There is no difficulty (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"there is no difficulty" |"there was no difficulty"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

Anādi means He has no source of emanation. But He is ādi. He is the original source of everything. Therefore it is said, anādir ādiḥ. Anādi means He is without any source. But everyone is on account of His presence. Now, it is simple understanding. There is no difficulty to understand God. Anādir ādiḥ. Everyone has got ādi. Just like I have got my father, father has got his father, his father, his..., ādi. Ādi means the original source. But when you go to Kṛṣṇa, or God, He has no ādi. He is self-sufficient. Try to understand the simple formula of understanding God, that God has no origin, but He is the origin of everything.

Now, the next question would be... According to Vedic information, the original person is Lord Brahmā. When there was creation, the first created being was Lord Brahmā. Then from Brahmā, all other living entities expanded. This is the creation understanding. So one may mistake, "Then Lord Brahmā is, the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He has no..., nobody knew that by whom born Lord Brahmā was born." It may be questioned like that. But Brahmā is not the original source of everything. Although he has created this universe, he is not the original source. Therefore it is explained here that the original person is Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa, and He gave intelligence to Brahmā to create this universe. But if we put this argument that "Brahmā was alone.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

So the system was very strict and regular. It was not strict by anyone, but people rigidly followed. Anyone can follow the regulations; there is no difficulty. But they do not like to do. While walking on the path we see so many people unnecessarily sleeping. Not only in the park, in apartment also. Might be, nice keeping for unnecessary engagement, but according to the Vedic system, everyone should rise early in the morning before four o'clock. In India there is regular seasons also. Not like this country that during summer the nights begin at half past ten and in the winter the morning begins at half past ten. Here. But in India regularly the sun rises in the morning round about five, regularly. Either in the winter season or in the summer season. Round about five. Maybe half an hour, one hour difference. Not one hour, half an hour. So the Indian public still, even they are not very educated, because the culture is there in, especially, in the villages, they rise early in the morning and take bath. They go to the field for easing themselves, and after doing that, they take bath either in the river or in the well. In the villages there is no tap water. And by nature, in the morning either the river or the well water is very warm. The... With the advance of day it becomes cooler. But early in the morning...

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

The duty of the part and parcel is to serve the whole. Anyone can understand. This finger is part and parcel of my body, so as the body desires, the finger is working. I desire the finger may work here like this; immediately works.

So there is no difficulty to understand what is our duty. Our duty is to serve the supreme whole. But we have manufactured so many duties. This service is there. Everyone is engaged in some sort of service, but the program of service, they are different. Somebody is thinking that "I must render service to my nation." Another is thinking that "I must render service to my society." Another is thinking, "I must render service to my family." So either you take family-wise or bodily-wise or society-wise or community-wise or national-wise or humanity-wise, they are all imperfect unless it is extended up to the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa. Then it is perfect. Any service you do... Service you have to render, either to your personal body or to your family or to your society or to your community, or to the human nation, or to the whole humanity. Service everyone is... Or in the office. That is our characteristic. We render some service. Therefore the Bhāgavata says that "That is complete service." Our dharma means the characteristic duty. That duty is to render service.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

Young man has got a different body, old man has got a different body. So this is a fact, that the soul is there, but body is changing. Therefore the natural conclusion should be that when we leave this body, I take another body.

There is no difficulty to understand this reasonable proposition of Bhagavad-gītā.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

As dehāntaram, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, is dehāntaram, another body, similarly, old man, when the body is very old, it cannot be used anymore, or the supply ingredients is almost finished, then this body we give up; we accept another body. Now this body we are changing from multiforms of bodies, jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkyakāḥ, in this way 8,400,000 species of body we are changing. And this human form is the greatest benediction for the soul to understand Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says if in this body we try to understand Kṛṣṇa, janma karma me divyam yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9), if we simply to understand Kṛṣṇa, how Kṛṣṇa comes, what is His business, paritrāṇāya sādhunaṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtaṁ dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya (BG 4.8), what kind of religious principles He re-establishes, sambhavāmi yuge yuge...

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

This is religion. Religion means the order given by God. That's all. This is the simple definition of religion. If you, anyone asks "What do you mean by religion?" Religion means to abide by the orders of God. That's all. Just like good citizen means who abides by the order of the government. That's all. There is no difficulty to understand what is good citizen. Whatever the government gives you law, and if you follow, then you are a good citizen. Similarly, there is order by God, and anyone who follows that order, he's religious. Religious does not mean a kind of faith. That English translation of the word religion is not sufficient. Faith—"I believe in this, I may not believe in this"—that is different thing. But law means you must. There is no question of you believe or not believe. You believe or not believe, it doesn't matter. Law is law.

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

So he said "What benediction, Sir?" "Well, you are so poor that your house is not even properly repaired. There are so many holes in the roof." He, "Still, I have a nice house because it is better than the bird's nest. They have no roof. (laughter) They have no roof, and they live on a tree. I have got a shelter. What is the difficulty? There is no difficulty." In this way Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to offer him so many thing, and he said that "No, I have no trouble for this. If You want to benedict me, please give me pure devotion on Your lotus feet." Bhakti. So that is pure devotion. That we should hanker after, how to fix up our mind always in the service of the Lord. That we are trying to teach, that's all. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

You say that "Give up all nonsense engagement. You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa." That is the best service. And nobody can check you. Ahaituky apratihatā. You have no desire. Your business is to serve Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa says that "You do this." So you do it. What is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. The business is very simple. "My dear Sir, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious." That's all. You are a good preacher. It doesn't require much education. Simply if you go... Then other things will come automatically, if you sincerely serving Kṛṣṇa. If you simply say this very thing, "My dear sir, you are a very nice man..." That is, that is the instruction given by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. He... (break)

So it is very dangerous. I have to give up everything? (laughter) You, you... Therefore you came so humbly? What is purpose? Yes, this is our... It is not difficult. You satisfy him by flattering him, by falling down on his feet, and everything you do, but... (break) ...request him, "Please give up all nonsense. Simply take shelter of Kṛṣṇa." Then you are a good preacher. And there is no check. Nobody can check. If you go to somebody and if you say that "You become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, surrender unto Him," so you haven't got to... He'll not be angry. He may take it or not take it. But your business is finished. Kṛṣṇa will recognize. It is not that you will be successful everywhere.

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

Everyone knows. And it is dharma-kṣetra. Everyone knows. Then where is the difficulty to understand dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra māmakāḥ pāṇḍu? But if you foolishly interpret, "Dharma-kṣetra means this, and kuru-kṣetra means that, and pāṇḍavāḥ means that," you spoil the whole thing. That is going on. Otherwise there is no difficulty. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Actually, it is historical fact, Mahābhārata. There was fight between two cousin-brothers. They, "No. Pāṇḍava means this and this. Kuru-kṣetra means this and... This means this." In this way, things are being spoiled. So we are misled in that way. Actually, if we read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as a devotee... Because without being devotee, nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā in so many places it is stated, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Bhaktyā, only through devotion, only becoming a devotee, you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise you cannot. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ: (BG 7.25) "I am not exposed to anyone." Yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. "Only bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55)."

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

So that is required. Tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ, athāsaktis tato bhāvaḥ, sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ. Anartha, when the... The same thing is described by Rūpa Gosvāmī. As it is said here, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. These abhadra, these anartha... Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Bhakti, when, if one takes seriously to bhakti path, then the test is that he has given up all nonsense unwanted things. Not that he's a bhakta, and still smoking. He's not a bhakta. He's not a bhakta. That is the test. So these things are to be noted very carefully, and to try to associate with devotee. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sebi-bhakta-sane bās. Try to serve the superior ācāryas, Gosvāmīs. Ei chay gosāi jāṅr mui tāṅr dās. Make a conviction, firm determination, that "We shall follow only the, the path chalked out by the Six Gosvāmīs. We shall not deviate." With this determination, if you can go on, everything is clear, and there is no difficulty to become liberated or become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

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

So in the Vedas, in the Purāṇas, in the Upaniṣads, and confirmed by great sages, saintly persons, everyone accepts Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then why these rascals cannot find out God? We are giving the name of God, the address of God, the father, God's father's name also, Nanda-nandana, Devakī-nandana. So where is the difficulty to find out? There is no difficulty. But the rascals will not accept. They will continue their rascaldom. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, it is not at all difficulty to find out where is God. God is neither dead, nor God has become void or impersonal. He's person, dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara, Kṛṣṇa, playing on His flute and jāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī. He is existent always. Adyāpi kare līlāya gaura-rāya, kona kona bhāgyavān dekhibāre pāya(?). Kṛṣṇa is always existing. Kṛṣṇa's incarnations are always existing, before us. But if we are fortunate enough, we can see; otherwise not.

Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

Now, you are drinking water hundreds times. So as soon as you taste water, how nice it is, you can immediately see God, Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa." So how do you say that "Can you show me Kṛṣṇa?" You can see. Here is the process. You adopt it. You taste water, and when you enjoy the taste, that taste is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am this taste." Then where is the difficulty to see Kṛṣṇa? There is no difficulty. The people say, "Can you show me God?" God is everywhere, in every moment, in every step. You do not like to see Him. That is the difficulty. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. "I am the sunshine and moonshine." Who has not seen sunshine? Everyone has seen. From the very morning, we see sunshine, and at night also, when there is darkness, there is no sun, we see moonshine. So sunshine, moonshine—Kṛṣṇa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. So as soon as I see the sunshine and moonshine, I see God. What is the difficulty? Śabdaḥ khe. When there is some sound, rumbling sound in the sky, khe... Khe means sky. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the sound."

Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as soon as He sees, He fells down immediately, unconscious: "Oh, here is my Lord." So you have to purify to see God. God is present everywhere. You haven't to ask anybody, "Can you show me God? Have you seen God?" These questions sometimes made. And where is the difficulty to see God? You don't like to see God. That is the difficulty. Otherwise there is no difficulty.

So janma guhyam bhagavataḥ. And Bhagavad-gītā also Bhagavān says that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). One has to learn. One has to learn the science, how to see God. That is bhakti-yoga. One who is not in bhakti-yoga, he cannot see God, even God is present before him. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). "I am not exposed to everyone. The yoga-māyā curtain is there." So first of all, before asking anybody, "Can you show me God?" you must be qualified to see God. That is required. That qualification is taught in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how to see God, how to understand God. Otherwise it is mysterious. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186).

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior authority than Me." You say that. You say, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). "Here is... Kṛṣṇa is the cause." You understand or don't understand, if you simply pick up the words of Kṛṣṇa and talk like that, then you become mahātmā. There is no difficulty to become mahātmā. But these durātmās, the rascals, they talk differently from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are not mahātmās. They are all durātmā. Therefore the process is that if you want to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you have to find out a guru who is mahātmā. Ādau gurvāśrayam. That is the first business. Ādau, in the beginning, gurvāśrayam, to take shelter of a bona fide mahātmā guru. That is the Vedic instruction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). "Must," abhigacchet. This verb is used—"must." It is not, "Oh, I can do without guru." No, that is not possible. That is not possible. If you want to understand the transcendental science, spiritual science, you must approach. Gacchet. This, this form of verb used when there is the meaning "must." Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. And guru's qualification is brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma... And again this word. Brahma, and Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman. Again this param. That Para-brahman has been said by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa, bhavān. Bhavān: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are Para-brahman." Pavitraṁ bhavān. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

These are the qualifications. If you become qualified with these qualities... What is that? Anurakta, means attached, obedient, no sinful activities, and faithful, and not disturbing, dānta, and follower. And if the guru is mahātmā and if you are qualified with these qualifications, then the result will be there. Immediately.

But there is no difficulty. One must be serious to understand, and he must approach a qualified mahātmā guru. Then his business will be, transaction will be very nicely done. This is Vedic process. Is there any difficulty? Anyone can say? Is there any difficulty to become mahātmā and to become a qualified disciple? Is it very difficult? Say, if there is any difficulty.

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

See. So where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. The difficulty is the rascals will not do it, and the so-called durātmās, they are passing on as mahātmās, and so-called disciples are passing as disciples. Therefore the transaction is imperfect. Things are not coming out. But if the transaction is perfect from both the sides, from the disciple's side and guru's side, then Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very, very easy.

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

You may say that "I do not see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. How I shall be able to know that I am satisfying or dissatisfying Him?" That you can know through your spiritual master. It is not very difficult. If your spiritual master is satisfied, then you should know that Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. There is no difficulty. Yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. You cannot satisfy Kṛṣṇa by dissatisfying your spiritual master. That is not possible. That is not possible. You must satisfy. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. You do not take the excuse that "I do not know God, I do not meet Him. How I shall know that I have satisfied Him or dissatisfied Him?" No, śāstra says, "Yes..." It doesn't matter. Therefore it is called paramparā. Paramparā. As you receive the knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, from Arjuna, and from Nārada, from Brahmā, like that, come down to your spiritual master, similarly, as you receive the knowledge step by step, one after another, similarly, you satisfy also the Supreme Personality of Godhead from this step, this step, this step, this step. This is the process. Just like you come down step by step by step by step, similarly you go up step by step by step by step.

Lecture on SB 1.5.36 -- Vrndavana, August 17, 1974:

"I am not fit. But if you kindly give me a birth of an ant in the house of a devotee, I shall prefer that more than to become Brahmā and forget You." Brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa. These are the process.

So we have to work according to our capacity, at the same time chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Kṛṣṇa has given you the tongue, and there is no difficulty. Kurvāṇā yatra karmāṇi. And always think of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. "How I can think of Kṛṣṇa constantly? It becomes hackneyed." No, the varieties. Kṛṣṇa says that you think of Kṛṣṇa while drinking water, you think of Kṛṣṇa when you see the sunshine, think of Kṛṣṇa when you see the moonshine, day and night. So at daytime there is sunshine, at night there is moonshine. So day and night you can think of Kṛṣṇa. So, so many ways... Kṛṣṇa-śikṣayā, bhagavac-chikṣayā, as He has taught in the Bhagavad-gītā, you think of always Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65).

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

Always remain prakṛti. Prakṛti means to be controlled or controlled, and puruṣa means the controller. So here is the supreme controller: tvam ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ sākṣāt. Not that "You were made by some means." Sākṣāt, directly. Sākṣāt. And īśvara. Sākṣād īśvaraḥ. Not artificial īśvara. Sākṣād īśvaraḥ.

So where is the difficulty to understand God, īśvara, or the puruṣa? There is no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa personally says that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). So many things. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Everything is explained sākṣāt, directly. Where is the difficulty to find out God? They are searching after God, making research, all nonsense speculation. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that "Why you are searching?" You say, "Can you show me God?" Why don't you see, "Here is God"? Why, just like the owl you have closed your eyes, not to see the sun? Sun is there. See. Open your eyes and see it. The whole world is going on that "There is no God" or "God is dead" or "Can you show me God?" And "I am God by meditation," "This way," "That way." This is going on. Whole world, especially at the present moment, it is a great disastrous condition, godless civilization. They won't accept the real God, and they'll create some artificial God and become God, "Everyone is God," like that. No.

Therefore if you want to be benefited, then you must take the shelter of mahājana, great personalities. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). If you are perplexed that "Who is mahājana? How can I find him?" that is also explained in the śāstra. Mahājana, dvādaśa-mahājana:

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

The whole thing is revelation. It is not by experience, by scholarship. No: revelation. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. One who has surrendered proportionately, God reveals. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11).

So there is no difficulty to understand what is God. Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord-directly. I do not know why people are searching after God, why they do not know what is God. Just see. That means mūḍha. Although God is here, still, he'll not accept. That is mūḍha, narādhama. And why he's mūḍha? Because narādhama. He does not take the process. He wants to manufacture something. Don't do that. Here Arjuna is mahājana, he's Kṛṣṇa's friend, he's always with Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa recognizes him. Not that because one is always with Kṛṣṇa, therefore he knows Kṛṣṇa. No. That is not possible. Just like I have given this example many times, that I am sitting here, and the bug is also sitting here. That does not mean we are very confidential. No. Bug is different visions (business?), and my business different. And bug's business is biting. That kind of association will not help. Association means to develop love for the person. That is association.

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

"The king has tactfully avoided to give his daughter." So he was a yogi. So he made himself very beautiful young man. That yogi can do that. They can change. Because we are not this body, so body is old, it can be younger; younger body can be older. Nowadays in medical science, they are also doing. A man is woman, woman is man. So body can be changed. There is no difficulty if you know the process. So he changed to be a very nice, beautiful young man. So all the fifty daughters, they became attracted. They began to fight: "Oh, he is for me. He is not for you." So anyway, he accepted all the fifty daughters. In this way he became very elevated householder. But at some time he began to think, "What is my, this enjoyment? Simply by seeing the sex affairs of the fish... I was a yogi, I was a tapasvī, I've lost everything. Now I am a householder and pet husband of these women." So he came to his senses. Again he went to the forest for tapasya.

Lecture on SB 1.7.28-29 -- Vrndavana, September 25, 1976:

Nothing more. No more chemicals. Simply mantra and water. That is yet you have to learn.

But these things are there in the Vedas. If you are a serious student of Veda you can also learn, you can also fight like Arjuna. There is no difficulty. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says astra-jñaḥ. Unnaddham astra-jñaḥ. You can also become learned in the higher science of military art. You can also utilize. But that requires brain, good brain. That is not possible now, because the culture is lost. Now everyone is śūdra. Nobody is kṣatriya, nobody is brāhmaṇa. By the time... Kalau śūdra sambhava. The śūdras cannot learn all these veda. Because śūdras have no right to understand Vedic knowledge. It is meant for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas. Even not for the vaiśyas. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. They are rejected, woman and vaiśya and śūdra. Kṛṣṇa says. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. But Kṛṣṇa says te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim: "Even woman, and śūdra and vaiśyas, low grade, they can also get parāṁ gatim, promotion to the transcendental world." How? Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then even these low-grade born persons, beginning from striya śūdra vaiśya, and down, caṇḍālas... Caṇḍālas means less than the caṇḍāla. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. They are caṇḍālas. Kirāta means the black clan, or the Africans. So they are called kirāta. Hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Yavanas, khasādaya, Mongolians, without any moustaches.

Lecture on SB 1.7.45-46 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1976:

And the argument that God is everywhere, why you should go to the temple? And what is this nonsense? If God is everywhere, why not in the temple? But this is their argument, nonsense argument. God is everywhere, but not in the temple. This is their argument. So we do not care. Nobody cares. So many agitators came and gone, but the Vedic process will go on. Let the dogs bark, the caravan will pass. There is no difficulty. So on the whole, this is Vedic civilization, that the vigraha of the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepted as He is present. We should take it that Kṛṣṇa... Actually, this is the fact. As you have read in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, there was the Sākṣi-Gopāla history, and the two brāhmaṇas, they promised before the Deity, and later on there was misunderstanding, and the Deity from Vṛndāvana went to bear witness in Orissa more than thousands of miles away. And that Sākṣi-Gopāla, witness Gopāla—Sākṣī means witness—is still being worshiped in Jagannātha Purī, near. There is a station, Sākṣi-Gopāla.

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

Because the Europeans, Americans, they are accustomed to drink wine. But if they follow this instruction of Kṛṣṇa, that "This taste is Kṛṣṇa," then he remembers Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. As soon as he brings Kṛṣṇa in his mind, he becomes a bhakta. So easy. Anyone can become kṛṣṇa-bhakta if he follows the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. There is no difficulty. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. This is the simple process. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). This is for ordinary class of men. But if you think that you are very advanced in learning, in Vedic literature, and Vedic mantras, yes, then Kṛṣṇa says, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. That praṇava-oṁkāra, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. That praṇava is Kṛṣṇa. Praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu.

So either you become a highly learned scholar in Vedic literature or you are simply an ordinary person, you can think of Kṛṣṇa and you become successful in your life. There is no difficulty. Raso 'ham. If you are ordinary person... Any, every, every person drinks water or drinks something. Let him immediately think of, as soon as he tastes, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. A flower, a rose flower, very fragrant. As soon as you smell you can remember Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, this smell is Kṛṣṇa."

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

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:

"Oh, this is my child's shoes. This is my child's playing things. This is my garment." So it is the custom of love.

If you actually love God, Kṛṣṇa, then you can remember Him at any time, always, always. There is no difficulty. Here Kuntīdevī describes paṅkaja, with reference to lotus flower. And Kṛṣṇa describes Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "I am the taste of the liquid." So Kṛṣṇa can be remembered by tasting water. Even those who are drinking... If he thinks that "This taste of drinking is Kṛṣṇa," he will one day come out a great saintly person. Such a nice thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you have cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you follow the description given by the śāstras. So I can request that even the drunkards that "You can become Kṛṣṇa conscious." The drunkard, what to speak of others? Because Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: "I am the taste of the liquid." Generally, liquid, water is taken. So liquor is also liquid. Liquor is bad because it creates intoxication. Otherwise, it is made from sugar, molasses, molasses with sulphuric acid fermented, so far I know. We were in the chemical line. Molasses fermented with sulphuric acid and then distilled. That is called spirit, or liquor. So thing is, nothing is bad, but because if a thing creates bad effects, then it is bad. Then it is bad. So I shall request even the drunkards... In your country, there are many drunkards. There is no scarcity.

Lecture on SB 1.8.38 -- Los Angeles, April 30, 1973:

Therefore we are energy of Kṛṣṇa. So when the energy is withdrawn or Kṛṣṇa is not there, the energy... Kṛṣṇa's energy and Kṛṣṇa is no difference. Śakti-śaktimator abhedaḥ. Just like the sun. The sun is the śaktimān, energetic, and the sunshine is the energy. So, so long the sunshine is there, the sun is there. There is no difficulty. When the sun is not there, the sun's energy's also not there. Similarly Kṛṣṇa, so long Kṛṣṇa is within us, within this body... Kṛṣṇa's energy... There are... Two things are always. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not accept the energy. Simply they accept the energetic impersonal. No. We must accept the energy and the energetic, both. Śakti-pariṇāma. Śakti, śakti means energy. By the energy everything is going on. The energetic is aloof. Just like the sun, we can very easily understand. The example is just before us. The sun is there, the sunshine is there, and within the sun-globe there is the sun-god. But we, so-called scientists, we are studying the sun from ninety-three millions of miles away, and we are taking very pride that we are studying the sun. If you have studied sun, why don't you go there? Go there, and enter into the sun planet. This is a material thing. And what to speak of the spiritual thing?

Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:

By whose order the sun is moving in the orbit? Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **: "I worship that original person who is giving direction even to the sun, even to the ocean, even to the moon. Everything is going on under His order."

So where is the difficulty to understand God? There is no difficulty. If actually one is sane man, if he has got some brain substance, not stool substance, then he can understand God in every step, every step. Every step. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ śabdaḥ khe... (BG 7.8). Everything is explained there. Why they speak lies, that "I have not seen God." Why don't you see God as God directs you to see? Why do you manufacture your own way? You cannot see God by your own way. That is not possible. Then you will remain always blind. That is happening at the present moment. The so-called philosophers and scientists, they are trying to see God in their own way. And it is being supported by rascals that "You can find out in your own way to see God." That is not possible. You cannot see God in your own way. You have to see God by God's way. Then you can see Him. It is not possible to see God in you... What you are? Just like if I want to see President Nixon, can I see him in my own way? So how you can expect to see God in your own way? Is it not rascaldom? I cannot see even an ordinary man in big position in my own way.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

It will puzzle even the biggest brain of philosopher, how Caitanya Mahāprabhu is attached to Kṛṣṇa. We are now trying to explain in the Antya-līlā.

So, of course, we cannot expect that one day we shall be so much attached as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but this preliminary attachment, to think of Kṛṣṇa, there is no difficulty, to think of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. He'll be satisfied. He'll be sati... Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). And those who are so attached with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says, "I'll supply whatever he wants. Yes." So a devotee's opulence does not mean it is due to his karma. It is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. It is never to be diminished because it is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. The karmīs, they get opulence on account of his past karma. But a devotee gets opulence—it is gift of Kṛṣṇa; it cannot be destroyed. It cannot be destroyed. It is gift of Kṛṣṇa. We should always think of like that. And we shall try more and more to please Kṛṣṇa. Dui lage hura huri.(?) Kṛṣṇa is trying to make His devotee more and more opulent and comfortable, and the devotee is trying to please Kṛṣṇa more and more. That is the business between devotee and Kṛṣṇa. It is called, Caitanya-cari...: dui lage hura huri.(?) Just like if I want to please you or if you want to please me, so there is competition. So that competition should be there. But that competition, that realization, is impossible so long you are attached to this rascal material world.

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

Big, big rivers there are. So tropical country there is sufficient supply of water, and you use it for cleanliness. Natural antiseptic water. Any septic, you simply wash with water, it will be antiseptic, natural. In India even the poorest man who has no sufficient cloth, but he will daily wash the cloth twice. And it is tropical country, there is no difficulty. You wash and within five minutes it is dry. So antiseptic. So arrangement is so nicely made. Pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idam (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). Kṛṣṇa's arrangement is very nice.

So yesterday we discussed about the profuse supply of milk. That is required. Luxury... Actually, luxury means nature's supply. You can have profuse supply of milk, grains. For dressing you can have profuse supply of silk, cotton. And for eating, profuse supply of grains, fruits, flowers. And for this profuse supply these are the means. The first thing is nadyaḥ, rivers. The stock of water is the ocean, and by evaporation, cloud is formed. Just like you pump water to the topmost floor. So Kṛṣṇa's pumping process is this cloud. Pumping process. He is, I mean to say, evaporating water throughout the whole summer season. And they are on the head, on the sky, and then the water is distributed all over the land. Parjanyaḥ. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). Because water is required. Just see how nice arrangement. And the water, whatever for the time being in the rainy season, is distributed. And for future supply it is stocked on the head of the hills and mountains. And from that hills and mountains the rivers—they are supposed to be water supply source—throughout the year will supply water. It is stocked on the head. The same principle. We simply imitate.

Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām. Kleśa, that "Trouble is more." We can meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, immediately. We are constantly seeing Kṛṣṇa here. So as soon as I close my eyes, I see Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult. Anything you see, you'll be able to immediately have the form within your heart, immediately. So there is no difficulty, but they will create some difficult task. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā (says), kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām. To fix up the mind on Vāsudeva, or Viṣṇu, that is also difficult. But those who are trying to fix up their mind on zero, their position is more difficult, adhikataram. Adhikataram means more.

So people are voluntarily accepting some nonsense method, and they are not happy. That is their misfortune. Misfortune. Narādhama. The, everything is there, but because they do not know... Duṣkṛtina, narādhama. Duṣkṛtina, duṣkṛtina means misfortunate, or always engaged in sinful activities. They'll not meditate upon Vāsudeva; they'll meditate on something, some color, some zero, or something like that. We do not know what kind of meditation there is. But real meditation, recommended in the Vedas, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi. Yogis see the Supreme Personality of Godhead by meditation. Meditation, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, mind is absorbed in the Supreme Personality. That is the real process of yoga system and meditation—to see the form of Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, this is the recommended process, standard recommended process.

Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:

Similarly, as soon as you practice this, how to see, meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, that means you develop. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Then gradually it will increase, and you will be perfect. It is very easy. This process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so easy, and so pleasant, anyone can take. There is no difficulty. And if you become Kṛṣṇa consciousness, completely, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, bahu anudhyānam, always, anudhyānam, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, thinking of Kṛṣṇa—anyone can do it—then you become perfect. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). That is the problem. Our, what is that problem? Problem is that we are full of anxiety. Why you are full of anxiety? Because you have accepted this material body. So if you stop accepting material body, there is no anxiety. That can be done by vāsudeva-anudhyānam, constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa.

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

Actually, we are subordinate to the laws of nature, and the nature is being manipulated by the Lord. Therefore, ultimately we are subordinate to the Supreme Lord. God is great; everyone knows it. But I am not great; I am subordinate. Acceptance of this philosophy means, I mean to say, godly conscious or Kṛṣṇa conscious. Very simple thing. There is no difficulty. But the demons are so rascal, they will not admit it. They are already under control-prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27)—under the control of the stringent laws of material nature. Still, foolishly that rascal demon is thinking that he is free. This is rascaldom. Just like a outlaw, an outlaw is thinking that he doesn't care for the government. Although he is put into jail, he is punished there, still, he is declaring, "No, I don't care for the government." Madness.

Lecture on SB 1.15.41 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1973:

Otherwise, as soon as the mind is clear, devoid of all dirty things, you can see. You can understand what is God; you can see God every moment. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilo... (Bs. 5.38). So there is no difficulty. God is here, Kṛṣṇa. But one's mind is not clear. He cannot see God. He sees a statue of stone. He sees a statue of stone. And whose mind is clear, like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as soon as He sees Jagannātha, immediately fainted. Here is Kṛṣṇa. Actually, that is the fact. Here is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is omnipresent. That is God's qualification: omnipresent, He is present everywhere. So why not present in the temple? He is present here. But we have no eyes to see. Because our mind is not clean.

So we cannot use the senses to see God. That is the defect. Therefore premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). By the bhakti process, by devotional service, you cleanse your mind, you cleanse your senses. As soon as your mind is cleansed, then senses are also clean. That is helped by Kṛṣṇa Himself, as He says in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ. As soon as Kṛṣṇa sees that you are eager to hear about Him... Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). By the first hearing you may not understand about Kṛṣṇa, but if you simply hear with little attention, although you do not understand, still, you will be pious. Because the dirty things means covered with impious activities.

Lecture on SB 1.15.41 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1973:

Anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa in truth... Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ means in truth, not superficially. If you understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, as He is... And He is speaking Himself about Himself. There is no difficulty. If you simply accept Kṛṣṇa, what He says, if you follow, then you become perfect and you become fit for going back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

When they were dealing in politics with Duryodhana, there was Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is his friend, always talking with him, staying with him, sleeping with him, eating with him.

So anyone can do that. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. If in our ordinary life we deal with Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna did and the Pāṇḍavas did, so where is the difficulty for us? There is no difficulty. Simply we have to practice it. And that practice is bhaktyā. This is only possible through devotional service. Kṛṣṇa was so near to the Pāṇḍavas on account of their devotion. Nārada Muni eulogized the Pāṇḍavas that "Jñānīs and yogis, they cannot reach even, but by your devotion, He is living with you as friend. Not only as friend, but sometimes as your order-carrier." Pāṇḍavas sometimes, during their negotiation with Duryodhana, sometimes asked Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, You take this letter and deliver to Duryodhana." Agreed, "Yes, I will go." So ordinary peon. Then ordinary chariot driver, Pārtha-sārathi.

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

Just try to understand what is the distinction between a human being and cat and dog. So a human being means he is inquiring about the spirit soul or the spiritual world, the supreme spirit, God, Kṛṣṇa. He is human being. Otherwise cats and dogs. It is very simple to distinguish who is a cat and dog and who is a human being. There is no difficulty. What is the subject matter of his inquiry and what he is after? What he wants in life? Everyone wants to eat very nicely in table, chair and nice plate, nicely cooked food, and palatable. Never mind whatever nonsense it is; it must be palatable. So that is eating, eating problem. So in this way, if we analyze, it is not difficult to find out who is a human being and who is a cat and dog. That is... Everything can be understood.

So when one is inquisitive, jijñāsu... And jijñāsu means, what kind of jijñāsu, inquisitive? Śreya uttamam. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. There are fields, different fields of activities. So when becomes inquisitive to know the ultimate necessity, ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti, ultimate necessity. Śreya uttamam. There are two things: śreya and preya. I have discussed all these thing many times. Preya means immediately very palatable. That is called preya. And śreya means ultimately good.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

If we want to worship His gigantic universal form, we cannot approach Him. It is not possible. But He's so kind. He comes just suitable for our, for our being handled by us. That is God's mercy. He, He's in this temple, but He, if you like to worship Him, He can live within your closet. Everyone can take advantage of God, Supreme God. There is no difficulty. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). There is no expenditure. He is agreeable to accept a little fruit, a little flower, a little water. Simply He wants your devotional love. That's all. He's not hungry. Of course, this Society is, according to our capacity, offering Kṛṣṇa the best foodstuff. Not that because He says patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ, therefore we offer Him patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. No. We offer Him to our best capacity—the best, the best foodstuff. That should be the motto.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:

Because God has given you the opportunity. So just like chaste woman means he is meant for her husband, similarly, chaste tongue means which is meant for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is chaste tongue. And tasting kṛṣṇa-prasādam.

So if you can simply engage your tongue chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and tasting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, you become perfect. Simple thing. There is no difficulty. Whenever there is time, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. And when you feel hungry, take kṛṣṇa-prasādam and live here peacefully. Don't talk rubbish. Then life is successful. Is there any difficulty We are, we are trying to give you kṛṣṇa-prasādam. We are giving you chance to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is our duty. So you take advantage of it, and make your life successful. Otherwise, it is jihvāsatī dārdurikeva sūta. Dārdurikā. The frogs, frog's tongue, very busy in croaking. But it, it, it is means inviting death, "Please come here. I am sitting here." So similarly, by talking nonsense, we allow our span of life being diminished by the sunrise and sunset, but if we talk about the urugāya-gāthāḥ, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then our life cannot be taken away. It cannot be decreased.

Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

Simply you have to hear the written. Just like you have chanted so many verses, songs, by hearing. The hearing is very important. A child learns another language simply by hearing, pronunciation, hearing. That is natural. If we hear one thing repeatedly, you will learn. You will learn. So one has to hear little attentively. Then it will be easy. There is no difficulty. Just like you are singing our song in tune, (sings) saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka **. This is by hearing. So simply you have to hear. Therefore whole Vedic śāstra is called śruti. It is a process of hearing. (coughing) This is a disease of old age. These are the warnings that the body is getting rotten. Go on. (recitation continues) Next. Each one of you. Na ghaṭetārtha-sambandhaḥ svapna-draṣṭur ivāñjasā. What is the añjasā spelling?

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

So this is the process of getting knowledge, to approach the proper person, guru, and submissively hear from him about transcendental knowledge. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Don't try to receive spiritual knowledge or transcendental knowledge very cheaply. Although it is very easy, there is no difficulty, but the process must be known. Just like any machine—we have got experience—just like sometimes our typewriter machine or this dictaphone does not work. So if we go to the proper person, who knows the work, he immediately tightens one screw or changes something; it works. The process we must know. So if I go to a pān-wala for repairing my machine, that will be not good. He does not know the process. He may know to..., how to make pān, biḍi; but doesn't matter, he does not know how to repair a machine.

Therefore the shastric injunction is, Vedic injunction, that tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If you want to know transcendental knowledge, tad-vijñāna... Tad-vijñā... It is also vijñāna. Actually, human life is meant for understanding tad-vijñāna. Tad-vijñāna means transcendental knowledge, not material knowledge, bodily. Bodily... Even a medical practitioner, he does not know, he has no knowledge of the spirit soul. He simply studies the mechanical arrangement of the body. The body's a big machine made by nature. It is called yantra.

Lecture on SB 3.25.27 -- Bombay, November 27, 1974:

Where is the difficulty? Mām eva ye... This very difficult? The only difficulty is that I cannot give up all these sinful activities. I cannot give up smoking. I cannot give up drinking. I cannot give up meat-eating. I cannot give up gambling. I cannot give up illicit sex. That is difficulty. Otherwise to serve Kṛṣṇa is not at all difficult. There is no difficulty. But I cannot give up the service of my sinful activities.

Therefore here it is said asevayāyaṁ prakṛter guṇānām. That you have to learn. That you can learn very easily if you turn your attention to the service... Therefore this bhakti-yoga service. We are simply insisting get up early in the morning, do this service. In this way, if we engage ourselves in the service of Kṛṣṇa, gradually we shall forget the service of māyā. The service of māyā means sinful activities. That's all. So, so long we are in the service of māyā, duṣkṛtinām, engaged in sinful activities, it is not possible. But if you engage the positive and the negative... The Māyāvādī, they are simply trying to be negative. There is no positive engagement. But here in the bhakti-yoga the negative is there and positive is there. Therefore there is electric light bulb, negative and positive. Therefore there is enlightenment. Simply negative will not help you. And if you don't care of the negative sides, simply positive also will not.

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

Similarly God is there, Kṛṣṇa. You come to Kṛṣṇa. Take His lesson, Bhagavad-gītā, you will learn what is God.

But the rascals will not do that. They will manufacture some meaning. This meaning this, this meaning that, this meaning that. They will not accept Kṛṣṇa. That is the difficulty. Otherwise there is no difficulty. Even there is difficulty, one can say that "Yes, it is all right. Kṛṣṇa's instruction is there, Kṛṣṇa's Deity is there, but still how can I see? How can I understand?" This is obstinate. That Kṛṣṇa is so kind, "All right, you see Me in the water, come on. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). Why don't you see Me? You are seeing water and why you take water? For satisfying your thirst, and that quality of satisfying your thirst, I am," Kṛṣṇa says. So if you think of Kṛṣṇa when you become satisfied by drinking water, if you think of Kṛṣṇa, you will become one step advanced, immediately. Is that very difficult? Nothing difficult, but we are obstinate, we will not do that. We will not try to understand Kṛṣṇa, we will not take Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Why it is so? Māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), that is very strong. As soon as I try to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, māyā will whisper in my ear, "No, no, no.

Lecture on SB 3.25.32 -- Bombay, December 2, 1974:

Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "Worship Me." Worship Kṛṣṇa, the same thing. Kṛṣṇa says, "Worship Me"; we are saying, "Worship Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender unto Me"; we are saying, "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." So we have no difficulty. To become a guru there is no difficulty, provided we repeat the same thing as Kṛṣṇa says. And if you say something more or less, then you are not a guru. Very simple thing. Very simple thing.

So that is advised here, animittā bhāgavatī, bhāgavatī bhaktiḥ. You cannot manufacture the ways of bhakti. Bhāgavatī, what is advised by Bhagavān, the Supreme Lord. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). You cannot manufacture a line of dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma is the law given by the Supreme Lord. You cannot manufacture, "This dharma, that dharma, this dhar..." No. Dharma is one. Dharma cannot be different. Dharma means to abide by the orders of God. This is dharma. But if you do not know God, if you do not know what is order, then you must manufacture something rubbish and fight amongst yourself. That is not dharma.

Lecture on SB 3.26.10 -- Bombay, December 22, 1974:

So this brahmāham, brahmāsmi, this Brahman realization, can be understood in a moment if you believe Bhagavad-gītā as it is. But if you foolishly interpret in this way and that way, then it will take millions of years. You will not understand what is Bhagavad-gītā, what is God, what is... But if you take it as it is, then immediately you can understand that you are Brahman. There is no difficulty.

So what is the duty of the part and parcel? That is also very easy to understand. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body. So what is the duty of the finger? I ask the finger, "Please come here." It comes immediately. I ask the finger, "Come here." So that means service. Therefore part and parcel's duty is... Just like in a office, if I say, "This man is one of our part," or "one of my partner," a partner means he is working for the same interest. That is partner. So similarly, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa—that means we must be partner of Kṛṣṇa. And what Kṛṣṇa wants? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). He wants. So as partner of Kṛṣṇa, you should preach that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." That is your business.

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

He may be a fool number one, but he is addressed like that, "Paṇḍitji." So because without becoming a learned scholar nobody can become a brāhmaṇa... We are also giving our student position as brāhmaṇa, but if he remains a fool number one, then we are misusing our attempt. He should be very learned scholar. That should be the aim. And there is no difficulty to become a learned scholar because we have got so many books. You simply read and digest what we are speaking. Not that we are simply meant for selling books. We are reading. We must read. Then our position as brāhmaṇa will be fulfilled. Because brāhmaṇas are teacher. Anyone who can teach, he is brāhmaṇa. So unless you read thoroughly what you are going to speak to the world, how you can become a brāhmaṇa and paṇḍita? You should carefully note this.

Anyway, Rāmānanda Rāya, he was very learned although he was not born in a brāhmaṇa family. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was taking lessons from him. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, kibā vipra, kibā śūdra, nyāsī kene naya yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya (CC Madhya 8.128). Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā: "Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes a guru." So every one of you can become guru provided you understand the science of Kṛṣṇa. The science of Kṛṣṇa... (aside:)

Lecture on SB 3.28.19 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

Dhyāna, dhāraṅā, āsana... Āsana is also one of the activities. But here, in Vaiṣṇava philosophy, you are seeing the Deity always, at least daily, so you have got some impression that "Our temple Deity is like this." That impression, either you are sitting in one place without any activities, sthitaṁ vrajantam... While walking on the street also, you can think of this Deity. There is no difficulty, either you are sitting or you are walking or you are standing, any way. Because the mind is there in Kṛṣṇa, in Kṛṣṇa's form. Therefore Deity worship is so essential for the neophyte. He can have always the opportunity to think of the Supreme Lord by the impression of the Deity within the mind. Śayānam. Even in lying down, even talking.

So this is our process. This is the perfect process. You don't require any artificial method to think of God. It is natural. If you simply come to the temple daily, chant in the front of the Deity, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, then you become advanced immediately. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Now there are books. Either you chant, sit down in the Deity room in front of the Deity, see how āratrika is going on, how Deity is nicely dressed with flower, ornaments, so if you constantly be engaged in thinking of the Deity, that is first-class meditation, not artificially going to That is not possible at the present moment, that, as it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, you have to select a very solitary place and you have to sit down under certain posture, looking half-opened eyes on the tip of the nose so that you may not sleep in the name of meditation.

Lecture on SB 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

Yes. Give little water and tulasī and flower. That's all. It is very difficult job? Then everyone can do it. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. No. Simply... Just as Advaita Prabhu, He simply offered Gaṅgā-jala and tulasī to please the Lord to come. Caitanya Mahāprabhu came. This is... There is no difficulty at all. Because we simply use..., misuse our intelligence, misuse our opportunity, there is trouble. Otherwise there is no difficulty. Where is the difficulty? Tulasī-patra you can have, and little water, offer to the, on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and pray, "Give me intelligence so that I can serve You nicely." And he gives intelligence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10). If you are continually giving tulasī flower and water and praying, "Kṛṣṇa, give me intelligence how can I serve You nice," then Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes." Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām: "One who is engaged in this way, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām... What is that?

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

Still this custom is prevalent in India, as soon as somebody sees a sannyāsī has come in a temple, somebody from the village, not somebody, but many will come, "Sir, you can take your lunch at my place." So there is no scarcity. Many people will come to invite you still. Therefore many pseudo or phony swamis, they have taken this profession because there is no difficulty getting food. So, mahat-sevā. The... What is the idea? The idea is the gṛhasthas, they know that "We are simply engaged in the matter of sense gratification. If we invite some saintly person at home, if he eats at my place, then, we commit so many sinful activities, we'll be saved." This is the process. Therefore, a sannyāsī is advised to accept prasādam in the house of a brāhmaṇa, because a brāhmaṇa is supposed to be, become very pious. If you take foodstuff from impious men, then that means you are taking share of his impious activities. But a saintly person, they can digest, but if (they) cannot digest, then you have to suffer. This is the process. Then he has to suffer. Therefore the safety principle is to accept luncheon in a pious family, where there is Vaiṣṇava family or brāhmaṇa family. Not that anywhere we can accept cooked food. Sometimes we have to do it, but that is against principle. We should not accept food anywhere and everywhere, unless he is pious. The brāhmaṇas are supposed to be pious; therefore, a sannyāsī is advised to accept food, luncheon in the brāhmaṇa family. And brāhmaṇa family, still, not all, a few families still in India, they worship regularly Nārāyaṇa-śilā, śalagrāma-śilā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

The father is responsible for that. So, of course, we cannot introduce that system in your country. It is not possible. But it is up to you, that if you want to utilize your, this very favorable situation of life, get yourself married, live peacefully and execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what is the difficulty there? There is no difficulty. There are so many boys and girls who are married and living very peacefully and executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (pause)

So far intoxication is concerned, oh, you can give up with the association of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are not smoking even. So you learn it, as you have learned from childhood, from your, from your birth. You never learned how to smoke. But you have learned it later on. Similarly, you can forget it also by good association. Everything is possible. Simply you have to agree to accept. Then... And, if you prosecute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is very easy, simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and follow the rules and regulations, your life is sublime. But at least come here and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa with these boys. Then later on, gradually, you'll also understand the value of this austerity, austerity life.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

Many people assembled together, when glorifying the Lord, that is called saṅkīrtana.

So this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra means... We are preaching all over the world. There is no difficulty. Everyone is joining. Everyone is chanting. So it is not very difficult task. And you can... This is yajña. And then dāna. Dāna means charity. So whatever you earn, at least some percentage of your money should be given in charity. The best charity is to give for spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, God consciousness. Kṛṣṇa said, dadāsi yat kuruṣva tad mad-arpanam: "If you want to give in charity something, please give Me." Kṛṣṇa says, God says. So yajña-dāna-tapaḥ, again tapa, austerity. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyaḥ pāvanāni manīṣiṇām. We should not give up this practice, performing yajña, giving in charity and practicing tapasya. This is essential for the human being. This should be practiced as far as possible. So this is called pious activities. So one should be engaged in pious activities. Then there will be no chance of committing sinful activities. In this way, when you are nature, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam, no more sinful life, pure life, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām, always practicing pious activities. Te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā (BG 7.28), such person without any doubt, without any duality, can be engaged in the service of the Lord, such person.

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

You hear Kṛṣṇa's topics, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In, in this way engage all your senses. Your seeing power, your hearing power, your talking power, your eating power, your sleeping power. Everything, if you make Kṛṣṇa conscious, then generally or automatically, you'll remember at the time of death Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you remember Kṛṣṇa, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6), then your life is perfect. There is no difficulty. Simply you have to practice. Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā nānya-gāminā (BG 8.8). Don't allow your mind to go astray, then everything is all right. Hm.

Lecture on SB 5.5.6 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1976:

This process must go on. This is śrāvaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). That is Bhāgavata. Not any other nonsense talks, gossiping. Simply hear and chant. Then śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇa. If you seriously hear and chant, seriously—"Yes, this life I shall engage only for increasing my love of Vāsudeva"—if you are determined, it can be done. There is no difficulty. And as soon as you do this, you increase fully your love for Vasudeva, then there is no more chance of contacting material body.

janma karma ca divyam

me yo janati tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti...

(BG 4.9)

That is the same thing.

And if you do not understand Kṛṣṇa, if you do not increase your natural love for Kṛṣṇa, then na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat. There is no chance. They have no chance. You may take birth next life in a very rich family, in a brāhmaṇa family, yogo-bhraṣṭaḥ, but that is also not release. Again you may fall down. Just like we see there are so many... Just like you Americans, you are born in rich family, rich nation, but falling down, becoming hippies. Falling down. So there is chance. Not that it is guaranteed. "Because I am born in a rich family or brāhmaṇa family, that is guarantee."

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

So Ṛṣabhadeva is Kṛṣṇa. So He became disturbed while walking on the street. He is not disturbed, but it is instruction that "If you are disturbed, you feel disturbed in this way, so you adopt this way. You sit down." Similarly, if they are disturbing too much, so we can sit down in one place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. And Kṛṣṇa will send you all necessities. Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). He promises. Kṛṣṇa cannot say anything lie. He is perfect. So if there is actually impediments to push on this movement—people disturb too much—never mind. You sit down in one place and still go on preaching. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). People will come still in India. Why India? In your country also, if saintly person goes, they come. That is the practice in everywhere. So you can sit down and still preach. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa. Ei deśa means where you are sitting, where you are living, any place. And sit down. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). And But try to deliver these innocent persons who are suffering.

Lecture on SB 5.6.8 -- Vrndavana, November 30, 1976:

That is in your country, a very good example. Simply his fault was he was talking of God, that's all, and he was crucified. So we have to meet. Our Nityānanda Prabhu, He also met that Jagāi-Mādhāi. Of course, He delivered them. Nityānanda Prabhu is so kind that in spite of being stroken and blood came out from His head, still, He continued to say, "My dear friends, never mind you have injured Me. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." So the preaching is so difficult thing. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya kṛttamaḥ. It is not very sitting idly, comfortably, and discuss Vedānta. No. It is not like that. Preaching practically. Practically meeting dangerous position because sympathetic. Saṁsāra dāvānala. The whole world is in blazing fire. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Vaiṣṇava is para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. And that is his qualification. For him there is no difficulty. He's quite all right. He's under the protection of Kṛṣṇa. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So he has no danger personally. What danger there is? There is Kṛṣṇa. He is confident, and Kṛṣṇa protects him in all danger. But he is unhappy. He meets Jagāi-Mādhāi class and faces all kinds of danger. Therefore he is the powerful, authorized agent of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

That means the Our understanding is that there is law of gravitation. By law of gravitation, such a big mountain, it cannot stay in one man's finger. That is our calculation. But He did it. That means He counteracted the law of gravitation. That is God. So if you believe this, then you know God immediately. There is no difficulty. Just like if the child is warned, "My dear child, do not touch fire. It will burn you." So if the child accepts, then he gets the perfect knowledge immediately. If the child does not accept, he wants to make experiment, then he will burn his finger.

So our process of knowledge—you should take from the supreme authority. Then we save time for research work. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We take perfect knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. I may be imperfect. Just like child is imperfect, so I may be imperfect, you may be imperfect, but if you take the perfect knowledge from the supreme perfect, then your knowledge is perfect. That is the process. This is called avaroha-panthā, knowledge coming, deductive knowledge. So everything is there, and if you like to take advantage of this movement and make your life perfect, go back to home, back to Godhead, then fully utilize this center, our Melbourne center. Come here, read our books, and argue. Try to understand with your full knowledge, no blindly acceptance. There is reason. There is argument.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Without any reservation, without any politics, if you fully surrender, Kṛṣṇa is assuring, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. He reassures, "Don't worry whether I will be able to give you relief from all reaction." Mā śucaḥ. "Finished, guaranteed. You do this." So how much time it requires to surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Immediately you can do that. Surrender means you surrender and work as Kṛṣṇa says. That is surrender. What Kṛṣṇa says to do? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Four things: "You always think of Me, and you become My devotee, you worship Me, and offer your respect, full obeisances unto Me." You do these four things? That is full surrender. Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśaya: "Then you come to Me without any doubt." Everything is there. Kṛṣṇa has given everything fully. If you accept it, then life is very simple. There is no difficulty. Yes?

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

This is once we get and finished." That is also another foolishness. Just like a child. A child, he knows that his body will be changed. Nobody will remain a baby. Nobody will remain a child. Nobody will remain a boy. Next life is awaiting. It is very simple philosophy. And then after this body another body is waiting. That's a fact. And not only fact. If you cannot understand it—there is no difficulty in understanding—but the authority says, Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). As we are changing from this body to that body, this body to that body, this body to that body, every moment... According to medical science, every moment we are changing body. That's a fact. But the changing is going so swiftly that we do not see how it is being changed. But if you come after some years... Just like we are seeing so many children, and if you come some years after, his father says, "This is the same child," oh, you will be surprised, "Oh!" Because he has changed body. You will say, "Oh, you have become so big." So it is a fact that we are changing body, and Kṛṣṇa says this example, that as we are changing even in this life the body, similarly we shall have to change this body. The authority says, and we are practical example is there. Why we should not believe in the next life? Even a child can understand. But they are trying to avoid next life. That is their philosophy. If there are next life, and next life one is going to put into the hell and suffering is there, to dismiss this problem they do not believe in next life. This is the real fact.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

These are nine items: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ smaraṇaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam arcanaṁ vandanam, like that. There are nine items. Śravaṇam, hearing, chanting. Hearing and chanting, kīrtanam. Smaraṇam, thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Anyone can think of Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa's form. You see and get the form within your heart and think of Kṛṣṇa, meditate. Where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. You hear about Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You haven't got to do anything. And kīrtanam also. Hearing means somebody is speaking and others are hearing. There must be somebody chanting. Just like I am chanting, I am speaking—you are hearing. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. And as soon as we hear and chant, we remember also, smaraṇam. The vandanam, offering prayers. Everyone goes to the temple, to the church, offers prayer. That is also bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). Then arcanam. Just like these boys and girls are engaged in worshiping the Deity. That is called arcanam. Vandanaṁ dāsyam: to become servant of God, to cleanse the temple, to work for God, for Kṛṣṇa, dāsyaṁ. Sakhyam, to accept Kṛṣṇa as friend. Ātma-nivedanam, and offering everything to Kṛṣṇa. These are nine items.

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

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

So things are very easily performed if we follow the system of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And we should; we must. It if not that optional. If you make it optional, you will suffer. That is the Vedic injunction. Kṛṣṇa also says, mām eva ya prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. You have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa or become... Otherwise you will suffer by this material energy. That you cannot avoid. So every one of us, at least those who have taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness as their life and soul, they should execute devotional service very sincerely. Then their success is assured.

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

I have no eyes to see. But if I develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then I'll see constantly Kṛṣṇa. This is the effect. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to develop love for Kṛṣṇa. So one who has developed this love for Kṛṣṇa, he can see Kṛṣṇa every moment. There is no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa is present. So even though you think that Kṛṣṇa is not present, but He is present by words, Bhagavad-gītā. He is absolute. Kṛṣṇa, the person, and Kṛṣṇa's words, Bhagavad-gītā, there is no difference. Advaya-jñāna, no duality. Everything is one, absolute. Kṛṣṇa is absolute, Kṛṣṇa's instruction is also absolute, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes absolute. Everything. That is Absolute Truth. There is no difference. In the material world the name and the thing is different. Suppose here is mango, so mango is the thing and mango is the name. So if I simply say "Mango, mango, mango," there is no mango. There must be the thing, mango. That is duality. This is the world of duality. Absolute means the name mango and the mango thing is the same. Otherwise what is the... If they're different, then what is the use of chanting Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa chanting means Kṛṣṇa, this word, and Kṛṣṇa the person, the same. Therefore by constant chanting means constantly associating with Kṛṣṇa. Then we are becoming purified. Purified. There is no difference.

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Chicago, July 7, 1975:

The our advice is that take, revive your original, permanent life, eternal life, and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is our program. Don't die like Ajāmila and others. This is our program. Those who are intelligent, they will take advantage of this movement, and... Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). So take advantage of this movement intelligently, and there is no difficulty. You can see practically. We are not in any kind of difficulty. Very easily... Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Those who are devotees executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, susukham, they are happy. Susukhaṁ kartum... To execute this Kṛṣṇa conscious atmosphere, susukham, what is that? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance and take prasādam. That's all. Where is the difficulty? So our request is take advantage of this movement and push it on. Those who are in ignorance, they do not know what is the value of life, what is next life. Just enlighten them. That is a good business. Kṛṣṇa will recognize. Anyone who is pushing on this movement, he is immediately recognized. Because Kṛṣṇa wants... We are all sons of Kṛṣṇa. He wants us back to home, live with Him comfortably, without any disadvantage of conditional life, freedom. Kṛṣṇa wants. Therefore he comes: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). That dharmasya glāniḥ means... Dharma means religious. Glāni means pollution. What is that? We are manufacturing so many rascal type of religion. This is dharmasya glāniḥ. But real religion is as Kṛṣṇa says. What is that?

Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Honolulu, May 25, 1976:

"Why you love the soul?" Then the answer will be "Because the soul is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta (BG 15.7). So ultimately the conclusion is that I love Kṛṣṇa and, because the soul is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore I love the soul. And because the soul loves within this body, therefore I love... There is no difficulty to understand. But so long one is under illusion, he's under the bodily concept of life. Therefore śāstra says that one who is in the bodily concept of life, he's animal. He's animal.

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke

svā-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ

yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij

janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

(SB 10.84.13)

Go-kharaḥ. Go means cow and kharaḥ means ass. I repeatedly say this. So unless we understand that I and you, we are not this body, there is no question of spiritual understanding or spiritual education.

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

In this verse the word vāsudevokta-kāriṇaḥ... Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, vāsudeva-ukta, ukta means what is said by Vāsudeva. Ukta means what is spoken by Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevokta-kāriṇaḥ: they'll do that, that's all. This is devotee. There is no difficulty to become devotee. At once you can become a devotee, within a second. They ask something, sometimes, that "How long it will take to become a devotee?" It will take one second. How? Vāsudevokta-kāriṇaḥ. You simply accept that whatever Vāsudeva says, you'll do, that's all. Vāsudeva says so many things. Vāsudeva says to Arjuna that "You fight." So if you accept, "Yes, I'll fight," then you become devotee. But Arjuna denied, "No, Kṛṣṇa, I'll not fight." That is our disease. Our whole disease is that as soon as we agree to accept the words of Kṛṣṇa, we are liberated, immediately. We are immediately in the Vaikuṇṭha. As as soon we deny, immediately within māyā.

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

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 18.68) "I guarantee you come back to home, back to Godhead, by this process."

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

So, one has to suffer or enjoy. There are two things. So that is according to our activities. That we can practically experience. If one is educated, naturally, he gets a good position, and if one is criminal, he gets another position. There is no difficulty to understand. So there are two things, dharma and adharma. Religiosity and irreligiosity. Religiosity means to abide by the orders of God and irreligiosity means to disobey the orders of God. That's all. Simple thing. But in this connection we must know what is the order of God, what is God, how He orders, how to execute, how we become fit for executing orders. These things—these questions are there, but God is speaking personally, "This is My order," in the Bhagavad-gītā. You'll find, very simple thing.

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975:

Not by birth one becomes brāhmaṇa, and working less than a śūdra, and he is still brāhmaṇa. This is nonsense. One must be Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The society is divided. According to the quality, he is working accordingly.

So this is the Vedic society. Now it is all lost. But if you revive it, people will be happy, if you can revive it. There is no difficulty. But unfortunately, in this age everyone has become śūdra, so it is little difficult to raise them again. But if everyone is engaged in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then everything is possible. Without chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra they are all fallen. Artificially you cannot raise them to the standard of living. That is not possible. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). They must be cleansed of the dirty things within the heart, and then it will. That is the instruction we are going... This man is falling down, and how he will be elevated by chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. That is the narration we are going to have. Now, how he is fallen down, now, that is now being described. And how he'll be raised, that will be also described.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

One has to become gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means refuse to follow the dictation of the senses. Simply he has to follow the dictation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That dictation comes through the paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa dictated Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you follow Arjuna, then you (are) in directly contact with Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. The dictation comes through disciplic succession. Now Kṛṣṇa is teaching to His disciple, Arjuna. Arjuna accepted, śiṣyas te 'ham: (BG 2.7) "Just now I become Your disciple." Śiṣya means one who voluntarily accepts the ruling of a spiritual master. He is called śiṣya. Nobody wants to follow the dictation of others—that is another independent nature of living entity—but when one voluntarily agrees to serve the dictation of the spiritual master..., means to follow the dictation of Kṛṣṇa... Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt. Kṛṣṇa says, "Ācārya is My self." Nāvamanyeta karhicit: "Never disobey." Na martya-buddhyāsūyeta: "And do not think him as ordinary person and become envious of his position." Then there is fall down. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyāsūyeta (SB 11.17.27).

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

So Hare Kṛṣṇa and Hare Rāma. Therefore it is enjoined by the śāstra, "Chant these two names: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare." So Rāma and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, and Hare means Harā. So Harā means the potency, pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord, Harā. It is addressed as Hare. So Hare Kṛṣṇa means Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and Hare Rāma means Sītā-Rāma. So either you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or Sītā-Rāma, it is the same. And this is the only way. This is only. There is no difficulty. So however your condition may be fallen, take this instruction of the śāstras and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

We have to be purified. What is that purification? That we cannot enjoy anything directly. We have to enjoy through Kṛṣṇa, prasādam. Just like we take prasādam. The nice foodstuff prepared, we don't take directly. We take through Kṛṣṇa. First of all we offer to Kṛṣṇa and then take it. What is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. But you become purified. The eating process is the same, but if you eat directly, then you become materialistically encumbered. But if you offer to Kṛṣṇa and then take it, then you become free from all contamination of material life.

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

In this way, as the other day I was speaking, not here, in San Francisco, that in this age especially, a man will think himself very successful if he simply can maintain one wife and a few children. That's all. He will think himself very successful. And actually, it is a problem for present day people to maintain even an wife, which is... An animal, an animal is also maintaining a wife. There is no difficulty for him. A dog has a wife and children, so he has no economic problem. A bird has wife and children, but he has no economic problem. But man has gone so down that he is thinking to keep wife and children is an economic problem, to avoid it. To avoid it use contraceptive method, no children, simply indulge in sex life. So man has become so down and down, especially in this age. But it is not a problem. Bhāgavata says that this is not a problem. You are thinking of maintaining your wife and children. Oh, that is already arranged. As this is arranged for the animals, for the birds, for the beasts, to have a wife and enjoy sex life and beget some children, then why not for you? You are advanced human being. Then Bhāgavata says that tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. One who is intelligent, one who knows things as they are, he is called kovidaḥ. Kovidaḥ means very expert. So Bhāgavata advising the most intelligent man that tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ: "If you are intelligent, then you should try for advancing your Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:

Love means for everyone. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Equality to all living entities. That is real love. That is real concern, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A lover of Kṛṣṇa will hesitate to kill even one ant. You know the story, Mrgrari. That is love. Because one has got... Just like this child. If I like I can kill him, there is no difficulty. But does it mean that I shall kill him? No. Similarly, a small ant, anyone can kill. No. Here is a living entity, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Samaḥ sarveṣu—he should not be unnecessarily killed. We should be careful, not that "Trample over the ants and let them be killed." No, everything should be carefully done. Of course, we cannot stop this, but we should be careful, and if it is done, then if we remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa will excuse. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra. Therefore the business should be, if we walk at all, we shall walk for Kṛṣṇa. Then if some ant is killed—not knowingly, unknowingly—then we are untouched by these sinful activities. Otherwise, we are immediately noted down, "Here is a man, he has killed, he has..." The nature's law is so minute. Every minute, the account is there. But if you remain in the business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is excuse. Otherwise, everyone is become obliged. If I take from you one cent, I have to pay you with four cents, with interest, compound interest. This is the law of karma. We are... Just like taking money from others. Unless we spend it for Kṛṣṇa, then we shall be obliged to return.

Lecture on SB 7.6.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, July 1, 1976:

Pa means pariśrama, always working hard, day and night. And pha, phena, foam coming out of my mouth. Pa, pha, ba, still baffled. Bha is fearfulness. Pa, pha, ba, bha and ma, mṛtyu, at last, death. This is called pavargaḥ. And apavargaḥ means just to counteract this pavargaḥ. So in one life if we try to associate with the devotees and engage in Nārāyaṇa's service sincerely... Maybe a little difficult. There is no difficulty. Where is the difficulty? We can see practically. To chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and take prasādam, is there any difficulty? There is no difficulty. It is so pleasing. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā explains susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Susukham, very easy and pleasing to execute. And susukhaṁ kartum and avyayam. And whatever you do, that is permanent. So don't wait for another life, "I have done so much permanent, now again." No. Finish this business immediately in this life. Do not wait for susukhaṁ kartum avyayam. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means fully become detached with this material enjoyment, simply become engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Your life will be successful.

Lecture on SB 7.6.19 -- New Vrindaban, July 2, 1976:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: My dear sons of demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, is the original Supersoul, the father of all living entities. Consequently there are no impediments to pleasing Him or worshiping Him under any conditions, whether one be a child or an old man. The relationship between the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always a fact, and therefore there is no difficulty in pleasing the Lord." (SB 7.6.19)

Prabhupāda: Read the purport also.

Pradyumna: One may ask, "One is certainly very attached to family life, but if one gives up family life to be attached to the service of the Lord, one must undergo the same endeavor and trouble. Therefore, what is the benefit of taking the trouble to engage in the service of the Lord?" This is not a valid objection. The Lord asserts in Bhagavad-gītā (14.4):

Lecture on SB 7.6.19 -- New Vrindaban, July 2, 1976:

"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." The Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, is the seed-giving father of all living entities because the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord (mamaivāṁśo. .. jīva-bhūtaḥ (15.7)). As there is no difficulty in establishing the intimate relationship between a father and son, there is no difficulty in reestablishing the natural, intimate relationship between Nārāyaṇa and the living entities. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: if one performs even very slight devotional service, Nārāyaṇa is always ready to save one from the greatest danger. The definite example is Ajāmila. Ajāmila separated himself from the Supreme Personality of Godhead by performing many sinful activities and was condemned by Yamarāja to be very severely punished, but because at the time of death he chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa, although he was calling not for the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa but for his son named Nārāyaṇa, he was saved from the hands of Yamarāja. Therefore, pleasing Nārāyaṇa does not require as much endeavor as pleasing one's family, community and nation. We have seen important political leaders killed for a slight discrepancy in their behavior. Therefore pleasing one's society, family, community and nation is extremely difficult. Pleasing Nārāyaṇa, however, is not at all difficult; it is very easy.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 18, 1968:

Gold is natural. Similarly, God is natural. In the womb of His mother He is God, in the lap of His mother He is God, while He's playing with His boyfriends as cowherds boy He's God, while He's dancing with His girlfriends He's God, while He's fighting in Kurukṣetra He's God, while He's marrying He's God, while He's speaking He's God. That is God. To understand God there is no difficulty. If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then God is there.

Therefore Brahmā recommends, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). The Supreme Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā Himself that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat asti kiñcid dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "My dear Arjuna, Dhanañjaya, oh, there is no better object than Me." Kiñcid asti. Nothing. Many places. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin, I am the fountainhead of everything." "Everything" means He's the fountainhead of Lord Śiva, He's fountainhead, the origin of Viṣṇu, He's the origin of Brahma, He's the origin of Lord Śiva, and what to speak of other demigods, and what to speak of other living creatures. Mamaivāṁśo jīva bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "All these living creatures, they are all My parts and parcels." Therefore He is the origin. And in the Brahma-saṁhitā, the Brahmā in his saṁhitā-Saṁhitā means Vedic literature—so he explains that "You are finding out cause. Here is cause." Everywhere you'll find. But the rascal demons are so obstinate that although Kṛṣṇa is confirmed the Supreme God by Brahmā, by Śiva, by Vyāsa, Nārada, Devala, and many, many devotees, Bhīṣma... There are twelve standard ācāryas. They are svayambhūr nārada śaṁbhu... Svayambhūr means Brahmā; Nārada, Nārada Muni; and Śaṁbhu means Lord Śiva.

Lecture on SB 7.9.29 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1976:

There is no need of Kṛṣṇa's taking so much trouble to come here. But He comes especially for deliverance of the devotee, bhakta-vatsala, and side work, to kill the demons. That is not His business. The Māyā, Durgādevī, is sufficiently powerful to kill any demon within a second. There is no difficulty. Simply by ordering Māyā... Or Māyā does not wait the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She can understand what the Lord wants. Simply little indication, she can kill hundreds and thousands of demons in one stroke. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya. She can do that.

So it is not the business of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to come to take this botheration. But why Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared? He appeared... One thing is that mat-prāṇa-rakṣaṇam. This is one business. Another business was this. What is that? Sva-bhṛtya-ṛṣi-vākyam ṛtaṁ vidhātum. Sva-bhṛtya. Brahmā is bhṛtya, servant of Kṛṣṇa. So he did something very, I mean to say, obnoxious by offering all the benediction to Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was a very cunning materialist. First of all he asked for becoming immortal, but when he learned that that is not possible, then he thought, "I am very intelligent diplomat. I can screw out my fulfillment of desire in a indirect way." So all these people in this material world, they have got a cheating propensity.

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

And the kalpa-taru... A taru means tree, and the tree... We nourish tree to get a nice fruit. So this Bhāgavatam is the fruit of the Vedic tree, kalpa-taru, and it is ripened also, not unripened. Unripened fruit you cannot eat, but ripened, ripened in the tree, mango, is very palatable. So it is nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ idam (SB 1.1.3).

So if we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, these two literatures, then we get all Vedic knowledge, and then we can revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And to do this business there is no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa will give you all protection, provided you remain, I mean to say, adhere to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etaṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). The māyā will not touch you. You'll be happy.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

What is that? So what is the duty of the brahmacārī, it is now said. The first duty is that sāyaṁ prātar upāsīta: "They should be taught how to worship the Supreme Lord at least twice in a day," sāyaṁ prātaḥ, "in the morning and in the evening." Tri-sandhya. The prescription is for tri-sandhya. One should take bath three times. In India there is no difficulty. Even in Western countries you have got very good arrangement, hot water and cold water. You can arrange and can take bath. This is essential. Not that sleeping up to ten o'clock. This kind of civilization will not help you. This asuric civilization will degrade the human society. He got the opportunity of elevating himself, even going back to home, back to Godhead. But for want of real civilization they are going again back to monkey and cats and dogs. This is a fact. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save them from going back to become cats and dogs. Instead of going back there, they are trying to send him back to God. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

So the first teaching is brahmacārī should rise early in the morning. Brahmacārī... That is the general education. It doesn't require that you have to learn some book immediately. No. First of all build your character. Otherwise what is the use of taking degrees if you have no character? Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇair tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). If you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa... Just like in our institution they are being trained up as devotee, so to rise early in the morning is automatically there. There is no separate training. Because he is devotee, he has to rise early in the morning for offering maṅgala-āratika, and you have got our order that everyone must attend the maṅgala-ārati. That is automatically brahmacārī. Eh?