Therefore we shall find in this Bhagavad-gītā that the complete whole, comprising the supreme controller, the controlled living entities, the cosmic manifestation, the eternal time, and the activities, all of them are completely explained. So the whole thing taking together completely is called the Absolute Truth. The complete whole, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is therefore the complete Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa. As I have explained, that the manifestation are due to His different energies, and He is the complete whole.
Supreme Absolute Truth (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:
So the brāhmaṇas' duty is to give education, intelligence, up to the understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth, Brahman. The Absolute Truth is called Brahman. So one who knows Brahman or the Absolute Truth... Knowledge means the end of knowledge should be up to the understanding of the Absolute Truth, the original source of everything. Absolute. Not relative. Relative truth, everyone knows, but when one comes to the point of understanding the Absolute Truth, the original source of everything... There must be original source of everything.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972:
Without refreshness, one cannot understand this sublime subject matter. And the guru, or the spiritual master, should be refreshed by taking bath in the ocean of Vedic knowledge. And what is the result? Śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. By, after such cleanliness, he has taken shelter of the Supreme Absolute Truth, without any material desires. He has no more any material desires; he's simply interested in Kṛṣṇa, or the Absolute Truth. These are the symptoms of guru, or spiritual master.
Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:
Everything is emanating from Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. So that cannot be false. Because Absolute Truth, how from truth, false will come? This is our philosophy. The matter may be temporary, but it is not false. The Vedic injunction is mā asataḥ. Mā asato sad gamaya. Don't try to be entangled with the asat. Sad asat. But try to come to the platform of sat.
Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:
After speculating in the impersonal philosophical way, when one is mature, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān, when he's actually wise,... So long he cannot understand that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha... (Bs. 5.1). brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Bhagavān. That... vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). This is statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata: "Those who know the Absolute Truth, they know that Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, they are one. It is different phases of understanding only."
Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:
So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth. And He is person. But we cannot understand Him unless we go through a kṛṣṇa-bhakta. Therefore to understand Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has come down as a bhakta, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. So we have to understand Kṛṣṇa through Lord Caitanya. Because Kṛṣṇa Himself has come... kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne.
Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:
In the Īśopaniṣad it says, "My dear Lord, please wind up this effulgent light so that I can see Your face actually." That is stated in the Vedic literature. So originally the Absolute Supreme Truth is a person. If you want proof from Vedas, there is proof. Bhagavad-gītā is proof. Why should we accept a third-class man who is speaking something against? Is that man greater than Kṛṣṇa? Then why shall I talk about him? He's not important even ordinary man. We shall treat all these persons less intelligent, foolish. They have no perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth.
Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:
"Nārāyaṇa is not a creation of this material world. He's transcendental." He has accepted. And what to speak of the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, all. They have written so many nice commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā, Brahma-sūtra, establishing that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is speaking as person. And He is warning the rascals: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). "Because I am speaking as a human being, the rascals, they deride." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. They do not know what is My influence, what is My power."
Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:
And one who is properly utilizing this valuable life for understanding Kṛṣṇa, he is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means one who knows the Supreme Absolute Truth. He is called brāhmaṇa. The sacred thread is offered to a person who knows Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise it is not awarded. This is a symbolic representation. This man has got sacred thread, that means he knows Kṛṣṇa, Brahman, Supreme Brahman. Just like Arjuna, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).
Lecture on BG 4.3 -- Bombay, March 23, 1974:
The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything is generated. So everything, amongst everything, I am also, you are also. So you are also coming from that Supreme Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "All these living entities..." Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya: (BG 14.4) "In any species, any form of life..." Sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ: "As many forms are there..." Not only human beings, the animals, the trees, the birds, the aquatics, the insects, everyone, all living entities. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ: "In any species of life, as many forms are there," ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, "I am their original father." Bīja-pradaḥ pitā, seed-giving father.
Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:
Even Śaṅkarācārya, who is, who has got a different opinion from the Personality of Godhead. Because we, we, the Vaiṣṇavas, we are, we accept the personal Godhead, but there are other philosophers who do not accept the personal feature of the Supreme Absolute Truth. Śaṅkarācārya was the head of this impersonal school. Still, he has admitted in his commentation of Bhagavad-gītā that sa kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ bhagavān: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. He's the Supreme Lord." So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, and He's accepted.
Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968:
Just like your fortune will go with you in your head. You may go to moon planet, but this head will go with you. Yadi yao bhaṅge kaphala yabe saṅge.(?) You cannot change. If you have to attempt anything for real progress, then this is real progress. What is that? To know the Supreme Absolute Truth, which is manipulating all activities. That is real progress. Bhāgavata again says, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum: (SB 7.5.31) "These rascals, they do not know where is the ultimate destination of his self-interest."
Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:
Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca. This is the Vedic information. The Supreme Absolute Truth, God, has nothing to do. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. Nobody is equal to Him, nobody is greater than Him. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). His energies are multi. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. It is multi-energies working so nicely that we are seeing that it is automatically being (done). Not automatically. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10), under His direction. But the machine, but the energy is so subtle, it appears like "Oh, it is has become automatically." But it is not being automatically. There is superintendence. But parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca.
Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:
You have to find out a person who is tattva-darśī, who has realized the Absolute Truth, either in Brahman conception or in Paramātmā conception or in Personality of Godhead conception because we have got different tastes. So the Paramātmā or the Supreme Absolute Truth is also manifested in three phases: Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān. So anyway, either you select the impersonal Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth, either you select the localized supreme soul, Supersoul conception of the Absolute Truth, or you accept the highest, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:
Unless you come in direct touch with the Supreme Absolute Truth, this knowledge has no value. This knowledge has no value. If you want, you can study anything, any straw in the street. You can make a very analytical study of the straw. But that sort of knowledge has no value unless you come to the point of our spiritual existence. So sāṅkh... So Kṛṣṇa says... The idea of sāṅkhya-yoga, analytical study of this material world, means you have to find out the spiritual existence. And that spiritual existence you can have when you directly come to the spiritual life. So direct process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun.
Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:
Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān. The other day we have explained who is Bhagavān. Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, Supersoul, and ultimately, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, Bhagavān, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is person, and secondarily, He is all-pervading Supersoul, and the brahmajyoti effulgence.
Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:
The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) the Supreme Absolute Truth is that from whom or from which everything emanates. Now we have got forms. so we have also must have been, not only we, there are different kinds of forms of the living entities. Wherefrom they come? Wherefrom this form is originated? This is very common sense question. If God is not a person, then how His sons become persons? If your father is not a person, how you can become a person? This is very common question. If my father has not a form, wherefrom I get this form?But people imagine, because when they are frustrated, when they see that this form is troublesome, therefore God must be formless. That is an opposite conception of this form.
Lecture on BG 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966:
By Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we shall gradually develop our intelligence, real intelligence. Then we shall naturally like to enjoy that spiritual happiness. And as we make progress and get taste of spiritual happiness, so proportionately we give up the taste of this material happiness. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is gradually developed in realizing, understanding the Supreme Absolute Truth, pareśānubhavaḥ. Pareśānubhavaḥ. As pareśānubhavaḥ, as we make progress to understand the Absolute Truth, naturally we become detached from this false happiness we are trying to enjoy. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:
This the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you see Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees, if you chant "Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa is not different from the name because He's absolute. He is not different. The word "Kṛṣṇa" and the person Kṛṣṇa, or God Kṛṣṇa, is not different, because everything is Kṛṣṇa. The oneness, the philosophy of monism or pantheism, is perfect. When that oneness comes in understanding Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth from whom everything is emanating, then everything is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:
The Supreme Absolute Truth is one, but He's realized from different angles of vision. Those who are trying to realize the Supreme Absolute Truth by speculation, they come to the impersonal conclusion. And those who are trying to think Him, think about Him within the heart, dhyānāvasthita... That is the yogic, yogic principle, to think of the Supreme within the heart. He is there within the heart. Both the living entity, individual living entity and God, is sitting within this heart. That's a fact.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:
Brahma satyam. Jagan mithyā. He simply explains the negative side. But brahma satyam: "Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is truth." So attachment for that. You cannot give up the attachment spirit, but you have to change the attachment. That is freedom. We have got so many attachments for this material world. You have to transfer that attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. He doesn't say that "You give up your attachment." How you can give up your attachment? That is not possible. He says, "Just transfer the attachment to Me."
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:
Tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram. The yogis, "Generally, the yogis, they are trying to concentrate the mind upon the Supreme Absolute Truth. That is the yogic practice. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga means to concentrate your mind to the Absolute Truth by controlling the senses. Because the senses are very restless, it will not allow you to concentrate your mind. Therefore yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. That is yoga.
Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:
So actually, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, we can understand that the Absolute Truth is ultimately the Supreme Person. But we cannot accommodate within our teeny brain that how the Supreme Absolute Truth can be a person. That is the difficulty. That is the difficulty of Māyāvāda philosophy. That is the kūpa-maṇḍūka-nyāya, that "Because I am a person, I am so much limited, how a person can be unlimited?" That is the difficulty for them.
Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:
The parties were two cousin-brothers, and this Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. Therefore it is called bhagavān uvāca. So He is teaching Arjuna bhakti-yoga. Yoga means the means by which you can contact the Supreme. That is called yoga. Another, yoga means linking. So there are many types of yoga system for linking ourself with the Supreme Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal, localized, and personal. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is realized by different persons according to different angle of vision.
Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:
Now, Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). When we cannot accommodate that how from a person all these material manifestation, the gigantic sky, the innumerable planets with different varieties of energies, how it is possible that it is produced from a person... Therefore, those who are in poor fund of knowledge, they think just the opposite way. Because personally, how it is possible? Therefore they think of the Supreme Absolute Truth as imperson, but that is not fact. Person. We can again study.
Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:
In the transcendental knowledge there is no duality. There is no..., nothing different from nothing. Everything is on the same level. That is called... One who knows that knowledge, he is called tattva-vit. Now, the tattva-vit says that the Supreme Absolute Truth is recognized in three aspects: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate-brahmeti, impersonal Brahman; and Paramātmā, the localized Supersoul; and Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Personality of Godhead.
Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:
So now here in the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord Kṛṣṇa says that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). There are so many transcendentalists. That means those who are trying to realize the Supreme Absolute Truth. There are many different kinds of spiritual process. So they have been analyzed into three groups. Although they are many, still, they have been put into three groups.
Lecture on BG 9.13 -- New York, November 28, 1966:
Jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive, inquisitive. And the answer is given here in the Vedānta-sūtra, next. Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now this life is meant for inquiring about the Supreme Brahman." And what is that Brahman? That Brahman means that janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "Brahman means that source, that Supreme Absolute Truth from whom or from which everything emanates, the cause of all causes." That is Brahman.
Lecture on BG 9.23-24 -- New York, December 10, 1966:
There are so many things recommended for self-realization or the Supreme Absolute Truth realization. So Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "Of all those processes, the ultimate beneficiary is I am, Myself, Lord Kṛṣṇa." Ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā prabhur eva ca. "Master." Prabhu means master. Na tu mām abhijānanti: "People do not know Me," na tu mām abhijānanti, "that 'Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Enjoyer, the Absolute Enjoyer.' "
Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:
Don't surrender to any nonsense. You have to... And how that intelligent or nonsense can be found out? That is also mentioned in the śāstra. That is mentioned in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad. Tad viddhi praṇipātena pari... (BG 4.34). Kaṭha Upaniṣad says that tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). This śrotriyam means that one who is coming in disciplic succession. And what is the proof that he has come under the disciplic succession? Brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham means he is fully convinced about the Supreme Absolute Truth. So there you have to surrender. Praṇipāta. Praṇipāta means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipātam, no reservation.
Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:
He is not only within this universe, but He is also within the atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara... Paramāṇu means atom. In this way Lord Viṣṇu is expanded, and He is jñeyam, He is to be understood. Jñāna, knowledge, simply material knowledge, is not perfection of knowledge. Real knowledge is to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, Viṣṇu. That is real knowledge. That is explained here. Jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi: "I shall now explain to you what is the ultimate goal of knowledge."
Lecture on BG 13.16 -- Bombay, October 10, 1973:
So one has to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth both outside and inside. Antar bahiś ca bhūtānām acaraṁ caram eva. There are two things. Some of them are moving, or with life, and some of them are not moving. Even living beings... Here it is called bhūtānām. Bhūtānām means living entities. So there are some living entities which are moving, just like we.
Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:
So there are two kinds of muktis. So far sāyujya-mukti is concerned, that is not very sure. What is this sound? (thumping sound like drum or machine in background) Sāyujya-mukti, one who takes liberation of merging into the existence of the Supreme Absolute Truth, that is not very secure position because they may fall down again to the material world. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). These impersonalists, after undergoing severe austerities... To come to the Brahman platform, impersonal Brahman platform, that is also not very easy. One has to undergo severe austerities. Tapasya.
Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:
He says, śāstra, evidence, Vedic evidence, must be accepted. The Vedic evidence is very chronologized in the Vedānta-sūtra. He especially mentioned, brahma-sūtra-padaiḥ. Brahma-sūtra means Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta-sūtra means the summary of all Vedic knowledge. The Vedic knowledge is given in codes. That is called Brahma-sūtra. Sūtra means code, and Brahman means the Supreme Absolute Truth. Understanding of the absolute truth in code words, and the explanation... A code word requires explanation.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 6, 1971:
So Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances to satyaṁ param, the Absolute Supreme Truth, not to the relative truth. Everyone has to offer obeisances to somebody. Somebody... In our practical life, at least, we have to offer obeisances to the police constable. When you go on the street, as soon as they, "Stop!" So we have to obey. So how you can avoid obeying? They are saying that "We don't believe in God. God is dead. I am God." But why you are offering obeisances even to the small constable? That means you have to offer your obeisances to somebody. That is your position.
Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 6, 1971:
Vyāsadeva says that "I offer my obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth." Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). There is no more truth beyond that. And as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Mattaḥ, "Beyond Me there is no more superior power." Mattaḥ parataraṁ na anyat. So Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances to the person above whom there is nobody. God means controller, I have several times explained. But here in our experience we see that one controller is controlled by another controller. Nobody is absolute controller.
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971:
Just like in our schools and colleges, the state constitution, laws, lawyers, they study. So one may not know, but that is not very good position. But one who knows, his position is better. So simply to know: "There may be somebody, God. He has given us some laws. All right, let us abide by the laws," just like ordinary man doing. But to know, that inquisitiveness is called brahma-jijñāsā. That is required. Human society, human being must be interested in knowing that, the Supreme Absolute Truth, who has given us these codes and laws.
Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:
Ultimate knowledge means to inquire about the Supreme. We are getting knowledge... We are inquiring, "What is the newspaper today? What has happened?" That is also knowledge. But that is not ultimate knowledge. Ultimate knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Ultimate... Vedānta means to know the Supreme Absolute Truth. That is ultimate knowledge. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:
You cannot understand God by direct perception. You have got your eyes, but if you want to see, "Where is God? Show me," that is not immediately possible. You have to prepare your eyes to see God. So therefore God's another name is Adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛta-akṣajan jñānaṁ yatra(?). Not by direct perception you can understand God. So here it is mentioned... Adhokṣaja means you cannot perceive the Supreme Absolute Truth by your sense perception. You have to learn it by śruti, by hearing. Hearing is also experience, by hearing.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that a person advancing in spiritual knowledge must come to the point of understanding Vāsudeva, Vāsudeva. Then his knowledge is perfect. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Not ordinary men, but those who are actually searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth, such persons, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, after many, many births of searching like that, he understands that "Vāsudeva is everything." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Such mahātmā, or advanced soul... Mahātmā and kṣudrātmā, or durātmā. Those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge they are called mahātmā.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:
The Supreme Absolute Truth, He has nothing to do. He has nothing to do. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. He has nothing to do. Everything is being done by His potencies. Just like a big man, a big business man, or a big, the president of the state, he personally does not do anything. But his energies, his secretaries and others, they do everything. He simply signs or gives sanction. So this is the fact. God has nothing to do. Everything is being done very nicely by His energies.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:
So this perfection of love. We are also after love. A young man is after love; a young boy is after love. So wherefrom this love comes? Because originally the love is there in Kṛṣṇa. That is the version of the Vedānta-sūtra. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. So this loving affair has come from the Supreme Absolute Truth, but it is pervertedly reflected only. Pervertedly reflected. Yatra tri-sargaḥ amṛṣā. Here in the material world we are simply seeing the perverted reflection of the spiritual world.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:
As the ocean is beautiful, constant flowing of waves, similarly, the ocean of bliss of the gopīs relationship with Kṛṣṇa, these Gosvāmīs were always absorbed in that. Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. So Kṛṣṇa's opulence, Kṛṣṇa's dealings with the gopīs, they are not ordinary things.
- ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis
- tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ
- goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.37)
He got His pleasure potency. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). The Supreme Absolute Truth is the reservoir of all pleasure. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:
Everyone is struggling for ānanda, but he does not know whether ānanda is there. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Absolute Truth, He is the reservoir of ānanda Therefore you will see Kṛṣṇa's picture always in ānanda. Wherever you see Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is in the battlefield, still, He is smiling, ānanda. He is not morose. Arjuna is morose. But He is not morose. Because he is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt.
Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:
Trayī means three: karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa and upāsanā-kāṇḍa. So in karma-kāṇḍa platform, fruitive activities, the sacrifice is required, and for sacrificing, you require fire, so that you can gradually understand what is the Absolute Truth. Similarly, if you want to see Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, then you have to come to the platform of goodness. You cannot remain on the platform of ignorance and passion. Therefore our training to the student is to bring him to the platform of goodness, brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Brahma-darśana. Brahma-darśana means one who has seen brahma, or one who has known brahma. He's called brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:
Just like athāto brahma jijñāsā. Atha, "now," ataḥ, "after this," brahma, "the Supreme Absolute Truth," jijñāsā, "one should inquire." Now you can explain in volumes of books athāto brahma jijñāsā. So there are different commentators, they have explained when brahma-jijñāsā should begin, when one should be prepared to inquire about the Supreme. Somebody says, "After karma-kāṇḍīya, after finishing all these sense gratificatory processes," or "After this, after this." Because the word is atha, "now, hereinafter." "Therefore." "Therefore," that's atha. This word is very significant, atha.
Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:
So here it is said jijñāsitam adhītaṁ ca brahma. Brahma means the Supreme Absolute Truth. "You have inquired sufficiently..." Because he was spiritual master, Nārada, he knows how he was inquisitive. So, "You have inquired about the Supreme Absolute Truth." Jijñāsitam adhītaṁ ca yat tat sanātanam. Absolute Truth, sanātana means eternal. Absolute Truth is not relative. Here in this world everything we see relative. This world, material world, is called relative world. And therefore it is not sanātanam. Sanātanam means eternal.
Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:
Therefore in the, from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from the beginning, Vyāsadeva offers his obeisances to the Supreme, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "I am just offering my obeisances unto the Supreme Absolute Truth, who is the source of everything." And in the beginning he also writes, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Then he aims Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa. But he explains philosophically what Kṛṣṇa is: janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). "Kṛṣṇa, the Vāsudeva, is the original source of everything." Janmādy asya yataḥ. That is the Vedānta philosophy.
Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:
The demigods are also living entities. They are not viṣṇu-tattva. There are viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva and śakti-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva is the Supreme Absolute Truth, jīva-tattva is part and parcel, and śakti-tattva is the energy of God. So the demigods... You can become a demigod. You can become. If you follow the process how to become, then you become one day the demigod in the sun planet. It is not difficult. You can become one day even Lord Brahmā.
Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Hyderabad, August 18, 1976:
So do not misunderstand that bhakti is lower than something else. There are karma, jñāna, yoga, bhakti. Bhakti is the ultimate. So if you want to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, take from His instruction, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know Kṛṣṇa or the Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is realized from three angles of vision: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, and ultimately Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate.
Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead can be known by a person who has got a slight favor of the Lord upon him. This is the Vedic version. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena. Ātmā, the Supreme Absolute Truth, cannot be understood... Nāyam ātmā na pravacanena labhyaḥ... By becoming a great debater one can understand the Supreme—that's not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na bahunā śrutena. Nor by a person who is very vastly learned or by a great scientist or philosopher, na medhayā—in this way we cannot understand. But one who is surrendered, he can understand. Arjuna is surrendered.
Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:
Sun globe is not the sun-god. Similarly... This is a crude example. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is acintya-bhedābheda-tattva: everything is God, and everything is not God. Bheda-abheda. Bheda means not, different, and abheda means one. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Acintya... For us, how we can adjust, at the same time one and different? Therefore it is acintya. Not cintya, cintanīya. In our present sense it is difficult to adjust things how we are one and different with the Supreme Absolute Truth.
Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:
So in the beginning Kuntīdevī gave us this understanding that God, the supreme puruṣa... Puruṣa means person. He's not imperson. Puruṣa. But He's not a puruṣa of this material world, not a personality of this material creation. That is to be understood. The impersonalists cannot accommodate in their poor fund of knowledge how the Supreme Absolute Truth can become a person, because whenever they think of person they think of a person of this material world. That is their defect. So they have poor fund of knowledge. Why God should be a person of this material world? So that was cleared in the beginning. Prakṛteḥ param, beyond this material creation, but He is a person.
Lecture on SB 1.8.23 -- Mayapura, October 3, 1974:
Even the dictionary accepts. He's not a stone, dead stone. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The Supreme Absolute Truth is the original source of all creation." Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything that we see, matter and life, everything comes from Him. But whether He is matter or life? That is explained: yes, He is life. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). He is life because He knows. So who knows? A dead stone cannot know. Unless one is a living being, he cannot know.
Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Los Angeles, April 20, 1973:
The plenary portion Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, He is in everyone's heart. That is Paramātmā. And Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. The ultimate issue is Bhagavān. So ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). Now He's equal to everyone. It is up to the devotees or persons who are trying to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth. According to their capacity of understanding, the Absolute Truth, God, is revealed, either as impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā or Bhagavān. It is up to me.
Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974:
Just like if you worship some superior, when you give foodstuff to your spiritual master, superior, you find out the best, selected foodstuff, not that anything, worst: "You eat it. If you don't like, don't eat. I don't mind." No. This is the way of worship. When you worship superior, and who can be more superior than Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He's the Supreme, Absolute Truth. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).
Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1973:
So what should be the inquisitiveness in this human form of life? Therefore the Vedānta-sūtra says: athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now this life is meant for inquiring about the Supreme Absolute Truth, or Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth, ultimate goal. So that is human life, when we inquire about. Therefore those who are inquisitive about God, they are not ordinary persons. They have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as sukṛtina. Sukṛtina means background is pious. Just like you are all. You have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on account of their, of your very nice background.
Lecture on SB 1.16.13-15 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1974:
People are searching after knowledge, philosophers, scientists, politicians, and others, so many. Everyone is after knowledge. Brahma-jijñāsā. Jijñāsā, everyone is inquiring what is the Supreme Absolute Truth. That is possible in this human form of life, not in the cat's and dog's life. So those who are cats and dogs in the form of human being, they cannot inquire. They cannot inquire. Because they may be in the form of a human being, but actually they are no better than cats and dogs.
Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Los Angeles, June 16, 1972:
Activities are there. Kṛṣṇa is coming, showing His activities. But they will say, "It is māyā. Kṛṣṇa is māyā." Although Kṛṣṇa is practically showing them that it is not māyā, it is completely spiritual, but their dull brain cannot accommodate that Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Absolute Truth. Therefore the so-called scholars, when Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65)—Kṛṣṇa says, "Just become My devotee, offer your obeisances unto Me, always think of Me," man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ—the scholar, the so-called scholar, says, "This is not to Kṛṣṇa the person. It is to the unborn which is within Him." The rascal does not know that Kṛṣṇa has no within-without. Kṛṣṇa is absolute.
Lecture on SB 2.3.23 -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1972:
When Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), the scholars will say "It is not to Kṛṣṇa the person, it is to the impersonal Brahman which is within Kṛṣṇa." They cannot conceive that the Supreme Absolute Truth can become a person. They cannot conceive. Such a huge cosmic manifestation is created by a person like us, resembling like us, two hands, two legs—their poor brain cannot accommodate. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā. Mūḍhāḥ.
Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:
Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3), Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate, śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt. Śuśrūṣubhiḥ, those who are serious about understanding about the Supreme Absolute Truth, so for him, immediately God becomes entrapped within the heart. God is there, but especially... Hṛdi avarudhyate, kiṁ vā paraiḥ... Avarudhyate means you capture God. If there is discussion between devotees... Tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said. Tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca. When Bhāgavata discussion is there amongst devotees... It is the business of the devotees, not the business of the nondevotees. Unfortunately, India, it has become a profession.
Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:
...being completely aware of Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, not a bogus. If you want to receive knowledge, then you must approach a guru who is brahma-niṣṭham. That is the qualification of guru. Brahman, brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. These words are there. He is living in Brahman, Absolute Truth. He has no other business. That is guru.
Lecture on SB 2.9.4 -- Japan, April 22, 1972:
You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So devotee is privileged so much, especially in this age, that "You take God, the Supreme Absolute Truth, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." If you do it properly, then everything is done. You are given the thing immediately, but it may take some time. That is gradual. That is another thing. And for others, those who are trying to know the Absolute Truth by their own effort, for them, first realization is Brahman. Then next realization is Paramātmā. And if they can surpass these two realizations, then, some day, they may become fortunate to understand what is the Supreme Person.
Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:
Because in Upaniṣad the negating, that negation, negation of the material form... Therefore it is described in an impersonal form. These nonsense are sticking to that impersonal form. Impersonal—there is no form. Really, Veda says, apāni-pāda javano grahitā: "The Supreme Absolute Truth has no legs, has no hands, but He accepts whatever you offer." Now, how He accepts? He has no hand; then how He accepts? But they have no brain. They have no brain. When it is said that "He has no hand," it is said that "He has no hand like you." When he says that "He has no leg," it means that "He has no leg like you."
Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:
Just like if you prepare something from gold, an earring, that earring is also gold. You cannot say it is something else. So yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. That is the Vedic instruction. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So Supreme Absolute Truth is that from whom, or from which, everything has emanated. So if everything has emanated from the Absolute Truth, it cannot be untruth. How it can be untruth? It may be temporary. Therefore we Vaiṣṇava philosophers, we do not accept this jagat as the Māyāvādī philosopher says, jagan mithyā. No, we don't say mithyā. We say jagat is also satyam. Because the jagat has emanated from the Supreme, therefore it is not mithyā, but it is temporary. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:
Everything is emanated from the Supreme Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa. That much knowledge is sufficient. Then you can increase—how they are working. How, by Kṛṣṇa's energies, the material energy is working by the direction of Kṛṣṇa, that is advanced knowledge. But on the whole, if we... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). That is perfect knowledge. If we think that this matter is working independently, as modern scientists, they think that chemical evolution... No. No chemical evolution. Life does not produce by chemical evolution. Life is from life.
Lecture on SB 3.25.36 -- Bombay, December 5, 1974:
So Kṛṣṇa says that "There is no more better personality or better superior existence than Myself." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). He says, "Me." Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Ahaṁ sarvasya... Aham, "Me," "I." He says everywhere. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa is person. Kṛṣṇa is not imperson. Kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām. It is said that "One who is impersonalist, he takes more trouble to come to Me. He will come later on, but it will take some time." The impersonal feature of understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth, it is partial understanding.
Lecture on SB 3.26.9 -- Bombay, December 21, 1974:
In one code Vyāsadeva describes that janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The Brahman, Supreme Absolute Truth, is that from whom everything comes." So unless this principle is there, that Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is also energized or worked with His energies; otherwise why this conception comes within this material world? The material world is shadow reflection of the spiritual world. Unless the original thing is there in the spiritual world, it cannot be reflected in the material world.
Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:
The Vedānta replies, "From the Absolute Truth, varieties." Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Supreme Absolute Truth has got so many varieties of energies. For each and every variety, particular, finer craftsmanship, there is different energy. They are working. Just like we require to present some varieties a specialist, so Kṛṣṇa Himself has got all the special varieties of energy, and they are working in such a nice way as svābhāvikī. He hasn't got to learn it.
Lecture on SB 3.26.46 -- Bombay, January 21, 1975:
So impersonal Brahman, nobody can construct any sthānam, place, of the impersonal Brahman, or Paramātmā. Paramātmā has got place everywhere. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ..., sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). So that is the worshipable Deity for the yogis. And impersonal Brahman for the jñānīs. And Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the shelter of both Parabrahman, I mean to say, impersonal Brahman, and Paramātmā... Yad advaita brahma upaniṣadi. Upaniṣadi, in the Upaniṣad, Vedic Upaniṣad, the impersonal Brahman is described. And the yogis, by meditation, they try to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth by seeing the Viṣṇu form, four-handed Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1).
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:
Tattva-jijñāsā, that is the main business. Now, what is that tattva? That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam: (SB 1.2.11) "Those who are aware of the tattva, they say that tattva means the Supreme Absolute Truth." Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Jñānam, that knowledge, is advaya. Advaya means without any duality. But they are expressed in three different ways—Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān—brahmeti paramātmeti, according to the stage of understanding. Those who are in the lower stage—we cannot say lower—in the beginning stage, that is Brahman realization. And one who has made further progress, that is Paramātmā realized. And one who has made further progress, that is Bhagavān realization. This is the verdict.
Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Nellore, January 7, 1976:
Persons who subject themselves to the rules and regulation of atonement are not at all intelligent. Indeed, they are in the mode of darkness. Unless is freed from the mode of ignorance, trying to counteract one action through another is useless because this will not uproot one's desire. Thus, even though one may superficially seem pious, he will undoubtedly be prone to act impiously. Therefore real atonement is enlightenment in perfect knowledge, Vedānta, by which one understands the Supreme Absolute Truth." In this verse there is one particular word, vimarśanam. The meaning of this vimarśanam: "full knowledge of Vedānta."
Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:
This impersonal conception of the Supreme Absolute Truth is also brahma-jñāna, but that is partial. God is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His form, His person... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "My dear Arjuna, you, Me, and all these men who have come here, we existed like this in the past." That means we are all individuals, because when Kṛṣṇa was speaking in the battlefield, He is person, and He was teaching Arjuna—he is also person. And the soldiers and other kings, they are also all persons. So Kṛṣṇa says that "It is not that we are imperson in the past or we shall become imperson in the future." No.
Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:
It is stated clearly in the very beginning, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Supreme Absolute Truth is that from which everything emanates. So this affection between the child and the father or mother, if it is not there in the original Absolute Truth, wherefrom it comes? Do you follow? If the Absolute Truth is the source of everything, then whatever you will see here in this material world, they are simply reflection of the original.
Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:
This life is meant for knowing Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. That is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. And if somebody, getting this human life, he does not become a brāhmaṇa, then he remains a kṛpaṇa, miser. Kṛpaṇa means miser. You have got some millions of dollars, but you do not spend it. You keep it in the safe and see daily, "Oh, I have got so much money." They are kṛpaṇa. Why you keep money? Utilize it. Distribute it for Kṛṣṇa. That is brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:
Therefore the śāstra says, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In the Kali-yuga there is only śūdras." There is no more brāhmaṇa. Of course, there is, not "no more," but very minor quantity, very... Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Brāhmaṇa means one who is aware of the Supreme Absolute Truth. And one who is above brāhmaṇa, when the Absolute Truth is worshiped, that is Vaiṣṇava. A brāhmaṇa may be qualified in so many ways, but if he is not a Vaiṣṇava, then he cannot be a spiritual master. That is also stated in the śāstra: ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipraḥ. A brāhmaṇa is very qualified, ṣaṭ-karma. Ṣaṭ-karma, six kinds of activities.
Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:
Kṛṣṇa is just like the gold mine, and I and you, just like gold earring. The gold earring or gold finger ring or any golden ornament, that is gold undoubtedly, but is not as big as the gold mine. That is the difference between God and ourself. That is the difference. Qualitatively, we are one, being part and parcel of the Supreme Absolute Truth, but quantitatively we are different. Therefore, simultaneously, we are one and different. This is called acintya-bhedābheda tattva. Acintya. We cannot conceive in our present status of life that one thing can be equal and different from another. But if we think over it (a) little soberly, we can understand. This is the example. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7).
Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:
Everyone knows—at least every Indian knows—and they observe Kṛṣṇa's birthday. That is beginning. But Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, He is the origin of everything, He is the cause of all causes, that is not known. That one has to know. The brahmajyoti, impersonal jyoti is bodily effulgence. The brahmajyoti is resting on Kṛṣṇa. Brahmaṇo aham pratiṣṭha, Kṛṣṇa says. Just like the illumination in this room, prakāśa, is resting on this bulb. Although the illuminating light is spread all over this room, that is not original. The original is the bulb.
Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:
One who is trying to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth by dint of his sensual knowledge, by , I mean to say, exercising different knowledge, neti neti, they can approach up to the impersonal Brahman. And those who are yogis, those who are trying to find out the Absolute Truth within this body, they can realize up to Paramātmā. Brahmeti paramātmeti. And those who are on the highest planet, on the supreme platform of understanding, tattvataḥ, they realize that the Supreme Absolute Truth is the person, exactly a person like us.
Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:
If you simply try to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, that is the purpose of Vedas. And it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā also, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). What is the use of studying Vedas? What is the use of studying this Bhāgavata or...? To understand Kṛṣṇa. That's all.
Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:
The Lord is puruṣa, the male. The Lord, the Supreme Truth, absolute cannot be female. Just like so many others, Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that the Supreme Absolute Truth can be female. No. He can be female, but the real form is puṁsaḥ. Just like Arjuna accepts the Absolute, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ (BG 10.12). The Lord is puruṣa, He is not female. Here also puṁsaḥ. Another meaning of puruṣa means "enjoyer."
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:
So parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Supreme Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, has got innumerable, multi-energies. Out of that, learned scholars, devotees, they have divided the whole energy into three, external, internal, and marginal. So the living entities, they are production of the marginal energy. The living entity is energy, prakṛti. Not the puruṣa. Puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. We are all prakṛtis, all living entities. Prakṛti means predominated, and puruṣa means predominator.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:
By culture of knowledge, by philosophical speculation, if one comes to this point, conclusion, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything, then he's jñānavān, real jñānavān. That is real... Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. He must be submissive. That submissive means, "Yes, after cultivating knowledge, my Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have come to this conclusion, that You are the Supreme Absolute Truth. I bow down my head upon Your lotus..." That is real jñāna. That is jñāna. Otherwise, ajñāna.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:
Kṛṣṇa has got many energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate, svābhāvakī-jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). That is the Vedic version, that the Supreme Absolute Truth has got multi-energies, and by utilizing, manipulating that energy, He is manifesting Himself in so many ways. The same example: just like the sun, by expanding its energy, heat and light, is perceived. The sun is ninety-three million miles away from us. So how we can understand the sun? By his heat and energy. By his heat, we can calculate what is the actual temperature.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:
So devotees are so exalted. Rādhārāṇī orders, "Don't allow Kṛṣṇa to come here." Kṛṣṇa cannot come in. He flatters the other gopīs: "Please allow Me to go there." "No, no. There is no order. You cannot go." So Kṛṣṇa likes that. But the Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand that the Supreme Absolute Truth can be controlled by the devotee. They want to become one. But here the Vaiṣṇava, pure Vaiṣṇava, they become so exalted that there is no question of becoming one.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:
Out of His causeless mercy, He comes, He descends. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Glānir, this is glānir. Human life is meant for one thing, athāto brahma jijñāsā, to inquire about the Supreme Absolute Truth. But instead of doing that, they have created so many "isms." That is their misfortune. Real business is athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human life, nature, gives us the opportunity to inquire about the Absolute Truth. We have got the intelligence.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:
So unless the Absolute Truth has got this dancing propensity, wherefrom we get it? This is the logic. We cannot have anything without that thing being present in the Supreme Absolute Truth. That is the meaning of janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). But this dancing, our dancing, ball dancing, and that dancing is not the same. This is perverted reflection with inebrieties, dissatisfaction, frustration. But in the dancing of Kṛṣṇa there is no such things. No inebrieties, no frustration. Because that is not false; that is real.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:
There cannot be any competition of the Parameśvara or Paraṁ Brahman or Paramātmā. Therefore in this verse it is said, svayaṁ bhagavān kṛṣṇa ekale īśvara. Īśvara, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, cannot have any competitor. Asamaurdhva. These words are there. Asama. Asama means there is no equal. And aurdhva, and nobody is greater. Asamaurdhva. Nobody is greater than Kṛṣṇa, and nobody is equal to Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:
They are doing, the hogs are doing sense gratification all day, eating, and as soon as there is female, oh, there is sex. Do you think this is human life? No. Vedānta says it is not human life. The human life is to understand what is spirit, what is the background of this manifestation, janma. So at once the Vedānta-sūtra replies, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). "Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is that who is the background of all this manifestation."
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:
Kṛṣṇa is complete—His energy, His opulence, His beauty, His knowledge. Similarly, He's complete always. Then another statement, vicitra śakti puruṣa purāṇa. Another statement of Vedic literature, Upani..., vicitra śakti puruṣa purāṇa. That Supreme Absolute Truth is a puruṣa. Purusa means enjoyer, man. Man is supposed to be the enjoyer. He's not woman. Woman is supposed to be enjoyed. Therefore this very word is used: puruṣa. And Purāṇa, the oldest man, oldest man. Nobody... Because He's the cause of all causes; therefore He should be the oldest.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:
Now, the Lord's body is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge, and Śaṅkarācārya says that prākṛta-sattvera vikāra. "This body of Kṛṣṇa or Lord Rāma, when They come," according to Māyāvāda philosophy, that "actually, the Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, has no form, but when They assume form, They take help of this material nature." That is not a fact. They come in Their own spiritual form. That is confirmed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.113-17 -- San Francisco, February 22, 1967:
Those who are demigods, those who are godly, they are simply searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth. They are focusing their concentration, their meditation, on the lotus feet of Viṣṇu. This is the statement of Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad. Sa īkṣāñcakre. In the Praśna Upaniṣad... This is in the Ṛg-veda. I am sorry. This version, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ, this version is from Ṛg-veda. Then again, in the Praśna Upaniṣad, there is another statement, sa īkṣāñcakre: "He glanced over, glanced over." "Glanced over" means when He glanced over, then the creation began, this material creation. Therefore it should be understanding, it should be understood that this glancing is not material because before His glancing there was no material creation.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.113-17 -- San Francisco, February 22, 1967:
As from the energy of the fire, there are so many sparks dancing, similarly, we are all sparks of the Supreme Lord. But as soon aw we come out of the fire, as soon as we want to become independent of the Supreme Absolute Truth, our that spiritual energy becomes almost extinguished. It is never to be extinguished, but it appears, it appears. Just like fire covered with ashes. So again, when ashes are removed, the fire comes. So our position is like that. We are now covered by the ash of this material energy and, as soon as this will be removed... The removal process is Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa—ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), cleansing process. As soon as we are completely cleansed, we are as good, I mean, as illuminating as Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.118-121 -- San Francisco, February 24, 1967:
Lord Caitanya, from different quotations of Vedas, He establishes that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person. He's not imperson. And so far Śaṅkarācārya is concerned, he was ordered to preach Māyāvāda philosophy by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the time being. It is not that this is the only process for realizing the Absolute Truth.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:
The Māyāvāda philosophy is "If God, or Brahman, is all-pervading, then why there should be another, separate Brahman?" No. That is also confirmed in the Vedic literature: pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). Pūrṇasya. Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is complete. And if complete is taken from Him, still He is complete. This is material idea, that if the complete has spread all over, then where is the separate existence of the complete? That is material idea. But the spiritual statement is, "If complete is taken from the complete, still the complete is complete." That you have to understand.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.254 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1968:
Mother will say, "My dear boy, my dear child, here is your father." You have to accept. If you say, "I don't accept. I must have proof that he is my father." How it is possible? It is not possible. Similarly, the Vedic literature is to be considered the mother and Vedic literature says, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The Supreme Absolute Truth is that who is the source of all generation, all emanations." And what is that source? Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am the father." So if you believe scriptures, Vedic literatures, if you believe Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme father because the mother... Vedic literature is considered to be the mother.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.111 -- New York, July 19, 1976:
So actually God is there, and His system is going on in three potencies. In the Vedas we learn, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Para, the Supreme Absolute Truth, has many potencies, and all the potencies have been summarized into three. That is stated here: cic-chakti, jīva-śakti and māyā-śakti. Cic-chakti means spiritual potency, and jīva-śakti, living entities. We are also śakti, prakṛti; we are not puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. We cannot be the enjoyer; that is not possible. So śakti... In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is confirmed, apareyam itas tv prakṛtim viddhi me parām.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- New York, July 20, 1976:
Bhagavān, the Supreme Absolute Truth, Viṣṇu, all-pervading Personality of Godhead. So His potency... So His potency must be also spiritual. Just like the sun globe is reservoir of heat and light. Everyone will know. So His potency... The sun globe potency, sunshine, is also heat and light. It is not different from the sun. Śakti means potency. Śakti śaktimat abheda. The potency of a certain person is nondifferent; there is no difference in quality. The same example, the sun and the sunshine. Sunshine is the potency of the sun, but the quality of the sun and the quality of the sunshine is the same, heat and light.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.121-124 -- New York, November 25, 1966:
So many Vedas there are. And ultimately the knowledge is there, how to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth and how to get yourself liberated. That is... These are the subject matter of Vedas. So in the Bhagavad-gītā also the Lord says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: (BG 15.15) "The ultimate purpose of Veda is to understand Kṛṣṇa." Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). So Kṛṣṇa or the sādhu and śāstra does not stop your material activities. Because you have to act materially so long you have got this material body, so they give regulation, how you should act so that ultimately you can reach to Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966:
He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Godhead, and He is Ātmā. He is situated as Paramātmā, the Supersoul, in everyone's heart. And He is Brahman. He is impersonal brahmajyoti spreading everywhere. So how the same thing is understood in different features? That is said, jñāna, yoga and bhakti. Those who are trying to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth through knowledge, they can go up to that impersonal Brahman. Those who are searching after the Supreme Absolute Truth through meditation, yoga, they can approach Kṛṣṇa up to His plenary portion, Paramātmā, or the Supersoul.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.156-163 -- New York, December 11, 1966:
So one who is dazzled by this glaring effulgence of the rays of Kṛṣṇa, they can realize the Supreme Lord or the Supreme Absolute Truth as impersonal. Sūrya yena carma-cakṣe jyotirmaya bhāse. Carma-cakṣe, with our present eyes, defective... All our senses are defective. We are very much proud of our eyes. I want to see personally. But we do not know that with these eyes or any sense, they are all defective. They are not perfect. Just like in the glare of the sunshine, oh, we see nothing. We see sometimes darkness. So we cannot believe these eyes or senses. We have to take information of perfect knowledge from the authorities. That is the Vedic way. So those who want to see God or the Supreme Absolute Truth by the agency of their imperfect senses, they say that God is impersonal. They're imperfect. That is a realization of the imperfect senses.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:
Generally, two parties: the Māyāvāda philosophers and the Vaiṣṇava philosophers, or the impersonalists and the personalists. Otherwise, there is no difference. Ultimately, the Māyāvādī philosophers they say that God, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is impersonal, and the Vaiṣṇava philosophers, they say in the ultimate end, the Absolute Truth is Person and He is, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). This is little difference, and they stick to their position and they fight. Fight means by philosophical arguments. That is going on since a very long time.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:
Now, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is writing. These boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa, they are playing with whom? They are playing with the Supreme Absolute Truth, who is considered as impersonal by the great sages. Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma... Brahma-sukha. Brahma, transcendental Brahman realization. The reservoir of Brahman realization is here, Kṛṣṇa. So these boys who are playing with this Kṛṣṇa, He is the reservoir of that Brahman realization. Itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena. Dāsyaṁ gatānām, those who have accepted the Supreme Lord as master, that means devotees, for them this Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.19-31 -- San Francisco, January 20, 1967:
You smash the universe and grind it into powder, and you just count all the atoms. That is possible . But still, it is not possible to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore who understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he understands everything. Tasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. If somebody understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, he understands everything because He is everything.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.29 -- San Francisco, January 21, 1967:
Giving up the devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if one is foolishly simply engaged in understanding "What is this? What is that...?" That will be understood. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam etaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you understand Kṛṣṇa, if you understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, then there will be nothing unknown. Everything will be known because He is everything. Teṣāṁ kleśala eva śiṣyate nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātainām. Such persons who are simply wasting time, "What is this? What is this? What is this?" their profit is simply labor of love, that's all.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 7 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1970:
"One who always sees all living entities as spiritual sparks, in quality one with the Lord, becomes a true knower of things. What is there as illusion or anxiety for him?" This realization is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There are different kinds of realization, but ekatvam, a qualitatively oneness, is always there. The brahmavādi, impersonalist, they think that we are cent percent one with the Lord or the Supreme Absolute Truth, but that is not a fact. If one is cent percent one with the Supreme Lord, then how he has come under the control of māyā? This question, they cannot answer.
Festival Lectures
Sri Gaura-Purnima Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.38 -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:
The Supreme Truth is Kṛṣṇa, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Na caitanyāt kṛṣṇāt para-tattvaṁ param iha, yad advaitaṁ brahmopaniṣadi (CC Adi 1.3). The Brahman, advaita, monists' Brahman, which is described in the Upaniṣad, yad, that factor, yad advaita brāhmaṇopaniṣadi, Paramātmā, and the Paramātmā, Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān—this is the three features of the Supreme Absolute Truth.
Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:
Kṛṣṇa is Paraṁ Brahman. That is accepted by Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma, paraṁ brahma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Paraṁ Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now, in this material world there are different features of sense gratification. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa, whether they are a loving affairs or pastimes of this world? That is his question. Just like here young boys and young girls meet together, they try to enjoy life. Whether Kṛṣṇa's līlā, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with the gopīs, is the same thing? No. That is the philosophical presentation.
Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:
So far your country is concerned, your country is opulent. They have got all supplies of the necessities of the body. Now after this, there is another urge, which is described in the Vedānta-sūtra as brahma-jijñāsā, inquiring about the Supreme Absolute Truth. When one is above material poverty or material necessities of life, the next question is—that is natural—about spiritual. Because we are combination of matter and spirit, so that spiritual inquiry is there. Therefore generally, these boys and girls, they looked to some Indian swami to give them some enlightenment. Unfortunately, perhaps before me all the swamis who came here, they did not give them the right information.
Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:
Most of you must have read Bhagavad-gītā. In the Fifteenth Chapter it is said that the living entities are part and parcel of God. God is by nature joyful. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said about the Supreme Absolute Truth, as ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), by nature joyful. Therefore, as we are part and parcel of God, our aim of life is joy. We are searching after that joyfulness within this material world, but that is not possible. Just like a fish, if it is taken from the water and put on the land, in any condition the fish will never feel joyfulness. Similarly, we are spirit souls. Somehow or other, we have come in contact with this material world.
Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:
As it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-jijñāsā, to discuss about the Supreme Absolute Truth, Brahman. What is that Brahman? Janmādy asya yataḥ. That Brahman means wherefrom everything emanates. So science, philosophy, means to find out the ultimate cause of everything. That we are getting from the śāstras, Vedic literature, that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam.
Sri Vyasa-puja -- Hamburg, September 5, 1969:
Generally, those who are followers of speculative process, or jñāna-mārga, they finally reach to understand that he is one with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But the devotional service is so nice that a devotee is not satisfied that "I am one with the Supreme," but by his service he becomes greater than the Supreme. Just like Nanda Mahārāja. He is not anxious to become one with God, but he underwent so great penances that he became the father of God. That is possible.
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 30, 1968:
So the lesson is that we should not treat Rādhārāṇī as ordinary girl, or Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man. They are the Supreme Absolute Truth. But in the Absolute Truth, there is the pleasure potency, and that is exhibited in the dealings of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. And Rādhā's expansion all the gopīs, and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord.
Initiation Lectures
Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:
So if we want to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth, we should begin from the name, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, the name, the holy name. But we cannot understand whether this is the name of God due to our imperfect senses. Therefore the formula is, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). You cannot understand. Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, somebody is taking pleasure in hearing the name of Kṛṣṇa. Somebody may say, "What is this nonsense? They are disturbing," because he has no knowledge of the name.
Initiation of Lokanatha dasa -- New Vrindaban, May 21, 1969:
If God is great, how anybody can be greater than Him? It is right. Eh? Nānyat parataraṁ nāsti: "There is nothing more greater than Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everything." Vedānta-sūtra says, "Brahman, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is the source of everything." And here is the direct answer by Kṛṣṇa, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: "I am the source of everything." So we follow this philosophy. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we directly take Bhagavad-gītā as the evidence of existence of God. And if you want to know God, you cannot know God by speculation.
Initiation Sri Ranga, Romaharsana, Sridhara Dasas -- Los Angeles, July 3, 1970:
Those who are impersonalists, they think that "After all, the Absolute Truth is void or impersonal. So we can imagine any form." The Māyāvādī philosopher says, sādhakānām hitarthaya brahmaṇo rūpaḥ kalpanaḥ. "Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, He is formless, but because we cannot concentrate our mind in the formless, therefore let us imagine any form we like, and that will make me advance." This is not the philosophy. The Absolute Truth, Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has His form and He is not equal, nobody is equal to Him. So according to Vedic literature, you cannot put Viṣṇu-tattva even on the equal footing with Brahmā and Śiva.
General Lectures
Lecture on Maha-mantra -- New York, September 8, 1966:
So this sound, this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, is the sound representation of the Supreme Lord. The sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. The whole thing, either material or spiritual, whatever we have got experience, nothing is separated from the Supreme Absolute Truth. Nothing is separated. Everything has emanated from the Absolute Truth.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:
So it is poor fund of knowledge only that these conclude that the ultimate Absolute Truth is impersonal. No. Because Vedānta says, Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Supreme Absolute Truth, or Brahman, is that from whom everything generates, everything is born. Now, everything is born. Then you have got personality, I have got my personality, everyone has got personality. How you can think of Him that He is not person? We have got experience that a father is person, therefore his son is also person. So if we are born of the supreme father, then if we are person, how He can be imperson? It is simple reason. But His personality is different, our personality is different. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His body is different, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. His power is different, His potency is different.
Brandeis University Lecture -- Boston, April 29, 1969:
The Vedānta-sūtra, the first code is athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now let us discuss about the Supreme Absolute Truth." And immediately the answer is... What is Brahman? Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The ultimate source of everything." A simple word. You have to find out the ultimate source of everything, the cause of all causes. Then you have found out God. Don't accept a nonsense as God. Find out the cause of causes, ultimate cause, where there is no more cause. He is the ultimate cause. That is stated in Brahma-saṁhitā and all Vedic literature.
Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:
Whatever we are experiencing, they are all different energies of the Supreme Lord, parāsya śaktir. In the Vedic literature, Upaniṣad, it is said, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. The Supreme Absolute Truth has many varieties of energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate, svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). And the energies are acting so nicely that it appears that it is being automatically, nicely done. Just like a flower is (blooming). The energy of God is acting there, but we are seeing that it has automatically become so beautiful and blooming. No. That is energy. That is the vision how we can see God. How we can see Kṛṣṇa?
Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:
One energy is called superior, and another energy is called inferior. Matter is inferior, and the living entities are superior. But in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, both of them are energies. The energies in their particular field of activities, superior or inferior... But still, in connection with Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, for Him, there is no such distinction, superior and inferior.
Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:
I cannot understand the author's mind. I may imagine something, but you cannot understand the author's mind, what does he want to explain. Therefore Vyāsadeva explains himself about the Vedānta-sūtra: athāto brahma jijñāsā, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The human life, atha, now it is the time for inquiring about the Supreme Absolute Truth. Not in other life. "Other" means other than the human life: animal life, beast life, plant life, aquatic life, insect life. There are so many, 8,400,000 of species of life. By evolutionary process, when we come to the human form of life, it is our duty to understand and inquire about Brahma. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That Brahma is explained by the author.
Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:
The paramahaṁsas can taste what is that supreme consciousness. Paramahaṁsa asādhika caraṇa kamala cinmakarundaya bhaktajana manasa nivasaya śrī kṛṣṇāya. Bhaktajana manasaya nivasaya. That Supreme Absolute Truth, cinmakarundaya, in the peaceful lotus within the heart, He lives there. He lives in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa has explained that Īśvara, the Supreme Lord... He is the Supreme Lord. He says that Īśvara, the Supreme Lord, lives in everyone's heart, and He also lives there as paramātmā, cinmakarundaya. So the paramātmā and the ātmā both are living within the heart. Cinmakarundaya kṛṣṇāya.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
Controller must be a person. He must have brain, He must have desire, He must have capacity to give orders. So many things. So therefore the Vedic information is the Supreme Absolute Truth is a person. He's not impersonal. The impersonal realization of God is realization of His different potencies. Just like this material world, this is the manifestation of one of the potencies of God. He has got many potencies. So all the many potencies have been grouped into three: the material potency, the spiritual potency, then the marginal potency, between the material and spiritual.
Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:
So for eating, sleeping, mating and defending, there is no need of education. Education means athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is education. How to know the Supreme Absolute Truth—that is education. But the university, they are educating people how to eat, how to sleep. Eh? They are manufacturing so many eatables, different types of eatables, although God has given immense foodstuffs for human society. Just like these fruits, they are made for human beings. They are not eatables for the cats and dogs. They are meant for human beings. So eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has supplied, He is supplying immense foodstuffs for all living entities.
Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:
In the Bhagavad-gītā they are explained differently, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga. All of them are yogas, but there are different stages. Yoga means to connect or to link up with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now suppose he is in the topmost platform. So everyone is trying to go there. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, "Everyone is trying to come to Me, but..." Just like the person who's on the top floor. So the staircase is one. Somebody has crossed ten steps; somebody has taken, crossed twenty steps; somebody has crossed hundred steps; but one has to go, to fulfill, say, one thousand steps. There are different yoga systems. Everyone is trying to go to the topmost platform, mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. This is a fact.
| Page Title: | Supreme Absolute Truth (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 23 of Nov, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=126, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 126 |