That is Krsna's... (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"that is Krishna's" |"that is Krsna's" |"this is Krishna's" |"this is Krsna's"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

Prabhupāda: No, that is not...

Devotee: No, but I mean it goes to show that even though no matter how much we try to develop...

Prabhupāda: But that is, that is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10). Those who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, they are never put into distress. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Kṛṣṇa's devotee is never vanquished. Even they are artificially put into distresses... Just like Pāṇḍavas, they were put into distresses, artificially. Prahlāda Mahārāja was put into distresses by his father even, but ultimately he came out victorious. So one..., we should not be disturbed, even superficially we see that a devotee is in distress. Devotee, real devotee, he does not take anything as distress. He takes everything as Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo (SB 10.14.8). Otherwise that is not pure devotion. Actually devotee's never in distress. People may see that he is in distress. Just like there is a very good example. You are going to Māyāpur, you'll find. His name was Śrīdhara, Kolaveca Śrīdhara. His income was very poor. At night he would chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra very loudly: "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa..." His neighboring friends would say, "This man has no income, and because he is hungry now he is chanting 'Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.' He's hungry." So one day Caitanya Mahāprabhu Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to take away his possession, flowers. He was selling, making business, making some donā, donā. What is called donā?

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973:

He is first-class yogi. Who is first-class yogi? Mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā, "who is always thinking of Me." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's advice in the Bhagavad-gītā. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "Always think of Me." It is not difficult. You think of Kṛṣṇa. You have got Kṛṣṇa's form. That is first-class meditation. Kṛṣṇa says, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). Thinking of Kṛṣṇa, antar-ātmanā, within the core of heart. Sa me yuktatamo mataḥ. He is first-class yogi. So we are teaching that, how to become first-class yogi. "Chant Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and hear." Immediately... All Kṛṣṇa's—Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's qualities, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's paraphernalia, Kṛṣṇa's opulence—everything will be subject of your thinking. This is called first-class yoga.

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

Therefore, sun being one of the eyes of Kṛṣṇa, because the sun rises there, because sun is seeing, therefore you are seeing. You cannot see independently. You are so much proud or you eyes. What is the value of your eyes if there is no sunlight? You cannot see. Even this electricity, that is derived from sun. So actually when Kṛṣṇa sees, you can see. That is the position.

So our senses... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat. Sarvataḥ pāṇi-pāda... Everywhere Kṛṣṇa has His hands and legs. What are that? My hands, your hand, your leg—that is Kṛṣṇa's. Just like if somebody says I have got branches all over the world. So those branches are working on the management of the supreme person. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa also. Kṛṣṇa is therefore called Hṛṣīkeśa, Hṛṣīkeśa. So business is... Bhakti means when we engage our hṛṣīka, our indriyas, our senses, in the service of the proprietor of the senses. That is our perfect life. That is our perfect... But as soon as we desire to use our senses for the gratification on the senses, that is called karma. That is called material life. So therefore, for a bhakta there is nothing material. That is īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). The bhakta sees that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat, tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore whatever Kṛṣṇa gives us... Just like a master. Master allots something to the servant, "You can enjoy this." That prasādam. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajā... This is the life. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you understand that "Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, even my hands and legs, they also belong to Kṛṣṇa, all the parts of my body, they belong to Kṛṣṇa, then it should be used for Kṛṣṇa," that is called bhakti.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Los Angeles, August 15, 1972:

The idea is that one gopī is advising another gopī, "My dear friend, there is one boy. His name is Govinda. He is standing on the bank of Yamunā near the Keśi-ghāṭa, and He's playing on His flute. And He's so beautiful that especially during full moon night, please do not go there." (laughter) Why? "Now, because if you have got intention to enjoy in this material world with your family members, wife, children, husband, please do not go there." Smerān bhaṅgī-traya-paricitāṁ sāci-vistīrṇa-dṛṣṭim. Bhaṅgī-traya. "Kṛṣṇa always stands in three-curved way with His flute. That is Kṛṣṇa's tri-bhaṅga-murāri." Tri-bhaṅga. Three places, He is bent. So,

smerān bhaṅgī-traya-paricitāṁ sāci-vistīrṇa-dṛṣṭiṁ

vaṁśīnyastādhara-kiśalayām ujjvalāṁ candrakeṇa

govindākhyāṁ haritanumitaḥ keśi-tīrthopakaṇṭhe

mā prekṣiṣṭhāstava yadi sakhe! bandhu-saṅge 'sti raṅgaḥ

"If you think that you will enjoy more your life in this material world, then you do not go there. You do not go there."

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

So when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, it does not matter whether he's a strī or a śūdra or a dvija-bandhu. Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. They also can be elevated to the highest platform of perfection.

So that is Kṛṣṇa's special favor. Ordinarily, this is the formula. This formula. What is that? Dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. This is the ordinary formula. Ataḥ pumbhir, pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. It is based on the varṇāśrama division. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Everyone must have perfection, but people are not interested what is the perfection of life. Neither they know what is the position of perfection. The perfection is hari-toṣaṇam, to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It doesn't matter what you are. If you are brāhmaṇa, by your activities, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā, by your austerity, knowledge, you satisfy Kṛṣṇa, the Sup..., Viṣṇu, the Supreme... Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu, the same. Viṣṇu-tattva..., Kṛṣṇa is the origin of viṣṇu-tattva. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Kṛṣṇa says. He is the origin of Viṣṇu also. Sarvasya. Because in the creation, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara. The origin of original demigods of this creation. Brahmā is the creator, Viṣṇu is the maintainer, and Maheśvara, or Mahādeva, or Lord Śiva, is destroyer. The three deities in charge of three departmental activities. So Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. That means He's the origin of Brahmā, He's the origin of Viṣṇu, He's the origin of Lord Śiva. Ahaṁ sarvasya pra..., mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So therefore, here it is said, hari-toṣaṇam. If we satisfy Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He includes everything. Sarvasya prabhavaḥ. You do not require to satisfy separately other demigods. There is no need.

The example is given: yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14).

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. So these two classes are now wanted. Here is stated, cātur-varṇyam..., eh, varṇāśrama, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Otherwise, this present human civilization is dead. There must be these two classes of men: brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya. Śūdras and vaiśyas are there. There are so many shopkeepers and workers and laborers. There is sufficient number. Now there is no brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give some benediction to the whole human society. It is not a sectarian so-called religion, sentiment. No. It is a scientific movement. Scientific movement... If you say, "Why you are interested to save the human society?" That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Kṛṣṇa wants, God wants, that "All these living entities, they should come back home, back to Godhead. Why they are suffering?" Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes personally.

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

(BG 4.8)

Kṛṣṇa is very anxious. We are suffering here, rotting here. We are sons of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not like to see that we shall rot here. He wants, "Come back home, dance with Me, eat with Me." But these rascals will not go. They will stick here. "No, sir. It is very good here. I shall become hog and eat stool. That is very pleasant."

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

So those who are under the karma, under the principles of nature's law—that is karma, nature's law—they are different. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā (BG 3.27). Those who are ordinary living entities, they are being carried away by pull, they are being pulled by the ear by nature's law. But those who are devotees, their position is different. They are under the special attention of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He therefore declares: kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). "My dear Arjuna, you can declare to the world that anyone who is My pure devotee, he'll never be vanquished. I shall take care." Why He is asking Arjuna to declare? Because a devotee's attempt is never baffled. That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Even His own declaration may be sometimes false, but if a devotee declares, Kṛṣṇa will see, it must be done. It must be done.

Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was given benediction by a devotee, Lord Brahmā. He tactfully got so many benedictions, "I shall not die in this way, I shall not die in this way, I shall not..." But Kṛṣṇa saw that "This rascal has created some complication. How to kill him?" So to keep the words of the devotee, Lord Brahmā, He did not touch all the conditions proposed by Hiraṇyakaśipu. He did something else and killed him. He wanted that "I shall not be killed by man, by animal." "All right." Then Nṛsiṁhadeva is neither man nor animal. He wanted, "I shall not be killed in daytime or night." "All right." He was killed in the evening, which is neither day nor night. He wanted that "I shall not be killed on land, on water, on air." "All right." He was killed on the lap. This is God. But you may be very intelligent to trick with God, but God is still more intelligent to, I mean to say, cut down all your tricks, and He must put you into death. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). That you cannot avoid. If you, you say there is no God, God will come at the time of your death. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu; he did not believe in God. God came, "Yes, here is God, you see now what is God."

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

Everyone has got individual, individuality. So every one of is a individual personality. Everyone. So Kṛṣṇa is the supreme personality. That is the difference. He is also an individual. The only difference is that He is supreme; we are all subordinate. We are dependent on Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa does not manage things nicely, then we are doomed. Just like we were walking on the sea beach. Such a vast ocean. We are confident that "The sea waves cannot come beyond this line." We are confident. Therefore we are walking. But actually, the vast ocean, within a second, it can succumbic(?), so many cities. But by whose order it is keeping the honor, "No, not beyond this. You may be very great, that's all right, but not beyond this line, demarcated"? This is Kṛṣṇa's order.

The sun is so big, fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth, and so powerful, blazing fire. You know, those who are scientific men, they know, the sun has got his orbit, and little deviation from the orbit can turn the whole world into snow, and turn the whole world into blazing fire. Where is our scientist friend? Is it not a fact? (Svarūpa Dāmodara makes reply) Yes. It is running under certain orbit exactly, because a little deviation from the orbit will create havoc, catastrophe. Immediately. Either fire or snow. So under whose order the sun is so strictly following the demarcation? Such a big body. Our, in our practical experience, if he has got heavy body, he moves like this. He's not steady. But such a huge body is exactly... According to astronomical calculation, they calculate, some one ten-thousandth part of a second, in this way.

Lecture on SB 1.2.33 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa's energy is so powerful that He puts the potency in a seed. Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (Bg 7.10). Kṛṣṇa says bīja, means "seed," sarva-bhūtānām. "Whatever is coming out, being manifested, the seed, I am." Means—"Seed, I am"—means "It is manufactured under My supervision." Just find out the seed of a banyan tree, a small grain, like mustard seed. But you sow the seed and a big tree, gigantic tree, will come out. Unless the energetic tree is there within the seed, how it comes out? That is Kṛṣṇa's energy. That is Kṛṣṇa, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). His energy is so subtle that svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Svābhāvikī.

Now, from that seed, first of all, the trunk will come, the branches will come. Then the twigs will come, the leaves will come, and the fabrication of the leaf. Everything see, wonderful. Everything we see, wonderful. But svābhāvikī, as if coming automatically, automatically. A creeper is coming, is trying to find out a shelter. As soon as it finds out shelter, immediately captures. We have seen in our Los Angeles. Behind my house, the electric post and the wire, the creeper is taking shelter and giving flower and fruits and everything. Svābhāvikī. Now, you can say it has no eyes. How it is seeing, how it is coming here and is, what is called, squirreling? No. The energy's so perfect that svābhāvikī, it is working like nature. Automatically.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

So at the present moment, the whole civilization is a set of rascals only. That's all. There is no education. They do not know. And because they do not know, Kṛṣṇa comes. Just to make these rascals, to inform that "I am," Kṛṣṇa says, "I am," aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. Canvassing. Canvassing, "My dear sons, why you are rotting in this material world? Please come. You are My beloved son. I do not tolerate, or I do not, I cannot see that you are suffering." This is Kṛṣṇa's business. He's more kind. He's more anxious to get us back. Therefore He comes personally. Therefore He comes personally. Then again, when we mistake Him... Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The rascals, they thought, "Oh, why He's demanding so much? Why He's demanding so much? This is sophistry. Why shall I surrender to You?" That is our position. Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender. I take charge of you." Mā śucaḥ, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. "I shall give you relief from all difficulties." "No, why shall I?" Just see how much rascals we are. And they are going on as civilized men. All fools, rascals and rogues and thieves. That's all. This is the position. All fools and rascals and rogues. Ajānantaḥ. Ajānantaḥ means rascals, one who does not know. Ajānantaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.3.18 -- Los Angeles, September 23, 1972:

And the nails of the hands, and this great giant atheist was killed within a second. And keeping Brahmā's promise, he took benediction that he would not be killed by any man, any demigod, any animal, by any weapon, in daytime, in night, so many things, definition by negation. First of all he wanted directly, "Kindly make me immortal." So Brahmā said that "I am not immortal. How can I make you immortal? You can ask something else?" So he thought, "Let me become immortal indirectly. I shall not die in daytime, nighttime," because he has no idea that beyond day and night there is also another time. That he forgot.

This is Kṛṣṇa's māyā. We are very intelligent to surpass the law of the Lord, but Kṛṣṇa is so much more intelligent that you cannot surpass. You can conceive in different ways, that "I shall get out of the laws in this way or that way." But you cannot do so; you will forget something. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo

mattaḥ smṛti jñānam apohanaṁ ca... (BG 15.15).

"I am situated in everyone's heart. Memory, knowledge, forgetfulness, they are coming from Me." If you want to forget Kṛṣṇa, He will give you good intelligence how to forget. But if you want to serve Kṛṣṇa, He will give you good intelligence how to serve. It depends on your choice. Therefore our business is to surrender. "Kṛṣṇa, God, now I am surrendering. I have experimented with all my knowledge, all my intelligence, everything. They have all become failures." They are sure to become failures because our knowledge, our intelligence, our talent, strength, opulence, everything depending on God. Kṛṣṇa, He gives you a little knowledge; therefore, you can become very proud of your knowledge. He gives you a little intelligence; therefore, you can become proud of your intelligence. But as soon as He likes, He can withdraw immediately, and you become forgetful.

Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:

Now I have come. You see." This is the purpose. By the by, to kill the atheist, keeping the promise of Brahmā intact... He took benediction from Brahmā that "I shall not die in this way and this way, this way." All the promises of Brahmā kept. He appeared in such a form that it will not clash with the promise of Brahmā. Therefore He had to take the form of such a thing which does not clash with the promise. Brahmā was a devotee. He has given him some benediction. So Kṛṣṇa did not violate that. It must be kept. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Just see (the) kindness of Kṛṣṇa. He kept Brahmā's promise, He kept the atheist Hiraṇyakaśipu's aspiration, and He satisfied Prahlāda And everything was done simply by incarnating as Narasiṁhadeva. This is Kṛṣṇa's plan. He comes, but by one stroke, He serves so many business. That is Kṛṣṇa.

So here is also, Lord Rāmacandra appeared. The main business was to kill Rāvaṇa. Not main business. Main business is to satisfy the devotee, side by side, to kill Rāvaṇa. And Rāvaṇa was on the other side of Indian Ocean. So Hanumān, a devotee of Rāmacandra, he jumped over the ocean simply by chanting "Jaya Rāma." You see? But Rāmacandra thought Himself that He is unable to jump over. He had to construct a bridge. You see? But what kind of bridge? Bridge, a stone bridge that was floating on the sea. The law of gravitation did not work. That is God. He can nullify any law.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

Just like so many boys and girls come to our association just like somebody forcing him, forcing him, "You just remain in this association." That is Kṛṣṇa's grace. That means in their past life they had been Kṛṣṇa conscious. Some way or other, it was not being fulfilled. Now again the chance is being given. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā, that yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṁsiddhau. The percentage up to which he finished in his last birth, that is not lost. That is there, fifty percent or forty percent, thirty percent, whatever one executed in the last birth. Now next, this birth, unwillingly or by force, by Kṛṣṇa's force, he'll have to accept again Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Just like Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. I think I have several times spoken about Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. So Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, he raised himself in his previous life to the bhāva-bhakti. Bhāva-bhakti means always feeling for Kṛṣṇa. That is the prior stage of loving Kṛṣṇa, bhāva-bhakti. So he, in his previous life he was raised, but somehow or other, he fell down. But it is assured, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate: (BG 6.41) "Even such Kṛṣṇa consciousness person falls down, he is given chance to take birth in nice brāhmaṇa family or śuci, pure family, and rich family." So Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura was very rich man. He was born in a very rich brāhmaṇa family. And he was addicted to prostitute. By some way or other, he had some inclination like that. So he could not finish Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He fallen down. But at a opportune moment he got again the Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

Because if you get somehow or other Kṛṣṇa's favor, then there is no question of any more profit. Sufficient profit. You have got everything. Simply be sincere to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Then you have got everything. There is no need of trying for this or that. Yasmin sthito guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23). If one is situated under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, then guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate. If there is dangerous type of inconvenience, then he's not disturbed. He knows... Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja... There are many instances. His father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was giving him trouble, chastising. He was patient, not disturbed. So be sure that if you are, if you have actually taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of danger. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). And Kṛṣṇa confirms it: "Kaunteya, My dear Arjuna, you declare to the world that My devotee will be never vanquished by any enemy." That is Kṛṣṇa's assurance. So why should we try to...

Of course, if Kṛṣṇa's order is there, that is another thing. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was ordered by Kṛṣṇa, "You fight." When Kṛṣṇa says, "You fight," you must fight. Not that Kṛṣṇa says, "You fight," and you say, "No, I have taken Your shelter. Why shall I fight?" No, that is not. That is disobedience. When Kṛṣṇa says, "You fight," you must fight. When... Our life should be that whatever Kṛṣṇa says... That is full surrender. Or His representative says, that is my life. Viśvanātha Cakravartī has explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

Because the society is so fallen, therefore there is good opportunity to serve Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation is to reclaim these fallen souls. So you have got the opportunity to serve Śrī Caitan..., to please Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu because He wanted the fallen souls to be delivered. Kṛṣṇa also wanted. Yadā yadā hi glānir bhavati bhārata, dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. Kṛṣṇa comes... This is... God's business is going on like that. He's very anxious to reclaim all these rascals, rotting in this material world. Kṛṣṇa is always anxious. He comes Himself. He comes as devotee. He comes..., sends His bona fide servant, bona fide son.

So this is Kṛṣṇa's concern, to reclaim all these fallen souls. Therefore these are the opportunity. The yoginīs, the yoginaḥ, they are traveling all over the world. Only during the rainy season they were resting. Not that in other seasons eating and sleeping only. No. Because in the rainy season, to travel, there is inconvenience, therefore only four months. So during the four months, wherever they stay, simply being served by somebody as, like a boy servant, they become delivered. There was no question of preaching. Simply giving the opportunity to serve, the fallen souls become delivered. But you must be competent, not to take service for nothing. Then you'll go to hell. If you are actually in spiritual position, then by giving others little opportunity to serve you, he'll be delivered. No question of understanding the philosophy. A devotee must be so perfect. The system is, therefore, as soon as one sees a devotee, he falls down and takes the..., touches the feet. This is the system. Because by touching the feet... Mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam. If one is actually elevated to the spiritual life and he is, mean, takes, the people takes the opportunity of touching his lotus feet, then he becomes devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

Because you cannot understand Bhagavān without undergoing the process of devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know in truth, tattvataḥ... Kṛṣṇa wants that one should understand Him tattvataḥ. Not that superficially to take Kṛṣṇa, that "He was very fond of the gopīs, and let us hear the līlā of Kṛṣṇa." Why Kṛṣṇa's gopīs' līlā? Why not Kṛṣṇa's līlā killing the demons? That, the people are not interested, to hear about Kṛṣṇa's killing the demons. Because the gopīs' līlā, it appears to be the transaction between young woman and man, it very quickly appeals. But Kṛṣṇa's other business is there. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). That is also Kṛṣṇa's līlā. That is Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Just like Lord Rāmacandra is killing the Rāvaṇa. That is also Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Lord Rāmacandra's līlā and Kṛṣṇa's līlā, there is...

So we should take any līlā of Kṛṣṇa as Supreme. Not that simply the most confidential... The vṛndāvana-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's līlā with the gopīs, is the most confidential līlā. We should not entertain this confidential līlā unless we are liberated. It is very difficult subject. And because they cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa's līlā, they imitate, they fall down. There are so many things. We do not wish to discuss. But we should be... If we are actually serious about advancing in kṛṣṇa-līlā, then we must know first of all what is Kṛṣṇa, what He desires, and how we shall act. Then we can enter into the confidential part of Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Otherwise we shall misunderstand and fall down.

Lecture on SB 1.5.33 -- Vrndavana, August 14, 1974:

We are also doing the same thing. Here is the temple. What is this temple? The same ingredients, the same cement, same brick, same stone, same worker, same plan as the skyscraper. But what is the difference? Because it is cikitsitam, it is for Kṛṣṇa. You spoil your energy by the same purchase of cement, bricks, and other things for sense gratification—a theater hall, a dancing hall. The same energy spent for dancing for Kṛṣṇa, the same hall, you become liberated. By one dancing hall you go to hell, and by another dancing hall you become liberated. This is the secret.

So people have got the tendency for sense gratification. That is the material disease. So instead of satisfying your senses, try to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa. Then you become liberated. This is called cikitsitam. There is sense gratification. Here when you chant and dance, this is not your sense gratification; this is Kṛṣṇa's sense gratification: "Oh, these devotees, they are glorifying Me, they are dancing. Blessed they are." Immediately you draw attention of Kṛṣṇa, because it is bhakti.

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ...

(SB 7.5.23)

Bhāgavaty tan manye adhītam, this is the best thing. The Māyāvādī, they do not know this. They simply stop dancing. They do not know that this ball dancing may lead one to hell, but the chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is not like that. They do not know it. They simply take the negative side: stop dancing. We say "No. No stop it. We shall dance for Kṛṣṇa, we shall eat for Kṛṣṇa, we shall print books for Kṛṣṇa, not newspaper.

Lecture on SB 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974:

Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). He's giving description about Kṛṣṇa in the Brahma-saṁhitā. And the description of Kṛṣṇa's abode. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Everything is there. This is authority, śruti. Kṛṣṇa is very much fond of tending cows. Surabhīr abhipālayantam. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu. He has got His abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, where the residential houses are made of cintāmaṇi, touchstone. Touchstone, we have heard the description. Touchstone means the stone which you touch to the iron and the iron becomes gold. So such touchstone, they're used as brick. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu (Bs. 5.29).

And kalpa-vṛkṣa. This is Kṛṣṇa's abode. They are not like this. They are all spiritual. Here it is, everything is material, but there is spiritual touch. That spiritual touch we are describing in the Bhagavad-gītā, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (Bg 7.10). Without spiritual touch, there is no question of material manifestation. That is not possible. This body, your body, my body, this is material—everyone knows. It is made of earth, air, water, fire, like that. But how it is manifested? How the beautiful body is manifested? Because there is spiritual touch. The spirit soul is there. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā... (BG 2.13). This external body is changing, but it is forming on account of that spiritual touch. That spiritual touch means Kṛṣṇa. Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām. So therefore the origin of everything is Kṛṣṇa. Just like the origin of a big tree is the root. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Just like in the tree there are trunk, branches, twigs, sub-branches, leaves, flowers, so many things. But the cause is the root.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

That is not our business. Let the śūdras do it. Śūdras will be there. They will do it. This is called ajagara-vṛtti. Ajagara-vṛtti means that the mouse, they make a hole in the field for his living comfortably. You know? You have seen the holes in the field? And the ajagara, the big snake, they take advantage of this holes. They enter into it and eat the mouse, and live comfortably. So the mouse makes the comfortable place for the snake. The snake business is to enter and live comfortably. So our business is like that. You śūdras, you make all the advantages, and we take simply, go there. (laughter) That's all. That is our business. You construct house, nice house, and we enter. That's all. That George Harrison paid for that house. We enter, that's all. We do not care for this fifty-five lakhs, how to earn. No. That is Kṛṣṇa's policy. Let the less intelligent class of men work hard and the higher intelligent class of men take advantage of it. That's all.

So... But after all, it is anartha. To increase too much of these necessities of life, that is anartha. That is not required. But we have now increased the so many unwanted things, and we have been entangled. So... But Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that to minimize this anartha, one has to take to bhakti-yoga. Anartha. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣāt. Just like the other man came yesterday. They have created the anartha, hippie problem and drugs, intoxication problem. Now they want to subside it. They have come to our center for give some advice. But our advice is the same: anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam (SB 1.7.6). Begin chanting. What did he say? Did he accept our formula or not?

Lecture on SB 1.7.12 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1976:

"This adverse condition is also under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. So I am fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. Why I shall take this adverse position as not mercy of Kṛṣṇa? It is also mercy of Kṛṣṇa." Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). A devotee is not disturbed by adverse condition. He takes that this is a gift of Kṛṣṇa. Tat te anukampām. "It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Although I am put into difficulty, it is Kṛṣṇa's mercy."

So anyone who takes in that way, mukti-pade sa daya-bhāk: his going back to home, back to Godhead, is guaranteed. Because he takes everything as Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja was so much chastised by his father. You know how he was put into difficulty so many ways. But he was taking, "This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy." He did not take otherwise. So in this way wherever... Everywhere there is Kṛṣṇa's hand, so what to speak of this battlefield or any other thing. So we should not take otherwise, that "This the best part and this is the lowest part." No. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa directly. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but we cannot see. But at least in Mahābhārata, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in Kṛṣṇa's dealing with the Pāṇḍavas, the Kṛṣṇa's hand is there. That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. (break) ...it is not like that. One who is advanced, one who is actually in knowledge, they will take kṛṣṇa-kathodayam. Wherever Kṛṣṇa's kathā is there, it is as good as any other. That is the way of... Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.7.15 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1976:

It is beyond My power." So they purchased Kṛṣṇa. And the topmost gopī is Rādhārāṇī. So we should not consider these gopīs' dealings with Kṛṣṇa as ordinary material dealings. It is not that. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). The gopīs are expansion of Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency. That is described by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmāt. Hlādinī-śakti. Kṛṣṇa has got the pleasure potency. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He has got multi-energies. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is also said, parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat. Whatever we see, that is display of the potencies, different potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like the sun is ninety-three millions of miles away from this earthly planet. Still we are getting heat and light energy of the sun. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). That is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Although He is in the Goloka planet, which is the topmost planet in the spiritual world... You cannot estimate the how far the spiritual world is from this material world. From material calculation they say it takes about some forty thousands of years to go to the limit of this universe. Then beyond that universe there is the spiritual world. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ (BG 8.20), another nature, avyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ. Then you pass through the spiritual world, brahmajyoti. There are innumerable, unlimited number of Vaikuṇṭha planets. Then, above all of them, there is the planet Goloka Vṛndāvana, where Kṛṣṇa resides.

Lecture on SB 1.7.15 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1976:

It is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā, goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya (Bs. 5.43). Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni. That is Kṛṣṇa's personal planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu teṣu teṣu (Bs. 5.43). There are other planetary system, Hari-dhāma, Vaikuṇṭha-dhāma. Then, this is, this material world is called Devī-dhāma, and between the Goloka, between the spiritual world and material world there is...Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu (Bs. 5.43). So there are so many status (?) of planetary system. Each planet is full with living entities. The spiritual planet, they are full of living entities: they are all liberated, nitya-mukta. And those who are within this material world, planets, they are nitya-baddha. Nitya-baddha, nitya-mukta. There are two kinds of living entities. The nitya-baddhas are only few, but the nitya-muktas are many, many. This material world is only one fourth energy of the creation. The three-fourths energy is in the spiritual world. And here in the one-fourth energy there are innumerable universes, and each universe is full with different types of planets, and each planet is full of living entities. But these rascals, they say it is..., there is no living entity; it is sand and rocks. So this is not the fact. You have to understand from the Vedic literature about the planets, where which planet is existing, where is spiritual world, where is material world. All informations are there. Don't speculate and simply think that this planet is full of living entities, all other planets are vacant. This is most unusual argument. There is no meaning. But we are not concerned with that. We have got our own information from the Vedas.

Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:

This rascal, he wants to wander within this material world in different capacities. Sometime he's demigod, sometime he's dog, sometime he's tree, sometime he's fish, sometime he is president, sometime he's a nonsense. In this way, in different ways, he is suffering in this material world, and Kṛṣṇa is with him, trying to get him back. And whenever there is opportunity, He's asking, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, why you are suffering in this way? You give up all this nonsense business. You simply surrender to Me." That is Kṛṣṇa's ambition, that "This rascal is suffering, so better give him good instruction."

Therefore Kṛṣṇa's coming. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). "These rascals have forgotten. All right, let Me go and convince them, try to bring them back." Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes: tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). Those who are sādhu, devotees, they became immediately relieved by getting Kṛṣṇa. And those who are rascals, they had to be killed. But that killing is also good for them. Just like father—to some son he gives directly rasagullā, and to other son, slaps. But father is father, either slapping or giving rasagullā, he's father. Similarly, we should not be sorry when the father gives slaps, and we should not be overjubilant when father gives his rasagullā. Any condition. That is devotion. A devotee is never disturbed when the father gives slap or the master gives slap. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). So any way, Kṛṣṇa is always ready to help me and to give me knowledge and to understand. Where is the difficulty? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. There is not at all difficulty. Simply because we do not take advice of Kṛṣṇa, we are suffering. This is the difficulty. This is the only difficulty. Where is the difficulty? No difficulty. Simply, if you simply think of Kṛṣṇa, you become advanced. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). There is no expenditure, no loss. The gain is great. Simply if you think of Kṛṣṇa: man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Where is the difficulty?

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

The material world is like that. Even if you are as powerful as a lion, you cannot sleep. If you think, "I am lion, I am the king of the forest. Let me sleep, and the animal will come and enter in my mouth." No, that is not possible. Even if you are animal, you have to catch up an animal. Then you'll be able to eat. Otherwise you'll have to starve. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ. "You must do your duty." Śarīra-yātrāpi ca te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ. Don't think... The rascal says that "Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching people to escape. They've become..." No, that is not Kṛṣṇa's instruction. We do not allow any lazy man. He must be engaged. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is Kṛṣṇa's order. Niyataṁ kuru karma. Arjuna was refusing to fight. He was trying to be nonviolent gentleman. Kṛṣṇa did not allow him. "No, no, you cannot do that. That is your weakness." Kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam: "You are proving yourself rascal. It is anārya-juṣṭam. This kind of proposal is for the anārya, uncivilized man. Don't do that." That is Kṛṣṇa's... So don't think that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they'll become lazy and imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. That is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means, as Kṛṣṇa instructs, you must be very, very busy, twenty-four hours. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not to become a lazy fellow, eat and sleep. No.

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

This is arcā-vigraha, Deity. Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīḥ. Kṛṣṇa has appeared. Just like the same thing: Kṛṣṇa... Yaśodāmāyi wanted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his (her) son, for which hundreds of years he (she) undergone, or she undergone austerities. And when the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared before him, before her, both the husband and wife: "What do you want?" "Now we want a son like You." So Kṛṣṇa said, "There is no second one beyond Me, so I shall become your son." So He became son. So He must play perfectly, that Yaśodāmāyi may not understand that "Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Then the feelings of mother and son will disappear. Kṛṣṇa is playing exactly like a little child. So that is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Similarly, to us. We are not so elevated like Nanda Mahārāja or Yaśodā Mahārāja (māyi). We're just beginners. So we do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. We cannot see Kṛṣṇa, either His virāḍ-mūrti or this mūrti. So what we can see? We can see stone, wood, or material things. So when Kṛṣṇa appears to be seen by you and He appears like a stone statue, He's not stone statue. Don't think. Therefore we must learn how to see Kṛṣṇa. So we should not think that "Here is a stone statue." As soon as we think of stone statue, then our, this feeling, bhāva, will be lost. So the answer is that if we establish some temple and Deity and take it as a means of livelihood... (break)

So at least we Indians we are trained up like that. Not only trained up, we are born devotees. Anyone who has taken birth in India, that is special facility. In their previous birth, they had performed many austerities, much austerities. Even the demigods, they desire also to take birth in India to get this opportunity. So India... Don't think... India means this planet, Bhāratavarṣa. There is good opportunity. So we should not think.

Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:

And when it is intolerable, he approaches the kṣatriya.

So in considering all angles of vision, this Aśvatthāmā was not a brāhmaṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally advised him, mā enaṁ pārtha arhasi trātum: "Don't excuse him. Kill him, this brahma-bandhu. He has done wrong, now he deserves to be killed." It is clearly said. So does it mean that Kṛṣṇa is advising brahma-hatyā? No. Kṛṣṇa cannot do that. He is the teacher, world teacher. How He can advise somebody, especially His friend Arjuna? Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Can you advise anything adversely to your friend? To your son? No. I must give very good advice. So Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna, "Don't excuse this rascal brahma-bandhu. Don't excuse." This is Kṛṣṇa's advice. But it does not mean that we can do anything and everything under the pretext of Kṛṣṇa's advice. You must be first of all a confidential friend or servant of Kṛṣṇa. You must receive direct order from Kṛṣṇa. Then you can do it. Otherwise not. Otherwise not. Under the pretext that "Kṛṣṇa said," "My spiritual master has said," "Prabhupāda has said," we manufacture something. Don't do that. Unless you are directly ordered, you cannot do at least such things as to chastise a brahma-bandhu. This should not be done. Here is direct order.

So bhagavān ambujekṣaṇaḥ. Although He's angry, although He's the Supreme Lord, Bhagavān... He's not so-called nonviolent. How nonviolent? Nonviolent or violent. Violence is also one of the qualifications of God. Especially in political matters, when the kṣatriyas are dealing, there is always violence. Without violence, kṣatriya has no meaning. Kṣat, kṣat means injury. Trāyate. Kṣatriya's duty is to save the citizen from being injured by others. That is kṣatriya. Even an animal. Animal..., just like this Kali was trying to kill cow.

Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:

That is sa guṇān samatītyaitān, that is mukti. Baddha, conditioned, means we are under the three modes of material nature. That is conditioned. And mukti means you are not under the obligation of the three modes of material nature. That is karma-mukta. So Kṛṣṇa can make you immediately mukta. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. He can make the lowest class of men... Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ (SB 2.4.18). They are considered as the most sinful, less than the śūdras, caṇḍālas. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā... Or more sinful, śudhyanti. They can be purified by the mercy, by the power, prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Viṣṇu has got so much power. So that power you can have the benefit if you surrender to Viṣṇu. Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally comes and requests you,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

(BG 18.66)

So here is Kṛṣṇa's direction. You take always Kṛṣṇa's direction, then that is bhakti, and you remain brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. (BG 14.26) You are always immune from the sinful reactions of this material world. It does not mean... You cannot manufacture. Actually you have to follow the orders of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna is being advised.

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

Just like in jail also, there are first-class prisoners, there are second-class prisoners and third-class prisoners. The first-class prisoners, they are given some facilities. Just like political prisoners, they are given separate bungalow and servants, newspaper, book. But they cannot go out of the prison. That is called first class. Similarly, there are second class. And third class, ordinary.

So here also, we are first-class, second-class, third-class prisoners. Therefore we find so many varieties of living condition. But we are all prisoners. And He's the supreme controller. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, as supreme controller, He wants His representative to rule over this material world. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. In every planet there is a person, representative of Kṛṣṇa, who is ruling over the planet. Just like the sun planet. The sun planet is being ruled by the sun-god. His name is Vivasvān. He was also instructed by Kṛṣṇa, and that is explained in the Fourth Chapter: imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). "I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā..." Just like He spoke to Arjuna, similarly He spoke also. And who can know? He spoke to all the rulers of different planets-Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, sun-god, moon-god, that... So many. Thirty-three millions of planets and thirty-three millions of rulers. So He wants His representative.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

So Kuntīdevī is pointed that "Who is the person, alakṣya, invisible?" Here, Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa? There are so many Kṛṣṇas." Vāsudevāya, the son of Vasudeva. "There are many Vāsudevas." No, nanda-gopa-kumārāya (SB 1.8.21), nanda-gopa-kumārāya, the foster son of Mahārāja Nanda. Three times she's pointing: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa who officially takes His birth as son of Devakī and Vasudeva, but He enjoys the company of mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja—the childhood company. This is Kṛṣṇa's pastime.

So ānanda-līlāmaya-vigraha. Ānanda-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's līlā, pastimes are all jubilant. Ānanda-līlāmaya. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). He is by nature ānandamaya. Kṛṣṇa, you'll never find Kṛṣṇa is very unhappy. Kṛṣṇa is never unhappy. Kṛṣṇa is always happy. Therefore nanda-gopa-kumārāya govindāya (SB 1.8.21). He is happy, and whoever, whoever associates with Him, he's also happy. Govindāya. We are after sense gratification. Go means senses. So if you associate with Kṛṣṇa, you enjoy your senses affluently. Just like the gopīs are dancing with Kṛṣṇa. So there is no scarcity of sense gratification also. But that is not this sense gra..., gross sense gratification. That is spiritual sense. That is spiritual sense. Ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya (Bs. 5.32). We chant every day. That sense, you get, sense gratification is ānanda-cinmaya, cinmaya, in the spiritual world. Not this third-class ānanda with these bodily senses. This is not ānanda. This is an illusion. This is illusion. We are thinking that "I'm enjoying," but that is not ānanda. This ānanda is not fact, because we cannot enjoy this material sense pleasure for long. Everyone has got experience. It is finished. It is finished. But spiritual enjoyment does not finish. It increases. That is the difference. Ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya govindam ādi-puruṣam (Bs. 5.32).

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice—you become directly in contact with Govinda. This Deity worship is also directly in contact with Govinda. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. This vigraha, the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, that is also Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Because Kṛṣṇa is alakṣya, invisible, He has become visible for your facility, as you can see. Still... It is not that Kṛṣṇa is stone or Kṛṣṇa is wood or Kṛṣṇa is metal. Kṛṣṇa is always Kṛṣṇa. But He appears... Because you cannot see except wood, stone and metal, He appears like that, wood, stone or metal. But He's not wood, stone or metal. You'll get the same facility as Kṛṣṇa personally if you associate, when you associate. You will associate with Kṛṣṇa. But at the present moment, because Kṛṣṇa is invisible, therefore He has very kindly taken a form which is visible by you. This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Do not think, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, stone Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is everything. Kṛṣṇa is everything. So Kṛṣṇa is stone also, but He's not that stone that cannot act. Kṛṣṇa can act also in the stone form also. Kṛṣṇa act also in metal form also. And you will perceive that. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. The so-called stone also speaks with you. There are many instances like that.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

So in this way, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be realized by you by the process prescribed and try to give to the people. This is the greatest welfare activities in the world, to awaken Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is, of course, practically, you can see, four or five years ago, none of you were in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but it has been awakened. Now you are Kṛṣṇa conscious. So others can be awakened also. There is no difficulty. The process is the same. So by following the footprints of devotees like Kuntī, we shall be able to understand as she's pointing out: kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya devakī-nandanāya ca, nanda-gopa-kumārāya (SB 1.8.21). This is Kṛṣṇa's identification. Just like we take identification of a person: "What is your father's name?" So here we're giving, presenting God with His father's name, with His mother's name, with His address. We are not impersonalists, vague idea. No. Everything complete. Perfect. The identification. If you take advantage of this propagation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are certainly benefited.

Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973:

Namaḥ paṅkaja-nābhāya. And namaḥ paṅkaja-māline (SB 1.8.22). So such wonderful lotus flower which contains the seedling of the whole universe... That is not only one. Paṅkaja-māline. Just like here is a garland. There are so many flowers. So Kṛṣṇa is not so poor that simply producing one lotus flower, He's finished. No. There is a garland of lotus flowers, big garland. Or as many lotus flowers as you want. This is God. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Unlimited. Everything is unlimited. Kṛṣṇa's creation... We are very much concerned with one planet, this, but Kṛṣṇa's creation is unlimited number of planets. As you see unlimited number of hairs on your head; you cannot count. Can you count how many hairs are there? This is Kṛṣṇa's creation. You cannot count. So what to speak of this hair—anything you take. You take one tree: unlimited number of foliages. You cannot count. Similarly, unlimited number of planets, unlimited number of universes, everything unlimited. Therefore He is unlimited. Namaḥ paṅkaja-nābhāya namaḥ paṅkaja-māline namaḥ paṅkaja-netrāya (SB 1.8.22). Kṛṣṇa's eyes are compared with the petals of lotus flower. Ālola-candraka-lasad-vanamālya-vaṁśī (Bs. 5.31).

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

The Pāṇḍavas suffered so much. Haridāsa Ṭhākura suffered so much. But we should not be disturbed by those sufferings. We must have firm faith, firm conviction that: "Kṛṣṇa is there. He'll give me protection." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Don't try to take benefit of other shelter than Kṛṣṇa. Always take to Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa says: kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati. "My dear Arjuna, you can declare it to the public that My devotees are never vanquished." Why declaration was advised to be made by Arjuna? Why He did not declare Himself? There is some point. Because this declaration, if Kṛṣṇa makes, there may be violation because sometimes He violates His promise. But if His devotee promises, it will be never violated. That is Kṛṣṇa's business. "Oh, My devotee has declared this. I must see that it must be executed." That is Kṛṣṇa's position. He's so much attached to His devotee. Therefore He said that: "You declare. If I declare, people may not believe it. But if you declare, they'll believe it. Because you are devotee. Your declaration will never be..."

Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Kṛṣṇa wants to see that: "My devotee's promise is fulfilled. My promise may not be fulfilled, may be broken." So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in, at all circumstances, even it's the most dangerous position. We must keep our faith in Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, and there will be no danger.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Los Angeles, April 18, 1973:

You cannot manufacture bread. You have simply transformed God's grain... The grain, the wheat is given by God, and you have simply transformed. But transforming something from something, that does not become your property.

Just like I give some carpenter some wood, some implement, and salary. And he makes a very nice, beautiful closet. To whom this closet will belong. To the carpenter, or the man who has supplied the ingredients? To whom it will belong? The carpenter cannot say that: "Because I have transformed this wood into such nice closet, it is mine." No. It is not yours. Similarly, who is supplying the ingredients, rascal? That is Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa says: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva... prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). "This is My property." You have not created this sea, the land, the sky, the fire, the air. It is not your creation. You can transform these material things, tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ, by mixing and transforming. You take earth from the land, you take water from the sea and mix it and put it in the fire. It becomes a brick. And then you pile up all this brick and make a skyscraper building. But wherefrom you got this ingredient, rascal, that you are claiming this skyscraper yours? This is intelligent question. You have stolen the property of God, and you are claiming that it is your property. This is knowledge. This is knowledge.

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

The nature is so kind that in whichever way you want to enjoy this material world, she will give you a suitable body under the direction of the Lord. Because Lord is situated everyone's heart. So He knows everything, that you still want something material. He will give you. "Yes, you take it." Kṛṣṇa wants that you get full experience that by material gain, you'll never be happy. This is Kṛṣṇa's business. It's full freedom. Although we have got minute quantity of freedom, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got full freedom, but the freedom quality is there in me because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. The chemical composition. The drop of sea water has got a drop of salt also. Although it is not comparable with the salt containing in the sea water. But the salt chemical is there. This is our understanding. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Whatever we have got in minute quantity, the same thing, in fullness is there in Kṛṣṇa. In fullness. Just like Kṛṣṇa says: mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham.

Now we have got a propensity to take other's thing. You can say it is stealing. We have got that propensity. Why? Now Kṛṣṇa has got. Kṛṣṇa is known as the Butter-thief. The beginning, thiefing, stealing. So unless that stealing propensity's there, how I can get? But Kṛṣṇa's stealing and my stealing is different. Because I am materially contaminated, therefore my stealing is abominable. Whereas the same stealing in the spiritual absolute platform is so nice that enjoyable. Mother Yaśodā enjoying the activities of stealing by Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. Material and spiritual. Any activities spiritual, that is all good, and any activity, material, that is all bad. This is the difference. Here, the so-called morality, goodness, they're all bad. And in the spiritual world, so-called immorality is also good. That you have to understand.

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

That is stated by Kṛṣṇa Himself to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja: yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8).

Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja indirectly inquired from Kṛṣṇa that: "We are completely dependent on you, and still we are suffering materially so much, that our kingdom is taken away, our wife is insulted, we were attempted to be burned in a house." So Kṛṣṇa said: "Yes that is My first business." Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. "If I specially favor anybody, then I take away all his sources of income." Very dangerous. Yes. I have got my practical experience in this connection. Yes. That is Kṛṣṇa's special favor. I do not wish to narrate, but it is a fact. It is a fact. My Guru Mahārāja ordered me when I was twenty-five years old that: "You go and preach." But I thought: "First of all, I shall become a rich man, and I shall use that money for preaching work."

So that's a long history. I got good opportunity for becoming very rich man in business. And some astrologer told me that: "You should have become like Birla." So there was some chances, very good chances. I was manager in a big chemical factory. I started my own factory, the business was very successful. But everything was dismantled. I was forced to come to this position to carry out my order of my Guru Mahārāja. Akiñcana-vittāya. When everything was finished, then I took Kṛṣṇa, that: "You are the only..." Therefore Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-vitta. When one becomes finished of all his material opulences

And now I am realizing that I have not lost. I've gained. I've gained. That's a fact. So to lose material opulences for Kṛṣṇa's sake is not loss. It is the greatest gain. Therefore it is said: akiñcana-vitta. When one becomes akiñcana, nothing to possess, everything finished, then Kṛṣṇa becomes the only riches for such person. Because he's devotee. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says:

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

That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, although... Just like He was playing just like ordinary child. But when Mother Yaśodā wanted to see His mouth open, whether He has eaten earth, dirt, He showed within the mouth all the universes. So this is Kṛṣṇa. Although He is playing just like ordinary child, ordinary human being, but when there is need, He shows His Godly nature.

Just like Arjuna. He was driving the chariot, but when Arjuna wanted see His universal form, immediately He showed him. Thousands and millions of heads and weapons. This is Kṛṣṇa. So na yasya kaścit. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa has no enemy. Kṛṣṇa has no friend. He is completely independent. He does not depend on enemy. But He plays like that for the benefit of the so-called friend and so-called enemy. He's Kṛṣṇa... That is Kṛṣṇa's absolute nature. When Kṛṣṇa favors either as enemy or as friend, the result is the same. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is absolute.

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:

Therefore where is the question of His taking birth, appearance and disappearance? In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said: janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). Divyam means it is spiritual. Ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā. Aja means unborn. Avyayātmā, without any destruction. So Kṛṣṇa is existing as in the beginning of this stotra, Kuntīdevī addressed Kṛṣṇa that: "You are within, You are without, still invisible." Kṛṣṇa is within, without. That we have explained. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. Therefore He is within everything. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He, He is within the atom even. And without also.

Viśvarūpa, as Kṛṣṇa showed, the Viśvarūpa, external feature. This gigantic cosmic manifestation. That is Kṛṣṇa's external body. These are described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The, the hills, the mountains, they are described as the bones. Just like we have got in our body some part raised by the bones, similarly these big, big mountains and hills, they have been described as the bones. And the big, big oceans they have been described as different holes in the body, down and up. Similarly the Brahmaloka is the skull, upper skull.

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:

That is also Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you think that: "This mountain is the bone of Kṛṣṇa," that is also Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually that is so. If you think that big Pacific Ocean is the navel of Kṛṣṇa. These big, big trees, plants, they are hairs in the body of Kṛṣṇa. Then the head, the skull of Kṛṣṇa, is the Brahmaloka. The sole is the Pātālaloka. Similarly... This is mahato mahīyān. When you think of Kṛṣṇa as the greater than the greatest, you can think like this. And if you think Kṛṣṇa is both, smaller than the smallest. That is also greatness. That is also greatness. Kṛṣṇa can manufacture this gigantic cosmic manifestation and He can manufacture also a small insect, smaller than the point.

You have seen sometimes in the book you'll find one insect is running. The shape is smaller than the full stop. This is Kṛṣṇa's craftsmanship. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. He can create bigger than the biggest and the smaller than the smallest. Now human being, according to their conception, they have manufactured the 747 airplane, supposed to be very big. All right. According to your consciousness, you have produced something big. But can you produce a small airplane like insect flying? That is not possible. Therefore greatness means that who can become greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest. That is greatness. If you can act one-sided... That is also not perfectly.

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:

Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). If you associate with the hog's quality, then you are going to become a hog. Nature will give you full opportunity. "All right sir, you become a hog." Nature's arrangement is like... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ. Prakṛti, nature has got three modes of nature, and as soon as you associate with one type of modes, you get the next body according to that.

So therefore Kṛṣṇa's, this plan of appearance and disappearance, they are to be very greatly understood. Not that whimsically Kṛṣṇa has come. He has got a great plan. Otherwise why He should come here? He is very much eager to take you back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Therefore He says:

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

(BG 18.66)

He is giving assurance. "My dear..." Everyone of us, we are children of Kṛṣṇa, God. So He is more unhappy. Because we are unhappy on account of this material body, we are undergoing repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. That is not very comfortable situation. But we are so fool, rascal, that we do not take care of this. We are busy for a temporary comfort of this life. But we are neglecting the real discomforts of life, birth, death, old age and disease. This is our ignorance. This is our foolishness.

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

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. Otherwise, you have to suffer these material pangs. We can understand how we are materially inconvenienced. We are... We have got such a nice house, and we are living on the third floor, so nicely decorated with marble. But the Durgā's agent, the flies, they can go there and disturb you, so much so that you would like to go away from this house. This is our position. So the bhīḥ, the fearful personified agent, can punish you anywhere. You may think that "I am very comfortably situated," but that fearful agent can go anywhere.

So that fearful agent, Durgā, is also fearful of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's position. Because she is servant. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). She is so powerful, Durgā, that she can create one universe. Just like Kṛṣṇa can create, Kṛṣṇa also creates through her agent. As it is stated, na tasya kāryam karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. He does not do anything directly, but as soon as He desires, "Let there..." Sa aikṣata sa asṛjata. These are the statements of the Vedas. In the Bible also it is said, "God desired: Let there be creation." Is it not like that? "And there was creation." Yes. The modern men, they cannot understand. "Eh! What is this? If somebody says 'Let there be creation,' and immediately that is ready? And He hasn't got to do it? These things are simply exaggeration." But no, that is the fact. God does not do anything by Himself. He's so powerful. Simply by His will... There are so many agents, and they are so powerful that immediately they can do it. The foolish people, they cannot see the hands of God is working everywhere.

So sṛṣṭi-sthiti... Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10).

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

So we may be afraid of this fearful agent, but Kṛṣṇa is not fearful, afraid of fearful agent. We do... Because we should not. Therefore Kuntī is astonished, vimohayati, that "This is my astonishment, that how Kṛṣṇa is afraid of His mother? The... Everyone is afraid of Kṛṣṇa." That Kṛṣṇa, Kuntī admits that... Therefore it is called līlā. Everything, whatever Kṛṣṇa does, it is līlā. Līlā means He's enjoying that fearful attitude of Himself. Everyone prays Him as the Supreme Lord. He is adored, He's worshiped. Nobody can be fearful to Him. Nobody goes to Kṛṣṇa: "I have come to chastise You, Kṛṣṇa." That is not possible. Nobody goes to the temple with the attitude, with a stick—"Sir, I have come to chastise You." Everyone is praying. So when Kṛṣṇa thinks that "I want to be chastised," at that time He become subordinate to His devotee to be chastised. This is Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Kṛṣṇa agrees that "Nobody comes to chastise Me, all My devotees. If some devotee comes to chastise Me, I would like it." So Kṛṣṇa accepts such great devotee as His mother and father, and they are able to chastise Kṛṣṇa.

So these people, these Māyāvādī people, they are trying to become one with the God. But a devotee doesn't like to be one with God but better than God or higher than God. That is devotee's position. Devotee's so powerful that Kṛṣṇa, a devotee can claim to become higher than God. They can produce God. Just like Yaśodā-mātā, Devakī. He (she) produced God. And God agrees. These Devakī and Vasudeva, they underwent severe penances, austerities. Without any conjugal union, they undergone tapasya. And Kṛṣṇa came to them, that "What do you want?" "Now I, we want a son like You." So Kṛṣṇa said, "Who can be equal to Me? That is not possible. I shall become your son." This is the reason that Kṛṣṇa took birth as the son of Devakī, because they become... Kṛṣṇa... Vasudeva and Devakī or mother Yaśodā or Nanda, they became the father and mother of Kṛṣṇa, and now they are chastising Kṛṣṇa. It is not so easy thing. They had to undergo thousands of years in penances to take this position of chastising Kṛṣṇa. It is not... (end)

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:

It is already explained. So this viḍambanam, speculation or bewilderment, how many types of speculation are there, that is being described by Kuntīdevī. Somebody says that Kṛṣṇa is Yādava. Yādava. Yādavāya mādhavāya keśavāya namaḥ. Yādava means born in the Yadu dynasty. And somebody says Kṛṣṇa is Vāsudeva, son of Vasudeva, Devakī. And Kṛṣṇa... And some of them, they say, nanda-kumārāya, now, son of Nanda Mahārāja. So Kṛṣṇa has many speculations, but actually He is aja. Ajas tvam asya kṣemāya.

Kṛṣṇa... This is to be understood, that everyone thinking that He is born in the Yadu family, He is born of Vasudeva, or He is the son of mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja. This is Kṛṣṇa's pastime. When the impersonalist says, or there are many philosophers, that "God has no name," actually that is a fact. God has no name. But He has name according to His activities. Just like when He acts as the chariot driver of Arjuna, His name is Pārtha-sārathi. When He plays as the child of mother Yaśodā, He is called Yaśodā-nandana. When people say that He is born of Nanda Mahārāja, He is called Nanda-nandana. When people say that He came to protect Vasudeva and Devakī, He is called Vāsudeva, or Devakī-nandana. Or when He is in the Yadu dynasty, He's said as Yādava. In this way, Kṛṣṇa has unlimited pastimes and unlimited names. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta. Ananta means unlimited. He has got unlimited because so many devotees, not one devotees, and He has to satisfy everyone, as Nanda-kumāra, as Yaśodā-nandana, as Vāsudeva, as Yādava, as Pārtha-sārathi. So in this way, when one becomes bewildered that how many names He has got, so one should understand He has unlimited names or no name, but because He has to act unlimitedly, therefore He has got unlimited names.

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:

Yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ. He is creating, and everywhere He is present. How He is present? Aṇḍāntara-stha. He's present within the universe and within the heart of all living entities, even within the atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara... That is Kṛṣṇa. That is only by His one part. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **.

So such Govinda has become the son of Vasudeva and Devakī. So how it is possible? And therefore the devotee is so great that although Kṛṣṇa, or God, is so great that by His one portion He can create the innumerable universes, He enters into the womb of Devakī and comes out as her son. This is Kṛṣṇa's grace. You see. He can make His devotee so great that the greater than the greatest is coming out of the womb of Devakī. So apare vasudevasya devakyām. And why He agreed? Yācitaḥ, yācitaḥ: "requested." Requested as Sutapā and Pṛśni. Vasudeva was Pṛśni in his former life, and Devakī was Sutapā. Sutapā. Sutapā means one who can perform austerities and penance very nicely. Su means nicely, and tapaḥ. So they underwent austerities and penance to get a son like Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Mayapura, October 15, 1974:

So here it is said, kliśyamānānām. They are... Everyone is suffering—birds, beasts, animals and trees, plants, and even Brahmā, even Indra. Indra is also not safe. He is always anxious: "Nobody, competitor, may come." So here in this material world everyone is kliśyamāna, suffering, at least with anxiety. Sadā samudvigna, asad-grahāt. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Everyone in this material world—always anxiety. Kliśyamānānām. Therefore it is called... Asmin bhave kliśyamānānām. Why kliśyamānānām? Why they are always suffering in anxiety? Avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. Because they are rascals. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is giving so much stress: "You rascal, give up all this business. You surrender unto Me," because everyone is rascal. That is Kṛṣṇa's very good mercy. He's the supreme father. Therefore directly He says that sarva-guhyatama: "This is the most confidential knowledge I am giving you: rascal, you give up everything and simply surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Yes. That is required.

So Kuntī says that "You have come to teach rascals like this and engage them in this business: śravaṇa, smaraṇa, arhaṇa." Śravaṇa. Because this is bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). But they are so rascals, as soon as they, the Vaiṣṇavas begin, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, the rascal swami will say, "No, any name, śravaṇa, will do. Any name. Why Viṣṇu? Oh, Kālī." You know. In Bengal there is a party, kālī-kīrtana. What is this nonsense, kālī-kīrtana? In the śāstra there is no such thing as kālī-kīrtana. Kīrtana means śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, Viṣṇu-kīrtana. But these rascals have discovered because they are very fertile brain and they can discover so many things. Yata mata tata patha: "I have discovered this." What is this? Kālī-kīrtana, durgā-kīrtana. So... But śāstra does not say. Caitanya Mahāprabhu does not say. Śāstra says, harer nāma: the holy name of Hari, Kṛṣṇa, not any other name. Not any other name.

Lecture on SB 1.8.37 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1973:

So we should not imitate, but at least we must be very careful to complete the sixteen rounds, the minimum. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ. We have to increase our taste for singing and chanting. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ prītis tat vasati tale(?). And we should increase our inclination to live in the place where Kṛṣṇa is living. Kṛṣṇa is living everywhere—that is, that is the vision of the higher devotees. Actually He's living, but still, because we are in the lower condition, we should know that here is Kṛṣṇa in the temple. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but for us, because we have no such vision to see Kṛṣṇa anywhere and everywhere, therefore we should come here in the temple and see Kṛṣṇa, "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has kindly appeared here in a manner in which I can see Him. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy." That is temple. We cannot see... Kṛṣṇa has completely spiritual body, but we have no eyes to see what is that spiritual body. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). We are accustomed to see this material, jaḍa, gross things. We can see stone, we can see metal, we can see wood. We can see all these material elements. But Kṛṣṇa is everything. Therefore to be visible to our imperfect eyes, Kṛṣṇa has appeared in the stone form, but Kṛṣṇa is not stone. It is not that we are worshiping stone; we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa. But because we cannot see except stone, therefore Kṛṣṇa has kindly appeared in the form carved from the stone. This is the conclusion.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

There are different planetary systems, spiritual world and material world. The... In the spiritual world, the topmost planet is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. So goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni. That is Kṛṣṇa's own abode. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā—there is information—"If you go to My dhāma, My planet, then you don't come back again." Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya (BG 9.32). So these things are all mentioned.

So here Kuntīdevī says that "Please help me in cutting my affection with my family." Sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi: "Please cut off. Please help me cutting this family connection." Then Kuntī says that tvayi me ananya-viṣayā matir madhu-pate asakṛt. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to cut off family connection and enter into Kṛṣṇa's family, not void. We are not impersonalists or voidists. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are impersonalists. They think, "Kṛṣṇa is person. Kṛṣṇa's activities are all personal. So this is also māyā." Because they are Nirviśeṣavādī, their ultimate goal is nirviśeṣa-brahman. So anything personal, they cannot accept it. And the Buddhist philosophy is to zero, śūnyavādi. Nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi. The whole world is now corrupted with these two kinds of philosophies: nirviśeṣa-śūnyavāda, impersonalism and voidism. But Vaiṣṇava philosophy is not voidism, not impersonalism. Vaiṣṇava philosophy means to know the Absolute Truth as person. Impersonal realization of the Absolute Truth is partial knowledge. It is not complete, because the Absolute Truth is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Vigraha means form. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

"Kindly help me in cutting this mūḍha relationship. And then give me attachment for You." Tvayi ananya-manasaḥ. Tvayi me ananya-viṣayā matir madhu-pate. So this is bhakti, that we have to give up the illusory attachment. Here the attachment is illusory. It will not stay. We want to live in family—husband, wife, children, father, mother—but it is not possible to live here permanently. That is not possible. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa says that "You may think that you are very happy in family relationship, but I'll not allow you to stay here. I will take everything from you as death." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. So we should understand that.

Therefore intelligent men, they should inquire, "Where we shall enter in family life and we can eternally enjoy?" That is Kṛṣṇa's family. You enter into Kṛṣṇa's family, Vṛndāvana family, where Kṛṣṇa has got His father, mother, His friends, His lover, His beloved, His cows, His garden, His Yamunā. You enter that, that family. Then yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6). Then you will not have to return back again to this temporary family, which will not stay. But if you enter Kṛṣṇa's family... Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that—you are so much family, fond of family life—"Just here see. I have got My family. I am not impersonal. I have got My family. I have got My father. I have got My mother. I have got My friend. I have got My beloved, Rādhārāṇī, and the gopīs. Everything I have got. You can enter also. Come. Why you are rotting here?" That is Kṛṣṇa's mission.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

Where there is Kṛṣṇa, the victory is assured. So in this way there was fierce fighting between Arjuna and Bhīṣma. And Arjuna's chariot became broken into pieces, and he fell down, and when Kṛṣṇa saw that "Now Arjuna is going to be killed," He broke His own promise. He broke His own promise and took one wheel of the chariot and reached before Bhīṣma that "Now I shall kill you." Bhīṣma immediately gave up his weapon. So "That was my promise, that I wanted that either You have to break Your promise or Your friend will be killed. So now You have broken Your promise. So I am giving up. Because it is not expected that I shall fight with You." (laughter) So Kṛṣṇa said that "Yes, I have kept your promise, but I have broken My promise. You decided, you promised..."

So this is Kṛṣṇa's business, to... Bhīṣma was a devotee, great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So he promised that either Kṛṣṇa would break His promise, otherwise His friend will be dead. So he broke His promise. So sometimes Kṛṣṇa breaks His promise, own promise, for the sake of a devotee. Nobody is expected to break his promise, but Kṛṣṇa is so kind, for protection of His devotee He can do anything. He can break His promise also. This is Kṛṣṇa's position. So such Bhīṣma was so affectionate to the Pāṇḍavas. So Kṛṣṇa wanted... Bhīṣma was lying on the bed of arrows, preparing for his death. So Kṛṣṇa wanted that these Pāṇḍavas should go to Bhīṣma and hear his instruction. Therefore, despite His advice to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, that "There was no wrong on your part. You are thinking that you have killed, or for your sake so many men have been killed. That is not... You are not responsible for that. You are not sinful..." For a kṣatriya, killing is not sinful. For a brāhmaṇa, sacrificing an animal in the arena, that is not sinful. So it is all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, sa doṣam api na tyajet (BG 18.48). Killing is bad, but a kṣatriya's business is to kill. Without killing, one cannot become perfect kṣatriya. Because he has to give protection, and there are so many demons, rascals. So if the king becomes nonviolent, how other citizens will be given protection? No.

Lecture on SB 1.9.3 -- Los Angeles, May 17, 1973:

I shall take the tree so that you'll get flower daily." So when He was doing so, Indra came. Indra is the king of heavenly planet. "No, Sir, you cannot do that. (laughter) You cannot take this tree to the lower planet. No, I cannot allow."

And so Kṛṣṇa said, "No, My wife wants it. I must." That is Kṛṣṇa. (laughter) How He is complete, just like a hen-pecked husband (laughter) to satisfy the wife in every respect. When He plays the part of a child before mother Yaśodā, He plays everything perfectly. When He plays the husband... He doesn't require any wife or mother. He is Supreme. But when He plays the part of a husband, He plays it perfectly. The wife may think that "How much my husband is attached to me!" So she remains very much satisfied. Kṛṣṇa is not attached to anyone, but that is Kṛṣṇa's superexcellence, that although He had to satisfy 16,800..., 108 wives, everyone was satisfied and everyone is thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is very much attached to me than His others wife, other wives." This is Kṛṣṇa's play.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:

And here also it is confirmed, that bhīṣmoktam acyutoktam. Niśamya bhīṣmoktam atha acyutoktam. So if such kind of king is there, then everything is all right. Everything. And establishing such pious king... Here it is stated, yudhiṣṭhiraṁ prīta-manā babhūva, īśvara, īśvara, niveśayitvā nija-rājya īśvaro yudhiṣṭhiraṁ prīta-manā babhūva. And Kṛṣṇa, why He took part in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra? He wanted that these rascals should be removed, the Duryodhana and company. And Yudhiṣṭhira must be there. Therefore He personally supervised the warfare. He took the reigns of Arjuna's chariot to give him direction: "Kill all these demons. Even Bhīṣma. Even Droṇācārya. Kill all of them, because they have taken side of the wrong side. Kill them." That is Kṛṣṇa's order. "Although Bhīṣma is respectful, respectable, Droṇācārya's respectable, your guru, your grandfather, and such great personality, certainly they are respectable. But because they have taken side of the wrong side, they must be killed. They must be." This is the instruction.

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

Pradyumna: "Since Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was under the protection of the ajita, the infallible Lord, as above mentioned, the property of the Lord, namely the rivers, oceans, hills, forests, etc., were all pleased, and they used to supply their respective quota of taxation to the king."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So Kṛṣṇa's another name is Ajita. Ajita means "one who cannot be conquered." His name is Ajita. Everyone can be conquered, everyone can be vanquished, but not Kṛṣṇa. Therefore His another name is Ajita. This Ajita, who is never conquered, He can be conquered by the devotee. That is Kṛṣṇa's name. Another name of Kṛṣṇa is Ajita. Ajita means nobody can conquer.

That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. This is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir

ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām

This was quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by Rāmānanda Rāya about the process of approaching Kṛṣṇa. So he suggested so many things. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Yes, but better process is there. If you know, just describe." So he described, varṇāśrama-dharma, sannyāsa, jñāna-miśra-bhakti, karma-miśra-bhakti, in this way, everything Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu rejected. Eho bāhya āge kaha āra. "This is external. This is not very good. If you know something more better, you speak." So when at last he said this verse, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva... If one becomes submissive and does not endeavor to understand Kṛṣṇa by his so-called limited knowledge, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta, one has to become sub... The whole devotional department is submissiveness. Because under the influence of māyā, everyone is falsely proud.

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

So there is a version by Kṛṣṇa that one who is anxious to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but he is entrapped by this binding-nice wife, nice children, nice home, nice bank balance—so Kṛṣṇa, in order to give them, give such devotee, facility, He takes away. Hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). Just like he did with the Pāṇḍavas. The Pāṇḍavas were devotees, but at the same time, they were king. There was attachment. So therefore Kṛṣṇa took away their everything—their kingdom, their wife, their position, their honor—test him, and still, they did not give up Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they came out victorious. So Kṛṣṇa sometimes tests His..., that how much one devotee is. He forcibly makes him renounced in order. That is Kṛṣṇa's special favor.

So this vairāgya-jñāna, it is required. We were discussing last night also, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodha (BG 4.10), these things are required. Unless one becomes completely, what is called? Averse?

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

So for them it is a jugglery. They will still know that "Here your Kṛṣṇa is killed." Yes. They will say like that. So tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram asura-yoniṣu (BG 16.19). The demons, as they want to forget Kṛṣṇa, or they do not like to understand Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa plays something like that so that they will be more convinced that Kṛṣṇa is not God, Kṛṣṇa is ordinary human being. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān. They will remain in darkness forever. Kṛṣṇa gives chance to everyone. If you want to forget Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will give you such intelligence, you will talk so intelligently that "Kṛṣṇa is not God." Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). And if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then He will give you such intelligence, you will know that "Here is Supreme Personality of Godhead." This is Kṛṣṇa's busin... If you want to forget Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will give you chance to forget Him forever. And you suffer. Because forgetting Kṛṣṇa, one is not benefited. By knowing Kṛṣṇa is one benefited. But the demons, rākṣasas, they suffer, and still they want to forget Kṛṣṇa. This is their business.

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

That is not possible. But we do not know where to give our service. That is forgetfulness. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā na pālitā durnideśāḥ. Here, the human being in ignorance, they are serving the kāma, lust, greediness, moha, anger—so many things they are serving. They are serving. A man is killing another body by lust, lusty desires. Or by illusion. So many other reasons. So we are serving. There is no doubt about it. We are serving. But we are serving our kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mātsarya. Lust, desire, avarice, like that.

Now we have to learn that we have been frustrated by serving so many things. Now we have to turn that service attitude to Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You are serving already. You cannot be free from service. But your service is misplaced. Therefore you just turn your service unto Me. Then you become happy." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. Because we are greedy... Just like a greedy man, he is suffering by eating more. There are so many diseases, just like diabetes or dysentery. There are so many things. These are the diseases for eating more. That's all. So we are suffering; at the same time, we are eating more. Because we are greedy, we are lusty. This is the cause. So therefore kāmād... We are serving. We are serving our lust, our greediness, and suffering. This is practical. If you have no hunger, if you eat... If you have no appetite, if you eat, then you suffer. If you infect some disease, you'll suffer. That is practical. So we are associating in, being infected by lust, greediness, illusion, fearfulness, so many things. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat (SB 7.5.5). If you steal, then you will be under fearfulness: "Oh, I may not be arrested; I may be arrested." Because you have done that, asad-grahat, you have done something wrong, therefore you are under the influence of fearfulness. It is very easy to understand.

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- Los Angeles, December 5, 1973:

So He can accept your service through His energy. That is His omnipotency. That is called omnipotent. You cannot do anything of your personal affairs with your energy, but... You can sometimes do. Suppose if you have got money. Even being present on the spot, by spending money you can get the things done. The money will act for you. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa being omnipotent, He can take your service through His agency, through His potency. And potency means śakti. Śakti-śaktimator abhedaḥ. Kṛṣṇa and His potency is not different. So Kṛṣṇa by His causeless mercy, He has appeared before you in a manner by which you can touch Him, you can handle Him, you can dress Him, you can give Him. This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. It is not idol worship. Therefore it is forbidden. Don't think it is idol. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Thus the Bhagavad-gītā or any authentic scriptural sound representation of the Lord is also the incarnation of the Lord. There is no difference between the sound representation of the Lord and the Lord Himself. One can derive the same benefit from the Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna did in the personal presence of the Lord."

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

He has got mind, intelligence. That is also material. But under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, the mind, intelligence, ego is working. And how it is working? As you wanted. He is giving simply permission. I want to... Just like I want to manufacture something in chemical laboratory. My intense desire is how to make it successful. Then when Kṛṣṇa sees that you are so much, mean, burst to do this, so Kṛṣṇa gives you intelligence that "You do like this." Then He becomes a scientist, discoverer. He cannot do it independently. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). One man is committing mistake and one man is doing right. Why? Because within the heart, there is Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is giving direction as he wanted.

Actually, Kṛṣṇa does not want you to do anything else except to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is His desire. People say foolishly, "What is the desire of God?" And here is the the desire of God. Openly it is said that "You give up all other occupations. Simply take to this occupation, how to become a devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. But we shall not do that thing. We shall do everything except that thing. That is our problem. And therefore we are suffering. That is demoniac. That is demoniac. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ, disobedient to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

"It is not only said, but it is accepted by sadbhiḥ, those who are actually advanced in spiritual life, sadbhiḥ." Why? Why the spiritual master should be accepted as directly as the Supreme God? Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. This priya, again, priyāṇām: "Because he is very, very dear to Kṛṣṇa." Not that because he is worshiped as Kṛṣṇa, therefore he thinks himself Kṛṣṇa and declares, "Now I am Kṛṣṇa." No. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. This priya. Priya is word. So therefore try to become priya of Kṛṣṇa. Do, act in such a way that Kṛṣṇa can understand that you are very dear to Him.

And the very simple thing is that ya idaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. This confidential service, preaching of Bhagavad-gītā... What is that? Bhagavad-gītā preaching essence: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Simply go and preach. This very thing. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Preach to the world, "Just be Kṛṣṇa conscious." Man-manāḥ. "Just become Kṛṣṇa's devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. "Just worship Kṛṣṇa." Mad-yājī mām... "Just offer your obeisances to Kṛṣṇa." Four words. Then you become a preacher. It is not very difficult to become a preacher and to become a spiritual master. How? Very simple thing. Go and speak what Kṛṣṇa says. That's all. You have nothing to manufacture, Dr. Frog. There is no need of manufacturing. We are very safe because we don't manufacture. We simply repeat, parrotlike, what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all, finished. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Let aside everything. Just become My devotee, surrendered soul." So we are preaching that. We don't make compromise. Therefore all people are against me. Because "This man simply says, 'Kṛṣṇa.' " But I cannot say anything more. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.16.2 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1973:

That was done in the case of Mahārāja Veṇa. Mahārāja Veṇa, he was upstart. He was born of a low-class mother, so he become so upstart that in his boyhood he was playing with friends, and if there was some quarrel, he would kill such friend. So his father became so disgusted, tried to reform him in so many ways, but he could not be reformed. The father, Mahārāja Aṅga, he left the kingdom all of a sudden, being disgusted. Then the brāhmaṇas asked the king that "You are not ruling very nicely. You have stopped all religious functions. This is not good for the people, neither for you." They first of all tried to pacify him by nice instruction. But the king said, "You brāhmaṇas, you do not know me very well. I am God" and this and that. Then he was killed by the brāhmaṇas. You know that Jāmadagnya, Paraśurāma, when he saw that the kings were not responsible, he killed the whole kṣatriya family for twenty-one times. So that was the government. If the brāhmaṇas would see that the kṣatriyas, the kings were not ruling properly according to the Vedic principle, sometimes they would kill the king.

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was also killed, but not for his fault. There was, of course, little fault, that he took a... That is Kṛṣṇa's arrangement. He was to go, leave this world, so that Bhāgavata may be spoken, and people would derive benefit out of it. Otherwise Mahārāja Parīkṣit could retaliate. He was so powerful devotee. But he did not. So go on reading.

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974:

So the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa... There are hundreds and thousands of names of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So any name, if you chant, you get the result. That is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. The person, Supreme Personality of Godhead, and His name, they are identical. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's, this is instruction. If we chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person, that is not different. That is Kṛṣṇa absolutism. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's form here, they are not different. Kṛṣṇa's form can give you the same result as He can do being personally present. That is Kṛṣṇa's absolutism. So nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. So in the name of Kṛṣṇa, there is complete potency, as it is in Kṛṣṇa personally. Therefore it is so important. In this age, we are so fallen. It is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. But if we associate with Kṛṣṇa's name, then that is also association with Kṛṣṇa. This is the advantage. Nāmnām akāri. So as you associate with Kṛṣṇa in His sound form, so you become purified. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). This is the advantage.

So everyone's duty is to stop this birth and death problem by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is the only duty. And this should be taught from the very beginning of life. Just like these pious children, those who are dancing here, taking part in this meeting. You see? And one side you can see that this is the only path of Kṛṣṇa realization that even a child can take part in it. He has no education, he has no knowledge, but the method is so nice that they can also take part.

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

"What is your decision?" he said, "Yes, even though I do not like to fight, still, because it is Your order, I must fight." Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73).

So devotee hasn't got any personal decision. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). We should decide by the order of Kṛṣṇa through the disciplic succession, via media, the spiritual master. That is required. A devotee cannot decide personally. If Kṛṣṇa desires... If somebody says that "We cannot see Kṛṣṇa personally," then you have to decide by Kṛṣṇa's representative. If your spiritual master, guru, says that "You do this," that is Kṛṣṇa's order. That is Kṛṣṇa's order. Therefore it is said, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. 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 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

Finished. My business is finished." So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was not like that. Parīkṣit Mahārāja is conquered all these places to serve Kṛṣṇa, to teach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore he conquered. Otherwise... That is the business of all devotees.

Yesterday we were speaking of digvijaya. So every devotee should be so sincere to Kṛṣṇa, or God, that he must execute Kṛṣṇa's mission. Kṛṣṇa Himself comes. Kṛṣṇa comes as devotee. When He came personally, He established His position as God, with all opulences, six opulences. And He asked, through Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is Kṛṣṇa's demand, "You rascal..." Because we are all parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are suffering. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. A great struggle for existence within this material world, simply by mental speculation. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi. And then the indriyas are misguided, simply sense gratification, not for controlling the senses. Human life means to control the senses, not to open the senses, naked. This is not human life. So control... That is the distinction between animal and human life. Animal cannot control. The human civilized man must be, must have the capacity to control. That is human civilization. That is called tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa yamena damena vā (SB 6.1.13). This is human life. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, in so many ways... He was king, emperor, not for exploiting the citizen, but to give them real sense, real consciousness, so that they may become happy. And you can read some of the description of the places, we have selected from Mahābhārata. Read it, purport.

Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

"Nobody is superior than Me." But He accepts inferior position out of love. If you love Kṛṣṇa... The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are very much eager to become one with Kṛṣṇa, merge into the existence of Kṛṣṇa. That is their perfection. And Vaiṣṇava philosophy is: "What is there becoming one with Kṛṣṇa? We want to become father of Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. "Why I shall be one with my son? We want to become master of Kṛṣṇa." Just like gopīs. Gopīs were addressing Kṛṣṇa with very slanting language, but Kṛṣṇa enjoyed that. That is service to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa... Everyone worships Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. So sometime Kṛṣṇa becomes disgusted, that "Everyone is coming, simply offering Me respectful obeisances. Nobody comes to chastise Me." So who can chastise Kṛṣṇa? His devotee. Therefore a devotee who comes to the position of chastising Kṛṣṇa, he is more liked by Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's position.

So here, about the Pāṇḍavas it is described that Kṛṣṇa accepted sārathyam. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Pārtha-sārathi. Pārtha. Arjuna's name is Pārtha. Pārtha means "the son of Pṛthā." Kuntī's another name is Pṛthā. Kuntī's father's name was Pṛthu, so Kuntī's name was Pṛthā. Therefore Arjuna's name was Pārtha. And because Kṛṣṇa served as the chariot driver of Kṛṣṇa, His another name is Pārtha-sārathi. So it is a fact that God has no name. Sometimes some philosopher says that "God has no name." That is fact. But why God has so many names? These names are calculated according to His pastimes.

Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

Just like Kṛṣṇa is known as Devakī-nandana. Because He appeared as the son of Devakī, therefore His name is Devakī-nandana. By the action. Kṛṣṇa is known as Yaśodā-nandana. Because Kṛṣṇa acted as the son of mother Yaśodā, His name is Yaśodā-nandana. Kṛṣṇa's name is Rādhā-ramaṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with Rādhārāṇī, therefore His name is Rādhā-ramaṇa. Kṛṣṇa's name is Govinda. Because He gave pleasure even to the cows, therefore His name is Govinda. Or Kṛṣṇa gives pleasure to every sense; therefore His name is Govinda. There are so many thousands and millions of names of Kṛṣṇa. Actually, His name is calculated in relationship with devotee. That is Kṛṣṇa's name. And there are devotees in all fields of life, amongst human beings, among demigods, among plants, amongst trees, among animals, among insects. Everywhere, Kṛṣṇa has got His relationship. So therefore the supreme name of the Lord is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. That is the meaning. (aside:) Please sit down properly. Kṛṣṇa's name is... This is the supreme name, Kṛṣṇa, "All-attractive." He can attract everyone.

So this statement, that "God has no name," that is fact, but He has got His name in relationship with His activities with devotees. So Kṛṣṇa worked as sārathi, as it is stated here, sārathyam. He acted as the chariot driver of Arjuna. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Pārtha-sārathi. So Kṛṣṇa did all these things. He acted as a chariot driver. He acted as the president of the assembly. Not that He is eternally chariot driver. Eternally servant is the human being or the living entities. Eternally master, that is. In Vaikuṇṭha, in the spiritual world, there is equality with God and the living entities. They enjoy on equal level. But everyone knows that "Here is the Supreme." That is spiritual world. When Kṛṣṇa drives the chariot, Arjuna does not forget, that "He is my chariot driver." He knows that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. But He is so kind, He has accepted the post of my chariot driver." This is spiritual sense. And sometimes, by the influence of yoga-māyā, Kṛṣṇa also forgets that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the devotee also forgets that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is the action of yoga-māyā.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

Sudāmā: Any more questions? Śrīla Prabhupāda, you spoke about having a taste for hearing the kīrtana or being engaged in the kīrtana. Now, what is my position if I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and I'm living in the association of the devotees, or I'm taking prasāda, but I have no..., I lose a taste or I have no desire, but for lack of having anything else to do, I remain. So what is my position? How...?

Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa's grace, that you have no anything to do. You have to do it. (Laughter) That's a grace of Kṛṣṇa. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). Kṛṣṇa has taken away everything. You have no other alternative than to remain here. (laughter) That is Kṛṣṇa's special grace. And those who are thinking that "We can do something else besides Kṛṣṇa," they are foolish. They are lost. Yes. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind upon you that He has placed in a certain circumstances that you cannot go out. That is very good fortune. Yes.

Devotee (2): Prabhupāda, how can one know whether he'll be going back home to Godhead in this life?

Prabhupāda: Yes, believe in Kṛṣṇa. He gives His word. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who understands Me in truth," tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), "he doesn't accept any more material body; he comes to Me." That's it. The guarantee is there. So you try to understand Kṛṣṇa. If you do not understand anything more, if you simply accept it without any hypocrisy, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He'll protect me. Let me serve His lotus feet as far as possible," this much qualification is sufficient. But if you have got still doubt about Kṛṣṇa, then you try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Be without any doubt that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then your everything is guaranteed. Tattvataḥ. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Where is Bhagavad-gītā? Here? Eh? You should keep all these books ready for reference.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa why within heart? Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He is within the atom. Antar bahiḥ. Kuntī prayed... You have... I do not remember, but Kuntī's prayer, that "Kṛṣṇa, You are within and without present, but nobody can see You." This is Kṛṣṇa's position. Kṛṣṇa is within yourself, and Kṛṣṇa is without. But we do not see Kṛṣṇa. The example is, naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. Naṭa, a dramatic player, is dancing on the stage, and his son or relative seeing, he cannot understand that who is dancing. He's dancing before him, but because he's dressed in such a way that he cannot understand, "Oh, he's my brother" or "father" or..., "dancing." No. Therefore this example has been given, naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but because naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā, we cannot understand. This is our position. That requires knowledge. That requires knowledge. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, not only within. He's everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So Kṛṣṇa can be seen only by person who has developed love for Kṛṣṇa; otherwise, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, everyone is seeing, but he cannot see. That is the difficulty.

Bali-mardana: So all these warriors on the battlefield, they were all Kṛṣṇa conscious?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Bali-mardana: So all these warriors on the battlefield, they were all Kṛṣṇa conscious? Is that correct?

Prabhupāda: Yes. At least for the time being, they knew that Kṛṣṇa has come. Suppose a prominent man comes in a big meeting. Is not everyone conscious of that person?

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Los Angeles, July 14, 1974:

All the riches are there. Everything is there on the ground. Just like we are getting so many things from this ground. The trees, the plants, the foodstuffs, the minerals, so many things. There is everything, complete. You'll see in your garden there are different types of flowers, color, scent, flavor. But wherefrom it is coming? It is coming from the earth. Can you make any scent from the earth? But the scent is coming from the earth. The rose flavor, wherefrom it is coming? It is there. Anyone can understand. But you cannot extract that. Kṛṣṇa requires His hand. When Kṛṣṇa is there in the form of seed... Kṛṣṇa says, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (Bg 7.10) "I am the seed of all living beings." The seed. That... Just like there is sex. Unless the seed is there, there is no child. Similarly, unless the seed is there, there is no plantation. The banyan tree is there because the seed is there. And the rose tree is there because the seed is there. And Kṛṣṇa claims, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām. And Kṛṣṇa's potencies are there in the seed so that different types of seeds producing different types of flowers, fruits, colors, flavor. This is Kṛṣṇa's supervision. Mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10).

So ultimately, time and earth and everyone is abiding by the Lord, by the orders of the Lord.

Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:

Prabhupāda: He can become the smaller than the smallest, the higher than..., the bigger than the biggest. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. (devotees pay obeisances) So, you can go? (end)

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

"Nanda-nandana." Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone—ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4)—everyone. So how He has got a father? Oh, that is His mercy. He accepts one devotee as His father. And when He's addressed in relationship with His devotee... Nanda Mahārāja wanted Kṛṣṇa as his son. Kṛṣṇa agreed, "Yes, I shall become your son." So everyone, if you want Kṛṣṇa as your son... Not to become God, but to become the father of God. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they want to become God. But we Vaiṣṇavas, we want to become the father of God. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Father of God means he controls God. He's not controlled by God. So a devotee can get such position. Everyone is being controlled by God, but a devotee is so exalted that Kṛṣṇa says that "I wish to be controlled by you." This is Kṛṣṇa's position. Therefore the Vaiṣṇava kavi advises, bhaja huṅ re mana śrī-nanda-nandana, abhaya-caraṇāravinda re. Durlabha mānava, durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge taraha e.

Now we have got this human form of body, durlabha, very, very rare. This human form of body is obtained after many millions of years. Not very easily. Because we had to come through the evolutionary process, 8,400,0000 species of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Therefore this human form of life should not be wasted. Here is the solution of all the problems of life. Don't neglect it. Therefore it is advised, durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge taraha e bhava-sindhu re. E bhava-sindhu. This is the ocean, this is the ocean of nescience, ignorance. What is that? Bhava. Bhava-sindhu means take birth again and again. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). This is very botheration. And there is no guarantee what kind of... Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja... He's also devotee. He's going to Vaikuṇṭha. There was no doubt about it. Still, for our lesson, he inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī that "What is my duty now, now I am going to die?" This is intelligence.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:

So therefore this process, that "I shall go by my strength. I shall know by dint of my own knowledge, research work," these are all rascaldom. It is not possible. So what to speak of understanding God? You cannot understand even what is in your presence, the material world, and spiritual is beyond the sky. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). That is another sky. You have no estimation of this sky. Not only this, this sky; even in the material world, this is one universe. What sky we see, that is of one universe. But there are innumerable universes. That is material world. And beyond that, there is spiritual sky. Then the spiritual world begins. There are also planets, Vaikuṇṭha planets. And above these Vaikuṇṭha planets, there is Kṛṣṇaloka. That is Kṛṣṇa's abode. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu (Bs. 5.29).

So you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, or God, or His abode by the speculative, ascending process. That is not possible. You have to inquire from. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "What is my duty now I am going to die?" He was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was quite competent to counteract the curse of the brāhmaṇa boy, but he decided that "I shall die." Because he thought that "I offended the boy's father by encircling a dead snake on the neck of the ṛṣi. So his son became angry that 'You have insulted my father. You die with this snake.' " So he accepted. So this, on the death point, he immediately left his kingdom, family, and everything, and went down to the river, bank of the river Ganges, and many... Because he was king, so many big, big men, even demigods, great saintly persons, they came to see Mahārāja Parīkṣit at his last stage of life, seven days. And so he asked, "What is my duty?" So he was a devotee, Parīkṣit Mahārāja. From his childhood, he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So he inquired, "What is my duty to know about Kṛṣṇa?" And that is being welcomed by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, that "Your, to inquire about Kṛṣṇa, this question is very much welcome." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1). Praśna means question. "You have asked a question about Kṛṣṇa. It is very, very good." Why? Kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa: "It is good for the all human society. Because you have inquired about Kṛṣṇa, you have inquired about Kṛṣṇa, and I'll have to reply. People will hear. It will be recorded. And people will be benefitted." Loka-hitam.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

And this religion is universal. To love God, you don't require any education, don't require any rubber stamp. God is one, and you are part and parcel of God. You try to love. You have got the loving propensity. You love God, and you'll be satisfied, you'll be happy. Everyone is trying to love God, somebody else. Love is not alone. Love must be two. So that two, Kṛṣṇa and myself, that is called love. Not that...

Impersonalists, they do not know what is love. Because he's one. Their philosophy is oneness. So how there can be love, one? Is it possible? Have you got any such experience? Love means one? No. Love means two. There must be two, the lover and the beloved. So lover... Kṛṣṇa is already lover. He's so lover of you that He's trying to get you back. That is Kṛṣṇa's attempt. "Please, My dear boy, or My dear friend, My dear servant..." Any way, as we are related, He's after us.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

He's situated within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 18.61). Just see how much He loves you. He's trying always to get you back to home. And He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, why you are engaged in such nasty things, material life? You come to Me. You'll be happy. I shall give you all protection." "No, Sir, I am not going. I shall become a hog, and I shall eat stool. That, that is my advancement of material civilization." You see. Hog means he has no discrimination of food. That is hog. You have seen, a hog can eat up to the stool. So anyone who has no human brain, has no discrimination of food, anything he can eat, he's a hog.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa, as kṣatriya, proved how much strong He was, how much able He was, that He married sixteen thousand wives, and for each wife, separate establishment, separate servants, separate house, separate palace. Everything separate. Not that "I marry only. Therefore I have no responsibility." Not like that. That is Kṛṣṇa, ideal. He married 16,108, but He had 16,108 palaces, big big palace. And palace all made of nice, what is called, marble, and decorated with jewels. The... Kṛṣṇa's house, there was no need of this light. The jewels were glittering. These are description in the Bhāgavata. And the furnitures were married of ivory. That is Kṛṣṇa's house. And the garden, compound, pārijāta flower. Then is that sufficient? A woman will be satisfied simply with this palace, nice palace, and...? No. He expanded Himself into 16,108 Kṛṣṇas. Each and every wife is able to receive her husband individually. So anyway, you cannot imitate Kṛṣṇa, neither you can do like that, neither you can marry sixteen thousand, but you can marry—that is Vedic civilization—more than one wife. Because every female must be married, so where are so many husbands? So therefore polygamy was allowed, but the man who marries, he must be able to maintain the wife very nicely. That is Hindu, or Vedic civilization. That is kuṭumba, kuṭumba-bharaṇa, maintaining the family.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

So therefore it is to be taken that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there in everyone. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. It is not by artificial means one awakens his Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No. Kṛṣṇa is God, and God consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is there, dormant in everyone. Just like you, you love a man or woman. That is not artificial thing. That is already there. It is a gift of God. That is already there. So when the time comes when you become young, you try to love a boy or you try to love a girl. But the love is there. The propensity is there. Similarly, the love for Kṛṣṇa is there. That love for boy and girl, that is Kṛṣṇa's love. Kṛṣṇa is a boy. Rādhārāṇī is a girl. You see. But it is now covered. On account of our material association, it is covered. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be awakened as soon as you are purified. Immediately, you have Kṛṣṇa consciousness as soon as you are purified.

So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify the covering, the material covering. That... What is that purification? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). First of all, you have to purified with the sense that you are neither American nor a Frenchman nor Englishman nor Indian nor brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya—nothing of the sort. You have to... These are all designations, outward dress. You have to become free from it. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). You'll have to forget. Actually, that is happening in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Those who have joined, they never think that "I am American," "I am Frenchman," "I am Englishman." They are always thinking that they are servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is called purification. As soon as you learn that you are neither American, nor Indian, nor this or not that... You are eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is purification. The more you are fixed up on this knowledge, the more you are purified. That's all.

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

So if you create a certain type of body, next life you get a body. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram, sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). So similarly, if we are going to create another body by thinking and feeling and willing in this life, why not get a body like Kṛṣṇa? That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Think of Kṛṣṇa. Think of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's advice. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Kṛṣṇa wants that you come back home, but you have to get the body. How you can get the body? Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. You simply think of Kṛṣṇa. Don't think of the hog or hoglike animals. You think of Kṛṣṇa. You have to think something. Why not think Kṛṣṇa, so nice figure, no, so attractive figure? So śrotavyaḥ, and thinking. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). The... Hear also. Unless you hear about Kṛṣṇa, how you can become...? How your mind can be absorbed if you do not know what is Kṛṣṇa?

So Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself. Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is therefore kṛṣṇa-kathā. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. This is the mission. What Kṛṣṇa says, you just preach. You become spiritual master. That is not very difficult. Everyone can become spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa's speaking is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. You simply repeat what Kṛṣṇa says. You become spiritual master. It is not very difficult. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām. You simply say that "You become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." Where is the difficulty? No difficulty. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhaktaḥ. You say, "You become Kṛṣṇa's bhakta."

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-3 -- Los Angeles, May 22, 1972:

Our real identity is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). So we want to keep that identity, and we want to serve Him eternally. Eternally means, now we are in this material world, we are being trained up how to serve Kṛṣṇa. This Deity worship—this is training. The same thing will continue when you go to Vaikuṇṭha or Vṛndāvana. The same way we shall personally serve. Here, Kṛṣṇa... This is also personally. But due to my imperfectness, I cannot see Kṛṣṇa in His actual spiritual form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Therefore Kṛṣṇa has assumed a form which you can approach. It is for your facility. And Kṛṣṇa, in any form He appears, He is transcendental. Either this form or that form. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). Everything. That is Kṛṣṇa's specialty. He can appear... Just like if you have got a photograph of some of your friend, so you cannot derive the benefit of directly meeting him. But in Kṛṣṇa's form, if you have a Kṛṣṇa's photograph, it is as good as Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-3 -- Los Angeles, May 22, 1972:

Tejas-kāmo vibhāvasum. Vibhāvasum. There are Vasus, eight kinds of Vasus. So you can worship one of the Vasus. If you want to be very influential person, like Mr. Nixon, then you worship Vibhāvasum. Vasu-kāmo vasūn rudrān. Vasu means "wealth." If you want wealth, riches. So list is there, but Kṛṣṇa says, "This will not make you happy, My dear friend. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You kick off all this nonsense! You just surrender unto Me." That is Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Because He's the Supreme, He's giving supreme advice. But there are other persons. To regulate them... Because... These they are called yajñas. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. There is little touch of devotion, indirectly. Because if you want to worship Indra, you must worship at the same time Nārāyaṇa. That is the system. Nārāyaṇa-śilā will be there. Because the benediction you want from the particular type of demigod, he cannot give independently.

When he takes permission from Nārāyaṇa, that "He is after this benediction from me, and he's worshiping me. So shall I give him this benediction?" So with His order ... Because, after all, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1), everything means Kṛṣṇa's property. How? Suppose somebody is cashier in our institution. He's getting a thousands of dollars in his custody. So he cannot distribute without being sanctioned. That is not good. So he must take the superior sanction, that "Shall I give him?" Similarly, all these demigods, they cannot give you anything directly. With the permission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ... Mayaiva vihitān hi tān. That benefit which they derive from the demigod, that is ordained by Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says. When the demigod appeals to Kṛṣṇa that "This person is hankering after this thing, and he's worshiping me," so just to keep the position of the demigod, Kṛṣṇa says "All right, give him." Because the demigods are servant of Kṛṣṇa. So one has approached the servant of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

That is the conclusion. Here Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is recommending different demigods for different purposes because there are all classes of men. So to take immediate effect, they worship demigods. Kṣipram, very soon. Generally, people do not go to worship Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu, because you cannot ask from Kṛṣṇa anything which is not good for you. Suppose you pray to Kṛṣṇa on the seaside, "Kṛṣṇa, give me a good fish. I want to catch." Kṛṣṇa will never fulfill your desire. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Because Kṛṣṇa will not give you facility for possessing anything which will ultimately cause your falldown. Kṛṣṇa knows that "If he catches a fish, then he will have to become a fish again to be caught by the same fish. So why shall I give the facility?" So therefore our policy is not to ask anything from Kṛṣṇa. He knows what is good for me; simply I have to surrender unto Him. That's all. Why shall I bother Him, "Give me this, give me that, give me that"? Na dhanaṁ na janam.

Here, strī-kāma, beautiful wife, kāma, one who wants, devīm, he should worship goddess Durgā. This is recommended here. But it is kāma. But those who are devotees, they have no kāma. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Anya. Anya means other than Kṛṣṇa's service. They have made all, everything zero. We don't want all these things. We simply want to serve Kṛṣṇa. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Jñāna means knowledge. Karma means fruitive activities. Uncovered by or untouched by fruitive activities and jñāna. Just like in Vṛndāvana. All the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they never tried to know Kṛṣṇa, whether He is God. That was not their business. Jñānam, the jñānīs, they want to know. Just like Brahmā wanted to test whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not. Indra wanted to test whether... The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they never did it. They think, "Kṛṣṇa is our very intimate friend, my beloved son, my lover, my master." Everyone's concentrated love for Kṛṣṇa in different mellows.

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

So that is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ordinary living being. Kṛṣṇa remembers everything, knows everything. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni: (BG 7.26) "I know everything." That is Kṛṣṇa. But we do not know. That is the difference. Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. He's also a person, but He is not a person like us, like you, like me. His personality is supreme. Nobody is greater than Him. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. These are the Vedic information. He's individual, but He has nothing to do. He's such individual. Just like Kṛṣṇa is here. The whole world is going on under Kṛṣṇa's direction, but He has nothing to do. He's enjoying with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. That is Kṛṣṇa's position. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). He has to create one universe or destroy one universe—He hasn't to take any attention. He's engaged in His pleasure—Kṛṣṇa, the reservoir of pleasure. His pleasure is never disturbed by all these activities. He's so perfect. Just like in our society, we are not perfect. Still, you boys and girls, you love me. Whatever I say, immediately done. So if an ordinary person like me, he can do things without his personal endeavor, how far..., how Kṛṣṇa is great, that na tat-samaḥ, there is nobody equal to Him. How great He is, how powerful He is, you can just imagine. If the ordinary person can have some power that he hasn't got to do anything personally—simply by his desire everything is done—so why not Kṛṣṇa also? Where is the difficulty?

In the Bible I think it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? So that is Kṛṣṇa. He simple desires, "Let there be creation," and immediately everything is ready. That is Kṛṣṇa. How it is being done? Automatically? No automatically. It is done regularly, as you do. Hetunā: there is cause. But the original cause is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on SB 3.12.19 -- Dallas, March 3, 1975:

It is stated in The Nectar of Devotion. Do you discuss this? So we should avoid these offenses, not that "Here is a stone statue. He is not going to see I am doing this offense." Then that is not very good. We should always feel that "Here is Kṛṣṇa, personally present." Actually He is personally present. Then are we so fool, that we are worshiping a stone deity? No. "We" means we have installed this Deity under the direction of previous authorities, ācāryas. So it is not whimsical. We have installed the Deity exactly under the direction of the previous ācārya, and therefore the Deity is personally present, Kṛṣṇa. As He is present everywhere, sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam, similarly, He can live in many millions of temples simultaneously and live at the same time Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's omnipotency. So Kṛṣṇa, being very kind, He has appeared in our various temple. So we should very careful that "Here is personally present Kṛṣṇa. Here is... Personally, Rādhārāṇī is there. Personally, Lord Caitanya is there, Lord Jagannātha is there." But He is keeping Himself is such a way that you can handle in any way. Even if you commit some mistake, He does not protest. But we should not commit any mistake. That is our duty. We should not create such thing as it is offensive. Therefore the direction is there in the śāstra that "You do like this. Do like this; there will be no offense." And offenseless service will make you more and more advanced in spiritual life.

Lecture on SB 3.12.19 -- Dallas, March 3, 1975:

That's all. We can see so long the light is there. If the light is not there, then our seeing power is finished. Therefore it is limited. And Kṛṣṇa is beyond this limitation. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛtaṁ akṣajaṁ indriya-jñānaṁ yena. Akṣajaṁ jñānam means "knowledge acquired by sense perception." Akṣaja. Akṣa means "eyes," and ja means "generated." So I see this book because my eyes are seeing it is book. But as soon as the light is off, I cannot see where is the book and where is the table, where you are. Similarly, we cannot see at the present moment by the imperfect senses what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is Kṛṣṇa's kindness that He has appeared before you in a manner by which you can see Him. This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Not that the atheistic philosophy, "They are worshiping Deity, some stone, some metal," not like that. He is adhokṣaja. We cannot see Kṛṣṇa with our present eyes, but we can see Him through the scripture. The "through the scripture" is that although we cannot see Him by our present imperfect senses, adhokṣaja, beyond our perception, still, we can see Him. How? Through the authorities. Through the authorities. The same example, as I have given, that I do not know who is my father, but through the authority of mother, I can see him: "Here is my father." This is called authority seeing. If mother certifies that "My dear child, here is your father," that is the only certificate, authority, you can understand who is your father. Otherwise there is no... By experimental knowledge, by mental speculation, "He may be my father, he may be my father, he may be my father..." That you go on speculating for many millions of years. Still, you will not be able to understand who is your father. But if you take the authority of your mother, immediately you understand. That is, means, adhokṣaja. You cannot speculate what is God, but if you take the authority, then you can understand God. Otherwise it is not possible.

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:

"No, Mother, I did not eat. They are telling all lies. This morning we had some quarrel." "No, Baladeva says also." "Yes, elder brother, He has also become My enemy." (laughter) "No, You open Your mouth." "Yes." When He opened His mouth, she saw the whole universe within the mouth. So she did not take very seriously. "All right, don't do it again." That's all. She never could take Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Neither Kṛṣṇa's friends, the cowherd boys. Neither the gopīs. The gopīs used to chastise Kṛṣṇa like anything.

So this is Kṛṣṇa's love. Kṛṣṇa is the Īśvara. Here it is said, puṁsām īśvaraḥ: the controller of the whole universe. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). But a devotee can control the Supreme Controller. Why they shall become one with God? They'll be God's father, God's controller. This is bhakti-mārga. Bhakti-mārga is not satisfied... They do not want to be equal with God or one with God. No. They want to give service. This is bhakti-mārga. Therefore Bhagavān. Bhagavān means "full of all opulence, all-powerful, almighty." That is Bhagavān. So to understand the Absolute Truth, you have to understand what is the meaning of Bhagavān. That is Absolute Truth. Here Devahūti... Devahūti is not ordinary woman. She was the wife of Kardama Muni, one of the greatest yogis. She has learned something from her husband. Otherwise, if she's not a very exalted woman, how Bhagavān has become her son? She is not ordinary woman. Therefore she says... She has understood Kapiladeva that ya ādyaḥ bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

That you can collect without any price; anywhere it is available. Anyone's garden you can go, and if you say, "My dear sir, I'll take a little flower and leaf for Kṛṣṇa," nobody will ask you, "No, don't take." "Take it." Still, at least in India. In also, USA also. So that you can collect. If you haven't got to offer... But offer something to Kṛṣṇa. That is required. Bhaktyā.

That is bhakti. That offering is not required... But Kṛṣṇa is not hungry, that He's asking from you little fruit, little flower, little... He is feeding... Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. He is supplying all the necessities of everyone. So why He's begging from you? Because He wants that you love Him. That is Kṛṣṇa's want. You are suffering in this material world, you are entangled in this tree from one branch to another, rotating and suffering. So Kṛṣṇa wants that you do not suffer. You give up this business of jumping like monkey from this branch to that branch, but come to Him and surrender to Him. Śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. When this knowledge comes, that is perfect knowledge. Gato mukundaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ parihṛtya kartam.

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṛṇāṁ

na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan

sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ

gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam

(SB 11.5.41)

If... This is required. Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But if you take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then you are no more debtor to anyone. You are no more debtor. Nāyam ṛṇī na kiṅkaraḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

So that is wanted. That is ādhyātmika. That is called bhakti-yoga, to reconnect our connection with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also comes to instruct that "You rascal, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Just revive your connection with Me, you rascal. Give up all these manufactured so-called types of yoga and religion." Sarva-dharmān paritya... That is Kṛṣṇa's instruction. That is the differ... That is the proof. Kṛṣṇa says the same thing, and Kṛṣṇa's representative or incarnation or guru says the same thing. That is the qualification of guru. Here Kapiladeva, although He is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, He's acting as the representative of Kṛṣṇa, as guru. He's saying the same thing. He does not say another thing. Yoga ādhyātmikaḥ. Yoga ādhyātmikaḥ puṁsāṁ mato niḥśreyasāya me. Niḥśreyasa means the ultimate benefit. Kṛṣṇa also says the same thing, that paraṁ guhyatamam: "I have instructed you so many things, but because you are My dear friend, I am just disclosing to you the most confidential thing." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you accept this principle, then you become actually transcendental to this so-called material happiness and distress. That is yoga.

Lecture on SB 3.25.26 -- Bombay, November 26, 1974:

We have to be detestful from this sense gratification. Then our spiritual life will begin. That is possible by bhakti.

Therefore here it is said, bhaktyā pumāñ jāta-virāga. Bhakti is so powerful that if you engage yourself in the bhakti-mārga or bhakti-yoga... Here it is said, ṛjubhir yoga-mārgaiḥ (SB 3.25.26). Ṛjubhiḥ means very easy to perform. How? Now, dṛṣṭa-śrutān mad-racanānucintayā. Dṛṣṭa. You can see Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is kind enough. Although Kṛṣṇa is beyond our vision—we cannot see with these eyes Kṛṣṇa—but Kṛṣṇa has agreed to be seen by you or by us. How? He has assumed this arcā-vigraha. Kṛṣṇa, this vigraha-don't think it is stone. Even it is stone you think, but Kṛṣṇa can become visible before you like a stone, because you cannot see beyond stone. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Because your eyes or senses are so imperfect that you cannot see Kṛṣṇa present everywhere in His original spiritual... We have got difference between spiritual and material. We have got because we are imperfect. But Kṛṣṇa has no such distinction. Because He is Absolute, He can become spiritual, He can become material, as He likes. That does not make any difference of Kṛṣṇa. Then how Kṛṣṇa is almighty, all-powerful? He can change matter into spirit, spirit into matter. That is Kṛṣṇa. So don't think that, as the atheist class men, they think, that "They are worshiping an idol." Even it is an idol, still Kṛṣṇa. That is absolute. That is absolute nature of Kṛṣṇa. Even you think it is stone, it is metal, it is wood, still, He is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

Just like you are a businessman and anybody goes to canvass for business, to get some order for your business, he is your representative. It is not very difficult to understand. If he is your representative and talks something nonsense then he is not your representative, he is cheating you. He is taking your money and doing something else. No, real representative is he who is canvassing for Kṛṣṇa, not canvassing for himself that "I have become Kṛṣṇa." No, he is not guru, he is cheater.. The representative is he who canvasses business for Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. Kṛṣṇa wants this business. What is that? "You rascal, give up everything and surrender unto Me, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)." Kṛṣṇa wants this business. And Kṛṣṇa's representative also says that you give up everything, simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's representative. Sometimes we are very much eulogized, "I have done a wonderful thing, but I have done as representative of Kṛṣṇa." Same thing. I have told all these boys and girls nothing magic. I never showed any gold-making magic. I simply said to them the "Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you surrender unto Him." That's all. Ask any (indistinct). I never said anything. So that is actually representative.

Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:

Arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-ni... There are nine different processes. So you accept all of them or some of them or at least one. Then your life is successful. Spṛhayanti. Very selected words. You surrender to Him, but don't talk things which does not please Him. You don't say that "God is formless. God has no eyes, no leg, no head." These things are there. Just like in the Vedas it is said, apāṇi-pādo javano grahītā, that "He has no hand, but He can accept your offerings." But if He has no hand, then how He can offer your offerings, er, how He can accept your offerings? He has His hand, but not like our hand. He can extend His hand millions of miles. Just like Kṛṣṇa leaves His Goloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana. That planet is many millions and trillions of miles away. But He can accept what you offer. That is Kṛṣṇa's hand, not like Your hand, three feet, no. Therefore sometimes in the Vedas it is said that "God has no hand." That means He has no this material hand. But He can accept your offerings. That means He has got hand, but that is a different type. That is explained, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

So in this way we have to study the science of God, the science of Kṛṣṇa. Then our life will be successful. And tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). And if we can understand Kṛṣṇa's activities, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's quality, then we become fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām e... (BG 4.9).

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

This is the greatest offense, aparādha nāhi yāra ihāra rūpa.(?) Therefore they cannot understand very well because they're aparādhī. Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī. The Māyāvādīs, they're offenders to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, offenders. Kṛṣṇa is not exposed to the offenders. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). So the Māyāvādīs, they cannot see Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. They'll avoid Kṛṣṇa. They'll speak so many things, spiritual knowledge, but avoid Kṛṣṇa's figure, Kṛṣṇa's form. They think it is māyā. It is māyā. But it is not māyā. That is the original form. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa has got the form exactly, the dvibhuja-muralī-līlā, two hands with flute. That is Kṛṣṇa's original form.

veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ

barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam

kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.30)

So we have to understand Bhagavān and we have to hear from Him. And He's speaking perfectly in the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And if you take it yad viditvā, if you are fortunate enough to understand the words of Kṛṣṇa and Kapiladeva, then the result will be vimucyeta: immediately become liberated.

Lecture on SB 3.26.6 -- Bombay, December 18, 1974:

Because we get information from Brahma-saṁhitā, aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti, ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala (Bs. 5.32). These are description in the Brahma-saṁhitā. We can see only with our eyes, but the Brahman, Parabrahman, Viṣṇu, He can beget children also with eyesight. We can eat with our mouth, tongue, but Kṛṣṇa can eat by seeing. Sometimes the argument is put forward by the atheist class of men that "You are offering foodstuff to the Deity, but when He has eaten? The foodstuff is still lying there." (aside:) The children may be taken away. So he does not know, the atheist class man, that Kṛṣṇa can eat simply by seeing. He has eaten everything, and again He has left everything. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). This is Kṛṣṇa's eating. He can eat the whole foodstuff, and it still remains as prasādam for distribution to the devotee as it is. So the atheists cannot see it. They think that it is lying there. It is lying there, but no, that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa has eaten. And Kṛṣṇa, simply seeing by the eyes, He has eaten. It is a great science. One has to learn.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

Nobody is kartā. Here the prakṛti is kartā. Just like when you are under the influence of some contaminated disease, at that time, that disease infection is kartā. You are not kartā. That is our practical experience. When you are in high fever, then your so-called mastership is gone. You are under the mastership of the feverish condition. Similarly, we spirit soul, although we are better in quality than the material element... That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtām: "The jīva, living entities, they are better quality than the material elements." But still, on account of his viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ, forgetting God—we are leading a different type of civilization or different type of life—therefore we have been subjected to the influence of time. This is Kṛṣṇa's, or God's, influence.

Just like in the prison life we are subjected to the rules and regulation of the prison house on account of disobeying the government laws, similarly, when we are disobedient to the laws of God, at that time, we are put into this material existence under the influence of time, and therefore our conditional life is always fearful. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Everyone is thinking differently, all living entities. Somebody is thinking, "I am Indian." Somebody is thinking, "I am American," "Hindu," "Muslim," "Christian," "black," "white." So many ways we are thinking. Viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Our real identity is when we understand that "I am not Hindu, not Muslim, not Christian, nor American, nor Indian, but I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Then there is no more fear. That is fear... Bhajahuṅ re mana, śrī-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caraṇāra...

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

These are the four pillars of sinful life. And the whole world is addicted to these four things.

So we have to push on Kṛṣṇa consciousness with great difficulty. When I went to America, I went by ship. So it stopped at the, what is that, Commonwealth Pier in Boston. So I was thinking that if "I say that 'No illicit sex, no meat-eating, and no intoxication, and no gambling,' so these people will immediately say, 'Please go home.' " (laughter) Yes. That is the position. It is... These are their daily affairs. These are their daily affairs in Western countries. And if you want to make them stop these things, they will think that "This man is lunatic." But by Kṛṣṇa's grace these boys, these girls, they agreed. That is Kṛṣṇa's grace. I did not expect that they will agree. In India they do not agree, and they are accustomed from childhood, from boyhood. So how they will... But Kṛṣṇa's grace is so nice, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy is so great, that they agreed, and they are pushing on this movement on this principle.

So why? This is due to the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Patita-pāvana. He can deliver the Jagāi-Mādhāi. And what is the process? The process is:

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

The desire is there, and he cannot fulfill it. He becomes perplexed. Therefore the ghost create disturbance sometimes.

So in this way desires cannot be finished. That is not possible. Kāma-sambhavaḥ. It is not possible. Therefore the best thing is that fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you will be happy, the mind always engaged in Kṛṣṇa's business, planning how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That you are, require. That is intelligence. Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender unto Him. When Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), He does not say only to Arjuna; He says to everyone. So that is Kṛṣṇa's desire, and if you want to serve Kṛṣṇa, to fulfill His desire, that means you canvass everyone to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is preaching. Kṛṣṇa wants it. It is declared. So your business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. So do it. Why don't you do it? Why you are aspiring after mukti, siddhi, and bhukti? These are all personal. Anyone who is executing pious activities, acquiring puṇya, what is the result? Puṇya means he will go to the heavenly planet. That is sense gratification. Heavenly planet, you go to the heavenly planet. You live for many thousands of years, many millions of years, and get the association of apsarās, very nice standard of life, and so on, so on. These are all personal comforts, bhukti, a better standard of material enjoyment. To go to the heavenly planet means a better standard of, thousand times better, millions times better than this planet. As you go up and up... This is Bhūrloka. Then Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, so many lokas. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18).

Lecture on SB 3.26.40 -- Bombay, January 15, 1975:

Similarly, wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, the Kṛṣṇa's energies are also there. Therefore Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu means all-pervading. So Kṛṣṇa's energies are spread everywhere, just like the illumination, dyotanam. It is called dyotanam, illumination. If the fire is there, there must be illumination. And you have seen in the morning—as soon as the sun, before the sun rising actually, before we can see the sun, immediately there is illumination, dyotanam. So the energy, sunshine, is the energy of the sun. it is always there. Sunshine is not differentiated from the sun. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's energy is not differentiated from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore fire is Kṛṣṇa's energy, air is Kṛṣṇa's energy, water is Kṛṣṇa's energy, land is Kṛṣṇa's energy, the sky is Kṛṣṇa's energy. This is Kṛṣṇa's all-pervasiveness or God's all-pervasiveness. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat: "Akhilam, the entire universe, is expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy."

Therefore in the advanced stage of devotional life a devotee does not see fire. He sees Kṛṣṇa. A devotee does not see air, but he sees Kṛṣṇa. A devotee does not see sky, but he sees Kṛṣṇa. Sarvatra haya nija iṣṭa-deva-sphūrti. Iṣṭa-deva. Kṛṣṇa is the worshipable Deity of the devotee. So immediately, he sees anything, because he knows it is Kṛṣṇa's energy... Just like we, generally, as soon as we see in the morning light, we can understand there is sun, immediately. There is no delay. "Now there is sun." The sun may not be visible immediately, but because the darkness is gone and there is light, although glimpse light, now we understand this is morning, and now there is sun. Similarly, a advanced devotee, because he knows everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy... So this is energy study. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "Apsu, in the water, the taste I am," because every one of us becomes thirsty and we take water. And actually it is so; the taste of water is Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise who can give taste unless Kṛṣṇa is there? Now take. There are big, vast water in front of Bombay. Now change the taste. Then there is no need of acquiring water from here and there, bringing big, big pipes. No. You take and change the taste, salty taste, and making drinkable. No. That you cannot unless Kṛṣṇa does it. Therefore the taste is Kṛṣṇa. It is not difficult to understand.

Lecture on SB 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975:

He has got such fine machinery. The first thing is that He is seated in everyone's heart. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). So He can give instruction to perform the respective duties—but provided there is another thing, personal consideration. The chance is given to the personal living being to take this chance but not misuse your little independence. Chance is given everyone. And Kṛṣṇa's another business is: He does not interfere with the little independence given to the living being. So he must voluntarily surrender his little independence. Does not..., Kṛṣṇa does not force; Kṛṣṇa desires, He orders, that "You do this." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But He does not interfere with the little independence. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy, how He can do that. Kṛṣṇa is not like us, that I give you something and again I ask you to return it. No. Whatever Kṛṣṇa has given to us, that is permanent.

So He has given us little independence because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is fully independent. He does not depend on anyone. But although we have got independence to a certain extent, but under the control of māyā. In the spiritual life there is also māyā. That is called yoga-māyā. And in the material life there is also māyā. That is called mahā-māyā, Durgā. So we, being very little... Just like small children. He is given either to the mother for taking care or to the nurse for taking care. The little child must be taken care of, either by the mother or an appointed nurse, maidservant. Similarly, we being very tiny, small, fragmental, atomic part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, although we have got all the ingredients of Kṛṣṇa, still, we require protection. Just like the child and the father. The child possesses all the chemical composition of the father's body. Even if the father is diseased, the child inherits the disease also. This is a fact. Similarly, we have got all the ingredients or qualities of God in us. But in many..., in very, very small fragmental portions. Therefore, although we have got Kṛṣṇa's qualities, still, we sometimes fall down. Because is very, very minute, fragmental, there is chance of being covered by something else.

Lecture on SB 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975:

He is present here, Kṛṣṇa. He has nothing to do. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Everything is ready. Either automatically or in order to accept service from the devotee, He is assuming that "I am dependent on you. If you dress Me, then I can be dressed." But actually that is not the fact. He is dressing Himself by giving you intelligence. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ yena mām upayānti te. Those who are desirous to serve Him, then Kṛṣṇa gives him intelligence how to serve Him. He does not depend on your service. He's quite self-sufficient. But He assumes that "I am a statue of stone. I cannot dress Myself. Please dress Me." This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy, to give you chance. He does not depend on you. Na tasya kār... There are many energies. Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by many, many goddess of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). So He doesn't require our service. But He agrees. He is so kind that He agrees to come here to accept our service. Therefore we must be very careful, that "Kṛṣṇa has kindly consented to come here to accept our service. Now we may not do something which is not satisfactory to Him." That is devotion. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Always full of veneration. Don't think that "Here is a statue." Here is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:

This is car, described in the Bhagavad-gītā, this body. Yantra. Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). This is yantra, but this yantra is coming by union of two yantras: one male yantra and female yantra. And millions of yantras are coming. Where is that capacity?

So one gentleman, he challenged me. He's atheistic class. He said, "What is Kṛṣṇa's intelligence? It is just like an watch. If you wind the watch, it goes and gives time. Similarly, it is just like a machine—the whole world is going on." That's all right. Still, you are lacking knowledge, because Kṛṣṇa hasn't got to prepare each and every watch. He has made two watches, male and female, and they are producing. That is Kṛṣṇa's intelligence. Therefore even if you supposed to be very intelligent, still, you are lacking intelligence. You cannot be as intelligent as Kṛṣṇa. There must be some less quantity. Just like Yaśodāmāyi wanted to bind Kṛṣṇa with ropes, and as soon as she was going to knot it, there was little difference.

So we may be very intelligent scientifically or mathematically or physically, biologically. That's all right. But when we compare with the intelligence of Kṛṣṇa, it is less by two cubits. It is less. That we should always understand. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). We have to accept this, that we cannot excel the intelligence of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. I may show varieties of magic and declare myself Kṛṣṇa, or God. But still, you cannot show as perfectly magical arts as Kṛṣṇa is showing. That is not possible. If we understand this fact and realize it, then we can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. There is little value like Kṛṣṇa. But we can never be equal with Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Asamordhva. Nobody can be equal with Kṛṣṇa; nobody can be greater than Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is lower than Kṛṣṇa. So this intelligence is real intelligence, and if we think that equal to Kṛṣṇa or greater than Kṛṣṇa, that is all māyā.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

The original person, the Supreme Lord-kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28)—He also comes. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu, Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, that is Kṛṣṇa's expansion, incarnation. They also come, and Kṛṣṇa also come. Kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yaḥ. He is the Supreme Person, pumān. Pumān means the puruṣa, the enjoyer, the proprietor. That is Kṛṣṇa. So immediately you can be in touch with Kṛṣṇa by vibrating this sound, Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is so potent. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). The name of Kṛṣṇa is cintāmaṇi, transcendental. It is not this material sound, material name. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya. Living force, caitanya. It is not dead sound. If you want water, if you chant only "Water, water, water, water," you will not get water, because it is material sound. The water substance is different from the word water. Therefore, simply by chanting "water, water," you cannot quench your thirst. You must have the substance water. That is material sound. Anything you take, simply by chanting the name, you will not get the thing. That is material.

But in the spiritual world, the name and the person or the substance is the same. There is no difference. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name is the same. There is no difference. Therefore, those who are chanting "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa," they are becoming more and more engladdened, enthusiastic to chant. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, the first installment of benefit is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam: (CC Antya 20.12) you become cleansed of your heart, cleansed of the contamination of your heart." There are many verses. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If you don't get anything because there is nāma-aparādha, offenses in chanting...

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

He does not possess even a house. He lives underneath a tree. And the devotee of Śiva becomes very rich, opulent materially, although he's a beggar, whereas Viṣṇu is lakṣmī-pati, vaikuṇṭha-pati, and the Vaiṣṇavas become beggar. Just opposite. By worshiping the beggar one becomes rich, and by worshiping the rich one becomes beggar. What is this contradiction? So this is answered by Kṛṣṇa, yasyāham anugrhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8), "My first benediction to my devotee is that I take away all his riches. That's all. Then when he becomes helpless, he becomes firmly convinced and he has no other shelter." Then automatically he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, what Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66). When he has no other help, he fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's special mercy. And so far Lord Śiva is concerned, he is the husband of mother Durgā, and Durgā is the supreme material power, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). So he gets all material benediction, and Vaiṣṇava, instead of material benediction, he gets all spiritual benediction. That is the difference.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1976:

"I do not know what is my actual position, what is the goal of my life. So I'm not a paṇḍita. I'm mūrkhā, mūḍha." That is the presentation of Sanātana Gosvāmī.

So one should approach the spiritual master understanding that he's a mūḍha. Not that "I know better than my spiritual master. I can challenge." Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). So if we want to know ourself, as Kṛṣṇa... Everywhere. This is the whole idea of cultivation, spiritual cultivation. First of all, I must know what I am, whether I am this body. Kṛṣṇa said, "No, you are not body. You are within this body. You are enwrapped in this body. You are packed up within this body. First of all, know this." That is Kṛṣṇa's first instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara prāptir (BG 2.13). Very simple thing—that we are changing body. This is first instruction of Kṛṣṇa. So as with the association of Kṛṣṇa, by instruction of Kṛṣṇa, I can understand my position... As Sanātana Goswāmī, by the association of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he could understand his position, similarly, we should approach such person wherefrom we can understand our position. Therefore it is recommended, mahat-sevām. You do not approach Kṛṣṇa or His representative to order him or to make him your servant: "Sir, give me this, give me that." "Yes, you can take it, you can..." Flattering. So that is not the position. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur. If you want to know First of all, you know what you are. Then the question is vimukti. The same thing, same proposal. In the Vedic instruction there is no difference. Everywhere we'll find the same thing. That is standard knowledge. Not that I am saying something, you are saying something. That is not Vedic knowledge. That is speculation.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167), to serve Kṛṣṇa as He desires. So as He desires... If we have no relationship with Kṛṣṇa, no connection with Kṛṣṇa, how we can understand as He desires? Yes, that we will have. Kṛṣṇa is within you, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). As soon as you become sincere, if you are qualified to serve Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will dictate from within, "Do like this." Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ yena mām upayānti te. To whom? Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. One who is engaged in loving service of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is very expert, He can understand how you want to serve Him, with a motive or without motive. When He understands, then He personally gives you dictation, "You do like this, you do like that." So that is Kṛṣṇa's friendship. Kṛṣṇa is always available. Kṛṣṇa can be seen twenty-four hours, provided you elevate to the position how to talk with Kṛṣṇa, how to see Kṛṣṇa, how to act toward Kṛṣṇa. It is not very difficult.

Lecture on SB 5.5.26 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1976:

Either you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa... You cannot take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly, that is not possible, but one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, you can take shelter of him. That is mad-āśrayaḥ, one, mat-āśrayaḥ: "a person who has taken shelter of Me." That means His devotee, a pure Vaiṣṇava, a Vaiṣṇava guru. You have to take shelter of. Then you can practice bhakti-yoga. Then never mind what you are. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ (SB 2.4.18). If you take shelter of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, then śuddhyanti—you'll be purified. Śuddhyanti. How it is possible that...? He's born in low-grade family, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā. How he became so purified that he can see? Now prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. This is Kṛṣṇa's influence. He can do that. If you take shelter, upāśrayāśrayāḥ, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased to reveal Himself. That is Kṛṣṇa's special power, Viṣṇu's special power. He can be seen even by the kirāta-hūṇāndhra andhra, and He cannot be seen even by the most purified brāhmaṇa. That is His option. He is not exposed to be seen by everyone. That is not possible.

So we have to learn through bhakti-yoga how to see Kṛṣṇa, how to understand Him. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet samit-pāniḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). These are required. You cannot jump over Kṛṣṇa and see Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. So everything is sitting place of Kṛṣṇa. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He is even within the atom, so why not within yourself? He is everywhere. This vision should be developed. And vivikta-dṛgbhis tad ahārhaṇam. If you see in that way, that Kṛṣṇa is everywhere present But that presence can be experienced by love and devotion. There is no other way.

Lecture on SB 5.5.30 -- Vrndavana, November 17, 1976:

If you try your best, Kṛṣṇa will give you strength. Kṛṣṇa is always ready to help you, provided you want to take his help. He is ready. He has come to help you. Otherwise what is the use of Kṛṣṇa's coming here and canvassing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66)? That is for our interest. You surrender to Kṛṣṇa or not surrender, it doesn't matter to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not depend on your service. He is completely perfect. He can create millions of servants like you in a moment. So why does He require your service? Why He should canvass for your service? His service is not suffering for want of you. But it is your interest to surrender to Him. It is your interest. This Kṛṣṇa wants to see, that you surrender to Him and become perfect and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the same mission: to canvass.

dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya

(sic) kāku-śatam kṛtvā cāhaṁ bravīmi

he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrād

caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam

This is our mission, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Why Prabodhananda Sarasvatī is requesting, caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam: "You just become inclined to serve the lotus feet of Caitanya"? Because He's Kṛṣṇa personally, and He has come to teach us how to approach Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Kṛṣṇaya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-namne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, he understood. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he understood.

Lecture on SB 5.5.35 -- Vrndavana, November 22, 1976:

So this is Kṛṣṇa's opulence. We do not know what is actually opulence. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya. What is Kṛṣṇa's opulence, it is impossible to calculate. It is said that Ananta, Anantadeva, Śeṣaśāyī Anantadeva, He has got thousands and thousands of hoods, and He is chanting, describing about Kṛṣṇa, in ananta, unlimited mouths, for unlimited time. It is still unable. Advaitam acyutam ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). This is yogic power. Therefore it is said, nānā-yoga-caryācaraṇam: "All yogic perfection is there."

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo...

(BG 6.47)

That is first-class yogi. You want yogic power, mystic power, but if you keep Kṛṣṇa within your core of heart, naturally by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, you can perform all... Not the devotee can perform. Devotee is simply dependent on Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa can perform unlimited mystic powers through His devotee.

Lecture on SB 5.5.35 -- Vrndavana, November 22, 1976:

This is Kṛṣṇa's activity. A devotee never takes the credit of any wonderful thing. But it is a fact. What wonderful thing we can play? Kṛṣṇa can do that. Therefore His name is nānā-yoga-caryācaraṇo bhagavān kaivalya-patiḥ. Kaivalya-patiḥ. Kevaladvaitavādī, Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that kaivalya, to become one, one... Just like if you fly in the sky, after going long distance we cannot see you. It appears that you are no longer existing, you have mixed up, you have become one with the sky. But actually it is not the fact. That is not one with God. I cannot see you. The example is given: just like a green bird enters into a green tree. So it appears that the tree has become, the bird has become one with the tree, no more separate existence. No. It appears like that. Actually that is not the fact. The fact is that the bird, green bird, existing with the green tree, but due to my defect in the eyes I am seeing it has become one.

Actually it is not so. Every individual living entity is always individual. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. The Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, we are individuals. In the past we were individuals, at the present we are individuals, and in the future we shall continue to be individuals." There is no question of oneness. Oneness means to agree to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is oneness. There is no disobedience, "Whatever You say, I accept"—that is oneness. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). That is oneness. At the present moment we differ. We make differences. "Here is the opinion of the American. Here is the opinion of Indian. Here is the opinion of the German. Here is the opinion of the śūdra, and so on, so on. So here means disagreement, always disagreement.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

Madhudviṣa: He is asking if they were actually covered in the spiritual world as well.

Prabhupāda: Not in the spiritual world. There that is voluntary. Some devotee wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as flower; they become flower there. If I want that "As a flower I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa," he becomes flower, voluntarily. And he can change his..., from flower to human body. That is spiritual life. There is no restriction. If some devotee wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as cow, he serves Kṛṣṇa as cow, as calf, as flower, as plant, as water, as ground, field, or as father, as mother, as friend, as beloved, anything. Ye yathā mām prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). That is Kṛṣṇa's all-powerfulness, spiritual life.

Guest: What is the first stage of transformation like in the consciousness after one discovers chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra?

Prabhupāda: You understand what you are. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra when you are purified, then you can understand that you are not this body; you are soul. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho abhadrāṇi (SB 1.2.17). Abhadrāṇi means inauspicious things. That is the modes of ignorance and passion. So in the material world some of us, most of us, we are covered by these modes of passion and ignorance. That is abhadra. That is most inauspicious. We cannot understand. But gradually we have to come to the modes of goodness, sattva-guṇa. So rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa is covering us. So by śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ... If you hear about Kṛṣṇa, then these dirty things, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, will be cleansed. And even it is not completely cleansed, naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu (SB 1.2.18), even almost clean, then you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa. And as soon as you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, the resultant action of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, namely kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). So long you are covered by the passion and ignorance...

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, May 8, 1976:

Ordinary, anyone can understand that in the human society if you want to become high-court judge, you can become. And if you want to become a criminal in the prisonhouse, you can become. Everything is open. Not that government says that you become a criminal and he prefers somebody, "You become a high-court..." No. Everything is in your hand. If you like, you can become so. Similarly, if you like, you can go back to home, back to Godhead. That is perfection of life. And if you don't like, then remain here.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). Kṛṣṇa has come to you to give you nice instruction how you can go back to home, back to Godhead. Back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). He comes Himself, Kṛṣṇa, and He comes as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, but because people misunderstood that Kṛṣṇa is asking sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja... (BG 18.66). These rascals thought that "It is too much. Why I shall surrender to Kṛṣṇa? I am also as good as Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I surrender?" That is our mentality. If somebody says, good man, that "You surrender. I shall give you good instruction," "Oh, why shall I surrender to you?" That is material life. But our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement begins when you are ready to surrender. That is beginning. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). Praṇipāt means surrender. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta. "Yes, I surrender to you." That is the beginning. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). To learn the surrender, it will take many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. But those who are intelligent, they will surrender immediately. "Kṛṣṇa says, 'Surrender,' and why not? Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Let me surrender." Then his life is successful immediately. Within a second his life is successful. But we are not prepared to surrender. That is our material disease. So if we do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa and take His instruction and make our life, that is our choice. But if you like, you can make your life successful within a moment simply by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa.

Thank you very much.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

Two things are there in this material world. The karmīs, they are trying to enjoy this world, whole day and night that expressway, always trucks and cars are going on—sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh. Bhoga, how to enjoy, first class. Another, the hippies. They don't want to do anything. Both sides are there in your country, bhoga and tyāga.

But in neither of the paths you'll be happy, because that is not your proper position. You cannot enjoy or you cannot renounce. Actually the whole thing belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Nothing belongs to anyone. Whatever you have got in possession, that is Kṛṣṇa's property. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything. You do..., you try to understand. The trees, the plants, the water, the land—have you produced it? Then how do you claim that it is your land, it is your country, it is your water, it is your tree? That is the wrong position. And similarly, tyāga, renouncement... What can you renounce? What you had? What is the meaning of renouncement? You had nothing. You came here in this world from the womb of your mother empty-handed, a child. Then you falsely claim: "This is my country, this is my home, this is my wife, this is my children, this is my property, this is my bank balance, this is my skyscraper building..." All these false. Because you did not brought this. You came empty-handed, and when you go, you go empty-handed. The things are there. The bank balance is there. The building is there. You cannot take anything. So what is the meaning of bhoga and tyāga? There is no meaning. Either now, neither able to enjoy, because it is not your property. If you want to enjoy other's property, then you'll be implicated in criminal offenses. And if you say others' property, "I renounce this bank, I renounce this Bank of America," when did it belong to you, that you are making renouncement? It is all lunacy.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Eh? It is not a fact?

Guest: It's a fact.

Prabhupāda: But it is not easier? If you teach one child that "If you meditate upon Kṛṣṇa within," that is easier? Or if you say that "The fire which you are cooking on, this is Kṛṣṇa's"? Which is easier? So why you become more than child? You should remain always child, then you will get knowledge, real knowledge. That is the mistake. "I am now grown up. I cannot accept as child." What is the difference between child? A child also learns ABCD and a grown up man also uses ABCD. In what sense he is grown up? The ABCD is there. But when you are grown up can you give up ABCD? Can you give up ABCD when you are grown up? What do you mean by grown up? What is the difference between child and you? You also use ABCD, he also uses ABCD. But his knowledge of ABCD is not so perfect as yours.

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Eh? Yes, actually.

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. We should remain child. But they are going to become Kṛṣṇa. That is nonsense. That is nonsense. If you remain a child of Kṛṣṇa, that is real sense. And as soon as I want to become Kṛṣṇa, that is rascaldom. Do you accept this or not?

Guest: No, no...

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971:

The criminal activities is that if you encroach upon others' property, others' right, that is criminal. Tena tyaktena... You should be satisfied whatever Kṛṣṇa has allotted to you. Therefore we are training our devotees to take Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Whatever Kṛṣṇa has willfully left after His eating, we take it. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He keeps the prasādam as it is. Because He's pūrṇa. He's not hungry. He's feeding millions of living entities. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. So He's not hungry. Neither whatever you are offering to Kṛṣṇa, it is your property. It is Kṛṣṇa's property. You cannot manufacture fruits, flowers, grains, or milk, or anything else. Anything eatable you cannot manufacture in your factory. That is Kṛṣṇa's manufacture. Therefore, actually, it is Kṛṣṇa's property. Simply you have to acknowledge: "Kṛṣṇa, You are so kind. You have given so many things for our eating. First of all, You taste. Then we shall take it." What is the difficulty? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So each and every item, if you study what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your life will be happy—if you take to it. Simply understanding Kṛṣṇa, you'll be liberated. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

janma karma me divyaṁ

yo jānāti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti...

(BG 4.9)

Kṛṣṇa says that "If somebody simply understands Me, Kṛṣṇa, in fact..." To understand Kṛṣṇa superficially is no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. Tattvataḥ. That tattvic knowledge is also very difficult.

Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:

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. Why should you keep it? But the kṛpaṇa, they do not know how to utilize the money. The money belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). So He is the proprietor. Some way or other... Just like in our society somebody is entrusted with millions of dollars to spend. But that money is Kṛṣṇa's money; it is not his money. Similarly, you take big society, the nation, the community, whatever money is there, that is Kṛṣṇa's money. So if we spend it properly, conscientiously, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then it is properly utilized. Otherwise he becomes a kṛpaṇa, miser. He got the opportunity to serve Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa gave him so much money—but he kept it without any use. That is called kṛpaṇa.

So brāhmaṇa and... Brāhmaṇas, I have already explained, that brāhmaṇa's business is dāna-pratigraha. He will collect. Brāhmaṇa has the right to collect from his disciples. Spiritual master. But he will distribute it. Dāna-pratigraha. He will be also a man charitably disposed, spending that money for public welfare, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa, this word, is used, kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ. The kṛpaṇas, they are simply trying to get some benefit. Another word is used:

Lecture on SB 6.1.28-29 -- Philadelphia, July 13, 1975:

So you should keep at least what is there. So this is the position at the time of death. Sometimes you will find the dying man is crying, ākulendriyaḥ, tearful eyes. He cannot express. He is not practiced. But he was given the chance. Kṛṣṇa gave him the conscience when the child was born to keep his name Nārāyaṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's mercy, that "This rascal was My devotee, and now he is so fallen. All right, he is attracted to his children." So He gave the conscience, "Now keep your son's name Nārāyaṇa." Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says, "From Me everything, remembrance and forgetfulness, come." Those who want to forget Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa helps him to forget: "All right, you forget." He does not give. He does not dictate from the within. And one who is foolishly in bad association, unfortunately forgets Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa gives him chance. Offenders are very nuisance. Kṛṣṇa... Too much offender, purposefully, guru—Vaiṣṇava, his position is very difficult. But by chance if one forgets Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa does not forget him.

Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- San Francisco, July 16, 1975:

So this man married a prostitute, duṣṭā-bhāryā, and he learned how to cheat, how to become fraud, so many. We have already discussed. That was his business. And he was very nicely... He was thinking, "I am very nicely situated." In this way he was little attached to the youngest child. That was his fortune, that he was named Nārāyaṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's kindness. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, so merciful to His devotee, that Uddhava says that "Kṛṣṇa is so kind that Pūtanā came to poison Kṛṣṇa..." She smeared poison on her breast. She made a policy that "I shall take this child very affectionately and push the nipple in His mouth, and as soon as the child will drink the poison, He will die." And Kṛṣṇa is so kind that although her motive was to kill Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa took the bright side. What is that? "Oh, I have sucked her breast, so she is My mother." Kṛṣṇa has taken that. And therefore, after death, Pūtanā got the same position as mother Yaśodā. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Who can kill Kṛṣṇa? So for Kṛṣṇa there is no black side or bright side. Kṛṣṇa can drink oceans of poison. So that He did not take very seriously, that "This witches have come to poison Me, but she has agreed to give Me milk from her breast. Then she is My mother." This is Kṛṣṇa's conclusion. Therefore Uddhava says, "Such a kind Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, that the enemy, the poison-giver was accepted as mother. So whom I shall worship except Kṛṣṇa?" This should be the conclusion, that "Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Little service..."

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- Los Angeles, June 3, 1976:

So the Kṛṣṇa conscious life is not very difficult. It is very easy. In one second, if he agrees: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa, whatever You say, I shall do..." That Arjuna did at last, after hearing the whole Bhagavad-gītā. When Kṛṣṇa asked, inquired from him, "Now, what is your decision...?" Kṛṣṇa never interferes with your decision. You have got little independence. Kṛṣṇa has given you. But if you use your independence, do not like to obey the orders of Kṛṣṇa, that is your business. You can do that. Kṛṣṇa will not interfere with you. But Kṛṣṇa says that "If you want actual happiness, liberation, then follow what I say." That is Kṛṣṇa's request. As we are subordinate, Kṛṣṇa can order that "You must do it." That Kṛṣṇa does not say, never. Kuru. He says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), "You do it." He doesn't say "You must." That is your option. You can deny it. That is going on. Kṛṣṇa is instructing everything perfectly, but why people are not doing? That is his discretion. That Kṛṣṇa gives always. After teaching Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly, He asked Arjuna: "Now, Arjuna, I have spoken to you everything. Now it is up to you to do it or not to do it." Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). Yathā-icchasi: "Whatever you like, you do." He doesn't force, but Arjuna, that is, means knowledge, Arjuna said naṣṭo mohaḥ: "My illusion is now over." Naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā: "Now I am remembering, I am memorizing my position," tvat-prasādād, "by Your grace." So kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73): "Now I shall act as You desire." This is perfection of life. Whenever we decide that "Now we shall act as Kṛṣṇa says," then our life is perfect. Vāsudeva-uktaḥ kāriṇaḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- Los Angeles, June 3, 1976:

Cloud means sounds, everything stops. Megha-nirhrādayā. So the point is that those who are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if they are strictly following vāsudevoktaḥ, whatever Vāsudeva has said or the Vāsudeva's representative has said, if he's simply prepared to carry out the orders, then his position is very secure. His position is very secure.

So we are Kṛṣṇa conscious men or we are known as Hare Kṛṣṇa men. Anyway... So we are not manufacturing something imaginary. That is not our position. Vāsudevoktaḥ. We are simply excecuting what Vāsudeva has spoken, that's all. So our task is very easy, because we haven't got to manufacture, tax our brain, to create something nonsense. No. Our position is very clear. Kṛṣṇa has said man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's words. So many things, these are important things. Kṛṣṇa says that "Always think of Me." So we are saying the same thing. "My dear friend, my dear student, my dear son, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Then you'll think of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā. And, who will chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? Mad-bhakto. Unless one agrees to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, why he'll chant? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "You worship Me." So we have created this temple. Come on, worship Kṛṣṇa. And māṁ namaskuru—and whoever comes to the temple, he offers obeisances. We teach how to offer obeisances as soon as we enter. That is our business. Where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. Either you are learned or a fool or rich or poor or black or white or American or Indian, Hindu, Muslim, never mind—take this lesson, you become perfect. So human society should take advantage of this movement and do these four things only—man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. Then what is the... Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ: (BG 18.65) "I guarantee you come back to home, back to Godhead, by this process."

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

"It is My energy." So stone is also energy of Kṛṣṇa, but you have not eyes to see Kṛṣṇa in the stone. That is your defect. Kṛṣṇa says that "This is My energy." Just like you can see, by energy, you can see the energetic, similarly, by seeing Kṛṣṇa's energy, you can see Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore those who are advanced devotee, for them, there is nothing material; everything is Kṛṣṇa. Sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe nā dekhe tāra mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). Actually, a Vaiṣṇava is factually monist because he does not see anything except Kṛṣṇa. Anything he sees, he will think, "This is Kṛṣṇa's energy." So why it is not Kṛṣṇa? So Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: (BG 9.4) "I am expanded everywhere." Avyakta-mūrtinā. Avyakta means not manifest. He is in the fire. He is in the water. He is in the land. He is in the sky—everywhere. He is in the mind. He is in intelligence. He is soul. He's part and So Kṛṣṇa is everywhere; simply you have to make your eyes how to see Him. That is required. That is prema. Premāṇjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who are santaḥ, saintly person, they always see Kṛṣṇa. Why? Premāñjana-cchurita, because he is in love with Kṛṣṇa. Just like you have your beloved child. Although he is out of sight, you can see him in his shoe, in his cloth, in his toy: "Oh, it is my child." That requires prema. Similarly, if you have knowledge, theoretical knowledge even, that everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy and if you have love for Kṛṣṇa, with reference to the context, whatever you see, you see Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

As we are infected with a certain type of guṇa, immediately our body, activities, name... We have contacted, contaminated, with tamo-guṇa... There are so many animals in the tamo-guṇa—trees, plants. Tamo-guṇa: darkness, no knowledge. So similarly sattva-guṇa. If you associate with sattva-guṇa, then you get the body of a brāhmaṇa, intelligent man, saintly man. Everything is ready. It requires only our association. That's all. Therefore the advice is that "You all become the topmost qualified man." That is the propaganda of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Become first-class topmost men. Don't remain..." Tamasi mā: "Don't remain in darkness." This is our only request. Otherwise... But why we are making this propaganda? Because Kṛṣṇa wants. We are all servant of Kṛṣṇa; therefore our only aim is to serve Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa wants that "Save these rascals from rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Bring them transcendent to sattva-guṇa, and they will be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "Arjuna, you become above the three guṇas." That is the Kṛṣṇa's desire. "Why you are bothering with these guṇas? 'This is my body. This is my family. This is this. This is this. This is this.' You are arguing so much." So therefore Kṛṣṇa said, nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "These are on the material platform. Come to the spiritual platform." Ultimately he said that "You are My very dear friend. Therefore I am disclosing to you the most confidential knowledge." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). This is the whole instruction.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Los Angeles, June 11, 1976:

And from stool they are getting fat. So these things are going on. But we should not try to imitate. The sum and substance is Kṛṣṇa cannot be contaminated. Apāpa-viddham. In the Īśopaniṣad, you'll find. Tejīyasām. Just like sun is never contaminated. From the whole universe, the sun is soaking water from any filthy place. But the filthy place is becoming purified by the sun rays. That is possible by the sun.

So similarly, we cannot imitate Kṛṣṇa. That is pāpa, adharma. Dharma is to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa. That is very simple. And if we do that then we become qualified to go back to home, back to Godhead. Very simple thing. It doesn't require much education. Simply it requires a purified mind, that "I shall execute it honestly." That much qualification is sufficient. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's law and order. Kṛṣṇa does not say anything which is very difficult to execute, because we cannot do it. Kṛṣṇa asks from you very simple thing. Not that Kṛṣṇa is asking from you very things which we cannot supply. No. We can supply. Anyone, any poor man, any illiterate man, any poor man or any rich man. Everyone, it is open to everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not forbidden to anyone, even pāpa-yoni.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Los Angeles, June 11, 1976:

Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇya bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). Bhajasva mām. This is Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "Simply always think of Me." This is the law and order. Who cannot think of Kṛṣṇa? Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Very easy. Where is the difficulty? This is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā, bhava mad-bhakto. And unless one is devotee, he cannot spend time in that way, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." Only the devotees can do. And mad-yājī, to worship Kṛṣṇa. So if somebody says, "I am very poor man. I cannot construct such a nice temple or offer Kṛṣṇa so many nice foodstuffs," Kṛṣṇa says, "No, no need." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). "Come on." You do not require. If you have money, then spend it for Kṛṣṇa, as much as you can. Then if you don't spend, if you think, "Kṛṣṇa wants patraṁ puṣpam; the money I shall keep in the bank for my pleasure," then Kṛṣṇa will cheat you also. If you want to cheat Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is the greatest cheater. Then you'll be cheated. Don't be cheater. Simply, fervently, very honestly, obey the orders of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām. Four things. And what is the result? Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ: (BG 18.65) "Without any doubt, you'll come back to Me." What do you want more? That Kṛṣṇa is so nice.

Lecture on SB 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975:

He's the supreme controller, but He is controlled by His devotee, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. He is controlled. So it is not to be easily understood what is the pastimes between... But Kṛṣṇa is willingly agreed to be controlled by His devotee. That is Kṛṣṇa's nature. Just like mother Yaśodā. Mother Yaśodā is controlling Kṛṣṇa, binding Him: "You are very naughty? I will bind you." Mother Yaśodā has a stick, and Kṛṣṇa is crying. Kṛṣṇa is crying. These things you study. It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Kunti's prayer, how she is appreciating that "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are the Supreme. But when under the stick of mother Yaśodā you are crying, that scene I want to see." So Kṛṣṇa is so bhakta-vatsala that He is the supreme controller. But a devotee like mother Yaśodā, a devotee like Rādhārāṇī, devotees like gopīs, devotees like the cowherds boy, they can control Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana life.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to take you there. The foolish persons, they are being deviated. They do not know what is the value of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. They are trying to give the human society the topmost benefit, position. They don't want to become one with God, but they are giving the right to control God. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. What is the use of becoming one with God? Nobody can become. But Kṛṣṇa is willing to be controlled by the devotee. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So from this position, ajño ajita-ṣaḍ-varga, forced to work by the spell of material energy, from this rotten condition of life, we are trying to raise him to the platform where he can control Kṛṣṇa.

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

This is wanted. If you have got a pinch of anyābhilāṣa, then you cannot become a pure devotee. That is not possible. Then Kṛṣṇa will give you chance to fulfill your anyābhilāṣa, not Kṛṣṇa bhakti. He can give you even mukti, but He will not give you bhakti. This is Kṛṣṇa's principle. Bhakti can be awarded to a person who is fully surrendering, one who does not know anything but Kṛṣṇa. This is the way. Therefore, it is said, na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhis tathā viśuddhyaty aghavān vratādibhiḥ.

In the śāstras there are different varieties of ritualistic ceremony, vratas, to counteract our sinful activities within this material world. The material world is so situated that if you do not want to become a sinful man, unless you are devotee, you will be forced to commit sinful activities. You'll be forced. Just like you are very good man, but when walking on the street you are killing so many ants. We have got experience while morning walk. You cannot avoid it. It is not possible. And you are responsible for killing the ant. Then? How you can save yourself from the sinful activities? Therefore in the śāstra it is said, padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadam (SB 10.14.58). Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadam. If you want to stay within this material world, then padaṁ padam—"in every step there is danger." Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadaṁ na teṣām. Na teṣām. "Not for them." Who? Samāśritā ye pada-pallavaṁ plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ: "One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the lotus feet of Murāri," means Kṛṣṇa. Samāśritā. Samyag āśritā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Samyak, fully. Sama means samyak, no reservation: "Kṛṣṇa, I do not know anything more. I simply surrender unto You. Now whatever You do, accepted. If you like to kill me, kill me. If you want to give me protection, that's all right. Anyway, I am surrendered." This is called full surrender.

Lecture on SB 6.2.14 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1975:

When we worship any other demigods... Just like you worship Gaṇeśa for siddhi, ṛddhi-siddhi. You will find in mercantile shop, namo gaṇeśāya namaḥ ṛddhi-siddhi kurdan mile(?). So similarly, we worship Goddess Durgā for beautiful wife. These are prescribed in the śāstras, that "If you want this, then you worship this Deity. If you want this, then you worship this Deity." So different worshipers of demigods, they are meant for satisfying the senses. But Kṛṣṇa is not that. You cannot satisfy your senses by worshiping Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is not order-supplier: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, please give me this. Then I shall worship You." Kṛṣṇa does not accept such worship. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam: (BG 18.66) "You first of all surrender to Me. I am not your order-supplier." This is Kṛṣṇa's worship. So those who are not taking Kṛṣṇa as order-supplier, those who are accepting Kṛṣṇa as order-carrier, he will be successful. Otherwise it will take time. Don't take Kṛṣṇa as your order-carrier, order-supplier. You become. Hṛṣīkena-hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Bhakti means when you engage your senses for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. And if you take Kṛṣṇa for satisfying your senses, just like you worship other demigod, that is not bhakti. That is not bhakti.

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

So Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). This is the process. Every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He belongs to the Kṛṣṇa's family. Kṛṣṇa's family. This is our original position. Vṛndāvana means whole Kṛṣṇa's family. Even the birds, beast, trees, plants, water—all belong to the Kṛṣṇa's family. Advaya-jñāna. Therefore anything in Vṛndāvana is as good as Kṛṣṇa. Even the dust of Vṛndāvana is as good as Kṛṣṇa. This is the philosophy, Absolute Truth. So Kṛṣṇa, out of His causeless mercy, He comes. At a certain interval during one day of Brahma, He comes. He exhibits His līlā, that "Anyone who desires to go back to home, back to Godhead, they can enjoy with Me like this." This is Kṛṣṇa's mission. "Come on. Why you are playing here and suffering this māyā's play? Come to the real play." This is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa comes: "Just try to understand Me, why I come."

The certain section, they say that "Why God will come? God has no business to come here." So these rascals, they do not know. Why God will not come? Is He your father's servant, that you think God cannot come, therefore God cannot come? You can think in your way, but God is fully independent. Whenever He likes, He can come. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. Just to show the example. Why God should be restrained not to come? He is not God. If God is restrained by us, by our speculation, by our imagination, that is not God. That is dog. A dog can be restrained: "Don't come here."

Lecture on SB 6.3.27-28 -- Gorakhpur, February 20, 1971:

Tucchavat. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Being compassionate with the poor souls. Poor souls... Who are poor souls? Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's a poor soul. He may be outwardly very rich, but he's a poor soul. Dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau, gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhuḥ. And how they were living? Always thinking of the pastimes of the gopīs with Kṛṣṇa. That was their life substance. How Kṛṣṇa gopī-jana-vallabha. They are thinking of Kṛṣṇa as gopī-jana-vallabha. That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Rādhā-mādhava gopī-jana-vallabha. So how gopī-jana-vallabha was dealing, they were always thinking. In that ecstasy they were keeping life. Otherwise, they had no comforts of the body. They gave up everything, living underneath a tree and became a mendi... Kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Kaupīna means simply the two pieces of underwear, that's all. No gorgeous clothing, nothing of the sort. But they were rich in understanding the gopī-jana-vallabha. They understood what is gopī-jana-vallabha. Gopī-bhāva-rasa. That is just like ocean. Rasāmṛtābdhi. There is a rasa, mellow, which they were tasting twenty-four hours, and therefore they didn't care whether they were living underneath a tree or there was no cloth, no food. That doesn't matter. Gopī-jana-vallabha.

Lecture on SB 6.3.27-28 -- Gorakhpur, February 20, 1971:

"Don't do this again. One who's a devotee, don't do, don't go there. Otherwise... They are protected by the club of Viṣṇu, cakra. Immediately that will be used." Just see, everything is clearly said.

So simply become Kṛṣṇa devotee, your life is successful. That's all. You are well protected and you are very recognized. Your qualities, your everything becomes all transcendental, immediately. It is so nice. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66). "I'll give you." That is... These are things are stated. Tān nopasīdata harer gadayābhiguptān naiṣāṁ vayaṁ na ca vayaḥ prabhavāma daṇḍe. "They are not our candidates and neither we have got any power to punish them. Even he's in wrong, that is not our jurisdiction. That is Kṛṣṇa's jurisdiction. Kṛṣṇa will see to it what to do, even if he's wrong." That is called departmental punishment. That is Kṛṣṇa's departmental punishment. Not outside. "Kṛṣṇa may punish him or excuse him; that is Kṛṣṇa's business, not ours." Therefore a devotee knows, when he's fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, if there is some punishment from the side of Kṛṣṇa, they accept it as mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇaḥ (SB 10.14.8). They have the eyes to see that "This is mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has put me into some dangerous position. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy." And actually it is so. By a little inconvenience, immediately he's rectified.

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

Prabhupāda: Yes, independence. By misusing the independence, he can... Just like a child, a small child, and his father. The father gives the little child little independence. But the child is not as powerful as the father. But still, the father, out of affection, he gives little independence to the child. Even to the dog, a master gives a little independence to the dog. That is affection.

Indian man (3): But if you say this affection... The child is doing something wrong, say, becoming enthusiastic, becoming mad to go...(?)

Prabhupāda: Father says, "Don't do it. But if you do it, do it at your risk."

Indian man (3): But if Kṛṣṇa is guiding us...

Prabhupāda: But you don't accept Kṛṣṇa's guidance. That is the difficulty. Just like you are taking the guidance of Americans. You are elderly man, educated man, you prefer to take guidance from the Americans, not from Kṛṣṇa. So what can be done? That is Kṛṣṇa's ill luck and your misfortune. What can be done? All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

There are dharmas according to country, society, but real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma. That is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā also. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Who is mām? Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān. You will see in the Bhagavad-gītā, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. So Bhagavān says that "surrender unto Me." Opportunity. Kṛṣṇa comes to give the opportunity. He is canvassing.

Not only in this universe, in every universe He is going. That calculation is there. Out of four hundred crores of years, Kṛṣṇa appears in one universe. In this universe, when He comes, He appears in this land of Vṛndāvana. Therefore Vṛndāvana is so valuable. This is Kṛṣṇa's place. When He comes here. Just like when the governor goes to a city he has got his own resting house, similarly, when Kṛṣṇa comes to teach us dharma... Dharmasya glānir bhava... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). So what is that dharma? This Bhāgavata-dharma. When the rascals forget what is the relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what is the relationship with God, he becomes entangled in this material affair, māyā. He is harassed, harassed in this way, that he has to take birth one after another, beginning from Brahmā down to the small ant. There are so many varieties of life. So according to karma, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1), by superior arrangement one has to accept a type of body. That we are forgetting. We are thinking that we shall remain free like this. That is not possible. Your every inch of activity is being recorded and at the end of life these things will be taken into account, karmaṇā. And by the superior arrangement you have to accept one type of body. Today you may become a prime minister but your activities will be recorded and tomorrow after your death you may have to accept the body of a dog. That is the law of nature.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976:

So this is success. But this can be possible if we practice from the very beginning. Ajāmila, first of all, he was a brahmacārī, brāhmaṇa, very well behaved brāhmaṇa, learned everything, but due to bad association he fell down. But Kṛṣṇa gave him the opportunity, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, na me bhakta praṇaśyati. If once one has sincerely become the pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that will never go in vain. So Kṛṣṇa saw this Ajāmila in his childhood and boyhood and youthhood a devotee, so He gave him the chance. At last, he had ten sons. The tenth son was named as Nārāyaṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's policy, that "This rascal is forgetting Me, so I'll give him a child whose name is Nārāyaṇa." So, with reference to his son, he was chanting "Nārāyaṇa." "Nārāyaṇa, please come here, my dear son. Nārāyaṇa, please take this food." So in this way, his account was being credited, "Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa." You see? So therefore he got the salvation. Similarly, if we simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and follow these principles, our life is successful. This is called ajñāta-sukṛti. We have to acquire sukṛti. Sukṛti means pious activities. Su means pious and kṛti means activities. Sukṛtino 'rjuna. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janaḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna (BG 7.16). Arjuna... Those who are sukṛtina, means one's background is pious, they begin bhajana, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janaḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna. Ārto, arthārthī, jñānī, jijñāsur. Four kinds of men—ārto, the one who is distressed, and arthārthī, one who is poor, wants some money. Jñānī—one who wants to know what is God; jijñāsur—inquisitive. Such persons, if his background is piety, sukṛtina, then he begins bhajana.

Lecture on SB 7.6.20-23 -- Washington D.C., July 3, 1976:

The topmost planet in the spiritual sky is the, called Goloka. That is Kṛṣṇa's place. Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni. And below this there are Vaikuṇṭha-dhāmas, unlimited number of Vaikuṇṭha-dhāmas. Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa. Devī-dhāma, this is called Devī-dhāma, this material world. And Maheśa-dhāma, the Śivaloka. And devī-mahesa, hari-dhāmasu. Hari-dhāmasu means Vaikuṇṭha. So these are the different status of dhāma. We cannot calculate, estimate even this Devī-dhāma. This is called Devī-dhāma. This material world is called Devī-dhāma. It is controlled by Devī, Goddess Durgā.

sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā

chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā

icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.44)

So this Devī-dhāma is being controlled by the most powerful energy Durga. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir eka. But she's acting as chāyeva, a shadow of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is also summarized in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

Devotee (2): He knows.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (2): But then the individual, he cannot by his efforts or something...

Prabhupāda: But Kṛṣṇa point is that you... Your point is Kṛṣṇa knows your destiny, is that (indistinct)?

Devotee (2): That's correct.

Prabhupāda: But He can change your destiny. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Nobody can change, but He can change. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Suppose your life is full of sin, sinful actions. So your destiny is already there. But Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi, "I shall give you protection." So He can change what you (indistinct). You haven't got to undergo the result of your destiny. Brahma-saṁhitā also says, karmāṇi nirdahati ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Bhakti-bhājām, those who are engaged in devotion, they are karmāṇi nirdahati. (end)

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

The Brahma-saṁhitā says that His eternal form is ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. Rasa means taste, mellow. So we are also seeking some rasa in everything—a juice. When you taste any fruit or anywhere, you are seeking after some juice, everyone. So there is another juice which is ānanda-cinmaya, which is spiritual and simply blissful. That is Kṛṣṇa's form. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis. And when there is expansion of ānanda-cinmaya, that spiritual bliss expansion, that expansion is ourself. He has expanded. We are that expansion, living entities. And ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tabh... The gopīs, gopīs are also expansion. The cowherds boys, they are expansions. Everything. Kṛṣṇa has expanded Himself. Eko bahu śyāma: "One. I am one." The Supreme Lord says, 'I am one. I shall expand." So He has expanded by His energy, by His part and parcel, and everywhere the same quality is there. But there are proportion. Just like when there is fire there is bursting out of sparks. Some of the spark are very big; some of the spark are small, some of them, very small. In this way there are proportion. Similarly, all living entities, all energy, they are all expansion of Kṛṣṇa. The material energy, the spiritual energy, the marginal energy, they are all expansion. Just like sunlight, expansion of the sun. And in the sunlight... It is very easy to understand. In the sunlight there are so many planets, and each and every planet have varieties of production, mountains, seas, ocean, trees, or trees. There are varieties of trees, animals, each and every planet. So nothing is void or impersonal. Everything is full of varieties, personalities. So you can understand. And what are these planets?

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

Yes. Kṛṣṇa is bluish. Kṛṣṇa's color is the sky. When you see the clear sky, bluish sky, are you not very happy? "Oh, today is very nice day, blue sky." Especially in this country, when the sky is always overcast with cloud. So why you appreciate the color of the sky so much? That is Kṛṣṇa's color. Kṛṣṇa's body, there is a ray, brahmajyoti. That brahmajyoti is reflected in the sky. That brahmajyoti is outside this material sky, but that is being reflected. Therefore the sky's color, it appears bluish. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudādhi vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). It is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, "On account of distribution of the rays of His body, the brahmajyoti, there are generation of innumerable universes." So all these universes—this is one of the universes—they are in that brahmajyoti, and that brahmajyoti is being reflected in the sky, and sky is so beautiful. So how much beautiful is Kṛṣṇa, just we can imagine. Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is the rays of the sun planet, and in the sun planet there is sun-god. So if sunshine is so pleasing, just imagine how the sun-god is pleasing. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's jyoti, brahmajyoti, is so important. Then just imagine how Kṛṣṇa's beauty is appreciated in transcendental world. Yaṁ śyāma-sundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ. Barhāvataṁsam asitāmbudha-sundarāṅgam. Barhāvatāmsam asitāmbudha. His color is compared with the blackish cloud, asitāmbudha, sundarāṅgam, but very, very beautiful.

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

Even if you are very poor man, so give Me something, whatever you can secure very easily." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ. Patraṁ you can get anywhere, without any price. Puṣpam also you can get anywhere, and toyam, that also get, you can get. So simply collect for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that "I'll serve Kṛṣṇa with this endeavor. I'll collect something." What you'll collect? It is Kṛṣṇa's money. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So what you can collect? It is Kṛṣṇa's. Just like we are constructing this temple. We are feeling that "I am constructing. We are constructing," but actually it is Kṛṣṇa's. The bricks, the iron or the cement or anything that we are collecting, that is Kṛṣṇa's property. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam. The brick is not your property. The earth is not your property. You are taking Kṛṣṇa's earth, and you are making it a brick. Still, it is Kṛṣṇa's property. But the endeavor, the energy which you are giving to Kṛṣṇa, that is taken into account: "Oh, he is working for Me. He wants to give Me something." That Kṛṣṇa consciousness is important. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa can... By His will He can construct sixteen thousands palaces for His queen. What this tiny temple will satisfy Him? But still, He's satisfied: "Oh, you have done so much? Very good." Recognized. Kṛṣṇa has created the whole universe. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kāla. He doesn't require any endeavor. Simply by breathing, yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). By His breathing, many millions of Brahmās are coming out, jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ. And each jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ, Brahmā, is creating a universe. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya (Bs. 5.48). So to create a temple, He doesn't require our help. He can create millions of temples by His will. There are already.

Lecture on SB 7.9.16 -- Mayapur, February 23, 1976:

So that is called duṣkṛti. And sukṛtina, just the opposite is sukṛtina. Sukṛti means one is acting or utilizing his merit for sukṛti. Sukṛti means the way by which one can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is called sukṛti. Ajñāta-sukṛti. This temple means to give chance to the people in general, ajñāta-sukṛti. Anyone who will come to this temple where the Deity is there, and even by imitating others, if one offers obeisances to the Lord, that is taken into account. That is not useless, because Kṛṣṇa says, mad-yājinaḥ. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. He gives the four principles, that "Always think of Me," man-manā, "and become My devotee," mad-bhakta, mad-yājī, "worship Me," and mad-yājino Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "Just offer little obeisances. These four principles will deliver you from this bondage of material existence and," mām evaiśyasi asaṁśaya, "without any doubt, you'll come back to Me." So, so simple thing. It is not at all difficult. This child, he can do this. Old man can do this. Learned man can do this, without any knowledge. Even an animal can do it. Very simple. Bhakti-yoga is very simple. Therefore, somehow or other, if somebody comes into the temple, and even by imitating one offers obeisances... We have seen so many people. Our devotees are offering obeisances. They also think that "It is the etiquette. Let me do that," by association. Therefore it is recommended, sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Sādhu-saṅga. Simply by association, one can be delivered. Saṁsāra-cakra-kadanāt. It is so nice thing.

Lecture on SB 7.9.20 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1976:

Everything existing on Kṛṣṇa. This material energy—earth, water, fire, air, sky—that is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. They are also Kṛṣṇa's energies. Opposite elements also. Just like heat and cold. So they are opposite. Śītoṣṇa. Śīta means winter, and uṣṇa means summer, warm and cold, cool. We see practically that the expert electrician by the same electric energy is running on the heater and the cooler. The cooler is also working under electric energy, and the heater is also working. So ephemerally heat is opposite to coolness, and coolness is opposite to heat. But both of them are working under the same energy; simply it is a question of adjustment by the expert electrician. So God is one, and His energy is also one, and there is no separation of energy from the energetic. Just like fire and heat. Heat cannot be separated from fire. But still, heat is not fire. I may be heated by high temperature, but if there is fire, then I will be burned—different action—although both of them are the same, heat and fire. Therefore the conclusion should be sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat parasya brahmaṇaḥ śakti. Parasya. Parasya means "of the Supreme Brahman." Supreme Brahman is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). And Arjuna also accepts Kṛṣṇa as Parabrahman. So everything is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "I am spread all over the creation.' Avyakta-mūrtinā. But you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. Here we know there is air, there is ether, there is light, there is heat—everything is here. We can see it, experience it, but avyakta-mūrtinā—Kṛṣṇa is invisible, imperson. That is the difference between person and imperson. There are philosophers who think that the Absolute Truth is person, and there are other philosophers, they think the Absolute Truth is imperson. But we followers of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we accept both. He is person and imperson also at the same time, simultaneously. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

Lecture on SB 7.9.20 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1976:

And within, we are packed up. Just like the soldiers, they are within the fort or there are other persons also, similarly, this is a durgā. Durgā. Duḥ means difficult, and ga means going. Dur-gā. So because the nature is feminine, therefore it is called Durgā. So just like in the fort, in the jail, if you are put, it is dur-gā, very difficult to come out, very, very difficult. Duḥ means it is not so easy. Therefore it is called dur-gā. You cannot enter in the fort or in the jail. Big, big walls, you cannot enter there without permission, and you cannot come out without permission. That is called durgā. So this Durgā, or durgā-śakti, material energy, very, very powerful. You cannot come out from this fort of material existence without superior permission. That is Kṛṣṇa's permission. Mayādhyakṣeṇa: (BG 9.10) "Under My vigilence, under My superintendence."

So Durgā-devī is keeping you captivated. When Kṛṣṇa says, "Let him go," immediately released. Immediately you are released. And when Kṛṣṇa says, "Keep him under your control," so you have to remain. So we are captivated now within this material world. We are announcing that "We are independent. Whatever we like, we can do." These are all foolishness. You are entangling yourself, simply entangling. A little mistake—you'll have to suffer. Just like in our daily affairs you can eat so much. A little more eating means disturbance in the digestion. You are so much under the control of nature. But these rascals, they do not understand it. They declare, "Freedom."

Lecture on SB 7.9.20 -- Mayapur, February 27, 1976:

These rascals, vimūḍhā, mūḍhā, very strongly mūḍhās. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. That false egotism—"Oh, I am very big man. I am so intelligent. I am so learned. I have got money"—this is ahaṅkāra. This is called false ahaṅkāra. This is also... If you actually have got money, that's all right; you can say, "I have got money." But you have nothing, not a farthing, and still, somehow or other, because you have got some money, you say, "I have got money." That is not your money; that is Kṛṣṇa's money. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, you rascal. You do not know. You are thinking that it is your money. That is ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Now where you are going? You are giving up this body, so take your money with you. How can you take? The money is there, the body is there, the family is there, the house is there—everything left. Now you go and become a dog. You have treated just like a dog. You have treated just like a hog. Now you take the body of a... Now your money, your family, your society, your house—left. So how you can claim, "It is mine"? The ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. These rascals, under false egoism, thinking, "This is mine. This is..." Real sense is īśāvāsyam idam. It is all Kṛṣṇa's.

Lecture on SB 7.9.21 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1976:

Therefore, if you taste the vast sea water, it is salty, and the drop is also salty because the same chemical composition is there in minute quantity. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is svatantam. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means independent. Bhāgavata begins that "The origin of everything, the Absolute Truth, is sentient." He's not a chunk. He's sentient. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). Abhijñaḥ means sentient. He's not a dull matter. But, the question is, wherefrom knowledge and sense comes? We have to take senses, learn knowledge, from master, from teacher. But so far Kṛṣṇa is concerned, He is svarāṭ. He hasn't got to take any knowledge from anyone. That is Kṛṣṇa's, I mean to say, feature, svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means independent. Everything He's independent. He's not dependent. Nija-lābha-pūrṇaḥ. The other day we learned, nija-lābha-pūrṇaḥ. He is always complete in Himself. He hasn't got...

So when we imitate Kṛṣṇa—we want to be complete in ourself without the help of Kṛṣṇa—this is called māyā. Māyā means that we want to imitate Kṛṣṇa. That is going on, material world. Therefore you'll find these Māyāvādīs... (aside:) Who is that? Take him out. The Māyāvādīs, they persist on this point, that "I am God." The māyā is working there. Māyā is working there still, although he is thinking that "I am now liberated. I have become Nārāyaṇa." Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. He is thinking that "I am God." That means he is in the darkest region of māyā, and still, he is thinking that he's liberated. He is thinking what he's not. At the present moment, you'll find, the whole world is filled up with these rascals. They are in the deepest region of māyā and concocting that he is God, he is God. This is māyā. Therefore it is said, māyā manaḥ. The māyā manaḥ is so strong that māyā manaḥ sṛjati karmamayaṁ balīyaḥ. Very strong. His material existence began from this point, that "Why shall I serve Kṛṣṇa? I shall remain independent." But the rascal does not know that he cannot become independent. That is not possible. But this is the beginning of material life. "Why shall I accept God? I am God." So the same thing is continuing in different phases.

Lecture on SB 7.9.26 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1976:

So "Such Ramā, the goddess of fortune, she also could not get this compassionate mercy or causeless mercy." So he's feeling proud that "You are so affectionate to Your devotee." Therefore Lord's name is bhakta-vatsala. He can offer to His bhakta any position, more than Himself. Just like mother Yaśodā. She is bhakta, and Lord has given her the position for punishing Him. Mother Yaśodā is threatening Kṛṣṇa that "Kṛṣṇa, You were very naughty. Now I shall bind You." So Kṛṣṇa, out of being afraid, was crying. So Kṛṣṇa has given the position to the bhakta that "You chastise Me. I'll accept it." This is bhakta's position. This is Kṛṣṇa's causeless mercy. He can do that.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is appreciating that "I am worthless. I have no qualification." That should be the position of the bhaktas always. Never we should think that "I have become a big bhakta." No. Caitanya-caritāmṛta author says humbly, puriṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha: (CC Adi 5.205) "I am lower than the worm in the stool." Does it mean that he is actually? No. But he's feeling like that. An advanced devotee, they're always so humble and meek, they always think of himself as worthless. And still, the Lord is so kind and favorable. That is His causeless mercy, that "I am not qualified, I am not worthy of this facility." This is the humbleness. Kvāhaṁ rajaḥ-prabhava īśa tamo 'dhike 'smin. "Not only I am influenced by rajo-guṇa, but mostly, seventy-five percent, I am infested with tamo-guṇa." Adhika. Akhika means "in larger quantity." And there is no question of sattva-guṇa. Adhika 'smin jātaḥ sure... "Otherwise why I am born in this family?" That is the test. Now they are... By force they are trying to be equal. Of course, in this age everyone is śūdra. That is an... Otherwise lowborn means this differentiation of different low qualities. By nature it will give. I have several times explained that as you infect a certain type of contaminous disease, you get that, you suffer from that. So the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, then antaja, (?) caṇḍāla, mean, so many, kirāta, hūṇa, pulinda, pulkaśā, abhīra, śumbha—so many, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade. Then why this low-grade birth? That is due to this kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). In the Bhagavad-gītā it says. It is due to our association with low-grade qualities.

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

"All right, I am also for you two hundred. (laughter) I am also for you two hundred." Ye yathā mām... This is the meaning, real meaning. Ye yathā māṁ prapadya... Kṛṣṇa is for you. It is called... What is called the exact word? Responsive cooperation. "If you have surrendered to Me cent percent, then I respond cent percent. If you have surrendered twenty-five percent, then I respond twenty-five percent." This is the position.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja knows it, that naiṣā parāvara-matir bhavato: "You have no such thing as discriminating." So one may say that "I may... I am foolish, I may not surrender to Kṛṣṇa cent percent, but why He is not kind cent percent?" So that is Kṛṣṇa's discrimination. Why He should? He can... He can become cent percent, but He does not do so. That means Kṛṣṇa is sentient; He is not impersonal. Don't think that whatever you are doing, Kṛṣṇa cannot see. In the Deity room, if you think that "This Deity is made of brass. Whatever nonsense I can do, He does not see," no, He can see everything. Añgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti paśyanti pānti kalayanti. He sees. You rascal, you do not know how Kṛṣṇa sees. You think that "He has these brass-made eyes. He cannot see. I can do all nonsense with..." No. That is not. He can see everything. Paśyanti pānti. Añgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti. He can see with His lotus feet. He can see with His hand. We can see simply with our eyes, but Kṛṣṇa can see with all the... Añgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti. You have seen. Kṛṣṇa is playing the flute. The fingers are open. A finger touching: "What you are doing?" We do not know the fingers can also see. But this is absolute. Kṛṣṇa can use His any energy, any power, any part of the body, for anything else. This is Kṛṣṇa. Añgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti.

Lecture on SB 7.9.31 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1976:

Therefore Mahā-Viṣṇu is described, kalā-viśeṣaḥ. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ, sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo (Bs. 5.48). This Mahā-Viṣṇu, from whom, by His breathing only, millions and trillions of universes are coming, and each universe there is a Brahmā, jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ. Just like in this universe there is one Brahmā. He creates again so many demigods, animals, human beings in each universe. Again we create so many also. Each of us, although we are very insignificant, still in the history we find one man begets hundreds of children.

So this is creation. This is Kṛṣṇa's creation, how things are going on. But original seed is Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sat-cit-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādiḥ (Bs. 5.1). He has no kāraṇa. He is not coming out of any seed. Anādi. Anādi means there is no beginning. He is eternal. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Sat-cit-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. So there is no creator of Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is the creator of everything. That is called īśvaraḥ paramaḥ, the Supreme. Everyone may be īśvara-partially. Īśvara means controller. So every one of us, we are more or less little controller. We sometimes control some little children or some disciples or some kingdom. So everyone may be controller. They are very much fond of becoming God. God means controller. So everyone can become... He is. Kṛṣṇa has given. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so the quality of controlling must be there. Although very insignificant part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, still, the power of controlling is there, very minute quantity. This is understanding. Svāṁśa vibhināṁśa. Everyone... Viṣṇu-tattva is also Kṛṣṇa's aṁśa, part and parcel. Yasya kalā-viśeṣaḥ. Kalā-viśeṣaḥ means part, part of the part. Kalā, aṁśa, and aṁśa's aṁśa, that's called kalā-viśeṣo. So that kalā-viśeṣa, Kṛṣṇa, Mahā-Viṣṇu, He's creating millions and millions of universes. So just imagine what is the creative power of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.36 -- Mayapur, March 14, 1976:

That is Kṛṣṇa's real form. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam: "He is playing on flute." But here it is said that sahasra-vadanāṅghri-śiraḥ-karoru. Here Brahmā saw He has got many sahasra... What is that? Sahasra-vadana, faces, aṅghri. As soon as there is face, as soon as there is one face, there must be two legs, two hands. So He appeared before Brahmā with thousands of faces. So similarly, number of hands and legs must increase proportionately. So Lord Brahmā saw Him in His virāṭa-rūpam, virāṭ-rūpam. Kṛṣṇa, Brahman, Brahman, Para-brahman. Para-brahman means the great, the great. And He is Para-brahman. Nobody is greater than Him. So if anyone wants to see Kṛṣṇa in His Para-brahman rūpa, then He exhibits His virāṭ-rūpa. Just like Arjuna saw virāṭ-rūpa, the same. But that is not His natural form. That is māyāmayam. Because one... Suppose one wants to see God and he is not very advanced. Even if he's advanced, sometimes we want to see the superior in His great opulence.

But the Vṛndāvana-vāsī, they are so affectionate, so attached to Kṛṣṇa, they do not want. They do not want to know what is God. They simply want Kṛṣṇa, to love. This is Vṛndāvana. There is no necessity. Kṛṣṇa manifested in so many ways big, big activities in Vṛndāvana, killing daily almost a demon. But still, the Vṛndāvana-vāsī did not accept Him as the Supreme Lord. They thought that some demigod has appeared. They did not know that He is the Supreme Lord. That is another māyā, yoga-māyā. If the Vṛndāvana-vāsī saw Kṛṣṇa that He is the Supreme Lord, then they could not love Him so nicely, because too much opulent conception diminishes natural love. Therefore in the Vṛndāvana there is no such exhibition of Kṛṣṇa's form. But in the material world, just to convince Brahmā that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He appeared, sahasra vadanāṅghri-śiraḥ-karoru-nāsādya-karṇa-nayanābharaṇaya-a yudhāḍhyam. Not only many faces, many ears, many legs, but each of them very nicely decorated. You have seen the picture of Lord Viṣṇu, very decorated, very much decorated. But you'll see Kṛṣṇa, He is decorated with the Vṛndāvana flowers. That is Kṛṣṇa's real form. He does not appear with many hands, many ornaments, many... No. Simple boy.

Lecture on SB 7.9.37 -- Mayapur, March 15, 1976:

We do not follow this rascal philosophy. We do not follow. So our beginning is Lord Brahmā, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, empowered to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Vedic knowledge. Why Vedas there? Anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karilā. So Veda-Purāṇa is required. Why the Vedas are there for us? To revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the gist of the Vedas, the śāstra, is Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-śāstra vinijya (?). So if we read Bhagavad-gītā carefully, spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and follow it according to the direction of the Brahmā and his disciplic succession, then Kṛṣṇa will give you all protection from the demons. There is no doubt. That is Kṛṣṇa's business. He said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharmasya glāniḥ means discrepancy in the matter of understanding Vedas. That is dharmasya glāniḥ.

We have read in the Sixth Chapter, veda-vihitaṁ dharma: "Dharma means which is enjoined, which is ordered by the Vedas." Śruti. Caitanya... Our Rūpa Gosvāmī said,

śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-

pañcarātriki-vidhiṁ vinā

aikāntikī harer bhaktir

utpātāyaiva kal...

(Brs. 1.2.101)

So we must follow śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-śāstra-vidhi. Kṛṣṇa condemns such persons, rascals, who do not accept this śāstra-vidhi and manufacture something. This rascal has spoiled the whole world. No. Śāstra-vidhi, the Vedic knowledge. Anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karilā. So we have to take protection of the Vedic knowledge, and that is summarized, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ idam (SB 1.1.3). Kalpa-taru, the tree... You get a tree. You protect tree.

Lecture on SB 7.9.51 -- Vrndavana, April 6, 1976:

He is not within anything of this material world. But fools and rascals, they cannot understand. They say that God is impersonal; when He comes He takes the help of material energy and gets a body, material body. This is their philosophy. No. Kṛṣṇa says that "I appear...," sa guṇān ātma-māyayā.

These Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand what is ātma-māyayā. Personally, ātma-māyayā. Ātma-māyayā means spiritual. He does not appear in material form. Those who are rascals and less intelligent, mūḍhās, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam... (BG 9.11). "Because I come exactly..." He is also... His form is like man. Dvibhuja, (Sanskrit). Kṛṣṇa has two hands and Nārāyaṇa (indistinct) Kṛṣṇa is always carrying His flute, this is Kṛṣṇa's līlā, form.

veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ

barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam

kandarpa-koṭi-kaminīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ

govindam ādi...

(Bs. 5.30)

Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam. It is not that I can just imagine the God's form with a flute. No. It is confirmed in the Vedic literature. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣaṁ barhāvataṁsam asitām... This is His original form. It is not the imagination of Māyāvādīs. No. But they do not know, they cannot understand. God's form can be understood by the devotees only. It is... Kṛṣṇa is not exposed to anyone except His devotee. Therefore, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa clearly says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. And these bhaktas, Kṛṣṇa says, "This bhakta who has fully surrendered unto Me with full knowledge, not blindly," vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). When one comes to this platform that Vāsudeva is everything, (Sanskrit), simply by worshiping Vāsudeva, you can worship everyone, all the demigods. There is no need of worshiping anyone else. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, only Kṛṣṇa. This is Vāsudeva.

Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:

You may be very, very, very, very, very big man, but anxiety you cannot escape. That is not possible. That is material world. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Samudvigna-dhiyām. Everyone in this material world, even this bird, a small bird, he is also always anxious that "So many people are here, and there is so many daṇḍas. They may not kill me." Therefore they're very cautious. As soon as you raise the daṇḍa, immediately they go away because anxiety is there. Or either in Brahma's life or ant's life, this is the material nature. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asat... Why? Asad-grahāt. Because you have accepted this material body, this means you have accepted anxiety.

So we have to do in such a way that no more material body. And that is Kṛṣṇa's advice. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). And if you have got a pinch of material desire, Kṛṣṇa is ready to give you a type of body so you can satisfy your desires. But the material desire is never satisfied, one after another, one after another, one after another. In this way at the time of the death we are not satisfied. We desire some thing... (break) ...and then it is to be very easy. Mām aprīṇata āyuṣman darśanaṁ durlabhaṁ hi me. If somehow or other, if you can see Kṛṣṇa, dṛṣṭvā māṁ na punar janma. Punar jantur ātmānaṁ taptum arhati. There is no more necessity of undergoing austerities, and everything is free. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra). If you have got Kṛṣṇa, there is no need of tapasya. You are free. And nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. And if you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, then what is the use of your becoming so much religious, austere sannyāsī and yogi? The whole nonsense. All nonsense. Yadi... Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, nārādhito yadi haris tapasā... There is no meaning of tapasya if you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. And if you can see Kṛṣṇa, there is no meaning of tapasya. That is... Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. Antar-bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, nāntar-bahir yadi haris tapasā... If you can see Kṛṣṇa always, outside and inside, then you have nothing to do, tapasya. Enjoy life by seeing Kṛṣṇa always. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "I don't want anything. Please allow me to see You continually."

Lecture on SB 7.9.55 -- Vrndavana, April 10, 1976:

Now they have begun. Because I am traveling all over the world, now the Jains, they are also. (laughter) But our philosophy is different. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Suppose I have to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in Europe or America. So because a sannyāsī has to walk, therefore I shall walk throughout the whole life to go to America? This is foolishness. If I can go to America within fifteen hours for preaching facility, why shall not I use the aeroplane? Why shall I stick... It is called niyamāgraha, "without any profit," to follow the regulative principle without any profit. No. If we get opportunity, preaching facilities for going on car, on airplane, using typewriter, dictaphone, microphone, we must use it. Because this is Kṛṣṇa's property, it must be used for Kṛṣṇa. This is our philosophy. This microphone is Kṛṣṇa's. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So when it is used for Kṛṣṇa it is not material; it is spiritual.

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā

hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ

mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo

phalgu-vairāgyaṁ kathyate

So anything which can be used for Kṛṣṇa's service, that is not material; that is spiritual. So we must use it. But not for sense gratification. Therefore we have to use and work exactly under the direction of spiritual master. Otherwise it will be sense gratification. Don't manufacture. Guru-mukha padma-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya, āra na kariha mane āśa **. If you want to be guided, then take in every step the words of guru. Manufacturing will not help you.