This is the position (Lectures, BG chapters 1 - 4)

Expressions researched:
"that is the position" |"this is the position"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

So Dhṛtarāṣṭra said that "I know that what I am planning, that is not good. I know Kṛṣṇa—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And He has requested me. But I tell you frankly, I cannot do without it. So when Kṛṣṇa will be pleased upon me, I may be."

So this is the position of the materialistic person. A materialistic person knows that he is sinful. A materialistic person knows that whatever he is doing is wrong, but he cannot check. Just like the thief. A thief knows that if he commits stealing, he will be arrested, he will be punished. He knows. Because he heard from lawbooks, from other sources, and he has also seen that a thief is arrested and he is taken by the police for being punished. So we have got two kinds of experiences: by hearing and by seeing directly. In Bengali it is called, dekhā-śunā. In India it is called. The two kinds of experience: one by seeing, practically experiencing, hand to hand; another by hearing.

Lecture on BG 1.4-5 -- London, July 10, 1973:

It is sun's energy which creates the cloud. You know. By temperature the sea water is evaporated, forms into gas. That is cloud. So cloud is created by the energy of the sun, but when there is cloud you cannot see the sun. Sun is covered. Similarly, material energy is Kṛṣṇa's energy. But when you become covered by this material energy, you do not see Kṛṣṇa. This is the position.

So we have to use our intelligence. That is described by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī: prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ, mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgaḥ. Mumukṣu, especially the Māyāvādīs, who are after liberation, to merge into the existence of the Supreme, mumukṣu, mokṣa, they, Māyāvāda, they say, "Everything is māyā." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "This world is false; only Brahman is reality." But we say that why the jagat, the world should be false if it is coming from the reality? We do not agree with them. We do not accept that this world is false. No. We can say, "It is temporary manifestation." But it is not false. Why it is false?

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

And He is also giving advice. Because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, we have rebelled against Kṛṣṇa. We want to act according to our whims.

Just like a child wants to do something according to his whims. Father checks him, "My dear child, do not do this." But if he likes, if he persists, father says, "All right, you do it." This is the position. The Hṛṣīkeśa, Paramātmā, He is always guiding us, but we do not accept His guidance. This is our position. Arjuna has accepted Kṛṣṇa, that "I shall be guided by You. Although You'll not fight." Therefore here it is said, Hṛṣīkeśa, He's guiding Arjuna. The hṛṣīka means the senses. Hṛṣīka-īśa. Īśa means Lord, master, īśvara or īśa. So Hṛṣīkeśa. Actually, He is the master of the senses. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find. In the Eleventh Chapter it is said, sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat, "God has His hands and legs all over the universe." What is that? This, our hand, our legs, this is God's hands, God's leg.

Lecture on BG 1.16-19 -- London, July 16, 1973:

Rukmiṇī was settled up to be married with Śiśupāla. Śiśupāla also happened to be Kṛṣṇa's cousin-brother, and Rukmiṇī did not like that she would be handed over to Śiśupāla. She wanted to marry Kṛṣṇa. So she sent one letter to Kṛṣṇa that this is the position. "My brother Rukma, he has decided to hand over to me to Śiśupāla, but I don't like. So please arrange for kidnapping." A brāhmaṇa was sent to Kṛṣṇa.

That is also another responsibility of kṣatriya. If a girl proposes, "I want to marry you," a kṣatriya cannot refuse, he cannot refuse. He must marry that girl, even at the risk of life. This is kṣatriya spirit. One rākṣasī, she wanted to marry Bhīma. So Bhīma refused, she was a rākṣasī. So she complained to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira that I wanted to marry Bhīma but he has refused. And Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja compelled Bhīma, "You must marry.

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

Prahlāda's mother, "Give your son this poison." So she begged so much, but he was a rascal demon. "No, you must give." So the mother knew, the son knew that the rascal father is giving this poison. What can he do, a small child? "All right, let me drink." Guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate. He is not agitating. "All right, if Kṛṣṇa likes, I will live." This is the position of sādhu. He is not disturbed. Titikṣavaḥ. In all circumstances, he is tolerant. That is sādhu. Sādhu does not become disturbed. Titikṣavaḥ. At the same time, kāruṇikāḥ. He is himself disturbed, but he is merciful to others.

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

"Kindly give me this immediately. Kindly give me this wine immediately. Kindly give me this tea immediately. Kindly give me this cigarette immediately. Kindly give me this meat." Why? Control. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ (BG 9.26). So we have to take prasādam, eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Then naturally the other things will be negativated. This is the position. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29).

So if all human beings become vegetarian, not vegetarian, but eater of the Kṛṣṇa's prasādam, all these liquor house and slaughterhouse and brothels will be closed. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We want to close these nonsense places of sinful life: brothels, illegitimate sense gratification, sex relationship, prostitution. If we are embarrassed with this sinful life, there is no possibility of becoming again acyuta. We remain cyuta, fallen. We remain fallen.

Lecture on BG 1.24-25 -- London, July 20, 1973:

So big, big scientists, expert scientists, if they can discover airplane which is running on mind speed or air speed... They are not, they cannot go by the air speed. They fly on the air, but not with the air speed. So in this way, still, avicintya-tattve, after going many, many millions of years in that speed, still you will find, "Oh, Goloka Vṛndāvana is far, far away." This is the position.

So that Krsna... And we are explaining what is Kṛṣṇa. Don't consider Kṛṣṇa is ordinary human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because He kindly appears before us just like ordinary human being, don't think that He is like us. It is the conclusion. Just like these rascals, they think that "Because Kṛṣṇa appeared as a human being, I am also God. I am also God. Why Kṛṣṇa shall be alone God?" So we are trying to explain what is Kṛṣṇa, Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa. Then goloka-nāmni. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. Goloka eva nivasati.

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

This is Kṛṣṇa's position. Therefore be careful to insult a devotee. A devotee may excuse you. But Kṛṣṇa will not excuse you. Kṛṣṇa is so strict. He cannot tolerate any insult to His devotee. Therefore this arrangement of fighting. Arjuna wanted, "No, let them be excused." Kṛṣṇa wanted, "No, you must fight. You must kill them." This is the position. So he is within the dilemma. Kṛṣṇa is insisting that "You must fight and kill them," but he is thinking, "How shall I kill my kinsmen?" This is the problem. Therefore, tān samīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvān bandhūn avasthitān (BG 1.27). All friends are there. Kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdann idam abravīt. So this is one side, that if you want to please Kṛṣṇa, then you have to be prepared for killing your so-called relatives. If you want Kṛṣṇa. If you want to please Kṛṣṇa.

So this whole Vedic civilization is made just to train how you can be detached from this so-called family affection. This is Vedic training. First of all brahmacārī.

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

If you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then at the same time, if you remain attached to this material world, so-called society, friendship and love, then it is not possible. So long you will have a pinch of attraction with this material world, there is no possibility of being transferred to the spiritual world. This is the position. Therefore by training, by education, we have to become detached. Detached, this society, friendship and love. We have to understand the falsity of this so-called society, friendship and love. It is just like... because we are being carried away by the waves of māyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese, Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. Just like we see sometimes in rainy season, so many plants and creepers and vegetables and so many other things are floating in the river, going. Similarly, we also, all floating in the waves of māyā. Māyār bośe, jāccho bhese, khāccho hābuḍubu. Sometimes drowned, sometimes on the surface, sometimes on the other shore, sometimes on this shore. This is going on.

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

None of them will be able to give you protection. Only Kṛṣṇa will be giving you protection. Therefore you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣa... (BG 18.66). "I shall give you protection." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: (BG 9.31) "My devotee is never vanquished." So the best thing is to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, fully surrender unto Him, and you will be protected. Otherwise, there is no other way of being protected. We'll be carried away by the waves of māyā. This is the position.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

So this is the process. The basic principle is the soul. The soul is acting through intelligence, and the intelligence is acting through mind, and the mind is expressed through the senses. This is the position. So as my mind is absorbed in something, some subject matter, my bodily symptoms also will work, or the senses will work according to that mind. Therefore for spiritual advancement also, you have to train your mind. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). If you use... First of all fix up your mind. Yoga means indriya-saṁyama. Yoga practice means that controlling the mind and the senses. That is yoga practice. Because our mind is very flickering and changing, something accepting immediately, something rejecting immediately, very flickering.

Lecture on BG 1.30 -- London, July 23, 1973:

Na ca śaknomy avasthātum: "I cannot stand here. Let me go back. Take my chariot back. I'll not stay here." Na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ (BG 1.30). "I am becoming bewildered. I am puzzled now."

So this is the position, material world. We are always in problem, puzzle, and when something better is proposed to the materialistic person, that "You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll be happy," he sees nimittāni viparītāni, just opposite. "What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness I shall happy? My family is in trouble or I have got so many problems. What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness will help me?" Nimittāni ca viparītāni. This is material condition of life. Therefore it requires time, little time to understand. That is Bhagavad-gītā. The same Arjuna, he is now finding, nimittāni ca viparītāni. When he will understand Bhagavad-gītā, he will say, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa, what You are saying, it is right. It is right."

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

So spiritual master has the right to chastise the disciple. So immediately he chastised. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "My dear Arjuna, you are talking, you are lamenting so badly, and at the same time you are talking just like a very learned man."

So this is the position of the world. One talks very high words, but his behavior is very abominable. So gradually we shall come to that point. So let us finish.Now Arjuna is promising... Kṛṣṇa arranged this fight to execute his purpose. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). That was his purpose. "Duṣkṛtām, all these sinful rascals, they are ruling over the world, I want to kill them." Therefore this battle was arranged so that all these rascals and demons will come there and it will be killed, in one place. And the right person, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, will be installed on the throne. That was his plan. The right person. Kṛṣṇa wants His representative to rule over the... King means representative of God.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

"Mādhava, my dear Mādhava, You are the husband of the goddess of fortune. So you are always very happy. Do you think I shall become happy by killing my own men? Do you think like that?" Because friend and friend talking.

So this is the position. Just see, they were ātatāyinaḥ, aggressor. There is no doubt about it. Because these dhārtarāṣṭrān, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, they insulted Draupadi. Arjuna's wife. There was betting. The wife was betting. So they defeated, they were defeated in the chess play, and the wife was taken by the other party. So Karṇa took the opportunity. Because during Draupadi's svayamvara, Karṇa was insulted by Draupadi. The piercing of the eyes of the fish, Karṇa was greater, what is called, arrowman. So when Karṇa came to touch the arrow for piercing the eyes of the fish, Draupadi objected, objected because she wanted Arjuna to become her husband.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

So to show the example, Lord Rāmacandra, because Sītā was kidnapped, Sītā was insulted, or Rāmacandra was insulted, the retaliation was Lord Rāmacandra killed not only Rāvaṇa, but the whole dynasty, finished. Only for one woman. He could create so many. No. Because ātatāyinaḥ, aggressed over. Just to teach people that anyone, if he is aggressor, he must be killed. This is the position.

But Arjuna is considering whether it will be pious or impious. This is devatā. In every action, they will consider, "What I am going to do, whether it is pious or impious." That is devatā. "If it is pious, then it will elevate me. And if it is impious, then it will degrade me." Nobody wants degradation. The human life should be especially meant for elevation, not for degradation. You have come to this human form of life from the lower status of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthavarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Through so many status of life: the aquatics, the trees, the plants, the insects, the reptiles, the birds, the beasts.

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

And in the diseased condition, nobody can be happy. That is not possible. If you have got some disease, you cannot be happy.

So that is the position. They cannot understand that by serving Kṛṣṇa, we become healthy or in our normal position. This is called ignorance. Somebody is trying to forget Him, somebody is trying to become equal with Him. This business is going on. And nobody is submitting that "My Lord, I forgot my service. From this day, I become again Your servant. Please give me protection." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām... (BG 18.66). This is the teaching of all śāstra, all Vedas. But these people, the other party, they have become blind. They have become blind. Why? Lobha-upahata-cetasaḥ. They have lost their sense. Kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣam. There is a great fault by destroying dynasty.

Lecture on BG 1.45-46 -- London, August 1, 1973:

"No, no, no. I am not going to..., giving up. Finished. I am no more going to fight." Visṛjya sa-śaraṁ cāpam. Why it is? Śoka-saṁvigna-mānasaḥ. His mind was overwhelmed with lamentation, that "How can I kill my kinsmen?" This is the position.

So apratikāram, pratikāram. There are two things. Pratikāram means counteraction. Here in this material world, for everything there is counteraction. Just like if you are diseased, so you have to take the medicine. That is pratikāram. The disease is caused by some, what is called, disarrangement within the body. So we have to arrange, we have to set up the disarrangement within the body. That is pratikāram. Medicine, counteraction. Similarly, if somebody is coming to kill you, so you also become prepared to kill him. This is pratikāram. If somebody is drowning in the sea, then you have to give him some help, send some boat or some lifeboat so that he can be saved. So we have got so many... This material world is going on. It is full of dangers. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadam (SB 10.14.58). Material world means step by step, simply danger. That is material world.

Lecture on BG 1.45-46 -- London, August 1, 1973:

Tāvad vibho tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām (SB 7.9.19). And even one is well-equipped and if Kṛṣṇa does not like to save him, he'll not be saved. Always mind this. Rakṣe kṛṣṇa mare ke, mare kṛṣṇa rakṣe ke. This is ordinary, that if Kṛṣṇa wants to kill you, nobody can save you. And if Kṛṣṇa wants to save you, nobody can kill you. This is the position. So the examples are given by Prahlāda Mahārāja: bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. "My Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the parents of children, they are not actually protector of the children." Because generally we think that "This child, this boy has got his father, mother, he is well-protected." No. Father and mother... Every father and mother wants to protect the child, but still, the child has to meet some danger and dies. There are so many experience. Similarly, bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. The father and mother is a counteraction for the dangers of the child.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

That is the example, mirage, false... There is no water. But the animal, he sees that there is water, vast water, and he runs after it and dies. So here in this material world also, every one of us, running after the false mirage, that "There is happiness, there is happiness, there is happiness." This is called material condition, and we are envious. This is the position, and therefore Kṛṣṇa begins the Bhagavad-gītā to get out of this ignorance and enviousness, and this is the basic principle of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

"Yes." Not that guru. If you are suffering from some disease, you go to a physician. It is not guru's business to give you some medicine. A guru's business is to give you Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa sei tomāra, kṛṣṇa dīte pāra. A Vaiṣṇava is praying guru: "Sir, you are devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You can give me Kṛṣṇa if you like." This is the position of śiṣya. Guru's business is how to give you Kṛṣṇa, not any material things. For material things, there are so many institutions. But if you want Kṛṣṇa, then guru's required. Who is, who requires a guru?

Lecture on BG 2.8 -- London, August 8, 1973:

Na hi prapaśyāmi mamāpanudyād. This is the position of material existence. We are sometimes in difficulty. Not sometimes. Always, we are in difficulty, but we call it sometimes, because to get over the difficulty, we make some attempt, and that attempt—making is taken as happiness. Actually there is no happiness. But sometimes, with the hope that: "By this attempt, I shall become happy in future,"... As the so-called scientists are dreaming: In future, we shall become without death." So many, they are dreaming. But those who are sane persons, they say: "Trust no future, however pleasant."

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

The Vedas say, eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That supreme one eternal, He's supplying, He's maintaining all other individual eternals. And Bible also enjoins that "You go, ask for your bread to God." So unless God is maintainer and supplier, why this injunction is there? Therefore He is the leader; He is the maintainer. And the Vedas clearly says this is the position. He is the Supreme. And by knowing this one can become in peace. That is the Vedic injunction. Go on.

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

So, what is that thing which is living and dead? The body. The body is living and dead. So Kṛṣṇa indirectly or directly chastised Arjuna that: "The behavior that you are showing, it is not like a learned man." Nānuśocanti paṇḍitaḥ. That means indirectly He said that, "You do not know things are there. Not learned. You are fool." In spite of Arjuna speaking so many things in support of his being nonviolent and not to kill his kinsmen, Kṛṣṇa chastised him that "You are not learned. You are fool." So this is the position. Those who are under the bodily concept of life, they can speak so many learned things, but after all they are fool.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

It will be thrown in the street, and somebody will kick on the face. Nobody will care. Nobody will care. But so long the soul is there, if you touch the hair even—"Why you are touching my hair?" But when the soul is not there, on the same face, if somebody kicks, nobody will care. This is the position of the body. Therefore it is said, aśocyān: "It is garbage. Why you are lamenting on this garbage?" Aśocyān anvaśocas tvam (BG 2.11). "You are talking, very learned man, that 'If I kill my brothers the, my brothers' wives will be widow, and there will be prostitution and then the whole family will go to ruin.' These are all external condition." He...

This is real education, that "You are thinking on terms of the body; therefore it is not very important subject matter." Real subject matter—what will happen to the soul—that is real, important. But whole world, they do not know what is the important platform. All rascals, they are concerned with this body.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- London, August 18, 1973:

That eka, that eka, Kṛṣṇa, He orders. He does not order actually. Just like, not every time the police has to be ordered by the superior authority to punish the criminal. They know how to punish. So the nature knows how to punish these criminals. Therefore, the scientists are finding now shortage of petrol, shortage of this, shortage... What to do? What to do? This is the position. Otherwise, there is no question of overpopulation. The supply is restricted. That is the problem. Eko yo bahūnām. Because He supplies all the necessities, the supply will be restricted. As we become more and more sinful and without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they will be put into difficulties, they will be dying within the womb, they will be killed, within the womb, there will be war, there will be pestilence, there will be famine, there will be earthquake. In so many ways, we have to die. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- London, August 18, 1973:

I am not going to die, that's a fact. That will be explained in the next verse. I am not going to die. So we existed in the past, we are now existing at present, and we shall continue to exist in the future. This is the position. But how we shall exist? What kind of body, either demigod's body or dog's body or tree's body or fish's body, that will depend on my work. Or we go back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa like... We get the spiritual body like Kṛṣṇa. Everything is possible.

So it is our business to see what kind of body we shall get next life. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Actually, if we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then after giving up this body, we are no more going to accept any material body. Because spiritual body is already there. That is eternal.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Mexico, February 12, 1975:

This is going on. When Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he first of all presented himself as a person without knowledge. Sanātana Gosvāmī was coming of a very brāhmaṇa, aristocratic family. He was very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Urdu; still, he presented himself before Caitanya Mahāprabhu as a foolish man. So actually that is the position. He said, grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni. He said that "These common men say that I am very learned paṇḍita, but I am such a rascal, I do not know what I am."

So this is the position for everyone. You ask any learned scientist, professor, "Who are you?" He'll say, "I am Mr. John." He'll say, "I am Mr. John, I am American," or "I am Mexican," "I am Indian," like that. So this is ignorance.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

When somebody inquires, "who are you?" You just give identification of your body: "I am such and such, I am an American, I am born of such father and mother." But this body is not yourself, you are spirit soul. Therefore, it is called illusion. And because we are standing on the platform of illusion, there is mistake, there is cheating, and the senses are imperfect. This is the position.

Therefore, the so-called modern scientific world advanced, they do not know what is the actual living force within this body which is moving this body. So long the soul or the living force is within this body, it is moving. As soon as the spirit soul is out of the body, it is..., we call it is dead. So we have got medical science for this body, we have got psychology for the mind, everything we've got, but where is the science of the soul, which is moving the body and the mind? Where is that science? Is there any such science? You are all students, I think.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

There are two words: īśvara, parameśvara; ātmā, paramātmā. That param is God. We are Brahman; Parabrahman. So Parabrahman, Paramātmā, Parameśvara, all these are applicable to Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna, after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he admitted, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). That is the position of Kṛṣṇa. Ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Kṛṣṇa also says, in the Bhagavad-gītā, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Devānām, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara... Then, after Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, there are other demigods, Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, so many. So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. He's the origin of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). "Everything emanates from Me." In the Vedānta-sūtra also the Absolute Truth is described as janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:

These questions are very nice. If women become prostitute, then the population is varṇa-saṅkara. And varṇa-saṅkara means unwanted children. They become practically nuisance in the society. Narakāyate. If varṇa-saṅkara population is increased, then the whole society becomes a hell. That's a fact. Actually, that is the position at the present moment. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, marriage is there. Without marriage, the population, increase of population, means varṇa-saṅkara.

So these things were discussed, but that was not the main case. The main case was whether Arjuna was to fight and to kill the other party. He was thinking very seriously. So Kṛṣṇa in the beginning said that: "You are lamenting on the point that your brothers, your grandfather, they will die." That is the general impression of the people, that "I die, you die." But Bhagavad-gītā says, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Nobody dies, even after the destruction of this body.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- London, August 20, 1973:

I have seen in India. So the rickshaw has come in front of the nice motorcar, and the driver is asking that man who is drawing the rickshaw, "You rickshaw!" Means he is thinking, he is sitting in a nice motorcar, so he has become a motor, and the man who is drawing the rickshaw, he has become rickshaw. This is the position. Actually the man who is drawing the rickshaw, he is also human being. And the man who is sitting in a nice Rolls Royce car, he is also human being. But the rascal, because he is sitting on a Rolls Royce car, he is thinking, "I am a Rolls Royce, and he is rickshaw." This is material conception of life, that according to the body, we are becoming designated, not as the soul. Just try to understand this very good example. Because that poor fellow is drawing rickshaw, he has been taken as rickshaw. And because I am sitting in a Rolls Royce car, I am thinking, "I am Rolls Royce."

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He says, "There is God. I am son of God." That is paramparā. Yes. Unfortunately nobody cares to follow Jesus Christ. That I must say. Jesus Christ says, "Thou shall not kill," and Christians are very expert to kill. (laughter) They take pride in bullfighting. This is the position. So it is very difficult to find out a real Christian.

Man: (Spanish)

Hṛdayānanda: He wants to ask something which is not about you. (?)

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Girl Devotee: (translating) At the present, I can't live in the temple, can't live in the āśrama, but I can still see the devotees. What else can I do?

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

In this age, Kali, you cannot execute any severe austerity or penances. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That also we are not able to do. Just see. How unfortunate we are. So this is the position of the Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are very rascals, manda. Manda means very bad, manda. And sumanda-matayaḥ. And if they want to improve something, they will accept some rascal Guruji Mahārāja. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. And some party which has no bona fide contribution, they will accept that: "Oh it is very nice." So first of all they're all bad, and if they accept something, that will also be very bad. Why? Unfortunate. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Manda-bhāgyāḥ means unfortunate. And above that, upadrutāḥ. Always disturbed by taxes, no rains, no sufficient food. So many things. This is the position of Kali-yuga.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

The Supersoul or the soul, they are sitting on the same tree, the body. The Supersoul is simply witnessing the activities of the soul and giving sanction for all his mischievous activities. But the soul is suffering the sequence or the result of his activities. The Supersoul is simply witness. That is stated in the Bhagavad... Anumantā upadraṣṭā. Anumantā means without God's sanction, without Supersoul's sanction, you cannot do anything. But because he persists, the soul persists to do something, Supersoul says, "All right, you do at your own risk." Just like a thief is going to steal. The Supersoul is ordering, "Don't do it," because without God's sanction he cannot steal. But when the thief persists, then He says, "All right, you do at your risk." This is the position of the Supersoul and the soul.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

And those who are being attracted, they are called nitya-baddha, eternally conditioned. So you'll find always two classes of men. So one is attracted; one is not attracted. In the spiritual world the number of liberated person—many, many times greater than these conditioned soul. Just like the prison house and outside the prison house. The population outside the prison house, their number is very great, but within the prison house there are small number, criminals. So there are innumerable living entities. Out of them, some of them become attracted to this material enjoyment; others not. So one who does not want to serve Kṛṣṇa and wants to serve his senses, he's put into this material world. And he's given all facilities to enjoy, but he becomes entangled. This is the position. Yes?

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

Then you will understand what is your position in relationship with God. You'll understand what is God. Therefore in this age especially, Kali-yuga, because people cannot perform any other austerities... They're unable. They're so dull. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). This is the position of the people of this age. Prāyeṇa alpa āyuṣaḥ. Generally, their span of life is very short. It is decreasing, day by day. As our forefathers lived ninety years, hundred years, now we are not living up to such extent of ages. Generally, people are dying... In India, the average age is thirty-five years. In other countries, maybe little more. But gradually it is decreasing, and it will decrease to such a point that even a, if a man lives for twenty to thirty years, then he'll be considered as grand old man. That, that day will come.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

"I am Russian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am śūdra," "I am Andhra-pradesh," "I am Bengali." These are all nonsense. But on this nonsense idea the whole world is going on. So how there can be real knowledge? The basic principle of knowledge is ignorance. Andha. The man who is leading, he is blind. How he can lead? This is the position. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are trying to make advancement of civilization, but the basic principle is wrong. They are accepting... This is called illusion, accepting something as something else. The... Just like this... If I identify myself with this coat and shirt, the basic principle of my identification is lost.

Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:

It may be cut because the soul is there. By accidentally, he may be cut." Therefore Kṛṣṇa says very distinctly; nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi, that "Soul cannot be cut. Any weapon. It cannot be pierced by your arrows, it cannot be cut into pieces by your sword, or if you use firearms it will not burn." Nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. This is the position of soul. Immutable, indestructible. Another... This is the negative description of the soul. Nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi. Is there anything in this material world which cannot be cut into pieces? Have you got any experience? Take wood, stone, iron, or anything. It can be cut into pieces. Therefore, the..., when Kṛṣṇa says nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi, that means it is nothing like anything material elements. It is different. It is different. Any material elements. There are earth, water, fire, air, and ether. You can prepare weapons from earth. Water, you cannot do now. But there can be a weapon from the water also. That was used in the Battle of Kurukṣetra.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

Similarly, māyā is simply covering our eyes. Just the... Just like this cloud, it is not possible for the cloud to cover the sun. Sun is ninety-three millions, or at least, fourteen, fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. So how a cloud, spreading over, say, a few miles, ten miles, it can cover the sun? No. The cloud cannot cover the sun, but the cloud can cover my eyesight. This is the position. Similarly māyā cannot touch Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvādī philosophy is that māyā also covers Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa comes here, He comes covered by this māyā. No. This is not. Māyā cannot touch. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... When Vyāsadeva realized Kṛṣṇa, before writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam...

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

So to get that money, he has to work very hard. And when he gets that money, he purchases a car, and then he has to maintain it by oiling, by supplying so many things. But he's thinking that "Now I have got a motorcar. Very nice." What is that? You are serving your motorcar. That's all.

So this is the position. One is actually serving, not master. But he's thinking that he's master. This is māyā. So when we give up this false prestigious position that I am master, then you are liberated. Hitvā anyathā rūpam. Mukti, the definition of mukti is hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa avasthitiḥ. Anyathā rūpam. Now we are struggling hard within this material world, under the influence of māyā, changing different types of body. Sometimes I am going to the heavenly planets. Sometimes I am going to the hellish planets. Sometimes I am rich man. Sometimes I am poor man. Sometimes brāhmaṇa, sometimes śūdra. Sometimes tiger, sometimes tree.

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

This is the lamentable condition of modern civilization. Animal civilization. The animals simply take care of the body, has no information of the soul. So this civilization is animal civilization, mūḍha. Mūḍha means animal, asses. Now if we say to the people in general they'll be angry upon us, but actually this is the position. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). I've several times explained this verse. Yasya ātma-buddhiḥ. Ātmā means self; buddhi, has taken this body as self. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ. But what is this body? The body is nothing but a bag of tri-dhātu, kapha, pitta, vāyu, and its by-products. By mucus, bile and air, by interaction of these three things... Just like this material world, this house. What is this house? Tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ. Anything in this material world, what is that? Tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ. An exchange of fire, water, and earth.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Either you go even to the Brahmaloka, one day you have come to the hellish loka. This is the way. So some, cakravat parivartante sukhāni ca duḥkhāni ca. Just like the wheel turns round, sometimes up, sometimes down, so this is the position of this material world. There is no question of lamenting. You cannot say, "These people are suffering and that people are enjoying." The man who is enjoying, he'll also suffer next moment. This is going on, suffering and enjoying. Unless we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no way of coming out of this duality of this world. This is duality. Everything you'll find in dual. Unless there is happiness, you cannot understand what is distress. And unless there is distress, you cannot understand happiness. You cannot understand light unless there is darkness. So this is the world of darkness and light, so-called light. You have to transcend.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

And where there is gambling, you can remain there." So he could not find out a place where to remain. That means in those days these things were so much conspicuous by absence that is was difficult for the Kali to find out a place like that. But with the advancement of Kali, now Kali can find out his place anywhere, at any home, anyplace. These things are going on. This is the position.

So this system of human civilization as conceived by the Vedic process is completely different from the rascal civilization at the present moment. Therefore, people cannot be happy. It is not possible. If we... At the same time, it is impossible to go back to that type of civilization, because people are so polluted.

Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973:

Here we have come to preach about Kṛṣṇa. They did not ask anything about Kṛṣṇa, "What is this philosophy? What is this Kṛṣṇa's philosophy?" No. They are simply interested in their own sense gratification. That's all. How their sense gratification will be disturbed—they are concerned in that way. This is the position of the material world. Everyone is simply interested in sense gratification. That's all. There is no question of asking "What is God? What I am? What is this world?" Actually, these should be the questions of human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. They should be engaged always in inquiring about the Supreme Being, the Absolute Truth. That is their only business. But you see the whole world. They are simply busy how to satisfy their senses. This is the cause of fall down.

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

Simply he's wasting time. Now it is very difficult to understand this philosophy. If we go to a very nice businessman or politician or scientist, if we say, "Sir, have you got any interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" "No, why shall I do it? I don't want." Then if I say, "You are wasting your time, sir," will he accept? But this is the position, actually. He's simply wasting his time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8).

Therefore the conclusion is, try to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness somehow or other. Even whatever you have finished, that is your lasting credit. Don't be neglectful. Tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Svalpam apy asya—this is the most important line in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya. This occupational duty, Kṛṣṇa consciousness... There are many examples. Just like Ajāmila. Ajāmila, it is very nice example in the śāstra. Ajāmila, the story of Ajāmila.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

That means he is asking something which the mother cannot understand. Similarly, the dissatisfaction of the modern world means that actually everyone is hankering after spiritual happiness. But nobody is offering. And even if it is offered, they cannot understand. They do not take it. This is the position.

So here in this verse, Kṛṣṇa says that some way or other if you begin your activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even one percent, not cent percent, it will never be destroyed. All other things, whatever you acquire in this present life, with the end of this body everything is finished. Your education, your degree, your opulence, your skyscraper building, your bank balance—everything will remain where you kept and you have to go, even leaving this body also. You have to go alone and to accept another body. But if you cultivate spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that will go with you.

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

His brain was being unnecessarily taxed with this sound, "Mahatma Gandhi kī jaya." People thought that they were glorifying Mahatma Gandhi, but Mahatma Gandhi was being killed by that voice.

So this is the... Just like you know. There is a English proverb, "What is play to you is death to me." So that is the position here. Even if you are glorified, still, you cannot enjoy. You cannot enjoy. Anything, any position. Because this wrong conception of bodily existence is a diseased form of my constitution, so I cannot enjoy. Now, a patient who is suffering from some disease, he is unable to enjoy, but if he forcibly enjoys, then his life becomes risky. He becomes more implicated. Just like... Of course, in your country I know that there is no such disease as typhoid, but India there is a fever called typhoid. Here it is called typhosis, or something like, medical term. That typhoid is disease of intestine. Now, in that disease, any solid food is strictly forbidden.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

And if you think that "Oh, I am not going to..." Just like in India one business friend, he was selling my books. He was telling, "We are not going to make any huge business this year because if we do business, the profit is more. The whole thing will be taken by government by income tax. So we are stopping to work, to have more business." This is the position because our mind is so inclined that if I cannot enjoy the fruit of my activities, then I am disinclined. Perhaps you know. There is a proverb in English that "Proprietorship turns sand into gold." A person working on his own account, oh, he can turn sand into gold, but a person working for others' account, oh, that is not possible. He will be slow. He will be slow because the purpose is that "Why shall I work so hard? It will be enjoyed..." Just like our business friend was speaking to me that "Why shall we work so hard and make huge profit that...?

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

This is clearly stated here. Now, it is, of course... It depends on us whether to accept it or not accept it, because God has given us independence. You'll find also in the Bhagavad-gītā at the end that after the instruction is given, the Lord inquires from Arjuna that "I have given you all instruction necessary. Now whatever you like, you do." So this is the position. The Lord never interferes with the little independence that has been offered to us. We have got little independence because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Oh, so under certain percentage we have got independence. Not full independence, but under certain percentage we have got independence. And that independence we can use properly or misuse it also. When we misuse, then we become kṛpaṇa, the miser. And when we use it properly, then we become brāhmaṇa. So dūreṇa hy avaraṁ karma buddhi-yogād dhanañjaya buddhau śaraṇam anviccha, śaraṇam anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ. Buddhi.

Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

Lord Kṛṣṇa summarized, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just surrender unto Me." This is the sum and substance of everything. So therefore the conclusion is that the individual consciousness should surrender to the supreme consciousness and act accordingly. That is the position of standing on the conscious plane. That is the position of conscious plane. And Bhagavad, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata also says that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ, the activities, the occupation, the business, that which leads us to that consciousness, that consciousness, that "I am subordinate to the supreme consciousness," and let me act according to the supreme consciousness, without any cause, ahaituki, without... "Why I shall act?" There is no such question. It is automatic, automatic. Just like a little son, and the mother... The little son is automatically subordinate to the mother. Whatever the mother says, the child acts. The child is completely dependent.

Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

This is the position of yoga. Yoga, samādhi. Samādhi means to be always in the, situated in the superconsciousness, situated in the business of dovetailing with the superconsciousness. That is called samādhi. Bhagavad-gītā. Śruti-vipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niścalā. You are not deviated even by hearing so many other things. If you are not deviated, then that position is called samādhi, and that position is the highest position of your life.

Now, Kṛṣṇa is being questioned by Arjuna that "What are the symptoms of such person who is already in that position of dovetailing the individual consciousness with the superconsciousness? What are the symptoms?"

Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

If we study it very seriously, then we can understand... We should not take so cheaply that "Here is a God, here is a God, here is a God." No, no. God is not so cheap. God is one, and He is great. "God is great," as in your English language it is said, and nobody can be greater than Him or equal to Him. That is the position of God. Now here, Arjuna, he accepts Kṛṣṇa and he says that "You are Paraṁ Brahman." Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). Dhāma means in which everything rests. We are resting, everything is resting. Just like... This is scientific and practical, you know, that the innumerable planets that the, that you can see at night as, I mean to say, luminaries, stars in the sky, each and every one of them, more or less, they are all different kinds of planets. But do you know how they are floating in the space? They are floating on the sunshine, on the sun rays. They are floating.

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

He simply gave hint that there, that matter is false. Matter is generated by spirit. Spirit is the real, principle thing. Just like Buddha did not say anything about spirit. He simply wanted that detachment of, from matter. But detachment from matter... Then where is my stand? Where is my stand? If I leave this room, I must have another room to stay. So that is the position of Buddha. He did not say about the spirit. But Śaṅkara, Śaṅkara said, "No, matter is our false position. Spirit is real position." But he did not say anything, what are the activities of the spiritual life. Then Śrī Rāmānujācārya came. He described the actual position of spiritual life. These are gradual development. Your, I mean to say, Lord Jesus, also, Lord Jesus Christ, he also gave hints of spiritual life, kingdom of God. So when we speak of kingdom of God, a kingdom, vacant, cannot be. Kingdom means there must be activities.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

He conspired and engaged one prostitute to defy him. So the prostitute agreed and at dead of night, with very beautiful dress and she was young, and tried to captivate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But he was not captivated. That is the difference. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, even an ordinary person, not in the level of Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā, he's never conquered by māyā. But one who is not fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, either he may be Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā, he'll be conquered by māyā, what to speak of others. This is the position. Go on. "When Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a young devotee of the Lord..."

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

So one, the materialistic persons, they are sleeping in the matter of spiritual understanding. So therefore the activities which we find in daytime of the materialistic person, actually that is night. For the spiritualistic person, they see that these people they got the facility of self-realization, this human form of life. How they are wasting by sleeping. And the materialistic persons, they are seeing, "Oh, these Kṛṣṇa conscious young boys, they have given up everything and they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. How nonsense. They are sleeping." So you see? So in the vision of the materialistic person, these activities are night, sleeping. And for the self-realized person, these activities are sleeping. You see? Just the opposite. They are seeing the Kṛṣṇa conscious person as wasting time and the Kṛṣṇa conscious person is seeing them as wasting time. This is the position. Go on.

Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

This is human reasoning. How can you deny it? Can you deny it? I don't think any sane man can deny it.

Similarly, as your consciousness is a symptom of your presence, you are spirit soul, similarly, the supreme consciousness is the symptom of the supreme soul, or God, the supreme God. This is the position. Now, as consciousness, we are part and parcel of the supreme consciousness. Therefore, the whole business of our life is to dovetail our activities with the supreme plan. That is called karma-yoga. That is called karma-yoga. Eko bahu syāt.

In the Vedic literature you will find that God has expanded Himself into many, just like the father expands himself into many children. The children is nothing but expansions of the body of the father. Similarly, we, all living entities, spiritual parts or living souls, we are also expansion of the supreme spirit. Now, the reason is, why the supreme spirit soul expanded himself into so many? What is the purpose?

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

So he does not... A self-realized person is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but he does not deviate with the prescribed duties also, because others will follow. Others will also, "Oh, I am also self-realized." Therefore one has to do.

Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being. He is free because he knows that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so I'm dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is providing millions and trillions of living entities. Why not me? I am directly engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service." This is the position of self-realized. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). Go on.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

That is not possible." Therefore prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarva... (BG 3.27).

Here the so-called tiger, so-called big men... Just like in America the president is a big man. But now he is put into such a condition that he is full of anxiety. At any moment he may be kicked out. This is the position. You cannot be happy either as President Nixon or tiger or cats and dogs or human being or Lord Brahmā. That is not possible. That is not possible. You must be full of anxieties because this is unnatural life.

To understand that "I am this body," this is foolishness. I am not this body. I am the soul within this body. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in the second chapter: dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehī, the proprietor of the body. Just like you are the proprietor of your shirt and coat. You are not shirt and coat.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

What can be done?" Because you are son of God—God has got independence, full independence, almighty—therefore you have acquired the quality of your father. You have got little independence. So God does not interfere with your little independence. If you persist that "I must go and enjoy independently," so God says, "All right, you can go." This is the position. You have to take sanction. That is a fact. But when you persist, God sanctions. And you come and enjoy. Beginning from Lord Brahmā down to the worms in the stool, gradually, according to your work, according to your desire, you manufacture your different types of body and enjoy and suffer. That's all. That is explained. Prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān. And as soon as you, entangled in different types of punishment, not enjoyment but punishment.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

That is God. Not that He's only the great, but He is the smallest also. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. Mahato mahīyān means greater than the greatest, and aṇor aṇīyān, and smaller than the smallest. We cannot imagine the dimension of the atom, or you can imagine, but still God is smaller than that. This is the position of God. So He has got His form, as the atom has got form. Similarly, within the atom, God has got form, and as this whole universe has got form, that God has also got form. When there is a statement in the Vedic language that God has no form, it does not mean God has no form, but He has form which you cannot imagine. That is called formless. Actually God is not formless, but what is that form, you cannot imagine. Because He is greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

What is your nature? Then you will understand God automatically. Or if you are so advanced that you can understand God, then you can understand your nature also. Just like God is gold mine, and I am a gold ring. So the chemical composition of the gold ring and the chemical composition of the gold mine, the same. This is the position. Qualitatively we are one. Quantitatively we are different. Quantity, God's quantity, God's power, God's opulence, God's riches, God's beauty, God's wisdom, they are very, very, very, very great than ours. That is the difference between God and us. Now try to understand your constitutional position. Don't think that after this body is finished, or we meet death, then everything is finished, as it is going on. The greatest mistake, the world is going on, on the mistaken platform. They do not know what is going to happen after death. There is no education. There is no department of knowledge in the universities, what is going to happen after death.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Bombay, March 25, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is looking for the opportunity when the living entity will come back to Him. Because we are all sons.

So father, if the son is bewildered, gone out of the home and loitering in the street, the father is very anxious to get him back, although the son has forgotten. This is the position. Therefore, as Paramātmā, He's guiding us. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ. "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). From Him, we get the remembrance.

I wanted to enjoy something. Kṛṣṇa gives us full opportunity: "Now here is the opportunity. You can do it." Anumantā. He's so kind. But that is not our actual business. Our actual business is to go back to home, back to Godhead, not to enjoy in this material world. But still, because we want it, Kṛṣṇa gives us all facilities. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). If we want to enjoy this material world, Kṛṣṇa will give us all the opportunities.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Natural tendency—to give some service. Just see. He's not in order, but he thought that "Here is something. Let me give me some service." Now, just see, automatically come. So this is the natural...

A child also, he'll try to serve the father, his mother. He'll try to assist mother. Mother is cooking. He'll try to assist the mother. So this is the position, that our natural position is to render service. Now, where to render service and how the service is being misused. That we have to understand. That's all. Because we are now in a condition which is not natural condition. So we have to put ourself in the natural condition and the service attitude will go on. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Bombay, March 27, 1974:

Because he is paying me, as soon as he says, "Now tomorrow I cannot pay, " then, "namaskāra." Therefore he is serving the money. And why money? "Because money will help me in satisfying my senses. Therefore I am serving my senses." Nobody is serving anyone. Everyone is serving his senses. This is the position. This is dharmasya glānir bhavati. As soon as we are engaged in serving our senses, that is dharmasya glāniḥ. And as soon as we agree to serve the senses of Kṛṣṇa, that is dharma.

That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. When Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa, in the beginning he was trying to serve his senses. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, if I kill my relatives I'll be entangled in this way of sinful activities. I'll go to hell. If I kill my grandfather, the other side, Droṇācārya, the other side... No, no." In this way he concluded, "No, no. I shall not fight." This kind of service is to satisfy Arjuna's own senses. He thought, "By killing the other party, I'll not be satisfied.

Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he said that "I am son of God." So he's representative of the Supreme. And similarly, Hajrat Muhammad, he also identified himself as a servant. Padat hi bandhaḥ., a servant of the Lord. So this is the position that whenever there is discrepancies in the natural law of our constitutional position, the master, the Supreme Lord, either He Himself comes in incarnation or He sends some representative to inform us what is actually the position of the living entity. So this is explained here by Lord Kṛṣṇa, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7).

So this position, this dharma, is not exactly a kind of created faith. It is the constitutional position. Dharma means the constitutional position. Just like sugar. Sugar's constitutional position is to become sweet. Salt—constitutional position is to become salty, alkaline taste. And water is liquid. Stone is solid. These specifical, specific qualification is called dharma. Similarly, we living entities, we have got a specific qualification: the eternal attitude to serve others. So that, how to serve Kṛṣṇa, how to attain Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to give up our material engagement in different designations—this science and this truth is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7).

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974:

So material nature means external energy, and spiritual nature means internal energy. And we, we are also spiritual nature, marginal. We can remain either in the material nature or in the spiritual nature. Therefore we are marginal nature. There are three natures: external, internal and marginal. So so long we are in the material nature, external nature, we are unhappy. This is the position.

Just like a fish, when it is put into the land, it is unhappy, or death. Similarly, if you, the creature of the land, if you are put into the water, you are unhappy. And death. So because we belong to the spiritual nature... As it is explained by Kṛṣṇa, that this material nature is aparā, aparā. Aparā means inferior, not fit for us. Therefore we are unhappy. So long we shall remain in the material nature, we must be unhappy.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974:

First of all, one must know that the way in which you are finding out, trying to, trying to find out happiness, that is nonsense. That is not possible. We have to give up all these things. That is tapasya. Voluntarily give up all these things. The more we are advanced means more we have given up all these things. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending. This is the position. So vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ... (BG 2.56).

So how it is possible? How to become detached? Man-mayā. "Always be absorbed in My thought." Or man-mayā means... Mat means "mine," mayā, "of Me." "Thinking of Me." That is recommended. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is the process. Always think of Kṛṣṇa, man-manāḥ. This is easy. Just like you love somebody. So if you chant his name, if you think of him, then you'll always remember. Similarly, if you simply think of Kṛṣṇa, if you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa name, then you remain man-mayā.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Calcutta, September 23, 1974:

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja said. When he... He went to the forest for getting some material profit, but when he realized God, when he saw Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, he... Viṣṇu wanted, "Now you take benediction, whatever you want." He said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: "Svāmin, I am now satisfied." So this is the position that yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ.

So if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then these are the result. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56). Krodha means when we cannot satisfy our senses in the... We try to satisfy our senses... Just like the jackal. He wanted to eat some grapes, but jumping, jumping, he could not get. Then, in krodha, he says, "Oh, it is useless. It is sour. We don't want." So this krodha, in the absence of sense gratification, there is krodha. Kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ.

So Kṛṣṇa says, man-mayā, "being always absorbed in Me."

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

Because there is no shelter.

I have given several times the example. Just like if you go high in the sky, but if you don't get any shelter, then you come back again. Just like the people are going in the moon planet, but because they actually do not get any shelter, they are coming back again. So that is the position. Simply by worshiping impersonal Brahman, after severe penance and austerity, you can enter into it, but you cannot remain there because there is no ānanda. It is simply eternity.

But we are actually eternity, bliss and knowledge, very small portion. Simply eternity will not satisfy us. So eternity also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So you can enter. Kṛṣṇa has given you freedom. Therefore He says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. "If you want to merge into the Brahman effulgence, that you can do. Or if you simply want to realize the Paramātmā, localized, that you can also do. And you can do also, come to Me."

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

So what kind of change of body you are going to have? You must learn it. Otherwise you are in darkness. What is the value of life if you do not know? Suppose next life I am going to become a dog. So what is the value of my becoming this life a prime minister? But they do not know. The science is unknown. Science is known, but people are so fool that they do not take care of it. This is the position.

So don't waste your time in that way. Try to understand what is the problem of life, how we can come again to the original spiritual life. That is the ultimate solution because we are spirit. Circumstantially, I am now accepting this material body.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Delhi, November 3, 1973:

So as the animal goes, the cows are being slaughtered, so the animals are being slaughtered, so everyone without spiritual consciousness, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is to be slaughtered by the laws of material nature. They do not know that. Even just like animal. Even if he is slaughtered, he is not sorry. That is the position of the present human society.

So there is great need of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. People are so fallen. They are reluctant even to hear about this Bhagavad-gītā, where everything is explained. They are living like animals. So it is our duty to awaken them. That is the Vedic injunction. Vedic injunction is to awaken. They are sleeping. Ignorance... Just like when a man sleeps, he is ignorant of everything, what is going on outside. He is sleeping, deep-sleeping. So therefore the Vedic injunction, Upaniṣads says, uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata: "Please get up.

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

We have began our lecture on the basis, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So this is civilization. Unless one comes to this standard of civilization, varṇāśrama-dharma, that is animal civilization. So we prefer animal civilization. Therefore we are living like animal also, fighting like cats and dogs and suffering like cats and dogs also. This is the position. Nirāśīr yata-cittātmā. Control. I shall accept as much as I require, not more than that, not less than that. Controlling the citta, intelligence, and ātmā, mind or self, self-control.

Nirāśīr yata-cittātmā tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ. Parigrahaḥ means unnecessarily collecting something, atyāhāraḥ. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ... Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī has given definition how bhakti is killed:

Lecture on BG 4.23 -- Bombay, April 12, 1974:

So this knowledge is being imparted by Kṛṣṇa Himself, Bhagavad-gītā. The beginning of this knowledge is when Arjuna accepted Him as guru. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). "Now no more friendly talks. I become your disciple." So this is the position. Knowledge should be taken from the perfect person. Because if you take knowledge from a person who is defective, your knowledge has no value. You must take knowledge from the perfect.

So anyone in this material world, he is defective. Every one of us, we know that we are defective. What is that? We are very much proud of seeing. So what is the value of our seeing? We see under certain condition. That's all. If there is immediately darkness, what is the value of our eyes? We cannot see. So under certain conditions, because we see, therefore we are not perfect.

Lecture on BG 4.23 -- Bombay, April 12, 1974:

Then what evidence want you more? What is your knowledge? You do not accept so many authorities? You are so proud? That is our misfortune. Manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ, and disturbed condition of life. That is our misfortune.

This is the position. Otherwise where is the difficulty of understanding God? "God is dead. There is no God. I am God, you are God." So many theories. Why? Here is God. God personally comes to show you what is the position of God, and He has shown what is the meaning of God. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya balasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. What is the meaning of Bhagavān, He has shown. Still, we are so unfortunate, we cannot accept. Because we are not free from the contamination. Yeṣām. One can understand. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām.

Lecture on BG 4.27 -- Bombay, April 16, 1974:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, before starting, I wrote one letter to Mahatma Gandhi: "Mahatma Gandhi, you have got position. People accept you as a very pious man. Now you have got your sva-rājya, and you are very fond of Bhagavad-gītā. Let us preach Bhagavad-gītā." I wrote this letter. Unfortunately, a few days after, he was killed. So this is the position. All big, big leaders, they do not want to take relief from this sense gratification business. No. This is the...

Therefore jñāna-dīpite ātma-saṁyama-yogāgnau. Because there is no knowledge, they think the sense gratification extended, expanded sense gratification, will make the world happy. No. That is not possible. Therefore jñāna-dīpite means that by this kind of sense gratification we will not solve the problems. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās teṣāṁ jātā mayi na karuṇā. Karuṇā. "There is no mercy. Therefore I have given up them. Now I have come to You, my dear Lord. I was serving the senses so long. Now I want to serve You."

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

So out of many thousands of such persons who have attained knowledge actually, who have understood what is the position of these living entities, brahma-bhūtaḥ, they are called liberated. And out of many thousands of such liberated persons, one can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. This is the position.

So to understand this fact, that simply by engaging oneself into the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness everything is completely done, this is called faith. Faith, strong faith, unflinching faith. That is the last instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other engagement. Simply surrender unto Me." That is knowledge. So one who has attained this knowledge... Now, this is the beginning. This is the stepping stone in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that simply, one who is firmly convinced that "Simply by executing the duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, my all other functions will be nicely done."