇa has got some mission, some purpose. Therefore He has appeared." No. It is His pastimes. It is pastime. Just like sometimes the governor goes to inspect the prison house. He has no business to go the prison house. He is getting report from the superintendent. He does not... Still sometimes he comes: "let me see how they are doing." It is called pastime. It is his free will. Not that he has become subjected to the prison laws and he has to come to the prison. No, not like that. But if the prisoners think: "Oh, here the governor is also in the prison. So we are equal. We are equal. I am also governor."

Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Mayapura, October 11, 1974:

So Kuntīdevī is remembering that scene, and she became astonished. Why? Now, bhīr api yad bibheti (SB 1.8.31). The... There is one thing, bhaya. Everyone is afraid of something. That is called bhaya. So there is the personified bhaya, bhīḥ. So he's also afraid of Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa is the supreme being, controller, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1), so He can control... Just like the superintendent of police. So everyone is afraid of the superintendent of police. Especially those criminals, they are very much afraid. But why the governor should be afraid of the police superintendent? As that is not possible, that is unnatural, similarly, if there is any director of the fear department in the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa, so he's afraid of Kṛṣṇa because everyone is servant. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142).

Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Mayapura, October 11, 1974:

So these things are going on in the name of worshiping God. But that is not God worship. That is worshiping the fearful personified by the criminals. Just Durgā... Kālī is expansion of Durgā. Just like Viṣṇu is expansion of Kṛṣṇa, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's energy... Energy has also many expansions. Daśā mahā-vidyā. There are many expansions of Durgā because she has to look after... Just like police department. Police department is there, but there are many officers in that police department. Similarly, Durgā is the superintendent of police of this universe. Durgā. Durgā means the fort, durgā. Ga means going, and dur means difficulty.

Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Mayapura, October 11, 1974:

Just like immigration department, security department-same thing. These are simply reflection of the original function of the supreme government. So this is... Just like prison house. You cannot escape so easily. If you try to escape, then you'll be again punished. So the bhīḥ, the superintendent of police... The original superintendent is Durgā. Durgā means the protector of this durgā, where you cannot escape. So she is also servant of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, bhīr api yad bibheti (SB 1.8.31). This Durgā is the fearful personified, but still she cannot disobey Kṛṣṇa's order. That is her position, dāsī. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). The bhīḥ, the fearful feature of Kṛṣṇa's potency, can only excuse you when you are surrendered to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

So Vidura is Yamarāja, the superintendent of death. After our death, we are brought before the justice Yamarāja, what kind of next birth I may have. So Yamarāja is not śūdra. He is devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, although he has the duty to punish the criminals. Just like a magistrate is always punishing the criminals. That is his business, but he is not criminal. He is giving judgment to the criminals. Similarly, Yamarāja is the appointed magistrate, superintendent. After death, one has to go before him and take the judgment of his next life. This is the process.

Lecture on SB 1.15.24 -- Los Angeles, December 3, 1973:

So God is not partial, He is impartial. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29). Nobody in the material world... Just like jail superintendent or the government. The government is not partial. Government is equal to everyone, but everyone is enjoying or suffering according to his own work. So that is reminded. That is reminded and sanction given that "This body, this being, killed you in your last life. Now I give you sanction, you can kill him." This is called nighnanti. Mitho nighnanti. And "This man gave you protection, so you give him protection." So what is the wrong there? There is nothing wrong. It is equal justice. Because... Don't think that because God or Kṛṣṇa gives sanction, viceṣṭitam, therefore He is partial. No. He is always impartial. We are suffering our own activities. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). We are getting different types of bodies, suffering.

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

This Vidura was Yamarāja. So he was cursed by one muni to go down and take birth in śūdra family. Yamarāja was very exalted post, but still... Yamarāja means the superintendent of death. There is Pitṛloka, Yamaloka, different planets. And where each planet is situated, how many miles, yojana... The Sanskrit is called yojana. Yojana means eight miles. So how many yojana is one planet situated from another planet, that is all described in the Bhāgavata, Fifth Canto.

Lecture on SB 1.16.8 -- Los Angeles, January 5, 1974:

So Yamarāja, Yamarāja is the representative of the Lord. Just like the police chief. The... What is called, the police chief? The superintendent or what? Commissioner. Commissioner of police. He is representative of government. So the police department is fearful department for the criminals, not for the law-abiding persons. Similarly, Yamarāja, who is the superintendent of death... Death is certainly cruel. At any moment death can stop all our activities. Nobody can protest. That is not possible. So... And nobody wants death also. That is also fact. But nobody can stop death also. The so-called scientific advancement, they cannot stop death. You can talk all kinds of nonsense of advancement of life, but after all, you have to die. Big, big scientists, professors, they talk so many things, but when death came, it could not save him by his scientific process. Because death is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

By satisfying the spiritual master, you satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is very natural. Just like when you go to your work, the immediate person who is in charge of your work, he must be satisfied. You don't jump up to the proprietor. The proprietor will be automatically satisfied. If something is done and the proprietor sees that the immediate office superintendent is satisfied, then he accepts, "Yes, that's all right." He hasn't got to inspect personally. If the superintendent of the office says that "Yes, this clerk or this man works nice," then proprietor accepts. Similarly, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. We have to satisfy our spiritual master, sevayā.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān (SB 7.6.1). Kaumāra, from the beginning of life, children should be engaged. Therefore we have opened the Gurukula, Dallas. The small children, four years, five years old, they are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, about God. They are chanting about Kṛṣṇa, they are rising early in the morning, attending maṅgala-ārātrika. Anyone goes there... Even the education superintendent came to visit our temple. He was astonished that "How these children are happy. How children, they are being educated." So this is to be introduced. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavat..., durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This human form of life is durlabham. Durlabham, very rare to achieve. It is not so easily obtained. We have to pass through evolutionary process, 8,400,000 species of life, aquatics... Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1 -- Los Angeles, May 19, 1972:

Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was asked by Dharmarāja, "What is the most wonderful thing within this world?" He answered this, ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam, "Everyone, every moment, is going to the Yamarāja's place, the superintendent of death, where a man's life is scrutinizingly studied, what he has done, and..." I say man, not animal. Animal, they have no such thing wrong or right, because it is animal. But a human being must have this conscience, right or wrong. Pravṛtti, nivṛtti.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:

So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that don't try to change this cell, from this cell to that cell. That will not make you happy. If you think, if a prisoner thinks that "I am in this cell. Let me request the superintendent of the jail to change my cell and I'll be happy," that is a mistaken idea. One cannot be happy so long he is under the prison walls. One should become free. That should be the aim of our life. So we are trying to be happy by changing the cell, by this "ism" to that "ism," by capitalism to communism, from communism to this "ism," that "ism." That will not make us happy. You'll have to completely change from this "ism," this materialism. That's all. Then you'll be happy.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

Durgā means the superintendent of this prison house, material, Durgā. Dur-gā: "You cannot go out." That is called durgā. Durgā means fort also. Very difficult, dur-gā, to go out. So the superintendent is called Durgā. The mother Durgā is the superintendent of this material world. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā (Bs. 5.44). Very powerful, she has got ten hands. Ten hands means ten direction: east, west, and north, south, and the four corners, eight, and up and down, ten direction, dik, daśa-dik. So she is watching all sides: "You cannot get out." Therefore she is called Durgā-devī. Or this material world is called Devī-dhāma, "the place where the Devī, mother Durgā, is the superintendent." Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī, māyā (BG 7.14). She is called also Māyā, Daivī-māyā.

Lecture on SB Questions & Answers -- Hyderabad, April 10, 1975:

Duty is: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is your duty. Anything you manufacture duty, that is not duty; That is cheating. (applause) First of all, you learn what is your duty; then talk of duty. In your office if you go, if you say, "Anything I do, it is my duty," no. You must know the particular work you are advised to act by the superintendent or the director, not that you can manufacture your duty. If you execute that duty, then you are dutiful. Otherwise, you are simply creating trouble. Just like a monkey. They create their duty, and wherever he goes, "Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out!" The monkey's duty is no duty. A man must know what is duty, and he should execute. That is duty.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:

Just like I gave you the example: If one man has committed criminal activities, he has to atone for the sinful activity. He must be arrested. He must be put into the jail and given some trouble for a certain period of time. And then he may be given freedom. So this atonement is there, by nature's law. You cannot avoid it. If you think that "God cannot see. I am doing this nonsense without His vision," that is wrong. Anything we do, that is recorded just like the service record. And the judgment... Just like in other literatures, there is the day of judgment. That's fact. We have to accept the judgment of the superior superintendent of all our activities.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Denver, June 28, 1975:

The representative is there. If you act according to his instruction, if you want to please him, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Just like in office the managing director or the proprietor is not in contact. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is in contact with everyone: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe (BG 18.61). But even taking this crude example, still, the office superintendent, if he recommends somebody, some clerk, that "This man is working very nice," that is accepted by the managing director. There is no difficulty. Therefore yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo: ** if you want to please Kṛṣṇa, you please Kṛṣṇa's representative... Śrī-guru-caraṇe rati, sei se uttama-gati. We are singing daily. So Kṛṣṇa is not absent. Kṛṣṇa is already within you, but He manifests Himself as guru, prakāśa. This is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1970:

Anyone who has fixed up his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-padāravinda... Padāravinda means the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Aravinda means lotus flower, and pada means feet. Someway or other, if anybody fixes his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then, he says, na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān svapne 'pi paśyanti. It is, according to Vedic scripture, the sinful persons are taken to the superintendent of death, and there, according to his different volumes or proportion of sinful activities, a living entity is punished. The spirit soul is taken in that planet where the Yamarāja is there, and in the subtle form... Subtle form means the spirit covered in the subtle form of mind, intelligence and false ego, he is put into various trouble. Sometimes, just like we are also, even in this life, we are put into such troublesome position in dream. That is our experience.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Denver, July 2, 1975:

So if so much profit is there simply once thinking of Kṛṣṇa, then we can imagine, those who are always engaged in thinking of Kṛṣṇa by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, what is their position. They are very safe. So much so that it is said, na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān svapne 'pi paśyanti. Svapna means dreaming. Dreaming is false. To see the Yamadūtas, or the carriers of order of Yamarāja, superintendent of death, to see face to face... At the time of death, when one very sinful man is dying, he sees the Yamarāja or the order carriers of Yamarāja. They are very fierce looking. Sometimes the man on the deathbed becomes very much fearful, cries, "Save me, save me." This also happened to Ajāmila. And that is the story we shall narrate later on. But he was saved. For his past activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he was saved.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

Sakṛt means even in once in ecstasy, mind, kṛṣṇa padāravindayoḥ, the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, if one thinks, niveṣitam, with full ecstasy and absorption, if one thinks very nicely about the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, tad-anurāgi, being attached, anurāgi, yaiḥ, anyone, iha, in this material world... Then what happens? Na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān. Yama-pāśa... Yamarāja, the superintendent of death... After death one goes to Yamarāja. Not the devotees, but the nondevotees. Na te yamaṁ pāśa-bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān svapne: "Even in dream they do not see Yamaraja." Svapne 'pi paśyanti cīrṇa-niṣkṛtāḥ. And completely freed from all reaction of sinful activities simply by once thinking of Kṛṣṇa. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, but if we become at least once in life in ecstasy in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, then all our sinful reaction of life is finished. Unfortunately, we again commit sinful life. Otherwise, by chanting once Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one becomes immediately free from the reaction.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976:
"In this regard, learned scholars and saintly persons describe a very old historical incident involving a discussion between the order carriers of Lord Viṣṇu and those of Yamarāja. Please hear of this from me." So Yamarāja is the superintendent or the judge for considering what kind of punishment should be given to a certain sinful person. After death, those who are sinful, they are taken to Yamarāja for judgment, what kind of punishment one has to be given. And those who are pious devotees, they are taken charge by the Viṣṇudūta. I think the Christian doctrine, that in this life either you go to hell or go to heaven.
Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

In this material world everyone is struggling to survive. But who is surviving? That way, materialistic way of life will not help you to survive. That is prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27). Nature is so strong that you must die. "I am very strong." You may be very strong, that's all right. There is a, I mean to say, joking story that one man thought how to avoid death—Hiraṇyakaśipu. So he thought that the Yamarāja is the superintendent of death, he comes to take. So I shall make such policy that he may not come to me. What is that policy? "Bring some stool. I shall smear over my body, and out of bad smell he will not come." So he began to smear stool on his body at the time of death. So this is going on. They are making body very stout and strong so they will survive. Nobody will survive, sir, unless he is Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Honolulu, May 23, 1976:

Nature is so strong that you must die. "I am very strong." You may be very strong, that's all right, but you must. There is a, I mean to say, joking story that one man thought, "How to avoid death?" Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. So he thought that "Yamarāja is the superintendent of death. He comes to take, so I shall make such policy that he may not come to me." What is that policy? "So bring some stool. I shall smear over my body, and out of bad smell, he'll not come." So he began to smear stool on his body at the time of death. So this is going on. They are making body very stout and strong so they'll survive. Nobody will survive, sir, unless he is Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27-34 -- Surat, December 17, 1970:

Kṛṣṇa is so kind. As soon as He heard that "This man is chanting 'Nārāyaṇa' at the time of his death," immediately He sent His assistants, Viṣṇudūtas, to give him shelter. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. The mahato bhayāt... This man, this Ajāmila, is fallen into great calamity. The Yamadūtas, the assistants of the superintendent of death, Yamarāja, has come there to drag him. So mahato bhayāt. It was a great, fearful, dangerous place. But simply by uttering 'Nārāyaṇa' he was saved.

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

So Yamarāja is in charge of punishing according to the gravity of sinful activities. He's meant for punishing. That is just like superintendent of police or something like that, big officer, inspector general of the police department or the minister in charge of law and order. Everything is there in imitation, yato vā imāni bhūtāni jayante, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Wherefrom you get this idea? There must be minister in charge of law and order. Where you get this idea? The idea is there from the original government. And there is the director or the minister in charge of law and order. The Yamarāja is minister in charge. They say it is mythology, it is man's creation. How it is man's creation? Things are going on.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41 -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1976:

There is no question of accidents. The same date, same month, and the same appearance of the sun and the moon. Everything. And still we say "There is no God," "God is dead," "There is no controller." This is foolishness. Mūḍha. The mūḍhas, the asses... Mūḍha means asses, one who has no knowledge. It is commonsense affair. That if everything is going on so nicely, how I can think there is no controller? In your house, in your office, if everything goes very nicely, systematically, there is the director, there is the manager, superintendent, and everything is going nice, how, without these things, how the whole universal affair can go so nicely? That is not accidental, that there was a chunk and immediately it became a this and that. No. There was no accident. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). There is no question of accidents. Kṛṣṇa says, "Under My supervision, everything is going on."

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

Just like first-class, second-class, third-class prisoner. They are all punished in the prison house, but some of them are first class, some of them are second class. So similarly, within this material world it is called durgā. Durgā means fort, and the superintending deity is called Durgā, goddess material nature. So it is a fort like. You cannot go from here and there. You are trying so much to go from this planet to moon. You cannot do. Just like in the prison house, no prisoner can leave this place to go to another unless he is ordered to do so; similarly, we are conditioned. It is not possible, "Because we have manufactured some machine, by force I can go anywhere." No. That is not possible. That is not possible. You may do it for perpetually, but śāstra says if you practice piously, then you can be elevated to the higher planetary system.

Lecture on SB 6.1.62 -- Vrndavana, August 29, 1975:

Our mind is always agitated for sense enjoyment. Mind is the master of the senses, or the chief man, just like superintendent. Mind is dictating, and the senses The mind is dictating, "You go there"; immediately the legs go. "You see here"; the eyes see. So mind is the center. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Bhagavad-gītā. This living entity, mamaivāṁśo Kṛṣṇa says, "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." So question may be, "Then why they are rotting here? If the living entities are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God, so why does he not live with God?" The immediate answer is manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). These living entities, these conditioned souls who has come to this material world—the only reason is that they want to satisfy the senses, manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi. Therefore there is struggle for existence. He wants to enjoy. He wants to become the enjoyer. But he is not enjoyer. That is called illusion.

Lecture on SB 6.2.9-10 -- Allahabad, January 15, 1971:

We have been discussing Ajāmila's upākhyāna after finishing the speeches by the Yamadūta, assistants of Yamarāja, the superintendent of judgment after death. Yamarāja is one of the appointed officers, mahājanas. He's a Vaiṣṇava, but his thankless task is that he has to punish all the sinful activities. That is his position. Just like superintendent of police, he is also a government officer, responsible officer, respectful servant of the government, but the task is simply to chastise the sinful persons. So if such person is required in ordinary government, why not a similar personality in the government of the Supreme Person? Because from the Vedānta-sūtra we understand that everything that we experience within this world, they are emanation from the Absolute Truth. So this intelligence, that one person should be in charge of the criminal department, has come from the Absolute Truth. Otherwise there was no possibility. It is not an human invention. We should always understand, whatever we experience within this world, that is emanation from the Absolute Truth. As Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the original source of everything that you experience."

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

Just like anyone who is in the prison house, you can conclude that he is a sinful, criminal man. You do not require to study one after another. Because he is in the prison house you can conclude that "Here is a criminal." Similarly, anyone who is in the material world, he is a criminal. But not the superintendent of jail. You cannot conclude, "Because everyone is in the jail, criminal, therefore the superintendent of jail, he is also criminal." Then you are mistaken. Those who are conducting these sinful men to take them back to home, back to Godhead, he is not criminal. His business is how to release this rascal from this prison house and take him back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

So now this Prahlāda's name comes. Prahlāda's name comes. Prahlāda and Janaka, the great king, Janaka, whose daughter was married to Lord Rāmacandra. Jānakī. Therefore, Sītā's name is Jānakī, daughter of Mahārāja Janaka. So he is also a great authority. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ, and Bhīṣma, you have heard the name of Bhīṣma, the grandfather of Arjuna. He is also one of the authorities. And, prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir, Mahārāja Bali, a king. He was a grandson of this Prahlāda Mahārāja. He became mahājana. All these persons, they became authorities by their exemplary character for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore they are considered as authorities. So, balir vaiyāsakir vayam. Vaiyāsakiḥ means the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He's also authority. And vayam, it is, this statement is made by Yamarāja, the controller of sinful activities. Superintendent of police, appointed by Kṛṣṇa. So he is also one of the authorities. How you can deny the superintendent of police as authority? As he is also authority in the state, similarly he is also authority.

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

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "All these natural rules and regulations, they are being conducted under My superintendence." It is foolishness to understand that there is no director or no supreme controller or superintendent in these affairs. This is scanty explanation, that "Nature is doing." No. Nature cannot do. Nature is dull. Nothing can move without spiritual touch. Matter is dull. A stone, however great it may be, without touch of a spiritual individual soul, the stone cannot move. So similarly, the whole gigantic material cosmic manifestation is being moved by the spiritual touch, and there are different departments, and they are called vidhi-karāḥ. Vidhi means regulative, and karāḥ means the performers. So he says, sarve hy amī vidhi-karās tava sattva-dhāmno brahmādayo. And he specifically mentions now, brahmādayo, headed by Lord Brahmā.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Now sometimes it is questioned that Sanātana Gosvāmī paid the money in black market. Yes. Actually he paid. When the Hussain Shah, Nawab, imprisoned him, he was minister. The superintendent of jail, he was working under him. He was minister. So the Sanātana Gosvāmī requested him that "I had done so many times your benefit. So you do me one benefit. You let me go. Let me go al..., the, although the Nawab has imprisoned me." (aside:) That's not required. So "I am going to be a pir (?)." Because the Muslims, they respect very much the pir. So actually he was going to be a pir. They renounced the family life and became gosvāmīs.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

First of all, he offered five thousand, five thousand gold mudras (?). But when he was not very happy, then he offered ten thousand. In this way, it was settled and the superintendent of jail let him go. And he inquired from Sanātana Gosvāmī, "What I shall explain to the Nawab when he'll ask me explanation, call for explanation? You are going." So he gave him a trick that... Formerly, people used to evacuate on the field. So he was imprisoned. So he wanted to evacuate in the field. And the superintendent of jail was accompanying him. In this way, he fabricated story and he told that "When he was evacuating, immediately he jumped over the river and the river's waves were so strong, he was carried away. I could not find him." So in this way, Sanātana Gosvāmī escaped after bribing.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. Just (like) in the office, the clerks are working. The office master, superintendent, if he's pleased, then the proprietor is pleased. The clerk hasn't got to show a separate endeavor for pleasing the proprietor. If the man in charge is pleased, then proprietor is pleased. Similarly, we have to please our spiritual master. And if he's pleased, it is to be supposed Kṛṣṇa is pleased. And my only aim is, my only success is to see if Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Others may be displeased or pleased—it doesn't matter. One has to be assured whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Then it is all right. That is oneness. Oneness does not mean I lose my individuality. That is not oneness.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.9 -- Mayapur, April 2, 1975:

Yesterday we discussed about pūrṇāiśvarya, saṅkarṣaṇākhyam, nityānanda-rāmam, the Deity, the superintending Deity of the spiritual world. Here also, anywhere, the master is Kṛṣṇa in His different forms. So just like for management we expand some secretaries, or personal representatives, similarly there is good management also in Kṛṣṇa's affairs. The original person is Kṛṣṇa, and His expansions, they are also as good as Kṛṣṇa, but departmental.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.9 -- Mayapur, April 2, 1975:

So we have discussed yesterday that in the spiritual world, Saṅkarṣaṇa is the supreme manager. And so far the material world is concerned, the same person is the Supreme, but His name is different, Kāraṇābdhiśāyī. In the spiritual world, the name is Saṅkarṣaṇa, and the material world, the supreme superintendent is also the same person, but name is different—Kāraṇābdhiśāyī. This Kāraṇābdhiśāyī is māyā-bhartā. Bhartā means husband. Just like a husband begets children in the womb of the wife, similarly, all these universes are impregnated in the total material energy, māyā, by Kāraṇābdhiśāyī Viṣṇu. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.39-47 -- San Francisco, February 1, 1967:

So this, this incident is that Caitanya Mahāprabhu, first of all He visited Benares and went to Vṛndāvana. Then, while coming back, He stayed at Allahabad, Prayag, for ten days for instructing Rūpa Goswami. That we have already discussed. Now again He has come back to Benares. So He was staying at Candraśekhara's house, and He was taking His meals at Tapana Miśra's house. In the meantime, Sanātana Goswami came to see Him. Sanātana Goswami, after retirement, he had many troubles. He was arrested by the Nawab because Nawab thought him that he was very important hand. "He has now... By sentiment, he's going to Caitanya." So he thought it wise to arrest him. And Sanātana Gosvāmī had some money, so he bribed the superintendent of jail, and he let him go away. So with great difficulty, he reached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, and for two months he was instructed all the principles of devotional service and different incarnations.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

We are all imprisoned within this Durgā. And the superintendent of this durgā, or the fort, is called Durgā. Durgā-śakti. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). This material world... But those who have no information how this Durgā is there, how this Durgā is there, they think that by worshiping, by pleasing goddess Durgā, they'll be happy. No. Pleasing means you have to abide by the laws of the durgā, material world. Otherwise, Durgā will take his (her) trident and pierce on the chest of the asura. Durgā is controlling. The asura is also a living entity within this durgā. So those who are asuras... Those who are not cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are asuras. For them, the Durgā's trident is on the chest of the asura. You have seen that picture.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

You have to satisfy Durgā in a different way, in a different way. Just like... These are very easy to understand, that if you are in prison house, if you satisfy the superintendent of jail, somehow... I have seen in Delhi that one man was... He was a very nice young gentleman, and he was typing. He was typing. So I was... He was a fair gentleman, very nice looking young man. So I talked with him, "What is your case of condemnation coming?" So he acted as a spy in some government secretarial department. So he was put into prison for ten years. But he was educated, he was intelligent, and he pleased the superintendent of jail. Therefore, instead of keeping him in ordinary cell, he was put into the office and type. Now, try to understand. This prisoner, by his satisfying the superintendent of jail, he is little given concession not to be placed in ordinary cell, but he is working (in) the office as a typewriter. Or he is given some... Or there are many political prisoners, they are given first-class bungalow, first-class residence, and all facilities. But the superintendent of police has no power to release him. That is not possible. That is not possible. Similarly, by bribing or by satisfying Durgā, you can get a comfortable position within this material world, but your real business is how to get out of it. That Durgā cannot give. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. So long you do not come to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa... Mām eva prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, there is no possibility of getting out of the clutches of māyā. That is not possible.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

So, last Sunday we were discussing about Sanātana Gosvāmī's meeting with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sanātana Gosvāmī was the finance minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Pathan government of Bengal. So he resigned his office. The Nawab was reluctant to give him release. He was arrested, but somehow or other he released himself by bribing the superintendent of jail and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, or Vārāṇasī. And for two months He gave him instruction how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 7.5 Lecture -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

In another place, in the Brahma-saṁhitā, it is said, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). Durgā-śakti, or external energy, Durgā,... Durgā means the superintendent of the fort. Durgā. Durgā means fort, where you cannot get out or cannot enter very easily. That is called durgā. Dur-gamana. So Durgā means the superintendent deity of this material world. So she is very powerful, Durgā. How much powerful? Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktiḥ. She can create, she can maintain, and she can destroy the whole material energy, whole material cosmic manifestation. She's so powerful. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva (Bs. 5.44). Still, she is working not independently.

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Now, these two brothers met Caitanya Mahāprabhu when they were on their ministerial posts at Maldah, a district in Bengal. So after meeting Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they decided to join with Him fully for propagating the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and they resigned from their posts. Rūpa Gosvāmī first resigned..., not officially resigned, because he was very much eager to meet Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so he first of all retired. And then Sanātana Gosvāmī, later on, he wanted to resign in a tactful way, but the Nawab did not like the idea. So he was imprisoned at his house. No, he was actually imprisoned. And later on, Sanātana Gosvāmī bribed ten thousand gold coins to the jail superintendent and got out of the prison house and went to meet Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

Yogamāyā, the original yogamāyā, is Kṛṣṇa's internal potency. That is Rādhārāṇī. And mahāmāyā is external potency, Durgā. This Durgā is explained in Brahma-saṁhitā, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). Durgā is the superintending goddess of this whole material world. Everything is going on under his, under her control. Prakṛti, prakṛti is energy. Energy is accepted as feminine. Just like these materialistic persons, they are also working under some energy. What is that energy? The sex life. That's all. They're troubling so much: "Oh, at night I'll have sex life." That's all. That is the energy. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). Their life is based on the sex. That's all. Everyone is working so hard, culminating in sex.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Śyāmasundara: He explains the mechanistic phenomena, like the laws of nature. He explains that that is the only effective means of fulfilling God's purpose.

Prabhupāda: That's it. Yes. All the laws of nature are working (indistinct). The body is durgā, the superintendent of the fort. This is called durgā. Just like fort is very much fortified; you cannot go; they say nobody can enter, nobody can leave, like that. This is called durgā. And the superintendent is called Durgā. From durgā it has come to Durgā. She is also confidential maidservant of Kṛṣṇa, but she has got (indistinct) to punish these demons. Demon is (indistinct), that I worship his mother, but mother is engaged to punish him because (indistinct). She is giving whatever the demon wants. "Give me money. Give me good wife. Give me reputation. Give me strength." "All right," but at the same time everything is frustrated with this (indistinct). Two things are going on. One thing, that whatever he wants he is given: "I will get it." On the other side, punishment. This is nature's flow, and she is doing this under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. "This living entity, he has, or he wants immediately to become an enjoyer, so give him all sources of material enjoyment, but at the same time go on punishing him."

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Śyāmasundara: Just like all of our desires that we have are never fulfilled.

Prabhupāda: That will never take place. Just like in a prison house, if the prisoners desire something, no, it will never furnish it. It is meant for punishment. So he'll have to abide by the desires of the jail superintendent. He cannot. Similarly, here every living entity is a prisoner. The superintendent of prisons is Durgā Devī. Durgā means fort: you cannot go out, conditioned. So therefore frustration is the law here.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: His idea is that all lower forms of life strive to emulate the higher forms of life.

Prabhupāda: That is natural. Everyone wants to become higher than what he is. Because he is trying to become master. He is trying to... His whole problems is that he is trying to be master. So he comes to master to some extent. Suppose he is working in an office, he is a head clerk, master of several clerks. So he is not satisfied. He wants to become a superintendent. When he becomes a superintendent, he wants to be under-secretary. When he is under-secretary, he wants to become secretary. When he becomes a secretary, he wants to become minister. When he is made minister, then he wants to be the president. And when he becomes a president, he wants to control all over the world, just like your Nixon. So this progressive ambition is there in the material world because any materialistic man is implanted with the idea that "I shall become like Kṛṣṇa." So when he fails everything, then he wants to merge into the Kṛṣṇa. Māyāvāda philosophy.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: That two cooperation, two kinds of cooperation is going on. Just like in a state a citizen is cooperating as a free citizen. The same citizen is cooperating in the prison by force. The jail superintendent says, "Now you break these bricks." He has to do; otherwise he'll be punished. He is cooperating by force. But this cooperation is inferior cooperation. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). By constitutional position, a living entity is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. In the Vaikuṇṭha jagat, the cooperation, the service is voluntary. And here in this material world the service is forced because it is māyā. Just like in the jail the service is there. One who declares that "I don't care for the government. I break all the laws." But he is put into jail. There is no question of breaking the laws, but by law he has to work forcibly. He has to do it. So here in this material world we are working under force of māyā. That is called daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). That force you cannot avoid. You cannot avoid. Only you can avoid when you voluntarily cooperate with Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Hayagrīva: But it's ambiguous in this way. It says, "Outside the enactment of duty we can not know anything else of God."

Prabhupāda: So what is that, I am asking, what is your duty? We have got definite duty. We divide the whole human society into division. That is called varṇāśrama-dharma. Socially, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and spiritually, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Now the..., it is so that whatever you are doing, you must do it in one of these eight principles. So there are eight principles; there are duties. So if you act accordingly to the position, say gṛhastha, you have got a position, or a sannyāsa, you have got a position So sannyāsī means this; gṛhastha means this. So if you follow that principle, then you are doing duty. But if you have no standing, then what is your duty? That is very common sense. If you go to work in a big office, so the master of the office gives you duty, "You do this. You are dispatcher." Or "You are clerk, you are this, you are...," then it is duty. And the, if you engage, go to the office, now "Simply let me do my duty," so "What is my duty? Shall I sit down on the clerk's bench or on the superintendent bench, or on the What is my duty?" Duty must be given, that "This is your duty." Where is that indication?

Purports to Songs

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1969:
Paśu pākhī jhure, pāṣāṇa vidare. And it is so nice that even the most stonehearted men will be melted. Pāṣāṇa vidare. Pāṣāṇa means stone, and vidare. Pāṣāṇa, even stone, will melt. It is so nice. But he regrets that, viṣaya majiyā: "Being entrapped by sense gratification..." Viṣaya majiyā, rohili bhuliyā. He's addressing himself, "My dear mind, you are entrapped in the sense gratification process and you have no attraction for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." Viṣaya bhuliyā, rohili majiyā, se pade nahilo āśa: "You have no attraction for the lotus feet of Caitanya-Nityānanda. So what can I say? It is only..." Āpana karama, bhuñjāya śamana: "I can simply think of my misfortune only that Yamaraja, the superintendent of death, he is punishing me in this way, that he is not allowing me to be attracted to this movement." This is the statement of Kahoye locana-dāsa: "This is the statement of Locana dāsa Ṭhākura."
Purport to Parama Koruna -- Los Angeles, January 16, 1969:

Then Locana dāsa Ṭhākura says that viṣaya majiyā, rohili poriyā. "Unfortunately I am so much entrapped in these demands of the body or the senses that I have forgotten the lotus feet of Caitanya Mahāprabhu." Viṣaya majiyā, rohili poriyā, se pade nahilo āśa. "I could not desire to be attached to the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya." So why it is so? So he's lamenting that āpana karama, bhuñjāye śamana, that "I am suffering the sequence of my past misdeeds, that I could not be attracted by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is a punishment on me by the Yamaraja, the superintendent of death." Actually, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, saṅkīrtana movement, is so nice and attractive, every simple, I mean to say, unsophisticated person shall be attracted. But if one is not attracted it is to be understood that he is being punished by the laws of the superintendent of death. Anyway, if we stick to this principle of chanting, then even Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, he'll also fail to punish. That is the verdict of Brahma-saṁhitā. Brahma-saṁhitā says, one who takes to this devotional life, his reaction of past deeds are adjusted immediately. so every one of us should take part in this movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.

Page Title:Superintendent (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:13 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=70, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:70