Even a mahā-bhāgavata, when he becomes preacher, he comes down to the second platform. He does not remain on the topmost platform. He plays the part of second platform. And sometimes it is stated in the Bible, I think, that Jesus Christ said, "I had many things to say, but I am not saying." Is it not? So actually, the mahā-bhāgavata, he has many things to say, but because he's preacher he does not say everything to the neophyte devotees. Because they are not competent to accept that.
Topmost (Other Lectures)
Lectures
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:
Sense gratification... I, as I was explaining, a few minutes (I finished?) before. Caitanya-caritāmṛta Kaja says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta. Bhukti. Bhukti means karmīs. They want sense enjoyment. So long they live here in this body, they enjoy their senses to the topmost, and they make provision for the next life, to be elevated in the heavenly planet to enjoy in the Nandana-kānana with the demigods.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:
Actually, we cannot accept various paths for self-realization. That is not impossible. Sometimes, because we give stress directly to accept this devotional service, people are not very happy that we do not give any importance to the process of jñāna and karma and yoga. We do not condemn, but they're very difficult. The yogic process... Especially in Western countries, they are very much fond of the word yoga. We are therefore publishing this book, Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Is the Topmost Yoga.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:
One has to smear the eyes with the ointment of love, how to love Kṛṣṇa. Then one can see Kṛṣṇa always within his heart. And one who has learned this art, how to see Kṛṣṇa within himself, within his heart always... Kṛṣṇa certifies, "He's the topmost yogi."
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:
Yes. This is the chain of accepting different types of bodies, one after another. According to the sinful activities. On the total, without being sinful, nobody accepts this material body. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā we understand: yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam, "One who has finished the reaction of his sinful activities," te dvandva-moha-nirmukta... (BG 7.28). Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām... Puṇya-karma. Puṇya-karma means the sublime puṇya-karma is devotional service. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). This is the topmost puṇya-karma. Because, as it is stated in the Bhāgavata, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Simply if we hear about Kṛṣṇa, that is puṇya.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:
These are the symptoms of the topmost devotee. He has got full knowledge in scripture. He can argue on the basis of scripture. He can convince the other party. These are the symptoms of uttama-adhikārī.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:
So ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro. Such strict brāhmaṇa, very expert in his business, paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ... And very well expert in his studies, mantra, Vedic mantra, tantra. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, avaiṣṇava guru na sa syād. If he is avaiṣṇava, then he cannot be guru. Cannot be guru. Sad-vaiṣṇava śva-paca guru. But a śvapacaḥ, a dog-eaters family, caṇḍāla... Just the brāhmaṇa is considered to be the highest in the society, similarly caṇḍāla is considered to be the lowest, dog-eaters. So the śāstra says the highest, the topmost man in the society, brāhmaṇa, if he's avaiṣṇava, he cannot be guru, but the, a person coming out from the lowest grade of human society, śvapacaḥ, caṇḍāla, if he's a Vaiṣṇava, he can become guru.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:
Those who have become ni..., what is this liberation for them? Nothing. The four things, dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa. So when one takes to this shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, that is the highest dharma, topmost. That is the topmost yoga. So why he should hanker after dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90)? It is so nice thing. That is the statement of Uddhava. One who has become pure devotee... One who has possessed... Svāntaḥ-sthita gadābhṛtā. He has become purified. But don't imitate. Actually see whether you are always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Then it is all right.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.4 -- Mayapur, March 28, 1975:
He distributed the most confidential part of love of Godhead. Although we are living in this fallen age, Kali-yuga, but He is giving the topmost platform of loving Kṛṣṇa. Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt. Therefore He is supposed to be the most munificent incarnation. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). He is giving directly Kṛṣṇa-prema.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.4 -- Mayapur, March 28, 1975:
The gopīs' dealing with Kṛṣṇa is considered to be the topmost. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He recommended, ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. Vrajavadhū, the gopīs, the damsels of Vṛndāvana, they worship Kṛṣṇa in the topmost loving affairs. They did not know anything but Kṛṣṇa. For Kṛṣṇa they could sacrifice anything—their honor, their prestige, everything, their husband, their sons, family. That is the gopīs' standard. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation is accepted by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in many verses. One of the verses in here, anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:
So another feature of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is described here by the author, Kavirāja Gosvāmī. In the beginning He has been described as the ultimate Absolute Truth, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ ya bhagavān. The Absolute Truth realized in three phases. The ultimate phase is Bhagavān. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ. Bhagavān means full of six opulences. Not as nowadays there are so many Bhagavāns, they have no aiśvarya. But Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇaḥ, full opulences, six kinds of opulence. Then that Bhagavān, Supreme Personality of Godhead, has descended as incarnation, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, just to bestow the topmost understanding of loving affairs with Kṛṣṇa. Samarpayitum unnata ujjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:
So this is shadow. Real thing is in the spiritual world. Therefore it is called adho-śākha. Śākha. In the spiritual world the topmost part is this conjugal love, and here, the same thing, when pervertedly reflected, it is the lowest abominable thing. We should know this, that in the spiritual world, to remain as girlfriend and boyfriend, that is the topmost pleasure, and in the material world, the same thing is the most abominable thing. Therefore it is adho-śākha. We cannot imitate the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī unless we understand the real fact.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:
This is very important point. If for understanding little bit of brahma-sukha we are giving up all material enjoyment, how Kṛṣṇa can enjoy materially? He is Paraṁ Brahman. Therefore those sahajiyās, those who are taking that Kṛṣṇa is enjoying with ordinary girls, they are very, very, much misled. That is not the fact. Therefore it is said, hlādinī śakti. This is different. This is in the spiritual world the topmost mellow, hlādinī śakti.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:
So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the topmost incarnation.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:
So, Kavirāja Gosvāmī the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he first offered his obeisances to Lord Caitanya in the first verse, agaty-eka-gatiṁ natvā (CC Adi 7.1). After offering obeisances to the Supreme Lord, who is the only hope for the hopeless, now he's again offering, jaya jaya mahāprabhu śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya. Prabhu and Mahāprabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu. Any Vaiṣṇava is addressed as prabhu, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Mahāprabhu, the topmost prabhu, the master prabhu. All others are servant prabhu. Just like, it is very easy to understand: if you are working in an office, your immediate boss, you consider him as your master, but he's not the master. The master of the office is the managing director, manager or the proprietor.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.66-76 -- San Francisco, February 6, 1967:
Now the essence of all scripture is this Hare Kṛṣṇa. Essence. Sarva-śāstra-marma means essence of all scripture. And sarva-mantra-sāra. And there are different kinds of hymns and mantras, and this is the, I mean to say, topmost part of all mantras. "In this way, My Guru Mahārāja asked Me to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:
So similarly, knowledge means to, athāto brahma jijñāsā, to understand Brahman. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the origin of everything, and everything emanates from Me." Iti matvā bhajante mām, budhā. Budhā means one who is in the topmost platform of knowledge. That is called budhā. Therefore Lord Buddha is called Buddha. Budhā means one who is in the topmost platform of knowledge. He's called budhā. Budh-dhātu. Budh-dhātu means to know, to understand, or to have knowledge. So budhā. Budhā means one who is actually buddha, or budhā, he worships Kṛṣṇa because he knows perfectly well that He is the origin of everything. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:
Hari-śauri: "One should not think that because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born a brāhmaṇa and was situated in the topmost spiritual order as a sannyāsī it was improper for Him to receive instructions from Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya, who belonged to the śūdra caste." (break)
Prabhupāda: ...prabhu said,
- yei bhaje sei baḍa abhakta hīna chāra
- kṛṣṇa bhajanete nāhi jāti-kulādi-vicāra
- (CC Antya 4.67)
This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's vision. There is no such distinction that one is lower and higher in the matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In the śāstras it is clearly stated that unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he cannot become guru.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- New York, July 20, 1976:
So therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the topmost welfare activities in the world. People should try to understand it and join it and take advantage of it.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:
Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu concludes again that we are after dhana. Dhana are riches. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that Kṛṣṇa and kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service, and love of Kṛṣṇa, these three items are the topmost riches of our life. Vedādi sakala śāstre kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service, and love of Kṛṣṇa, these three items are the topmost riches of our life.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:
It is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the Supreme Personality, original Personality of Godhead. He is nobody's under control. Even He was not controlled by His supreme lover Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī is considered... The gopīs are considered the topmost lover of Kṛṣṇa. But when Kṛṣṇa decided to leave Vṛndāvana, oh, they began to cry. They blocked the way. Kṛṣṇa didn't care, went away. Went away. He didn't care even. So much dear Rādhārāṇī. They became blind, crying, crying, crying, crying, whole life. But Kṛṣṇa never returned. Never returned.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358 -- New York, December 28, 1966:
There are eighteen purāṇas, six for each quality, modes of the nature. Six, six purāṇas for the person who are in the modes of ignorance, six purāṇas for the person who are in the modes of passion, and six purāṇas for persons who are in the mode of goodness, those who are actually qualified brāhmaṇas. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is called Mahā-purāṇa. Mahā-purāṇa means the topmost of all the purāṇas. You have seen the review by the Theosophical Society of India of my books. They have stated this very word, Mahā-purāṇa, Bhāgavatam, the Mahā-purāṇa.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.1-10 -- New York, January 3, 1967:
Now, all these planets... Just like in a stem there are so many branches and flowers, take it for granted it is something like that. And the topmost flower... Just like if you take a rose flower, there are so many leaves, and on the topmost there is the nice flower, so the topmost planet in the spiritual sky, that is called Kṛṣṇaloka. Karṇikāra. That is just like... The shape of the Kṛṣṇaloka is just like a lotus flower.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.14-20 -- New York, January 10, 1967:
Anyway, all these processes... Yoga means just like a staircase. You cover the staircases under certain rules and regulation, but the highest top, topmost place, is that Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ultimately you have to reach that point. So any other process, that is dependent on the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is direct method. It is not dependent on any such method.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.31-38 -- San Francisco, January 22, 1967:
This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Third Canto, Ninth Chapter, in which the Lord is prayed by Brahmā, that nātaḥ paraṁ parama yad bhavataḥ svarūpam ānanda-mātram. "The personality which I am now seeing, that is the highest goal, or the topmost understanding of the Absolute Truth." Nātaḥ param. There is no beyond. Even if you are in the consciousness of impersonal Brahman, there is far advanced stage. What is that?
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, April 30, 1970:
That is very topmost stage of devotional life. Even if you are on this topmost stage, when you are preacher you have come to the second platform, this stage. So you have to raise yourself from the lower stage to the second stage, and if you are in the highest stage, even then you have come to the second stage for preaching work. So preaching work, four vision. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca: God, Kṛṣṇa; His devotee; innocent; and the atheist. So we are concerned with three: with God, the devotees and the innocent.
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 13-15 -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1970:
Similarly, in every planet there is a predominating Deity. So here it is said that the supreme predominating Deity is Kṛṣṇa, in the spiritual, in the topmost planet in the spiritual sky. This is material sky. In the material sky this is one of the universes. There are millions and trillions of universes. And within this universe there are millions and trillions of planets. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa. Jagad-aṇḍa means universe.
Festival Lectures
Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:
They have no other ways. Gṛha-vratānām, those who want to be happy materially, actually they are chewing the chewed. Material happiness means sex life, ultimate, utmost, topmost happiness. So people are simply trying to, how to utilize this sex life in so many ways, in pictures and in... I do not wish to discuss. In dancing, in club, in so many ways. Because they cannot control the senses. The same thing, same thing, the same sex life in different way. Sometimes a naked dance, sometimes in this way, sometimes in that way. Therefore it is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. I have heard that some people go to Florida and they spend fifty thousand dollars per week for organizing naked dance. So naked woman he has seen so many times, but still he spends more money to see it in a different way. That is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), "chewing the chewed."
Sri Vyasa-puja -- London, August 22, 1973:
So actually, married couples should be paramahaṁsas. Paramahaṁsa means the topmost stage of sannyāsī. Paramahaṁsa. A sannyāsī has got four stages: kuṭicaka, bahudaka, parivrājakācārya and paramahaṁsa. A sannyāsī, in the beginning, he's supposed to make a small cottage, just on the border of the village, does not go home, but the, his necessities are supplied by his home, but he does not go home. This is called kuṭicaka. Then gradually, when he is practiced, he begs from home to home.
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:
Kṛṣṇa has already said in the Bhagavad-gītā, abrahma-bhuvanāl lokān. What to speak of this moon planet—it is very near—even if you go to the topmost planet, which is known as Brahmaloka... That is in your front, you can see every day, every night, how many lokas and planets are there. But you cannot go there. You are simply trying to go to the nearest planet. That is also failure. So what is your scientific improvement?
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:
The material scientists' calculation is that if one goes forward for forty thousands of years in the light speed, light-year speed, then one can approach the topmost planet of this material world. So at least in the modern scientific calculation, it is impossible. But one can go; there is process. That we have tried to explain in our small booklet Easy Journey to Other Planets. By yogic process one can go any planet he likes. That is the yogic perfection. When a yogi becomes perfect, he can go to any planet he likes, and the yoga practice goes on, unless the yogi thinks himself that he has made himself perfect to travel to any planet he likes. That is perfection of yoga practice.
Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:
So durātmā means one who is under the influence of this material nature, far, far away from Kṛṣṇa. This material nature actually situated many, many, many, many thousands and millions of miles far away from Vaikuṇṭhaloka. This universe is unlimited according to our measurement. And beyond this universe there is the spiritual world, paravyoma. And far, far away, the topmost planet of the spiritual world is Kṛṣṇaloka. So those who are in this material world, actually they are durātmā in this sense that they are far, far away from the planet which is known as Kṛṣṇaloka, or Goloka Vṛndāvana. This Vṛndāvana is the replica of that original Vṛndāvana. Because when Kṛṣṇa comes on this planet He appears in this spot of land, Vṛndāvana. Just like when the governor goes somewhere, they have got a circuit house. It is something like that. And there is no difference between that original Vṛndāvana and this Vṛndāvana.
Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda Deity Installation -- London, August 21, 1973:
So that is summarized: goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya (Bs. 5.43). The topmost planet is called Goloka or Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇaloka. Go means cows. Kṛṣṇa is very much fond of cows. Therefore, that planet is called also Goloka, the planet full of cows. We have recited Brahma-saṁhitā today, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣā-vṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). Kṛṣṇa is engaged in tending cows. He's very much fond of cows. Surabhi, they are not ordinary cows. In the spiritual world, everything is spiritual. So there is a planet, goloka-nāmni. So, that is the highest planet. Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni. That is the personal abode. Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya: (Bs. 5.43) under that planet, there are other planetary systems. They are called Devīdhāma, Maheśadhāma, Haridhāma.
Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda Deity Installation -- London, August 21, 1973:
So picture we have given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya (Bs. 5.43), devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu teṣu teṣu, te te prabhava-nicayā vihitaś ca yena. Each planetary system has got specific atmosphere. Everything is specific. So that is done, that is created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So in this way, Kṛṣṇa is there in the topmost Goloka-dhāma. But still goloka-dhāmni nivasati, although He is living there, akhilātmā-bhūto, He is everywhere. He's everywhere. That is Kṛṣṇa.
Initiation Lectures
Initiation Lecture and Bhagavan dasa's Marriage Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, June 4, 1969:
So we have to prepare where we want to go. That is real education. Either by the yogic principle or by cultivation of knowledge or by this devotional service, the whole idea is how to transfer oneself to the better condition of life. The better, the best condition of life is to mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. "If anyone," Kṛṣṇa says, "if anyone comes to Me, he hasn't got to come back again to take this cycle of birth and death." So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give that highest, topmost position, that no more coming to this material world, either this planet or that planet.
Initiations -- Sydney, April 2, 1972:
Kibā śūdra. Śūdra is considered to be the lowest in the civilized society, śūdra. No, if not lowest, lower, lower class, worker class, no intelligence. Kibā śūdra kibā... And vipra means brāhmaṇa, the most intelligent class of the human society. So either one is a śūdra-śūdra means born in a śūdra family—or vipra, similarly born in a vipra family... Kibā śūdra kibā vipra nyāsī kene. Nyāsī means sannyāsī. Sannyāsa order is the topmost order in social division. So whatever he may be, the only qualification—if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa—he becomes spiritual master. So śauri, one who is learned, Hari-śauri, one who is learned in the science of Kṛṣṇa.
Initiations -- San Diego, June 30, 1972:
So in this way we have to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa, and if we increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa, mayy āsakta manāḥ pārtha yogam... This yoga system... This yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the topmost yoga system. Why it is topmost? Because it teaches how to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa; therefore it is topmost. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ (BG 6.47). There are different kinds of yogis. "Of all the yogis..." Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ.
Initiation Lecture -- Caracas, February 22, 1975:
So the boys and girls who are now being initiated, they are entering the path of understanding God in this way. So there are some regulative principles. I think you have explained to them that no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. God is pure. He is the purest. Therefore if we want to approach God, we must be pure. Just like without high temperature, nobody can enter into the fire, similarly, God is the topmost temperature.
Sannyasa Initiation -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:
So this purificatory process... According to Vedic system, there is purificatory process. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. "By birth everyone is born a śūdra." A śūdra means without any knowledge and simply full of lamentation. Śocati. So the Vedic process is that, from the low-grade position, to bring the human society to the highest, topmost position. Generally it is... The first, topmost position is to become a brāhmaṇa in the society. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13).
General Lectures
Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968:
Perhaps you have heard that in India the brāhmaṇas are called the topmost men of the society. Why? Because he knows that "I am Brahman; I am not this matter." Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. So by understanding Brahman your position will be that prasannātmā, you'll be joyful, na śocati na kāṅkṣati, you will never lament any loss, neither you will hanker after any so-called gain, na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, and you will look every living entity on the same level. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). In that stage of realization, you can understand what is God and what is your relationship with God.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:
That is the system from very old time. So Sūta Gosvāmī, he was representative of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the speaker of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and he was addressing very learned brāhmaṇas. So he's addressing, dvija-śreṣṭhā. Śreṣṭhā means the, I mean to say, picked-up, the topmost of the brāhmaṇas. They were topmost of the brāhmaṇas; still, they require knowledge. Knowledge is so nice that even if you think that you are very learned, you are well versed in everything, still, you require knowledge. That should be our motto. Don't think that "I have finished." Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught this lesson in His life, that He represented Himself as a fool. So everyone should think of himself that "I am still a fool."
Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:
So that is second birth. So second birth, those who accept the second birth, they are called dvija, twice-born. So he is addressing dvija. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā: the topmost of the twice-born. Topmost of the twice-born means brāhmaṇa also, or these three classes. Take it for granted that the brāhmaṇas. But the next line is, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There are four kinds of classification: the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, and the śūdras, and... This is called varṇa. And āśrama, āśrama means spiritual situation: the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, the vānaprastha, and the sannyāsī. They are spiritually situated. So anyone, either a brahmacārī or a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or anyone, he will fall down in either of these eight divisions of human social order. So Sūta Gosvāmī said that anyone, that means anyone, must have some occupation.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:
"He is the first-class topmost yogi." So all yogic process must culminate in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So anyone who has accepted Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is supposed to be the first-class yogi. Actually, what is the ultimate end of yoga? The meaning of yoga is " 'contact." Contacting whom? The Supreme. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. So one who has contacted Kṛṣṇa, he is the highest yogi. (break) If somebody says that "I am incarnation of God," then why you cannot say that you are incarnation of God? What is the difference?
Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:
From without the devotee is helped by the spiritual master, the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, and from within the Lord helps the devotee as caitya-guru, being seated within the heart of everyone. To simply understand that God is seated in everyone's heart is not perfection. One has to be acquainted with God from within and without, and thus to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the highest perfectional stage for the human form of life, and the topmost stage in all yoga systems.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:
Anyone who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa within himself, he is the topmost yogi. Therefore a person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the authority of Vedic literature, he is supposed to passed all kinds of yogic principles. What is your understanding of kuṇḍalinī yoga? Do you know?
Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:
Then this very process, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, "Under the protection of Myself, of My representative, when you understand samagram, perfectly well, then your life is successful." Asaṁśayam: "without any doubt." Not that because your spiritual master says that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." No. If you have got any doubt, just question, just try to understand. It is a fact that He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead, undoubtedly. But if you have got some doubt, you can clear it. Asaṁśayam. In this way, if you practice this yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the topmost of all the yoga systems, asaṁśayam samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi (BG 7.1), then you'll understand Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, perfectly well, without any doubt, and your life will be successful.
Lecture to College Students -- Seattle, October 20, 1968, Introduction by Tamala Krsna:
This prayer is to the spiritual master. Ajñāna-timirāndhasya. Everyone born in this material world is in ignorance, born ignorant. We should take it for granted, this material world is called tama. The Vedic injunction is tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ: "Don't remain in this darkness; come to the light." Actually, this material world is dark. It is lighted with sunlight, moonlight, electric light, this light, that light. Its nature is darkness. That is a scientific fact. So anyone born in this material world, beginning from Brahma, the chief personality in the topmost planet of this universe, down to the ant—everyone is in darkness. Therefore this prayer, ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā. Everyone is put into the darkness, and one who opens the eyes by the torch of knowledge...
Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 11, 1969:
We are following their footsteps. That's all. That is our business. Ātmavit tattva, ātmavit-sammataḥ. And then puṁsām, for the people in general, śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. They have got many subject matter for hearing, ordinary people. But this subject matter, hearing of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the, śrotavyādi... Whatever subject matter you have got for hearing, this is the topmost. This is the topmost. Śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ.
Lecture -- New York, April 17, 1969:
That is his vision. So antarbahir yadi hari, inside and outside, if you always see Hari, Kṛṣṇa, tapasā tataḥ kim, then what is the use of your other austerities and penances? You are on the topmost level. That is wanted. Nanta-bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. And if you do not see within and outside Hari always, then what is the value of your austerities? Therefore in the morning we chant this mantra, govindam ādi-puruṣam tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. We have no other business. Simply we have to satisfy Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Then everything is complete. He is complete and His worship is complete, His devotee is complete. Everything is complete.
Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:
This evolutionary process is going on. As you have come up so much to this civilized form of life from animal status, similarly, you can still make progress. But in the Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended that by progressing, you may go to the topmost planet of this universe. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl-lokāḥ (BG 8.16). That is called Brahmaloka or Satyaloka. But everywhere the four problems of birth, death, old age, and disease are there. But if you come to the spiritual sky and the planets there, then there is no more death, birth, old age, and disease. Life eternal, full of knowledge, and blissful life. That should be attained, that should be endeavored in this human form of life, setting aside all others. That should be the business of human life.
Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:
He is blessing the people in general that "This incarnation of God, Kṛṣṇa..." Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau. Kalau means this age, this age of Kali, which is very much contaminated, or the age of quarrel and disagreement. This is called Kali, age of Kali. So Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "In this age of Kali, where everything is disagreement and quarrel, you have descended to offer the highest, topmost love of God." Samarpayitum unnatojvala-rasām. "And not only topmost, but very brilliant rasa, transcendental mellow, humor." Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau samarpayitum unnatojvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam, hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti: "Your complexion is just like golden, luster of gold.
Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:
Similarly, there is a planet which is known as Goloka Vṛndāvana. In the spiritual world there are millions of planets there. As we have got millions of planets here in this material world, millions of universes, similarly, the spiritual world there are millions of planets, globes, which are called Vaikuṇṭhalokas. And the topmost of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas is called Goloka Vṛndāvana or Kṛṣṇaloka. That is the original abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And from that globe, there is effulgence, which is bodily effulgence of Kṛṣṇa. We get this information from Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagadāṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Yasya prabhā. The brahmajyoti is the bodily effulgence of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Exactly the sunshine is the bodily effulgence of Vivasvān, it is being emanating, it is emanating from the sun globe, similarly, the brahmajyoti is emanating from Kṛṣṇaloka. And in that Kṛṣṇa, Brahman effulgence, so many universes and so many Vaikuṇṭha planets are growing exactly the same way as so many planets have grown from the sunshine. This is scientific.
Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:
If we understand Kṛṣṇa superficially, that is not tattvic understanding. The tattvic understanding are in truth. You can get information from the Vedas what is Kṛṣṇa, or from Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is the cream of all Vedas. Sarvopaniṣada gāva. Vedas, and the topmost part of Veda are the Upaniṣads. There are a hundred eight Upaniṣads, of which Īśopaniṣad is the topmost. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So we have to understand Kṛṣṇa from this Vedic literature, tat vijñāna(?). And to understand the Vedic literature, we have to approach a person who has actually assimilated the purpose of Vedas. Kṛṣṇa also said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The purpose of studying Vedas is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Or in other words, if anyone has understood Kṛṣṇa, he has studied all the Vedas.
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:
The highest yogi is bhakti-yogī. These boys and girls that have taken this bhakti-yoga, they are the topmost yogis. So yoginam ramante. They also enjoy. Ramante yoginam anante. But their reciprocation of sense gratification is with the ananta, the supreme unlimited. Ramante yoginam anante satyānanda. That is real happiness, satyānanda. Here in this material world, that is mithyānanda, but real ānanda is to reciprocate with the Supreme, just like Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā. So ramante yoginam anante satyānanda-cid-ātmani.
Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:
These are the Vedic versions, that highest yogi... There are many kinds of yogis. The topmost yogi is he who... Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata āntarātmanā. The yogis, they try to find out by samādhi the Supreme Person within the heart... Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi's, yogi's business is dhyānāvasthita, in meditation, in full samādhi, he is seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, four-handed Nārāyaṇa. Viṣṇu-devānanda. Ānanda. They are taking pleasure by seeing Viṣṇu within the heart. Viṣṇu is within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The Supreme Person in His Paramātmā feature, localized feature, He is existing in everyone's heart.
Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:
But He summarizes the yoga processes in the Sixth Chapter, last verse, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ: (BG 6.47) "Of all the yogis, one who always thinks of Me with faith and love within himself," yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata āntarātmanā, "within the heart, within himself, always think of Me, Kṛṣṇa," śraddhāvān bhajate yo mam, "engaged in devotional...," sa me yuktatamo, "he is the highest, topmost yogi." He has described different process of yoga system. That's a fact. But He concludes that one who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa always within himself with faith and love, he is the topmost yogi. So we are teaching our disciples to think of Kṛṣṇa always, twenty-four hours. This Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, if you chant and hear the word "Kṛṣṇa," then you become the topmost yogi. And simplest method—anyone can practice it. God has given you the tongue, and you can chant "Kṛṣṇa." Actually they are chanting everywhere, in all parts of the world, very easily, even a child. So this yoga system is recommended especially for this age because other yoga systems are very difficult processes for the present age. The haṭha-yoga system, to sit down in a sacred secluded place, straight right—angular, and looking towards the end of the nose, this is not possible for everyone. Therefore the topmost yoga system is to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. And actually it is happening. Now our students all over the world, simply by chanting this holy name of God, Hare Kṛṣṇa, they are quickly advancing in spiritual knowledge, that's a fact.
Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:
So immediately you remember Kṛṣṇa. As soon as you see sunshine, you remember, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." As soon as you see moonshine, you remember, "Eh, here is..." As soon as you see something wonderful, pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu śabdaḥ khe, as soon as you hear in the sky some sound, so if you remember, "Here is Kṛṣṇa," that means you are remembering Kṛṣṇa in every step of your life. And if you're remembering Kṛṣṇa in every step of life, then you become the topmost yogi.
Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:
This is the difference, East and West. In the Eastern country, especially in India, a common man will understand the existence of soul. And in the Western countries, a topmost man, professor, he does not know what is soul. That is the difference.
Lecture -- Jakarta, February 27, 1973:
Therefore He's called Yogeśvara. Lord Śiva, he's called Yogīśvara. He's the best amongst the yogis. And Kṛṣṇa is called Yogeśvara. This yogeśvara word is also in the Bhagavad-gītā: yatra yogeśvara hari. So Kṛṣṇa is the controller and master of all mystic power; therefore He's called Yogeśvara. Brūhi, "Kindly let us know," yogeśvare kṛṣṇe, "when Kṛṣṇa went back to His abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana," yogeśvare kṛṣṇe brahmaṇye. Brāhmaṇa, brahmaṇya means He's the original brahminical culture or He's worshiped by the brāhmaṇas. Viṣṇu, or Lord Viṣṇu is worshiped by the topmost class of men. So in the human society the topmost class of men are considered the brāhmaṇas. As it is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society must be divided into four classes of men. That is perfect human society.
Lecture -- Jakarta, February 27, 1973:
So actually the basic position of this material world is the three qualities: sattva-guṇa, raja-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Now they are mixed up. Here you cannot find out purely sattva-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa is the topmost quality in this material world. But here in the material world also, you cannot find pure sattva-guṇa.
Arrival -- Dallas, May 19, 1973:
Out of them, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya are considered the topmost class. Now everything has deteriorated. So we find from the history of this conversion, from the śūdra class, lower than the śūdra class, not very many from the higher class. So still, that was based on bribing, giving some social help, political help, financial help. But our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement I started in 1966. I came here with seven dollars and a few books.
Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973:
This machine was discovered by Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, a great physicist in Calcutta. So everyone has got consciousness, there is no doubt about it. But the developed consciousness is found in the human being. And the topmost development of consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore we are appealing to the people in general all over the world that "Now you have got developed consciousness than the lower animals, birds, trees, beasts. Now you develop further so that you can awaken your original consciousness, which is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then your life is successful." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:
We have got our book, Easy Journey to Other Planets. So guru can help you to transmigrate from this planet directly to the spiritual sky, where there are innumerable spiritual planets. They are known as Vaikuṇṭhaloka. And the topmost planet in the spiritual sky, that is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is Kṛṣṇa's planet. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we are trying to give information how one can be transferred directly to the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet, Kṛṣṇaloka. That is our mission.
Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:
Everything is there spiritual. That I shall describe next. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu. So in the spiritual sky, the land is spiritual, the tree is spiritual, the fruit is spiritual, the flower is spiritual, the water is spiritual, the servant is spiritual, the friend is spiritual, the Lord is spiritual and His associates are spiritual. Everything. Therefore oneness, Absolute Truth, everything absolute. Although there are varieties, these varieties, the spiritual varieties, are simply reflection in this material world. Just like there is a tree on the bank of the river. That is reflected in the water. But reflected how? The top has gone down. The topmost thing has gone down. So this material world is the reflection of the spiritual world—but perverted reflection.
Lecture -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:
These are the Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's... Big... They were stalwart ācāryas.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for everyone's benefit. It is the topmost humanitarian movement to make everyone happy, to make everyone immortal, to make everyone peaceful(?), to make everyone... (break) ...without being wise, nobody can surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:
Then it is successful. Your life is successful. That is Kṛṣṇa also saying, mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is the yoga, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement—the topmost yoga. There are many yogis, you might have seen, for gymnastics of the body. That is not perfection of yoga. That is yoga, a kind of yoga, but there are different kinds of yoga systems, bhakti-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, rāja-yoga, so many.
Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:
We get all information from the śāstra. Each and every planet has got a predominating personality. Just like we have got on this planet, a few presidents. But in other planets, there are also presidents, and their name is also... Because the duration of other planet is very, very great. The topmost planet, which is known as Brahmaloka, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Many millions of years, sahasra-yuga. One yuga means forty-three hundred thousands of solar years, and multiply it by one thousand. That becomes the duration of one day in the Brahmaloka. So in different planets, there are different duration of life, different standard of life.
Public Speech -- Bad Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974:
In your Western countries your standard of life is... At least, it is to be understood more comfortable than other standard of life. In this way, if you promote yourself to the topmost planetary system, which is called Brahmaloka, then you get your duration of life, many millions of years. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). In the Brahmaloka planet, the residents, they have got their one day.
Public Speech -- Bad Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974:
So our natural tendency is to go to other, better planet. Therefore people are trying to go the moon planet. Similarly, you can go to the sun planet, you can go to the Brahmaloka planet, Siddhaloka planet, heavenly planet. There are so many. But the information is, even though you reach the topmost planet of this universe, still, there the four principles of material life, namely birth, death, old age and disease, are there. So we can go to the topmost planet.
Public Speech -- Bad Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974:
If you keep yourself in sattva-guṇa, or in the modes of goodness, you are promoted to the higher planetary system, even to the topmost planetary system. That is called ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). And if you keep yourself in the modes of passion, you shall remain within the middle planetary system. This is middle planetary system. This earthly planet, it is called Bhurloka. Then above this there is Bhuvarloka. Then above that, Svarloka.
Lecture on Manipur Dancing -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:
Our material existence is due to our lusty desires in the heart. That is hṛd-rogam. That is our heart disease. And we are suffering in this material world for this heart disease life after life. People have lost their intelligence that they cannot understand that there is life after death. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). They have become so fools and rascals that they do not understand this simple truth as it is said in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. We are seeking after this pleasure of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs or with the cowherds boys. Kṛṣṇa has got many associates, and the topmost associates are the gopīs. So we are seeking after that happiness, but we are being misled by the lusty desires.
Lecture on Manipur Dancing -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:
It is a transformation of the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir ahlādinī-śaktir asmāt. So this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is meant for taking these misguided living beings to the topmost perfection of life in the rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛti. This is the aim of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and in India still, in Manipur, the idea is being cultivated, and I shall be very glad that you Europeans and Americans who are present here may catch up this idea and introduce in your country. And actually they'll be happy if they follow the principles that vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ.
Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:
Our books are being purchased by the topmost class of man. Big, big professors in the universities, they are giving standing order. The books which are not published, they are putting standing order. Here our one sannyāsī is present, Satsvarūpa. He is visiting the libraries, universities, professors, and we are getting very good response. So don't take it as a sectarian movement. Don't misunderstand this movement as a CIA movement. These are all foolishness. Do you think that the Americans are so fools that for propagating their CIA movement they will become Vaiṣṇava and chant and dance? The Americans have become so fools? No. They have taken it very seriously. They are not CIA, not American nor European. They are Vaiṣṇavas; they are servant of Kṛṣṇa. Don't misunderstand them. And try to cooperate and help this movement for the benefit of the whole human society.
Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:
All of them are yogas, but there are different stages. Yoga means to connect or to link up with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Now suppose he is in the topmost platform. So everyone is trying to go there. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, "Everyone is trying to come to Me, but..." Just like the person who's on the top floor. So the staircase is one. Somebody has crossed ten steps; somebody has taken, crossed twenty steps; somebody has crossed hundred steps; but one has to go, to fulfill, say, one thousand steps. There are different yoga systems. Everyone is trying to go to the topmost platform, mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. This is a fact.
Lecture Excerpt -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
So this is the only process. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. If you engage yourself in devotional service, bhakti, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo... (SB 1.2.6). And that is the topmost system of religion. There are different religious systems, different parts of the world, of the universe. But the real purpose of religion is yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, how to become engaged in the service of the Lord, that is religion. And this service of the Lord cannot be checked.
Departure Talks
Departure Lecture -- London, March 12, 1975:
And some of them are interested in simply in economic development for satisfaction of the senses. And some of them—they are considered to be the topmost-interested in liberation. But a Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee, he is not interested in either of these four items. He is interested how to love Kṛṣṇa. That is pure devotion. That is paneama-puruṣārtha (?). So people do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31).
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:
Prabhupāda: Nobody can ascertain in that way. That is not possible. In the śāstras it is said that panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamya. He is thinking he is a man living for fifty or sixty or a hundred years. But if somebody is there, just like modern, these sputnik scientists, they say that if one can go forty thousands of years at the speed of light, he can approach the topmost planet. So śāstra says even one goes forty thousands of years, still you won't find where is Kṛṣṇa, where is Kṛṣṇa's abode. Not only at the speed of light, but he says the speed of mind and air.
Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:
Prabhupāda: So, you want..., you are struggling, creating for the highest position, but Kṛṣṇa is giving you the idea. This is the highest position, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), that "You give up your so-called positions, you simply surrender unto Him..., Me, and I shall give you all protection." This is the idea. But he denies, and that because he thinks Kṛṣṇa is ordinary human being, "Oh, how He can give me the topmost position?" So he goes on, he..., with his plan-making, so that... But this plan-making, if he is actually advancing, then after many, many births he will come to that conclusion that everything is Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). But this happens after he is struggling for many, many births. So best thing is that instead of waiting many, many births, if we take Kṛṣṇa's instruction immediately, we become perfect. Why you should continue in ignorance, unsettled, and making plan? That is another foolishness.
Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:
Prabhupāda: Because we are in the topmost stage.
Śyāmasundara: He does. The modern philosophers, his foIlowers like Sartre and Camus and people like that, they have only followed his lower development stages. They have not thought of this aspect of a religious stage. He said that the ethical stage is typified by a regard for duty, but this advances to the religious stage when there is obedience and commitment to God. And the chief symptoms of this stage...
Prabhupāda: So it is not that he is supporting our movement?
Śyāmasundara: No, no. He does. He says that the chief symptoms of the religious..., when one is advanced to the religious stage, are suffering and faith.
Prabhupāda: Not always suffering. (indistinct) We are, we in religious. Suppose we are in the topmost. Does it means that we are suffering?
Śyāmasundara: He is a Christian religionist. He's a Christian religionist. They give importance to suffering. "Christ suffered for us, so we..." He says that to abstain from sin means suffering, we are suffering.
Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:
Prabhupāda: (indistinct) That is the term of psychology. Therefore Kṛṣṇa recommends, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ: (BG 6.47) "Of all the yogis, the Kṛṣṇa devotee is the highest, topmost." All, of all psychologists, the person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious is the most elevated. Transcendental position. Everyone is within the modes of the material nature, but a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is above, transcendental. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).
| Page Title: | Topmost (Other Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Partha-sarathi |
| Created: | 20 of Aug, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=81, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 81 |