Training (Lectures, SB)

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: train* not "no training" not "train* in" not "train* to" not "train* up" not "train* for"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

So without religious life, so-called economic development, it means implication. He's becoming implicated. Sat-saṅga chāḍi' kainu asate vilāsa, te-kāraṇe lāgila ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa. Why there should be thieves? If the society is based on religion, why there should be thieves? Why there should be rogues? There cannot be. Because they're not trained. The same boys and girls, European boys, American boys and girls... Just think of your past life and now this life. Why there is difference? Because it is based on religion. Based on religion. Therefore religion, then economic development.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:

But so far we are concerned, we are above this discipline. A Vaiṣṇava is transcendental. He hasn't got to train under this discipline. Because he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly, he's given immediately all protection. Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "I shall give you all protection from sinful life." Therefore, it is practical experience in USA the government is spending millions of dollars for stopping this intoxication habit amongst the younger generation. But the wonderful thing is they inquire also from us that as soon as they come to our movement, immediately gives up. Why? That is the special prerogative of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ. If one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then all the good qualities of the demigods will automatically manifest in Him. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). On the contrary, those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, they have no good qualification. Harāv abhaktasya. They are simply hovering on the mental platform, and therefore they fall down. Yes, go on.

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

If you have come here for sex life, if you increase your sex life, then you'll be bound up by the material laws. Again accept... If you want to increase your sex life, nature will give you facilities: "All right, you become a hog. You can have sex life without any discrimination." The hog has no discrimination, mother, sister. So nature will give you that facilities. "You want sex life? All right, you get. Un..., without any hindrance, take it."

Therefore the sādhana-bhajana means to come to the point of nil. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. These Gosvāmīs, they conquered over nidrā, āhāra. Nidrā means sleeping, āhāra means eating, and vihāra means sex. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. You have to conquer. The more you conquer over these things, the more you are advanced. Because you have to make it nil altogether. Then you are eligible to go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore we train our students: "No illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no meat-eating"—the nivṛtti-mārga.

All right. Have kīrtana. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975:

Indian man (1): He is everywhere. He is omnipresent.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is present within your heart, but still, He has got His own place.

Indian man (1): This is why he says he has been trained(?).

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Indian man (1): But it can also mean that He is not everywhere because...

Prabhupāda: Why not? That is God. That is God. You are thinking in your terms. Because when you are at your home you are not everywhere, you think God is like that. That is your deficiency. Why do you compare yourself with God? That is your deficiency.

Indian man (1): This is a philosophical point of view.

Prabhupāda: Not philosophical point, view. You are thinking God in your own terms. Because you are imperfect—when you sit in your home you cannot be present in my home—therefore you are thinking God is like that.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

India is trained... By culture, by birth, the land of Bhāratavarṣa is puṇya-bhūmi. Still, you will find in Kumbha-mela many millions of people will come to take bath, to take a dip into the Ganges, because they think it is pious. So through the veins of Indians, the spiritual fluid is flowing. Unfortunately the leaders are misguiding them, and they are becoming atheists generally. It is very regretful situation.

So anyway, after many pious activities, one may come to the platform of bhagavad-bhajana.

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ

janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna

ārto jijñāsur arthārthī

jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

(BG 7.16)

Four classes of men. Those who are distressed, ārta, suffering... Everyone is suffering, but those who are acute with suffering... Ārtaḥ arthārthī. Those who are in need of some money. Artha, jijñāsuḥ. And inquisitive what is God. And jñānī, means actually those who are in knowledge. They are searching after. Four classes of men begin bhajana. Not the others. Opposite numbers are na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are duskṛtina, background is simply sinful activities, they cannot take.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

So bhakti is not ordinary thing, this bhakti-yoga. You have to understand it. You have to practice it, under training, as these boys and girls are going. Then you will understand what is God. And as soon as you understand God, your relationship with God, then jñāna and vairāgya will be there. Jñāna. By jñāna you will understand that you are not this material, any product of this material world. This is called vairāgya, jñāna. And vairāgya means if you are not interested in this material world, then your real interest is spiritual life, that makes your life successful.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Besides that, the higher castes, the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas especially, and the vaiśyas also, they must observe the dāsa-veda saṁskāra, ten kinds of reformatory methods. The first method is garbādhāna-saṁskāra. Before giving birth to a child. There is a ceremony which is called garbādhāna-saṁskāra, and it is stated in the śāstras that if the higher castes do not perform the garbādhāna-saṁskāra and beget children like cats and dog, then he immediately comes to the position of śūdra. These are the sastric injunction. There are twenty kinds of dharma śāstra, so they have to be followed. That is human society. Not that to live like animal. That is human society. According to Vedic system, unless the human society comes to the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma, they are not to be accepted as human society. The system, the whole system was to gradually educate people to be elevated to the spiritual platform for understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That was the whole scheme. Viṣṇu, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayo, to train people to become civilized, sūrayo, means that they will observe(?) to the ultimate goal of life, viṣṇu paramaṁ padam: how to approach Lord Viṣṇu, how to approach the Vaikuṇṭha, paraṁ dhāma, by spiritual progressive life.

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

So, but if the upper four classes are in right order... The same example can be... If your upper portion of the body, the head and hands, you can protect, you can fight. But if the upper portion is cut off, your head is cut off, your hands are cut off, then no more fighting. You fall down. Is it not? So they do not know this science. They're killing the upper portion, the brāhmaṇa class, the kṣatriya class. Formerly, the kṣatriya class, they were being trained. Just like I am now writing notes on Bhāgavatam of the four princes. They were to be given in charge of the kingdom. Before giving charge, they were sent for austerity. And they met Lord Śiva, and Lord Śiva gave them instruction, and for ten thousand of years within water standing, they underwent austerity. Then they came back and took charge of the kingdom. This is kṣatriya.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

For the duty discharged. For the duty discharged. Similarly, here the whole position is that Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme consciousness and Arjuna has to discharge only according to the order of the supreme consciousness. So my, manīṣiṇaḥ. Manīṣiṇaḥ means those who are thoughtful philosophers, those who can take up things by philosophical conclusion, that "I am consciousness. I am the part and parcel of the supreme consciousness. Therefore my duty is to act according to the supreme consciousness." Just like your hand is the part of your body. Now, it is moving according to my consciousness. The hand is not moving in its own way. As I want, that let the hand be moved, let my legs be moved, let my eye be opened and see, so I am dictating and these parts are working. Similarly we are all parts and parcel, parcel of the supreme consciousness. When we train ourself to move and act in according to that supreme consciousness, then we become transcendental to all these pious or impious activities. That is the technique.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa will give you opportunity to remain naked, become animals, trees, like that. So that is not our aim of life. Our aim of life, the human form of life, is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth: athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is the Vedānta-sūtra says. Brahma—what is brahma? What is Absolute Truth? This inquisitiveness must be there in human life, then it is human being. Otherwise, he is animal. The animal does not inquire what is Absolute Truth, neither the Vedānta-darśana and all these Vedic scriptures are meant for the animals. They're meant for human being. A human being has got the brain, he can understand, he can be trained up to become a brāhmaṇa. These are the opportunities.

So, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving this great opportunity to the human society. They're training them how to become a brāhmaṇa, we are giving them all important Vedic literature, translated into English and other. This is the greatest boon to make human life successful. But if the people want to remain in darkness, then what can we do? But not that everyone wants to remain in darkness. So many people are coming forward and taking this movement seriously. They are first-class men.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

So according to this varṇāśrama, there must be training. Some classes of men must be trained as nice brāhmaṇas. Some people must be trained as nice kṣatriyas. Some people must be trained as nice vaiśyas. And śūdra does not require any... Everyone is śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth, everyone is śūdra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. By training, one becomes vaiśya, one becomes kṣatriya, one becomes brāhmaṇa. Where is that training? All śūdras. And how can you expect good government, śūdra government? All the śūdras are taking vote by hook and crook. And they are occupying government post. Therefore their only business is..., Kali, in this age especially, mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ, eating and drinking, eating flesh, drinking wine. Mlecchas, yavanas, they are accepting government post. What good government you can expect? Forget, forget good government for millions of years, unless you establish this varṇāśrama-dharma. There is no question of good government. There must be first-class kṣatriya who can take charge of the government. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He was on his tour, and as soon as he saw that one black man was trying to kill a cow, immediately he took his sword: "Who are you, rascal, here?" That is kṣatriya. That is vaiśya, who can give protection to the cows. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Everything is there clearly. Where is the culture?

Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:

So how from the śūdras a brāhmaṇa can be selected? According to the Vedic system, it is not possible. One, to be accepted as brāhmaṇa, must be son of a brāhmaṇa. That means background of the person must be brahminical culture. But if people are śūdras, where is the background of brahminical culture? Therefore Nārada, he is Vaiṣṇava, he is very compassionate to the fallen souls. He is travelling all over the universe to make Vaiṣṇavas. He made many sons of Dakṣa Mahārāja Vaiṣṇavas. So Dakṣa Mahārāja became very angry upon him, "Nārada, you come and you train my sons as Vaiṣṇavas, and they do not take care of the family affairs. So I curse you. You cannot stay anywhere more than some time." So even a Vaiṣṇava has to face some difficulty while preaching devotional service; even Nārada.

Lecture on SB 1.3.9 -- Los Angeles, September 15, 1972:

So actually we are collecting votes from dogs, hogs, camels and asses. How? The dog means very obedient servant of his master. That is a good qualification, but after all he is a dog. But to execute the service of his master, he is offending so many people. We have got experience. We have nothing to do with the dog's master's house, but still from the house, we are passing from the street. Unnecessarily offending. Sometimes they come nearer. This is dog's business. He has no sense that "This man, they are not thieves or rogues, they are not coming here." But they will do their business because the master has trained him.

So similarly, people at the present moment, those who are serving under some master, capitalist, the master says that you have to vote for that person. They will vote, they have no personal discrimination. The master says, "I will give you some money," they will vote. Or in other words, kalau śūdra sambhava. Śūdra means servant. The dog is faithful servant; that is his only qualification. And hogs means no discrimination of food. So actually at the present moment people have no discrimination of food. Anything they will eat. Actually people are supposed to eat that which is beneficial for him. Not that anything and everything I shall eat. No. So therefore the hog has no discrimination of food. So if people become like that, no discrimination of sex, no discrimination of food, he is hog. He is not a human being.

Lecture on SB 1.3.10 -- Los Angeles, September 16, 1972:

There is a story. Not story, it is a fact. One day, one grown-up child was asking his mother, "Who is this gentleman?" The father was there. So the mother said, "He is your father, my dear child." So he did not see his father until he grew three years or four years old. Because when he was child, the father was rising early in the morning. At that time, child was sleeping. And he was going to office, and when he comes back, the child was sleeping. So unless the child grew four years old, he could not see his father. Is it not the position of this? It is a story or an instruction, because the man, the gentleman, was going office early in the morning... There are still. They start at six o'clock from home to catch the first train. We have seen in Calcutta. First train is seven o'clock, and they come in Calcutta after two hours, nine o'clock. Then attends office, and again he catches another train, five o'clock. He goes, late at night. In Bombay also, big, big cities. This is the position.

Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:

Here it is also stated, sarvāśrama-namaskṛtam. Āśrama. Sarva-āśrama. Āśrama. I have several times described that the brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. Sarvāśrama, all orders of life. Varṇāśrama. The Vedic civilization is based on four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So Lord Ṛṣabhadeva planned in such a way to teach His sons—He had one hundred sons—that it will be honored by all the āśramas. Out of His one hundred sons, nine became sannyāsī. Nava Yogendra, very highly elevated spiritually, nine sons. And eighty-one sons... Out of hundred, nine gone, ninety-one sons? So out of them, eleven became kṣatriyas, and others became brāhmaṇas, like that. So this proves that not that by birth one becomes brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, but it is by different qualification. Otherwise how Ṛṣabhadeva's son... He was kṣatriya, supposed to be kṣatriya. So His sons are also kṣatriya. How they became brāhmaṇa? No. That was the Vedic culture. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. As soon as one is born, he is accepted as śūdra. Neither brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor... Raw. By training, either he becomes a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya.

Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:

So dhīrāṇāṁ vartma. Because people must be first of all gentle. Then talk of Kṛṣṇa and God consciousness. If he is animal, what he can understand? This is Vedic system. Dhīrāṇām. Dhīra means must be gentle, perfectly gentle. Must address all woman as "mother." Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat. This is the training, that one should consider other's wife as mother, and others' money as like garbage in the street. Nobody cares for it. Similarly, one's other's money should not be touched. Even it is somebody has forgotten his purse, moneybag on the street, nobody will touch it. Let the man come back and take it. That is civilization. Para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat, ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu. And treating all other living entities as oneself. If somebody pinches me, I feel pain. Why shall I pinch other? If somebody cuts my throat, I become so sorry or so aggrieved. Why shall I cut the throat of other animals? This is civilization. This is Vedic civilization. And not that go on killing animals like anything and hunt upon the woman, topless woman, make business. This is not civilization. This is not human civilization.

Therefore it is called dhīrāṇām. Those who are sober, for them. Those who are rascals, not for them. The brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha sarvāśrama, āśrama, this is meant for the gentle class, not for the rascals. First of all, training period as brahmacārī. This brahmacārī, he is taught. He is taught to address all women as "mother." The brahmacārī goes to collect alms from door to door. Small boys. So how do they address? "Mother, kindly give us some alms."

Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:

So if a boy is taught... Just like our these children are being taught chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. They are chanting. They cannot forget throughout life. Similarly, if a brahmacārī is taught from childhood, from boyhood address all woman as "mother," he cannot see otherwise. "S(he) is my mother." I remember, it is an example. Long ago, say, in 1925, long ago, so we were in a cinema house. So my eldest son, as soon as he would see one woman in the picture, "Here is another mother! Here is another mother!" (laughter) he would cry. Because a small child, he does not know any woman except mother. He knows everyone as "my mother." So if we train from the childhood that "You should treat all woman as mother," then where is the question of anomalies? No. There is no question.

So one should be trained from the very beginning how to become gentle. From the very beginning if one is taught to become ungentle, uncontrolled of senses, how at the end he can become gentle? And if the people are not gentle, how you can expect peace and prosperity? Therefore we see in your country, every house: "Beware of dog. Don't come here." Because... What is that? Because they cannot trust anybody. Anybody.

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

So we had some quarrel. He has heard it." So he was called. So he stated that "I do not know what they talked because they were talking in English language, but I can produce what they talked." So he produced the whole thing verbatim, that "He talked like this. He talked like this. He talked like this. He talked like this." Just like record, tape record. Just see. Even some hundred years before, the memory was so sharp. Just like tape recorder, it is recorded. This is mechanical. But by nature we have got such nice brain. Just like we remember so many things of our past life. That is recorded. Actually it is recorded. Everything is recorded. How you are getting this television? Because it is recorded in the atmosphere. It is being simply transferred. Everything is recorded. But we have deteriorated in our even physical condition that we cannot produce the recorded version. So we are making ourself dull, duller, dullest. Just like Sir George Bernard Shaw, he also stated that "You are what you eat." So by eating process, we are making our brain dull. So there is need of nice eating, nice talking, nice thinking, nice behavior. The our brain is sharp. It requires training. It is not that you can do whatever you like and all nonsense, and your brain will be sharp. What is the difference between crazy and sane man? They keep nice behavior. Therefore they are sane man. And if you put to you nonsense behavior, then you become crazy. This is a fact. All right. Chant.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

Paramahaṁsa, in the sannyāsa stage there are four stages of development. Kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and paramahaṁsa. Kuṭīcaka. When a person takes sannyāsa he lives in a cottage outside the village, but does not go home. But he's not accustomed to travel or to beg from door to door; so whole day and night he keeps himself in that cottage and from his relative and home something is supplied for his fooding. That is the stage of kuṭīcaka, to take supply from home. Then next stage is bahūdaka. When he comes to the understanding that "I have given up my home. Why shall I take help from my home? I am considering that home is my place. Why not everyone my friends? Vasudhaiva kuṭumbhakaḥ.(?) Everyone is my family, everyone," that is next stage. So he can go to everyone, "Will you kindly give me one cāpāṭi?" Who will not give a sannyāsī? Anyone will give. They are trained also like that, that any gṛhastha, householder, if a sannyāsī comes, immediately he should be received and respected. That is also Vedic culture. A sannyāsī should be treated as the children of the society. Everyone. Still there is. If in a village a sannyāsī goes, he will get hundreds of invitation: "Swamiji, please come. Take your bhikṣā at my place." So he has no question of eating and living. So many people will give him shelter. He'll not be in the wilderness. If actually a sannyāsī, he travels all over the country, he has no problem. Village to village, everyone will receive him. It is called bahūdaka. And then parivrājakācārya. Then, when he still further elevated, then he gives instruction. Why he should eat only without giving something to them? He'll feel like that. "Why for nothing I shall except food from others? I must give something. So whatever knowledge I have got I must distribute." This is parivrājakācārya.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

Therefore those who are paramahaṁsas, those who have understood the essence of this cosmic manifestation, they are not interested in such literature. On the other hand it is said that tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavaḥ. (commentary) Vināpi pada-cāturyaṁ bhagavad-yaśaḥ-pradhānaṁ vacaḥ.(?) Śrīdhara Svāmī gives note that there may not be any poetic, metaphorical, or analogical, ornamental language, but vināpi pada-cāturyam. Pada-cāturyam. Pada means composition. In every language there are rules and regulations for composing poetry or prose, grammatical, rhetorical. So even such knowledge, even without such knowledge, pada-cāturyaṁ bhagavad-yaśaḥ-pradhānam. Just like we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So we are not training our students any way about musical science, that "We have to chant in this way or that way, we have to dance in this way or that way." Without any musical knowledge, without any poetic understanding, even a child can take part in it, and he becomes immediately absorbed in ecstasy. Why? This is because we are chanting the glories of the Lord.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

Therefore we have to practice: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In this way, unconsciously or consciously, if we simply can remember Hare Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. This is a most scientific method. Simply if we can remember... It doesn't require how far we are educated, how far we are scholar, no. Ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). Etāvaj janma-sāphalyam. Then there is... So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was to die within seven days. Therefore he called for... Not called for. Śukadeva Gosvāmī, out of his own accord, came, because he knew Parīkṣit Mahārāja was a great king, and great devotee. He's, from his childhood... It is described... Just like this child is playing with Deity, Parīkṣit Mahārāja used to play with Deities. We had also the opportunity from our father to play with Deities. So these are great opportunities, to get ideas, good ideas, and training, training. Really, this is the training, this association. Simply by associating, associating with these members, this chanting, regulative chanting, dancing, and taking prasādam, he's being educated. Highly educated. Tan manye adhītam uttamam. One who has learned about the devotional service, then he's to be understood highly educated. That is the recommendation by Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

That perfection, how it is made perfect? That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sa... What is that? Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). What is that verse? Dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. Svanuṣṭhitasya... Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. This is the word by Śukadeva Gosvā..., Sūta Gosvāmī. "You are all learned brāhmaṇas..." Dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. But śreṣṭhāḥ means brāhmaṇas. They have got... Brāhmaṇas, they are interested for spiritual advancement of life. Kṣatriyas are not so much interested, neither the vaiśyas, and what to speak of the śūdras. And in the Kali-yuga almost everyone is a śūdra. It is very difficult to find... So how they can be interested? Therefore training should be given how to become brāhmaṇa. Then he'll be interested. Otherwise, nobody is interested.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

So if we want to become free from anartha then we must follow the Vedic way of civilization. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāg... (BG 4.13). According... The other day I was suggesting the governor that "Open varṇāśrama college." As we are training a medical practitioner and an engineer or any particular type of line, similarly, there must be training school and college where a person or a boy may be educated as a brāhmaṇa or as a kṣatriya. It is very simple thing. We should not... I was suggesting, "The secular government does not mean that let people do whatever he likes." No. Yata mata tata patha. No, that is not... A government's duty is, if anyone is proclaiming himself a Hindu, the government must see that he is acting as a Hindu. If a person is claiming to be Mussulman, he must act as a Mussulman. That is secular government. Secular government may be impartial, but it is not the government's duty to let the people to be whimsical: "Whatever he likes, he can do." No. That is not civilization. So we were discussing on this point.

Lecture on SB 1.7.8 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1976:

Therefore education should be in such a way planned that he should be nirvṛtti-mārga. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nirvṛttes tu mahā-phalām. These are general tendency for the conditioned soul. But if anyone can control by training, by education these things—vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā: sex life, intoxication and meat-eating—then he's called niratam. He becomes qualified. Vyāsadeva preferred to teach Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to his son Śukadeva Gosvāmī because he was niratam, nivṛtti-niratam. He was engaged. From the very beginning of his life, as soon as he was... It is said for sixteen years within the womb of his mother, he did not come out purposefully so that he may not be materially attached. Because a small child, the baby comes out from the mother's womb. Within the womb, when he's in suffering, he prays to God, "This time kindly release me. Now I shall begin bhagavad-bhajana." One who is little advanced in his previous life... Because it is very, very terrible condition within the womb of the mother. We have forgotten.

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

They should be trained means they should be advised by the brāhmaṇas. Therefore four divisions required. The brāhmaṇas have no interest or they have no time. Even a brāhmaṇa is made king... It is not his business. He may do it for some time, temporarily. Just like Viśvāmitra also did. But it is not his business. The brāhmaṇa should give advice to the ministers or the legislators. They should be all qualified brāhmaṇas, not paid man. Paid man has nothing to do... Even during the time of Mahārāja Candragupta, emperor, he had a brāhmaṇa minister, prime minister, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was not taking a single farthing as salary. When once explanation was called for from Cāṇakya Paṇḍita by Candragupta, immediately he resigned. "You cannot call any explanation. Then I resign." And he was living in a cottage, not that palatial building. He was living in a cottage. That was the system. Brāhmaṇa lived very humbly. He was not poor. Not that they are poor men. They were so rich that when Viśvāmitra approached Mahārāja Daśaratha, immediately he vacated his seat and welcomed, "Sir, sit down here." So respectful. This is Vedic culture.

Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

So this is already explained in the purport that woman's nature is very mild, and man's nature very strong. That is the difference. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, the woman must be protected because they are very simple. They can be led to goodness also very easily, and they can be polluted also very easily. By nature, they are very simple. Therefore śāstra says that... Just like child. If you mold the character of a child from the very beginning, then he can become a great man. Similarly, if you train woman from the very beginning how to become chaste and faithful to the husband, they can become a very good mother, very good asset in the family.

So there is sufficient information in the Vedic literatures how a man should be trained up, a boy should be trained up, a girl should be trained up, so that in future they may become happy. The ultimate aim of life is how to become connected with Kṛṣṇa. That is the ultimate. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. If I say to anybody that "Your ultimate goal of life is to understand Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu," naturally there will be inquiries: "Who is Kṛṣṇa? What is Kṛṣṇa? What does He do?" So many questions. That question is recommended in the Vedānta-sūtra, athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is life. So the boys and girls should be trained up how to inquire about the ultimate goal of life, Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. That they do not know in the modern civilization. That they do not know.

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Los Angeles, April 25, 1972:

Just like one man may be, may remain, may be very illiterate, uncultured, but he can be converted into educated, cultured man. By education, by training. So that possibility is there in the human form of life. I cannot train a dog to become a devotee. That is difficult. It can be done also. But I may not be so powerful. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu did. When He was passing through the jungle, Jharikhaṇḍa, the tigers, the snakes, the deers, all the animals, they became devotee. They became devotee. So what was possible for me, uh, Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Because He's God Himself. He can do anything. We cannot do that. But we can work in the human society. It doesn't matter, however fallen a man is. If he follows our instruction then he can be turned.

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

So these things are going on all over the world. Why? Now, avidyā. The disease is avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. So people are so much embarrassed with this avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. And to educate them, to rescue them from these clutches of avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ, is this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). That is the sum and substance. So that is explained in this verse also by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, yat-kīrtanaṁ yat-smaraṇaṁ yad-īkṣaṇam. Kīrtanaṁ smaraṇam, and if you are unable to do that... Just like these children. They cannot meditate, but simply they sit down and see Kṛṣṇa: "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Rādhārāṇī." That is also... A small child, he also gets the benefit. An animal gets the benefit—simply by seeing. Yad-vandanam. And if you are still more intelligent, then offer prayer. Either of these: yad-vandanaṁ yac-chravaṇaṁ yad-arhaṇam. The similar parallels(?), the arhaṇam. If you are expert, trained by your spiritual master how to worship, that is arhaṇam. And śravaṇam, the same thing. Yad-vandanam, offering prayers.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:

By this śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanty abhīkṣṇaśaḥ, by this process, what will be result? The result will be sa eva, ta eva paśyanti: "They will be able to see You—simply by this process." Has anybody seen Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa cannot be seen. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). They are... So many people, they ask, "Where is God? Can you show me God?" That... That means people in general, they cannot see God. That is not possible, because with these eyes, these senses, we cannot understand. We cannot understand even that why they are chan... Just like yesterday this man was asking, "Why this chanting?" Because blunt senses, they cannot understand what is the meaning of chanting and why chanting. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. It is not possible. But sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When we take to the service spirit... Here we are training people how to render service. Then, gradually, he will be able to understand what is this name of Kṛṣṇa, what is the form of Kṛṣṇa, what is the activities of Kṛṣṇa. And that is explained here.

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

So there are many... This is actually Vedic culture. You will find all this from Mahābhārata. Bhāgavata also, we are trying to explain as far as possible. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, this is natural division. So for fighting, kṣatriya. In India, because still there are some kṣatriyas, there is no such draft board. The kṣatriya class, they would come forward to be recruited by the military department. They will not go away. They will be very glad to accept military service, because in their blood the kṣatriya spirit is there. In India there is no scarcity to find out a fighter. But when people are trained as śūdra, how he can fight? Therefore it is very scientific. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The society must be divided. There is division already, natural. We have to simply pick out, that "This boy is brāhmaṇa, this boy is kṣatriya, this boy is vaiśya, and this boy is śūdra." So they should be given separate employment. Then there will be peace. If a person is employed according to his natural tendency, he becomes successful, he becomes successful. But if you give some employment, just like to put a cart before a horse, like that, no, that will not be successful.

Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973:

Just like for being cured from your attack of cold and cough, you take so many medicine, go to so many physician, you spend some money. Why? You want to be cured. Similarly, if you understand that "This is my disease, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease," so you'll have to sacrifice. Just like you are sacrificing money for being cured from the diseased condition, similarly, śāstra says that this human life is meant for tapasya, tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). This human life is meant for tapasya, not for indulging in sensual gratification like the animals. Tapasya. So in the tapasya method these things are prescribed. So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is mentioning them.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means training people how to become tapasvī, tapasvī, who is undergoing tapasya, regulative, so that he may be cured from this permanent disease, birth, death, old age and disease. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The whole Vedic process is meant for that purpose, to purify the existence of the living being so that he can be saved from the repetition of birth, death, old age and disease.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3-4 -- Tehran, March 13, 1975:

The conception of one world state can only be fulfilled if we can follow the infallible authority. An imperfect human being cannot create an ideology acceptable to everyone. Only the perfect and the infallible can create a program which is applicable at every place and can be followed by all in the world. It is the person who rules, and not the impersonal government. If the person is perfect, the government is perfect. If the person is a fool, the government is a fool's paradise. That is the law of nature. There are so many stories of imperfect kings or executive heads. Therefore, the executive head must be a trained person like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, and he must have the full autocratic power to rule over the world. The conception of a world state can take shape only under the regime of a perfect king like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. The world was happy in those days because there were kings like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira to rule over the world." Let this king follow Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and show an example of how monarchy can make a perfect state. There is instruction in the śāstras, and if he follows, he can do that. He has got the power.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

We are different parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa, God, so we must act accordingly. Just like my hand. Hand is there. If the hand is in proper place, he can act nicely. But if I cut the leg and make hand or hand make the leg, then it is all lost. All lost. One must act according to his qualification. That, according to that qualification, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. This brāhmaṇa means, these are the symptoms, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). This is human civilization. We must train people in such a way that we must see there what is his quality. According to quality. Just like a physician gives medicine according to the symptom of the disease, then it is cured. Not that any medicine. In the drug house, there are so many medicines. You cannot say "Any medicine will do." No. It is the physician who will pick up the real medicine and he'll administer to the patient. Then he'll be cured.

Lecture on SB 1.15.28 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1973:

So Arjuna was disturbed in so many ways, but as soon as he began to think of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, (Sanskrit), immediately everything became pacified. This is the process. This transcendental consciousness or transcendental meditation, immediately, without any delay, for a moment you'll feel completely pacified. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises (Sanskrit). "Always..." Man-manāḥ, "Always engage your mind upon Me." This Deity worship means to train the neophytes devotees how to concentrate upon the form of Kṛṣṇa, especially His lotus feet. That will make our life pacified always, śānta, śānta, pacified, peaceful. Another point is, sauhārdenātigāḍhena, very deep intimacy. We have got already our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati (BG 5.29). We are seeking after friends who can give me some benefit, who can give me some peace of mind. You are reading so many books, so many..., consulting so many philosophers, scientists, searching out peace of mind. But we are forgetting that our real suhṛt, friend, is Kṛṣṇa. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām.

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

So here, if you simply think of Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa recommends also that, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is nothing, just to train people how to think of Kṛṣṇa and how to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. So you may become devotee... But you will become devotee. If you think of Kṛṣṇa, naturally you will become devotee. So... But think of Kṛṣṇa, is it very difficult task? Very simple, very easy, even a child can do it. Here is Kṛṣṇa. You can think of. So you go on thinking, thinking, thinking, thinking, you will be attached. You will be attached. You will be attached. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). And thinking of Kṛṣṇa in association of the devotees. Not alone, then you will go to hell. Alone will not do. Association is so strong that anyone who is coming to our association, we..., not that we are everyone teaching, but by association, he wants to become devotee. By association, automatically. So the association is so powerful.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

The whole target is how to train the citizens, go back to home, back to Godhead. Because they have come from God. Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. He has come to this material world to enjoy false gratification, and he is loitering throughout the whole universe, simply "Where is better sense gratification, better sense gratification?" But he will never be happy by sense gratification. That is not possible. He has forgotten what is actually happiness. Actual happiness is not sense gratification. That is... They are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriyaṁ grāhyam: (BG 6.21) "What is real happiness, that is to be understood beyond sense gratification." Not sense gratification. Therefore you will find nobody is happy, even he has got facility for sense gratification. Ask anybody, "If you are satisfied fully?" No, that is not possible. Because that is not happiness. That is illusion. That is illusion. We are accepting false thing as happiness. That is not happiness.

Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:

Nitāi: Translation: "Thereafter, in the capital of Hastināpura, he enthroned his grandson, who was trained and equally qualified, as the emperor and master of all land bordered by the seas." (SB 1.15.38)

Prabhupāda: So it appear that five thousand years ago, all the lands of this globe were known. It is a mistake that "America was discovered." (laughter) It was known. Otherwise how it is said that "the land encircled by water" unless it is known? So our so-called Hindus, they say that if somebody goes on the other side of the sea, he becomes fallen. Does it mean that the emperor did not go outside? The capital was Hastināpura, which is now near New Delhi. They say... The Pāṇḍava fort is there. Anyway, so the whole world was being governed by the emperor situated in Hastināpura. One state. There are many evidences. Therefore the history of the whole world is called Mahābhārata. Mahā means greater. Mahābhārata. The history. Mahābhārata is history. They call it epic. No. It is history.

Lecture on SB 1.15.39 -- Los Angeles, December 17, 1973:

Nitāi: "The system of four orders of life and four castes in terms of quality and work known as the varṇāśrama-dharma is the beginning of real human life. And Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, as the protector of the system of human activities, timely retired from the active life as a sannyāsī handing over the charge of the administration to a trained prince, Mahārāja Parīkṣit. The scientific system of varṇāśrama-dharma divides the human life in four divisions of occupation and four orders of life. The four orders of life as brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, are to be followed by all, irrespective of the occupational division. Modern politicians do not wish to retire from active life even if they are old enough, but Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, as an ideal king, voluntarily retired from active administrative life..."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We have referred to the politicians, because king means he is also politician. As soon as we speak of king, he is in politics. So these are the example. Although he was also great politician, he had to fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, he had to adopt diplomacy, everything, but not that he would forget his real duty. This is perfect civilization, that one should not forget the real duty. The real duty is to fulfill the mission of the human life. The mission of human life is to understand God. And God is there, you cannot deny, God is there. But we do not know what is God, what is our relationship with Him. That we do not know. Just like in your country, the currency notes are advertised, "In God We Trust." But if we ask anybody that "This is the slogan of your state. What do you know about God?" nobody can reply. They will say, "It is something like this, something like that." But no... Everything vague idea. Nobody knows what is God, neither he knows how to trust in God. That is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā: what is God and how to trust in Him. This is the subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā. But the people do not know. They simply have the slogan, "In God We Trust." Nobody knows what is God.

Lecture on SB 1.15.50 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1973:

So in kṣatriya marriage it was not so easy. The boy had to show how much powerful he is. Then the girl would be offered. Not only that; there will be killing. The opposite party may be killed. When there is fight, there is killing. And by killing, the blood is smeared over here. That is the red sign. That is the red sign, now used with vermillion. Not by killing. Yes, it has become... It is made easier. (laughter) Formerly the red sign was not so easy. There must be blood. That is kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means the fighting race, fighting caste, king, royal. They must be very chivalrous fighting, not timid. A kṣatriya cannot be timid. Brāhmaṇas kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdra, they are trained differently. Brāhmaṇa—for understanding Vedic knowledge and guide the other three subdivisions, namely kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, not śūdras. Śūdras were not supposed to understand Vedic knowledge. Especially brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas.

Lecture on SB 1.15.50 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1973:

So if one can give up this attachment from very beginning of life, that is brahmacārī. A brahmacārī is trained that "Don't be attached. You will save so much time and save your life." That is brahmacārī life. Because this attachment is the continuation of our material life. We have got different attachment, different varieties of attachment. The central point is sex. Therefore school, college means that to train the students how to become detached. That is the school, college. That is brahmacārī system. A brahmacārī should live under the guidance of the spiritual master as menial servant, and whatever he collects, he would give to the spiritual master. If the spiritual master says, "Now you can eat," then he will eat; otherwise he will starve. He will not take the things of spiritual master by his own hand. First of all... No. This is the austerity of brahmacārī. And no meeting with young girls. Even the wife of the spiritual master is young, the brahmacārī is not allowed to go there. There are so many. These are described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Sūta Gosvāmī said: O learned brāhmaṇas, Mahārāja Parīkṣit then began to rule over the world as a great devotee of the Lord under the instructions of the best of the twice-born brāhmaṇas. He ruled by those great qualities which were foretold by expert astrologers at the time of his birth." (SB 1.16.1)

Prabhupāda: So there are many important words in this verse. The first is dvija-varya-śikṣayā, "trained by the best of the brāhmaṇas." Dvija. Dvija means twice-born: first birth by the father and mother, and second birth by the spiritual master. That is Vedic civilization, dvija-varya. One must take twice birth. Once birth, father and mother, that is done by the cats and dogs. Any birth, either you take birth as a cat or dog or human being or anything, there requires father and mother. So that birth is not sufficient. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava kavi says, janame janame saba pitā-mātā pāya, kṛṣṇa guru nahe mile bhaja hari ei.(?) In any birth you will get father and mother. It is natural. Without father, mother, how can you get a body? So therefore it is said, janame janame, in any birth. Either human being, or cats, dog, snake, or tree or insect, you will get father and mother. But in every birth you cannot get Kṛṣṇa and guru. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973:

There are three guṇas. The material world is conducted by three guṇas, means the quality of goodness, the quality of passion, the quality of ignorance, and mixed. So first, second, third, and the mixed is called fourth. That is called varṇāśrama. Cātur-varṇyam. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). According to quality and karma. So the first, second, and third-class division, they are all dvijas, twice-born. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya. Dvija means saṁskāra, reformation, to mold the character. That is called saṁskāra. Just like you can train even a tiger, even an animal, to dance according to your desire. That is practical. So you cannot train a human being to become a brāhmaṇa? With such intelligence? But there is no such training. They are simply training all cats and dogs. But the Vedic civilization takes this opportunity of human being, to make him perfect in his life. What is that perfection? That perfection is to understand God and become His devotee. That is perfection, not that to become very stout and strong, as strong as the tiger, or as cunning as the jackal. Not that. That is not training.

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

So in those days, as in the first verse we learn, dvija-varya-śikṣayā. The... Actually, the brāhmaṇas, they were controlling the state, but not directly, not sitting on the throne, but giving the kings good advice according to śāstra, that "You rule over like this. This is the process." And the kings would abide by... Although the monarchy was there, but they were not irresponsible. First of all, the king was trained and educated perfectly. Therefore it is called dvija-varya-śikṣayā. Yesterday I explained, dvija, the twice-born brāhmaṇa. And again it is added with another word, varya. Varya means the first class, not third class. First-class man, dvija-varya-śikṣayā, they used to teach. They used to advise. And if the king was worthless, sometimes they would kill the king. And next son, his son would take possession.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

Devotee (1): So, Śrīla Prabhupāda, should devotees in ISKCON, should a certain section of devotees in ISKCON be trained as kṣatriyas? Should they be specially trained?

Prabhupāda: Well, a devotee is neither kṣatriya, neither brāhmaṇa; he's servant of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. These brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are on the material platform. On the spiritual platform, there is no such distinction. Spiritual platform, the master and the servant. You remain a servant. If you have to act as kṣatriya, act like that. If you act as a brāhmaṇa, act like that. If you... That is our superficial... A devotee's always servant of God. Whatever service is required, as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya, it doesn't matter. We are ready. It does not mean that because we are fighting, we become kṣatriya. No. Sa guṇān... These are the divisions of the three qualities. But a devotee's above... (break) ...all these things. Kṛṣṇa's devotees are above all these things. You have to become a pure devotee, not a kṣatriya, not a brāhmaṇa, not an all... That is not required. All right.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

So instead of diverting your attention to the varieties of news of this world, you just try to... No, not try. You must. You must. Sarvātmā harir īśvaraḥ. What is that? Śrotavya: "Always hear about Him." Śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca. Kīrtana. Hearing, then preaching. Therefore we have got our Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja, kīrtitavya, who will now preach. Kīrtitavya. Hearing, then kīrt... After hearing, the next stage is spreading, pushing on, the news of Kṛṣṇa. First of all hearing, then kīrtitavyaś ca, spreading. And smartavya. Smartavya means thinking always. Otherwise what you will preach? You hear, you think of it, you preach—this is the business. Smartavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca, śrotavyaḥ. For whom? Icchatā akuto bhayam. Icchatābhayam, those who are actually seeking protection. Not this protection, that your bank balance, your good wife, this and... No. They will not give you protection. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was advised by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, his spiritual master, "This is your business at the point of death." So not only at the point of death. You cannot take to this business all of a sudden, even it is advised. You have to practice. Just like you cannot become a good soldier on the battlefield. You have to be trained yourself before going to the battle, military training. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is training before you ultimately meet death, fight with. So this is the advice given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and we shall read later on.

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

So therefore śāstra says that "This human life is not meant for becoming a hog." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). You are working so hard, day and night, very busy, going this side, that side, this side, that side, and getting money, and leading a life like hog. What is this civilization? This is not civilization. Then what is civilization? That is also said, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). This is Ṛṣabhadeva's instruction to His sons. "My dear boys, this life, this human form of life, is not meant for wasting like hogs and dogs, but tapasya, just have little restraint. Don't become hogs and dogs." What is that restraint? Just like we are prescribing, no illicit sex. No illicit sex. Sex is not stopped. Sex is there. But no illicit sex. Illicit sex—unnecessary sex life. Sex life is meant for human beings. There is regulation. Sex life is meant for producing nice children, that's all, not for sense enjoyment. Therefore one is trained as brahmacārī from the very beginning.

Lecture on SB 2.3.2-3 -- Los Angeles, May 20, 1972:

A means not, and bodha means knowledge. Without any knowledge. That's a fact. If you are born with knowledge, then there was no need of sending the children to school. There was no need. He is born. No. Everyone is born rascal. That is to be understood. And therefore he has to be trained. So if the training is simply how to eat more, how to sleep more, how to have sex life more, and how to defend more, that is animal training. But if the training is how to know God, how to know your relationship with God, that is real training. That chance is in the human form of body. So if a human being does not take this chance, this facility, then his all activities are failure. Simply for nothing he's wasting time. Failure.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

"Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses praise those men who never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the deliverer from evils." Purport by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda. The general mass of people, unless they are trained systematically for a higher standard of life in spiritual values, are no better than animals, and in this verse they have particularly been put on the level of dogs, hogs, camels and asses. Modern university education practically prepares one to acquire a doggish mentality with which to accept the service of a greater master. After finishing a so-called education, the so-called educated persons move like dogs from door to door with applications for some service, and mostly they are driven away, informed of no vacancy. As dogs are negligible animals and serve the master faithfully for bits of bread, a man serves a master faithfully without sufficient rewards.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The general mass of people, unless they are trained systematically for a higher standard of life in spiritual values, are no better than the animals, and in this verse they have particularly been put on the level of dogs, hogs, camels and asses. Modern university education practically prepares one to acquire a doggish mentality to accept the service of a greater master.

Like a dog, after finishing his so-called education, the so-called educated persons move from door to door with applications for some service, and mostly they are driven away, informed of no vacancy. As the dogs are negligible animals and serve their master faithfully for bits of bread, similarly one serves a master without sufficient rewards. Persons who have no discrimination in the matter of foodstuff and who eat all sorts of rubbish are compared with the hogs. Hogs are very much attached to eating stools. So the stool is a kind of foodstuff for a particular type of animal. And even stones are eatables..."

Prabhupāda: This is very important. Why hog has been selected? The hog has no discrimination. He is prepared to eat even stool. Therefore hog is selected. So people are now eating anything, everything. So we have heard that in Korea they eat cats, snakes, dogs. In other places also seen, anything. They have no discrimination. No discrimination. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. One living entity is the source of vital strength for another living entity.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Indian man (7): After attaining that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all you have to step on the first step, then second step, then... Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). So everything requires training and knowledge.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kīrtana. (break)

Indian man (8): Can you please explain that it is our only way out for salvation?

Prabhupāda: Yes. People are so fallen that they cannot take the life of tapasya. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the life of tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). So, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa yamena niyamena vā (SB 6.1.13). So, there is process of tapasya, but in this age, Kali-yuga, people are so fallen that they cannot undergo all the items of tapasya. It is very difficult. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has not manufactured. It is mentioned in the śāstra that only by this process.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

Just like a hog. A hog, if he changes his country or position, if he's taken to heavenly planet, then what he will be? He will try to find out, "Where is stool?" Because the body is hog's body. Similarly, an Indian, because he has got Indian body, even if he goes to America, he'll try for spiritual upliftment. That is the nature. A tiger, if you take in a civilized human society, he'll try to hunt. So they do not understand that by superior management, every living entity has been offered a different type of body for material distress and happiness. Everyone. It is not possible to change. Therefore, if we are intelligent enough, we should know that "My distress and happiness in this material world is already fixed up because I have got a particular type of body. Then when it is fixed up, then why, why I shall waste my time for so-called distress and happiness, when it is fixed up?" Just like you are running in a train. You have already purchased a ticket for third class.

Then how you can run on the first class? That is not possible. If you want to run on the first class compartment, you must purchase a ticket. Similarly, we have already purchased a ticket according to our body. Therefore, śāstra says that don't bother about this so-called distress and happiness. They are already fixed up. If you have got some energy, please utilize it how to develop in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't spoil your energy for so-called distress and happiness. That is mistake. But the modern civilization is so foolish.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja could give up the attachment within a few days. Not abruptly, but he was prepared. His training was there. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. That is our philosophy, Rūpa Gosvāmī's definition.

anāsaktasya viṣayān

yathārham upayuñjataḥ

nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe

yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate

Anāsaktasya viṣayān. Viṣaya means necessities of the body: eating, sleeping, mating, and defense. So one should understand that "I am this body. I am not this body, but because I am now encaged within this body, so I must maintain the body also, without being attached." Just like you have got a nice car. You require it for movement. But you should, you know very well that "I am not this car. I am taking service from the car. The car should be maintained to give me regular service, not that I shall identify with this car." Similarly, this body is just like car, mechanical car. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61).

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

You want to play the part of a king. I shall train you in such a way." Just like director means, dramatic director means, he creates a feeling. His direction is nothing but how to feel.

Sometimes we played in our younger age Caitanya-līlā. I introduced. And one big director, Amrtalal Chosa, he was just like grandfather. He was one of the, just like in England Shakespeare and others, big, big dramatic, well-known persons. This Amrtalal Chosa and Girish Chandra Chosa, they introduced in India theatric... So we called him to give us direction. He was giving us direction, and repeatedly he was telling that "You feel like that," especially to me. "You feel like that." So actually, when we played according to his direction, the audience were all crying. And we could not understand how they cried. We could not understand. On the stage when we played, it was so perfect that all audience were crying. Actually we saw they were smearing over their eyes with... But the whole thing is artificial, but the effect to the audience became so nice. So similarly, we are... Actually we have nothing to do with this material world, But we have been trained by the illusory energy in such a way that we are thinking, "I am Indian. I am American. I am this. I am that. I am brāhmaṇa. I am śūdra. I have to do this. I have got so much duty," all these illusions, simply thinking. We have nothing to do with all this nonsense, but still, we are taking it very serious. "I have to do like that. I have to do like that. I am this. I am that." That's all. That is explained. Ātma-māyām ṛte rājan: "Except the influence of that ātmā-māyā, the illusory energy of Kṛṣṇa..." Ātma-māyā. Read. Ātma-māyām ṛte rājan parasyānu.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4 -- Japan, April 22, 1972:

So where is your money? You cannot provide your food even for two meals. That is the position. For two meals only, people are going... (break) ...twenty miles. You see? Fifty miles, sixty miles, forty miles—that is common thing. Or they are sometimes coming from 120 miles in train. And I have seen in Canada. They are going by plane from Vancouver to Montreal or something like that, their daily business. Similarly, in your country also, there are many men coming daily Los Angeles, five hundred miles by plane. This is your civilization. For two meals only, you have to make so much tapasya-fifty miles, hundred miles, five hundred miles, go and come back. There is a story that one gentleman, he was coming to Calcutta early in the morning because he has to go hundred miles, so to catch the first train at six o'clock. Then he will reach at nine o'clock in city. Then he can attend office at ten o'clock. So... And again, going back, the office hour is finished at five o'clock. He was to go to home at ten o'clock. But still, he will go for sleeping six hours. The whole day and night is engaged for earning two meals.

Lecture on SB 2.9.11 -- Tokyo, April 27, 1972:

This is Kali-yuga, very abominable condition, precarious condition. You cannot get justice, you cannot get nice food, you cannot get nice treatment, your age is diminished, your power is diminished, everything is topsy-turvied. The best thing is to prepare yourself very quickly to go back to home, back to Godhead, and there you become one of them, like these Vaikuṇṭha persons. These are the description already there. So many ornaments. We do not see what is... If you ask somebody... They may have some plastic utensils, but if you ask somebody that "Have you seen pearl, sapphire, or coral, or diamond?" everyone will say, "I have never seen in my life." And still they are proud: "Oh, we are now advanced." What advanced? Simply plastic and paper. I see in Japan, all paper, simply papers. All big, big buildings packed up with papers. I was observing from the train all the big, big... What is the contents? Contents means paper. That's it. The house is made of paper. And Japan is considered to be very advanced, and industrialist. Simply outward dress. Actually nobody has got any wealth. The money is also paper. No pearl, no gold, no silver, nothing. But they are satisfied with papers. That's all. Paper house, paper money, paper book, paper everything. Plastic, paper.

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

So brāhmaṇas, they would give advice to the kṣatriyas, and kṣatriyas, according to their advice, would rule over the citizens. This was the system. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Vibhāgaśaḥ, "by division of quality and work." A brāhmaṇa must be qualified and at the same time work as a brāhmaṇa. So we are training, especially, our students to become qualified brāhmaṇas. We cannot take up all other department. Similarly, others may take up the line of training... Military men... Others may take... There are training classes. Maybe mercantile firm, you can get your lessons. So there was organized method to train these mercantile men, administrator and brāhmaṇa. So Vidura, although he was born of śūdra mother... His mother was śūdra, maidservant. Formerly, when a prince was married, along with the princess, a few dozens of maidservants would go with the king. So to become king, always it is to be understood he has to maintain more than one wife. That is king. Even in Muhammadan kingdom, Nawab was Ridali Shah (?). After the Mogul period... In Lucknow, if you go... So he had 164 wives, begam(?) And all of them had children. And when Britishers occupied, the Britishers had to give them pension according to the share. So amongst the Muhammadans also, polygamy was allowed. And Hindus, especially the higher class, brāhmaṇas and kṣatriya, polygamy is allowed. Now they have made laws. But that is quite natural. If every woman has to be married, then polygamy must be there. Otherwise how every woman is going to get a husband? Because male population is always shorter than the female population.

Lecture on SB 3.22.19 -- Tehran, August 8, 1976:

Kardama Muni desired to beget a child who would be a ray of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One sould beget a child who can perform the duties of Viṣṇu; otherwise there is no need to produce children. There are two kinds of children born of good fathers: one is educated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that he can be delivered from the clutches of māyā in that very life, and the other is a ray of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and teaches the world the ultimate goal of life. As will be described in later chapters, Kardama Muni begot such a child—Kapila, the incarnation of the Personality of Godhead, who enunciated the philosophy of Sāṅkhya. Great householders pray to God to send His representative so that there may be an auspicious movement in human society. This is one reason to beget a child. Another reason is that a highly enlightened parent can train a child in Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that the child will not have to come back again to this miserable world. Parents should see to it that the child born of them does not enter the womb of a mother again. Unless one can train a child for liberation in that life, there is no need to marry or produce children. If human society produces children like cats and dogs for the disturbance of social order, then the world becomes hellish, as it has in this age of Kali. In this age, neither parents nor their children are trained. Both are animalistic and simply eat, sleep, mate, defend and gratify their senses. This disorder in social life cannot bring peace to human society. Kardama Muni explains beforehand that he would not associate with the girl Devahūti for the whole duration of his life. He would simply associate with her until she had a child. In other words, sex life should be utilized only to produce a nice child, not for any other purpose. Human life is especially meant for complete devotion to the service of the Lord. That is the philosophy of Lord Caitanya.

Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

Therefore it is said, sac-cakṣur janmanām ante. This knowledge, this clue of bhakti-latā, is not so easily available. How it is available? It is... Labdhaṁ me tvad-anugrahāt: "By Your mercy." By Kṛṣṇa's mercy, you can get the bhakti-latā-bīja. Not ordinarily.

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

Unless you are free from the reaction of all sinful life, you cannot understand what is bhakti, what is Bhagavān. Therefore puṇya-karmaṇām. Janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. We should act piously. Piously means we must first of all give up impious activities: illicit sex life, meat-eating, drinking and gambling. Then you can lead pious life. Then you can understand what is God. Mean... These things are... Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means training people to become pious to understand Kṛṣṇa and make his life successful.

Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:

Generally, people, they are suffering. There is nobody in the world, those who are materially engaged, can say boldly that "I am not suffering." Is there anybody? I challenge anyone. Can anyone say that "I am not suffering"? So everyone must be suffering. Now, why these Anacin tablets are advertised, "pain-killer"? Because they are suffering. And not in this country, but in the Western countries, America, one takes at least one dozen tablet daily for mitigating suffering—tranquilizer, this, that, so many. They are advertised, and they take. At last, for sleeping. Because they are more advanced. We are less advanced; therefore we are satisfied only one tablet, Anacin. (laughter) But they are not satisfied with one tablet. They have dozens of tablet. I have seen it. It is advertised in the subway trains. So many tablets are advertised. Suffering must be there. Anyone who has got this material body has accepted suffering. That's a fact. But foolish people, they cannot understand. He thinks, "I am got very fatty and beautiful body." He is satisfied. The dog is also satisfied. He does not know that this dog's body is greater suffering than human body. The hog's body is greater suffering than the human body. But everyone is thinking, "I am happy." This is called māyā, illusion. You go to a hospital, a man is lying down on the bed, and if you ask, "How are you?" "Yes, I am well today." What is "well"?

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

So anyone who is in this material world, more or less, we are all mūḍhas. This morning I was walking while walking on the beach. More or less, we are all mūḍhas. Without being mūḍhaḥ, nobody comes here in this material world. Beginning from Brahmā down to the small ant, we are all mūḍhas of different degrees. So in order to become really learned, not to remain mūḍha, we have to associate with devotee. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. Then it will be relishable. Relishable. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. When it is relishable... Actually, when you take some foodstuff, if it is relishable, it gives you contentment, "Oh, very nice food." So bhavanti hṛt: "It is pleasing to the heart." "Oh, such a nice food." And pleasing to the tongue. Similarly, when kṛṣṇa-kathā is discussed amongst the devotees, it is pleasing to the heart and pleasing to the ear. Unless you taste, relish something through the ear and through the heart, how you can steadily follow kṛṣṇa-kathā? So that requires little training. And that training is given by the devotees, by their practical life, by their daily behavior, their routine work. If we follow, taj-joṣaṇāt... Joṣaṇāt means to practice, is it not? What is given, joṣaṇāt? Cultivation, yes. Cultivation means practice. Practice.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

So this easy process, sukhaṁ jihvādau, that begins from the jihvā, tongue. If you kindly train your tongue to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and if possible without offense... There are ten kinds of offenses. If we avoid the offenses and you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you become liberated. And it is very easy. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Mukta. Anyone who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, if he is chanting sincerely... Sincerely or not sincerely, if he chants, then he will become sincere and purified. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12).

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

So that is our mission. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that we are simply trying to convince people what Kṛṣṇa has said, that's all. We are not manufacturing anything. So that is our business. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We are training our disciples "Just always think of Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and become Kṛṣṇa's devotee, offer Him prasādam, dress Him nicely." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: "Worship Me." Worship Kṛṣṇa, the same thing. Kṛṣṇa says, "Worship Me"; we are saying, "Worship Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender unto Me"; we are saying, "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." So we have no difficulty. To become a guru there is no difficulty, provided we repeat the same thing as Kṛṣṇa says. And if you say something more or less, then you are not a guru. Very simple thing. Very simple thing.

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

Therefore you will find, India, Vedic civilization is meant for this unknotting, the hṛdaya-granthi. Therefore sannyāsa is compulsory. Vānaprastha is compulsory. If you really follow Vedic principle you become student, brahmacārī, you learn everything. What is this life, what is this world, what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God, what is your relationship with Him. These studies, that is complete study. But still, if you want to be knotted by hṛdaya-granthi, gṛhastha, a concession, all right. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithuna. Mithuna, that concession is for sex life. Gṛhastha life is a concession given for enjoying sex life. Otherwise, there is no need of gṛhastha life. Therefore there were many brahmacārīs, akhanda-brahmacārī, never married in life, many. But that is not possible at the present. But there is training. The brahmacārī is taught that this is the position: "Don't be knotted with this material world." But still, if he cannot do that, then with the permission of the spiritual master, he accepts a wife. That is gṛhastha life. But that also not for many years. Say for 25 years. After 25 years he will remain a student brahmacārī, then you accept one wife according to religious ritualistic ceremony, but no illicit sex. That is not allowed. Bachelor daddy is not allowed. That is very dangerous.

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

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that training the people who come to us to make him far, far above than the siddhas, far, far above than the siddhas. And it is very easily one can become. One can hold this position of guru, who is... Guru means who is above the siddhas. Kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). One cannot become guru unless he knows kṛṣṇa-tattva. Not ordinary man. The yogis, the karmīs, the jñānīs, they cannot become guru. That is not sanctioned, because even one is jñānī, he has to learn Kṛṣṇa after many, many births; not in one life, but many, many life. If he persists to understand what is the Absolute Truth by his jñāna method, by his speculative method, then still he will have to change many, many births. Then one day he may be fortunate. If he comes in contact with a devotee, then it may be possible for him to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

So this is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhi. Vyavasāyātmikā buddhi, niścayātmikā buddhi means, with good faith, that "I must execute it. That is my life and soul." If we take that, then our life is successful. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Guru is accepted identical with Kṛṣṇa. Haritvena. It is accepted in all the śāstras, Vedic literature, tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. And those who are devotees, pure devotees, they accept like that. So why they accept? Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Guru is very dear to Kṛṣṇa because under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, by the paramparā system, he is training, "You do like this. This is paramparā system. Do not deviate." Because he is training people according to the desire of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is desiring that everyone should surrender unto Him. That is His desire. So guru's business is to train people how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, not to become Kṛṣṇa. That is foolishness. You cannot become Kṛṣṇa. Your respect is as Kṛṣṇa because you are doing the most confidential service of Kṛṣṇa, but if you think that you have become Kṛṣṇa, then you are not guru. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya.

Lecture on SB 3.26.34 -- Bombay, January 11, 1975:

So mind is the basic principle of another form of body. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is training the mind how to remain Kṛṣṇa conscious at the time of death, because Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvam (BG 8.6). Therefore in Bengali poetry there is a saying, bhajan kara sādhan kara mate janle haya,(?) means "You are doing everything in spiritual life, but everything will be examined at the time of death. How you have practiced your bhajana, sādhana, this will be examined at the time of death." If at the time of death you remember Kṛṣṇa, that will be the examination. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, training the mind. So at the time of death, if you think of Kṛṣṇa, then your examination is passed. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvam (BG 8.6). That kṛṣṇa-bhāva immediately will carry you to the Kṛṣṇaloka.

Lecture on SB 3.26.34 -- Bombay, January 11, 1975:

So simply you have to train your mind. Man-manā bhava..., this, the prescription. Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśaya. Kṛṣṇa says that "You, this practice," mām evaiṣyasi, "you will come to Me." Asaṁśaya. Kṛṣṇa says, "There is no doubt about it." So why don't you do that? Train your mind, always Kṛṣṇa conscious, and the method is simple. You do not require much education or university degree—nothing of the sort. Simply man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: you just become devotee of Kṛṣṇa and always think of Him. Where is the difficulty? You can walk on the street and remember Kṛṣṇa. Is there any tax? No, the government will not ask you for any income tax, sales tax, that "You are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." They may do so. The time is coming. (laughter) They may say, "The Hare Kṛṣṇa people must be taxed three times because they are chanting and doing nothing." The Communist government will do that. So never mind. The tax will be sent by Kṛṣṇa. (laughter)

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

And what is that? Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). From the very childhood this dharmān bhāgavatān must be given lessons to the children. Therefore, from the very beginning we have opened this gurukula in Texas and in New Vrindaban, West Virginia. But here, practically, India, we don't get this opportunity. Before starting this movement, I approached many friends that "You have got four sons. Give me one. I will train him to become a Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa." Nobody agreed. You see? But in the European countries, in America... Of course, they are all children of my devotees. I got them married. They have got now children, and they are being taught in gurukula. That is strictly according to the Vedic science, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha, from the very beginning of life. So life should be utilized properly, and the children, not all... Some of them may become kṣatriya; some of them become śūdra or vaiśya. But an ideal class of brāhmaṇa must be there to guide the society. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. (end)

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

So the real purpose is that we should give up this asat-patha. You sit properly, it is not... Asat-patha and sat-patha. Here it is said sat-patham. Sat-patham means our permanent goal of life. We are now interested with nonpermanent goal of life. People are thinking, "If I get a nice car, a nice apartment, a nice wife, a nice bank balance, then I will be happy." But this is asat, because none of this will stay. The bank balance also will not stay, the wife also will not stay, and good position, that will not... As soon as the body is finished, everything is finished. Therefore they are called asat. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, sat-saṅga chāḍi'kainu asate vilāsa, te-kāraṇe lāgila mor karma-bandha-phāṅsa. Sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅga means persons who are making progress towards the permanent life. They are called sat. Just like this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement means we are training our disciples how to make progress towards permanent life. And the material world means they are making progress towards nonpermanent life. So those who are intelligent, they are not interested in nonpermanent life. And those who are foolish, mūḍha, they are interested in this temporary life, and they do not know what is there after death, neither they have got any knowledge what is spirit, what is matter. Ignorance. In darkness.

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

The first step is given there, that sva-dharmācaraṇam. Sva-dharmācaraṇaṁ śaktyā. As far as possible, be situated in your natural life. Natural life means there are three modes of material nature. So somebody is affected or infected by some modes of material nature—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So the śāstra has made the path so clear that in either of these infection, either sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, you can make progress spiritual life. Because we must be in either of these. Just like a train is going on: there is first class, second class, third class. So because the train is going, either you place yourself in the first-class compartment or second class, you will go. You will go. It is not that because you are situated in the third-class compartment the your train is not going. No, you can go. Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā has taught that one can go back to home, back to Godhead, in any position, provided he knows how to tackle the situation.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

So does it mean that human life also will be utilized only for this purpose? No. That is his advice. "This is not meant for wasting our time and living like the lower animals, cats and dogs and hogs." Then what it is meant for? He says, tapo divyaṁ: (SB 5.5.1) "My dear sons, this body is meant for tapo, austerity." Austerity. What is that austerity? Divyam, to realize God. That is the whole Vedic principle, that human body, human society should be trained intelligently in such a way that he can understand God. This is the goal of life. In the Vedānta-sūtra... Those who are philosophically advanced, they might have studied the Vedānta-sūtra or Brahma-sūtra. So the first aphorism of the Brahma-sūtra is athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now this human form of life is there..." We have got it by the material nature's grace. There are 8,400,000 different forms of life, transmigration or evolution, as you say.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

So first-class, the first-class men, means they should be trained as brāhmaṇa, at least one class of men. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). In order to realize the highest goal of life there must be division in the society and there must be division in spiritual life. The social life is divided into brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men, one who can understand God. That is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. First-class man means not first-class dress. First-class man means he has got full knowledge: jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Full knowledge. He knows what is God. That is first-class man. So the second-class men means the kṣatriyas, the administrators, the administrative class of men, because government men, they must be very sober to rule over the citizens.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

So there is no reason. We shall get. But we have been habituated for economic development. Let us do it. It doesn't matter. But don't forget God. That is wanted. If you forget God, then you are no better than dog. This is the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are reminding everyone that "Don't remain like lower animals. You have got this opportunity of human life. You go, accept little austerity." So what we are prescribing, austerity? Just like these European, American boys. They are under training. Our first business is to take declaration that the devotee will not indulge in illicit sex life, not meat-eating, no intoxication and no gambling. This is austerity. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is very easy. It is not very difficult. Just like these boys, girls, they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and they are undergoing the austerity. So they have not died. Nor they are unhealthy. You can see. They are living, and they will live. But they have become purified. Tapo divyaṁ yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet (SB 5.5.1). This is purifying our existence. Purifying existence means no more material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9).

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

They train children as vyabhicāri, so how you can expect good civilization? So everything is there. It is very difficult, undoubtedly, but if you train from the very beginning of life... That is stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja:

kaumāra ācaret prājño

dharmān bhāgavatān iha

durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma

tad apy adhruvam arthadam

(SB 7.6.1)

He says... He was child, five years old. His other... In tiffin hours the other children of the demons, they were playing, and Prahlāda Mahārāja was asking to sit down and hear him. He was preaching, "My dear friends," kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān, "don't spoil your life by playing. Now this is the period of understanding bhāgavata-dharma." Bhāgavata-dharma means to understand God and our relationship with God and act accordingly. That is called bhāgavata-dharma. So kaumāra ācaret prajñā dharmān bhāgavatān. If you want... We might have done mistakes in our life, but if we train our children in the brahmacārī system and gradually they understand the bhāgavata-dharma, at least their life becomes perfect. And in the Bhāgavata it is ordered that... You will find all this in this Ṛṣabhadeva's instruction.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977:

Guest (2): As we heard in the beginning, one of the principal statements that a man goes on the motor train, stands there for two hours, reaches his place of business, and work there from nine o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the evening, returns back, has his food and sex and all that. I found many a people who have worked very hard, raised children very nicely, have sex, but lead a good life. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if there is no wrong, it is all right. But this sort of life is not very palatable.

Guest (2): Because I find even the dogs...

Prabhupāda: If you like that life, it is very good. That is up to you. But I don't think this is a very nice way of life, to work so hard simply for bread.

Guest (2): No, I agree there.

Prabhupāda: Then agreed, agreed. Then why disagree? (laughter) That's all right, no more.

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

So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a training system, training system how to acquire, how to be transferred to that Kṛṣṇaloka, how to attain that most purified body where there is no more death, no more birth. There is another version in the Bhagavad-gītā. Here it is said, mām eti: "He comes to Me." So in another verse it is stated... If somebody inquires that "What happens by going to Kṛṣṇa?" that is also answered: mām upetya kaunteya. This very same word is there, kaunteya: "My dear Kaunteya," mām upetya, "anyone who comes to Me..." Upetya. Upetya means "approaching Me." Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvataṁ nāpnuvanti: (BG 8.15) "He does not any more regain this place, this material world, which is full of miseries and temporary."

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- London, September 17, 1969:

No. If we can find out a suitable place; but it is difficult nowadays. That we have to tolerate. What can be done? Let others do whatever they like. We can preach that "Do not do it," but you cannot force, because the whole world has gone in these four principles of life, this eating, meat-eating, drinking, gambling. And so our regulation is very strict. You see? If we say that "You do whatever you like," then many people may come and join. (laughter) But we are not going to say that. We... Our principle is that better not to have any cow than to have a cow, disturb him. You see? Ekaś candras tamo hanti. If one person can understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness science, in future there is hope that he can make many other persons to this knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Although it is very difficult. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). But if you can deliver even one man in your life, then you'll be doing a great service for Kṛṣṇa. It is not required that you have to deliver hundreds and hundreds of men, so-called. No. If you can train only one man, that's a great service to Kṛṣṇa. You saved one man from the clutches of māyā. It is so nice thing. So do it peacefully, and as far as possible. People may accept or not accept, but we shall do our duty. That's all. But why will not accept? You have accepted it. You were also addicted to these habits, but you have accepted it. Similarly others may accept. We have to do it. Yes, what is your question?

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

This is, these things are required, and when one is very versed and practiced by example, then let him preach all over the world, para-upakāra. Because they do not know. Actually that is happening. By one man's endeavor all these foreigners they're getting real life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They have sacrificed everything practically. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is required. That is human life. Otherwise, if we simply work very hard just like the stool-eater hogs, "Where is food? Where is food? Where is sex? Where is..." This is... Therefore this particular name has been mentioned here, viḍ-bhujām. It is very peculiar. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This is the business of the stool-eater hogs. Śāstra sometimes uses very strong language. That is required. Just like if you want to train your children, sometimes you have to slap, you have to chastise for his benefit. That is the... Therefore this very word is used, viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. These kind of engagements are there among the hogs and dogs. Are you hogs and dogs or human being? Your engagement is brahma-jijñāsā, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Inquire about Brahman. Learn about Brahman. Learn about yourself, that you are not this material body. If you are still thinking that you are this material body—you are Indian, you are American, you are brāhmaṇa, you are śūdra, you are white, you are black—then you are in the dog's consciousness, not Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is to be learned.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Now how... Strenuous training was there to live in gurukula and sacrifice the whole life for guru's instruction. This is the Vedic culture, brahmacārī, and live at the place of guru just like a menial servant. Where is that education? Why you'll not expect these upstarts, Naxalites? Where is that training? Of course it is very difficult to bring back that mode of civilization at the present moment, kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām, we have lost everything by the influence of this Kali-yuga. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised that you harer nāma, harer nāma, harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21), chant the name of Hari. Harer nāma, thrice He's stressing. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalaṁ kalau, in this age of Kali, nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. This is simple method. Chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, harer nāma. Not other's name, harer nāma. There people also diverting their attention, "Any name will do." No. Not any name. Harer nāma. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). You have to hear and chant about Kṛṣṇa, not any other demigod. No. It is particularly mentioned, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. This is wanted. Very simple thing. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has... It is from the śāstra, Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa, Agni-Purāṇa. A saintly person, mahānta, will not speak anything which is not mentioned in the śāstra.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Viṣṇujana: If godlessness is the cause of scarcity, why the Communist countries are so affluent?

Prabhupāda: They are asking food from America. (laughter)

Guest (2): Why is Kṛṣṇa consciousness not spread in China, Russia, Pakistan and Bangladesh? (laughter)

Prabhupāda: You come forward. I shall train you.

Acyutānanda: Does Śrīla Prabhupāda agree with the work of Ramakrishna Mission, Maharishi, meditation, and Divine Light Mission now working in America?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Pañcadraviḍa: Do you agree with the work of the Ramakrishna Mission, Mahesh Yogi, and Divine Light Society that are working in America?

Prabhupāda: I do not study them. I simply study Bhagavad-gītā, that's all. And Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). I believe that. That's all.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (1): Is that the equivalent of a Hindu priest?

Prabhupāda: Not Hindu priest. Hindu priest... There are many so-called priests. They are dictated by so many sense gratification. And there are many others also in other parts of the world who are restrained. So as you inquire what is swami, swami means master. And master, what does it mean? Master of the senses. Generally people are driven by the dictation of the senses. So if you can control your senses, then you become a swami.

Guest (1): Do they have a period of training or a program for the training of the swamis?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Certainly.

Guest (1): Can you tell me how long the program takes?

Prabhupāda: That depends on the student. Yes. If you can quickly can control... There are processes. Just like we are training here. They're American boys, but we are training them in that process. We don't allow our students to have illicit sex life. We don't allow our students to indulge in nonvegetarian diet. We don't allow our students for intoxication. And we don't allow our students for gambling. So these four principles they are practicing, they are chanting, and they are restraining. In this way, when one is trained as brahmacārī, then he can become a swami later on. Yes. The training is there.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (1): Is there a process of training to become swami, a process of training?

Prabhupāda: Yes. The real aim is spiritual realization. But for realizing perfect spiritual life one has to undergo some training. Just like if one is serious of being cured of a certain type of disease he has to undergo certain type of training or regulation as prescribed by the physician. Then he gets cured. Similarly, we are all materially diseased at the present time. So spiritual life means completely freed from material disease. The material diseases are birth, death, old age, and bodily diseases. They are material disease. Because I am spirit soul, I am eternal. I have no death. I have no birth. But because I am contaminated with this material body, therefore with the birth and death of this body I am thinking that I am taking birth and dying. That is my material condition of life. Actually I am not subjected to birth and death. These things are very nicely described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So the immortality of the soul, transmigration of the soul, everything is described there. So there are books of authority. If we learn, if we'll be trained, then our spiritual liberation is open. Therefore it is recommended here that one should associate with great souls. Without associating with great souls we don't get all this information.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (4): Child is the father of man.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So if from the beginning there is no training, so how we can expect good father and good children?

Guest (4): They're the divine folk.

Prabhupāda: Divine folk? They don't require any training?

Guest (4): They're born divine; they have their own divine religion.

Prabhupāda: They don't require any training?

Guest (4): They have the religion. They have the one and only religion.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but religion does not mean that one should be not trained up. Does it mean?

Guest (4): They're supposed to be divine.

Prabhupāda: They're supposed. That's all right. Yes?

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (2): Let me try to delineate that a little more precisely. I have known people who have said, "Well, yes, you know I don't like birth, and I don't like death, and I don't like old age. But I have a tremendous driving need, and I don't know how to deal with it. You see, I must have sex. I must have sex. And I'm tormented. I'm stuck in the trap. I'm ensnared." You see? That is the individual I'm... Now if you can already reach the person through jñāna and convince him, and he can act on the decision of his will, then he's obviously already in a high state. But what do you do with the sort of person who is split, who is torn by his instinctual physical needs and they drive him? You see? And yet he wants to do something. How can you deal with such a person without forcing him to contain himself in such a way that he will resent it? Or must he be allowed to expend his energy until he is convinced by experience?

Prabhupāda: No. Just like amongst our students there are many married couples also, and there are brahmacārīs also. That I barred from this? He is not barred. Nobody is barred. Simply following some regulation. That will gradually train him. And the main principle is that as you go on hearing about this transcendental message, then you gradually become attached to these transcendental things. And the more you become attached to these transcendental things, the more you forget these material things.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- London, September 3, 1971:

When you try to satisfy your own senses, that is lust. And when you satisfy..., when you try to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa, or God, that is called love. Here in this material world so-called love is personal sense gratification. A girl loves a boy, she has got the intention for personal sense gratification. Or the boy loves the girl, he has also the same, personal sense gratification. But the gopīs' love for Kṛṣṇa is not for personal sense gratification, but for Kṛṣṇa's sense gratification. That is the difference between gopī's love and people's lust.

So love cannot be possible within this material world because every one has got the intention to satisfy his senses. Therefore love is not possible in the material world. Love is possible only in the spiritual atmosphere. When we know how to love Kṛṣṇa, or God, then our life is... Yayātmā suprasīdati. By that love you'll be fully satisfied. Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to train people how to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa. Then all problems will be solved.

Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976:

So these regulative principles are there. So what is, what is the big plan behind these regulative principles? The big plan is: here is the attraction, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam—to cut down this attraction between male and female. This is the big plan. Otherwise there is no need of the varṇāśrama. Varnāśrama means to train the candidates gradually to become free from this entanglement of man and woman. This is the basic principle. Yoga system is also the same thing. Jñānī, that is also same. Karma also. The karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra, that is also, one has to take sannyāsa at the ultimately, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), gradually, if one cannot take it immediately.

So this is the training of Bhagavad-gītā. This is the training of Bhāgavata. Everywhere the Vedic principle, the first principle is that we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. In the previous verse we have already studied, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān, because we have forgotten what is our position. Gata-smṛti. Smṛti means memory. There is one word, alpa-medhasām, and there is another word, su-medhasam. These words are there, tad-bhavati alpa-medhasām, in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.9 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1976:

So the conclusion is given here. One should be completely satiated from this attachment of sex. Then he is liberated. Liberation means no more material life, and the basic principle of material life is sex. Therefore whole Vedic civilization is based on to train people how he becomes free from sex desire. The great emperor Yāmunācārya, he gave his experience how he became liberated from sex desire,

yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde

nava-nava-rasa-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt

tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne

bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca

Since, he gives his experience, "Since I have given my mind and heart in the service of yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde, at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and I have increased my transcendental, blissful life by rendering such loving service, since then even if I think of sex life, yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ, tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne, even sex life, thinking of it, it becomes so abominable that I spit on it." So this is the test of advancement of Kṛṣṇa conscious life.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

So anyone, if he is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a paśuḥ, animal. Because human life is meant for that purpose. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattva (SB 5.5.1). Otherwise he is animal. So this is going on at the present moment, that some small animal accepting one big animal as leader. So both of them, all of them, are animals. But this is not social system. The social system, as Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam... (BG 4.13). You cannot violate the laws given by Kṛṣṇa, God. You must have. You must make, train. Just like you are training some men as engineer, some men as medical men, some men as lawyer, some men as technologist. There are so many divisions in the society. Therefore, similarly, if you want to make the human society perfect, then you must have these four classes of men: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. Otherwise there is no possibility. If you make all classes one, very liberal—"Very good idea. There is no classification"—no, there must be classifi... But that classification is not by birth. That is not by birth. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Kṛṣṇa never said, "This classification should be by birth." No. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth everyone is rascal, śūdra. That is to be accepted. Even if one is born in a brāhmaṇa family, he is to be accepted as śūdra, janmanā, by birth. Otherwise why, even a person is born in a brāhmaṇa family, he requires to be educated, he requires to be initiated, sacred thread? Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. There must be saṁskāra. If he is born brāhmaṇa, then where..., there is no need of saṁskāra. There is no need of education. Suppose a person is born the son of high-court judge. Does it mean that he is high-court judge? No. He requires education, he requires training. But he has a good chance to become a high-court judge. Because his father is high-court judge, he knows how to train his sons, how to educate him how to become a lawyer, and he has got influence in government society. He can recommend him. He has got the chance to become a high-court judge. But not that because he is born of a father who is high-court judge, therefore he is high-court judge. That is going on.

Lecture on SB 5.5.24 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1976:

The same arrangement for spiritual education... Not that by birth, because one is born of a brāhmaṇa family, he remains a brāhmaṇa although he becomes less than śūdra. No. There must be education. The twice-born, he must approach the spiritual master. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Just like the Sattva Satyakāma, Jabala-Satyakāma Upaniṣad. The boy approached Gautama Muni that "Kindly accept me, your disciple. Initiate me." Formerly, without becoming a brāhmaṇa specially, they were not initiated. So in those days all the families were very pure. Therefore born of a brāhmaṇa father is understood that he has got the training of a brāhmaṇa. That is a facility. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate (BG 6.41). By pious activities or by practice of bhakti-yoga, if one has not completed, yoga-bhraṣṭa, one who falls down from the yoga practice, such person is given another chance to take birth in a nice family, a brāhmaṇa family or a rich mercantile family. The brāhmaṇa family is rich in knowledge, and the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas, they are rich in opulence, wealth, material riches. And śūdras, they are not rich either in material wealth or in knowledge. Therefore they are called śūdras.

Lecture on SB 5.5.29 -- Vrndavana, November 16, 1976:

So this is the age. So everyone is trying to be happy. That happiness is not possible. That peace is not possible unless you have got a leader or king like Bharata Mahārāja, after whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa, this Bharata Mahārāja. So we have to find out such leader. Then everything will be adjusted. It is the... Now we are speaking of secular state. Secular state does not mean people will become godless. No. Secular state means that no religious preference. "Because you are Hindu, therefore we shall give you more preference than the Muhammadan"—no. Secular state means that the state should see that everyone is strictly following his religious principle. That is secular state. If you are Hindu or varṇāśrami, then you must follow the principles of how one is a brāhmaṇa, how one is a kṣatriya. Hinduism, this is a foreign word. Real principle is varṇāśrama-dharma. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur arādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). This is the aim of life, how to worship Viṣṇu. That is explained, and that is the training of this varṇāśrama-dharma.

Lecture on SB 5.6.3 -- Vrndavana, November 25, 1976:

No. I forget. Mist, what is the English? Nīhāram iva, yes. Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Bhāskaraḥ means sun. So when there is mist, (Hindi) as soon as there is sunrise, immediately everything... Otherwise it is very difficult to drive away the fog. The railway train... I have seen it also. In the mid-ocean immediately there is fog, and the ship immediately stops because there is danger of collision with other ship. At least the ship in which I was going to your country, Jaladuta, so the captain, Mr. Pandia, he immediately used to stop in the mid-ocean and giving horn, "Gaw, gaw," like that. So that was danger, very dangerous. When the sea is rough there is no fog. And as soon as the sea is not rough there is fog. So whether you will go this way or that way, there is misery. Therefore this world is called duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). You subdue something and another problem is there. And you solve that problem—another problem... Problematic. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. Kṛṣṇa is recommending that this is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. How we'll subside this duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam? And we are... Our struggle is... Kṛṣṇa said, "This is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. This place is for miseries," and these rascals are trying to adjust things. Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. These rascals, they are trying to bring peace by material arrangement, mūḍha. Therefore they are mūḍha. It is not possible. Kṛṣṇa has made it suffering. How you can become happy here? But these rascals will not understand. Within the suffering they will try to become happy. That is not possible. The toilet room he wants to make a Deity room. How it is possible? That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 5.6.11 -- Bombay, December 29, 1976:

So long we are in the jurisdiction of three modes of material nature, up to that time we shall disagree with one another and there will be trouble. Therefore the Vaiṣṇava religion is meant for the peaceful person. No trouble. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Those who have come to the stage of seeing everyone on the equal terms... Equal terms means spiritually. That we invite everyone. There is no discrimination. We don't care for the designations. We invite everyone to leave aside the designation and come in your original form and be Kṛṣṇa conscious and be happy, for which we are prepared to take all kinds of incon... There is no inconvenience, but suppose in the old age I am traveling all over the world. People think that I have taken some hardship. But for Kṛṣṇa's sake, even it is hardship... Actually, there is no hardship. But even it is hardship, we should take it. Para-upakāra. People are in ignorance, they are suffering, and it is especially India's business to release them from this material suffering and give them information about the Vaikuṇṭha world, the world of no anxiety. And try to train them in different ways. That is the real welfare activity in the human society.

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

That should be the only desire. Therefore when Kṛṣṇa comes, He orders, or He commands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other desires. Simply desire how to surrender unto Me." This is required. And that can be understood by the human being. And because we have got different desires... I have already explained. Different qualities of the material nature, that mixed up, it comes to eighty-one. So therefore we have got... According to desires, we have got so many varieties of bodies. So we have to learn how to stop all these material desires and simply concentrate our desires how to serve Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is required. That is the training. Just like these boys, these girls, who are in the Kṛṣṇa conscious..., they have no other desire. Their only desire is how to push on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That's all. It is possible. They had many desires. They are also coming from your country. They had many desires. But they have no other desire now. Their simply desire is how to push on Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is perfection. When you stick to this one desire, that "I shall serve Kṛṣṇa," then you are free from all desires; otherwise not. Otherwise it is impossible. Then desires will drag you to different types of body. Then your suffering will increase. Then we have to come to the body of a pig. Because nature's law is very strict. According to your desire, he will give you body. So you desire to serve Kṛṣṇa. You will get a body like Kṛṣṇa, That's all.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

Therefore, in the Vedic civilization, a sannyāsa, renounced order of life, is recommended for prosecuting spiritual life absolutely without any anxiety. If one can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in family life, that's very good. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was a family man, magistrate. Still, he executed devotional service so nicely. Dhruva Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, they are, they were gṛhastha, householders, but they trained themselves in such a nice way that even householder, as a householder, there was no interruption. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I have learned the art, how to remain always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." What is that? Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta: "Simply glorifying the," I mean to, "the victorious activities, pastimes of the Lord." Tvad-vīrya. Vīrya means very strenuous, very heroic. Vīrya means heroic. So Kṛṣṇa's activities are all heroic. You can read from Kṛṣṇa book. Tvad-vīrya-gāyana. Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's fame, Kṛṣṇa's activities, Kṛṣṇa's associates—everything is heroic. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "For me, I am certain, wherever I shall go, I can glorify Your heroic activities and I am, I mean to say, saved. There is no question of my falling down. But I wish... I am simply anxious for these persons who have created a type of civilization that they are always busy and working hard. So I am thinking of them."

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1975:

We don't say, "Don't sleep," but we say, "Reduce sleep as much as possible. Reduce your eating as much as possible." So this is called tapasya. And brahmacaryeṇa. Brahmacaryeṇa means completely cessation of sex life. So that is not possible to completely give up eating or completely sex life, but make it regulated. That is tapasya: eating, sleeping, mating, and defense as much as it is required. The aim should be to make it nil. That is called tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Brahmācārya means, strictly. Brahmācārya means that one should not look upon woman, "Oh, here is a very beautiful girl." That is also sex, subtle sex. And to talk, "Fsh, fsh, fsh, fsh," that is also subtle sex. So these things are to be avoided. There are eight kinds of subtle sex life. This is called brahmācārya. So according to Vedic śāstra, if one lives with one woman, one man, they are also brahmacārī. Not many. This is... If one cannot give up sex life, let him be satisfied with one man and one woman. That is also tapasya, that is also brahmacārī. But not that jumping from here, there, there, there, there, no, like monkey, no. (laughter) This is training. This is training.

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

Prabhupāda: (chants verse) It is recording? (break) We have to... Nobody is preparing that way. So when Guptas(?) took you from the train, where did you stay?

Yamunā: We were taken to a small mandira called Raghunātha(?) temple in old Delhi, right by (indistinct), and we stayed there for only one night. (month?)

Prabhupāda: So is that all right? No.

Yamunā: It is not first class, no.

Prabhupāda: Second class or third class?

Yamunā: Between second and third.

Prabhupāda: Intermediate.

Yamunā: Now Gurudāsa agrees third class.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Where it is?

Yamunā: It is on outskirts of Delhi but very reputable.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Yamunā: Very much respected

Prabhupāda: International academy. It is near (indistinct) Road?

Yamunā: I don't know, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: What is the address? Somebody knows. Eh? Where is Girirāja? He is not yet prepared? (door opens and closes) Acchā.

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

So in order to become free from this criminality, there are so many prescriptions in the śāstras. They're called tapasya. The beginning is the tapasya. Tapasya means just like a thief wants to steal others' property, but if he thinks at the same time, "No, no, it will be criminal. Father has said it is criminal. I shall not steal others' property," this is tapasya. Because I have got the inclination to steal, to usurp other things, but if I restrain myself by the order of father or the śāstras, the laws... Just like a thief. He knows that if he steals, if he takes others' property, he'll be arrested and he will be punished. But he has got that bad inclination. That is called pāpa-bīja. The śāstras, they prescribe different types of atonement for person who has committed criminal activity. The criminal activities is that if you encroach upon others' property, others' right, that is criminal. Tena tyaktena... You should be satisfied whatever Kṛṣṇa has allotted to you. Therefore we are training our devotees to take Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Whatever Kṛṣṇa has willfully left after His eating, we take it. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He keeps the prasādam as it is. Because He's pūrṇa. He's not hungry. He's feeding millions of living entities. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. So He's not hungry. Neither whatever you are offering to Kṛṣṇa, it is your property. It is Kṛṣṇa's property. You cannot manufacture fruits, flowers, grains, or milk, or anything else. Anything eatable you cannot manufacture in your factory. That is Kṛṣṇa's manufacture. Therefore, actually, it is Kṛṣṇa's property. Simply you have to acknowledge: "Kṛṣṇa, You are so kind. You have given so many things for our eating. First of all, You taste. Then we shall take it." What is the difficulty? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Honolulu, May 16, 1976:

These are the general process. But to overcome this general process if one... That is already explained, that kārtsnyena. Just like fog is immediately driven away if there is sunrise, bhakti is so strong. Then he is again saying that pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ. If we practice tapa, especially in this age, it is very, very difficult. Tapaḥ. Tapasya, austerities. But if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness it becomes very soon available. Yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇaḥ. Prāṇa means life and arpita means dedicated. Kṛṣṇārpita. If one dedicates his life for Kṛṣṇa, yathā kṛṣṇārpita prāṇas tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. Tat-puruṣa, you... It is impossible to dedicate our life to Kṛṣṇa unless we serve the devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. You cannot approach Kṛṣṇa directly. That is not possible. You have to go through His devotee. Therefore Kṛṣṇa sends His devotee, "Go and deliver them." Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He did not know how to achieve the favor of Supreme Personality of Godhead, but on account of his eagerness... He wanted to see God. Because he was kṣatriya... His mother said that "God can only help you, my dear son. If you want to become king on the throne of your father, better position, then only God can help you. I cannot help you. It is not..." So he was determined, "I must see God." So he went to the forest but he did not know how to approach God. A boy of five years old only, he has got the determination. So Kṛṣṇa saw that "This boy is very determined." Therefore He sent His representative, Nārada: "Go and train him. He is very eager."

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

So in the Kali-yuga, this age, there is no such king. There is no such government. Therefore people are becoming polluted. It is the duty of the guru, the duty of the parents, duty of the government to train people in such a way that they may become pious, sinless. But they do not believe, even in the next life, that "If we act impiously, then we have to suffer next life." They avoid to believe that there is next life. But there is next life. In the morning we were talking about this. How you can say there is no next life? The child has got next life: a boy. The boy has got next life: a young man. And the young man has next life, to become old man. Similarly, the old man has got next life. It is very common logic. And it is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the supreme authority. Even if you do not understand, your dull brain, but we have to accept the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is the critical point. If we take Kṛṣṇa's instruction, everything will be solved. There will be no problem.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

So long the human history is there, there must be war. You cannot avoid it. Because it is material world, disagreement, misunderstanding must be there. You cannot avoid it. Because everyone is not of the same standard. That is not possible. Somebody is in the lower standard, somebody is in the middle standard, and somebody in the highest standard. That is division: goodness, passion, and ignorance. You cannot avoid it. So out of these three qualities, goodness, passion and ignorance, the ignorance and passion are base quality, and goodness is first-class quality. So the human life means we are born either in the base qualities... Nobody is born in the first-class quality. One who is born in this material world... May be somebody has taken his birth in the mode of goodness, but very rare. But maybe. Mostly they are born in the base qualities, ignorance and passion. But the śāstras are there. Anyone can be raised to the first-class quality by training. That is human civilization.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

That is spiritual. It does not change. Therefore it is said, itihāsaṁ purātanam. Although it is very old, but the effect is the same, effect is the same. In the old times people used to eat and get satisfaction; the same satisfaction is now also. You eat; you feel satisfaction. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending—this is the material necessities. So the such necessities were in the old, millions of years ago, and those necessities are still there. It is no change actually. So this is the process how to... They are now thinking, "Why there is crime, and why, what is the remedy?" They are think in the material way. They are thinking that "We have got enough everything. Why there should be crime?" But they do not know that unless you make first-class men by training, the fourth-class man will degrade more and more. Just like a child, if you don't send him to school to get education, he will be street boy and degrade more and more. So this is the problem. So how to train first-class man, that method is here, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And take it seriously, and if you actually love your countrymen, raise them to the standard of first-class man.

Thank you very much. (break) Not in this way. This is not the process. The process is you must be free. Don't manufacture something. That is the way of dancing. You have seen all the Pañca-tattva. They are dancing like this. So you should follow them. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Chicago, July 5, 1975:

This is training. Mind is very flickering. Even five thousand years ago, when Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa that "You make your restless mind fixed up," he frankly said, "Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham: (BG 6.34) "I see my mind is always very much agitated, and to control the mind is exactly an attempt to stop the wind. So it is not possible." But actually his mind was fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. So those who mind have been fixed up at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they have conquered. Their mind is fixed up. That is wanted. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). These are the qualifications of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. He was very responsible emperor, but his mind was fixed up at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

So he does not say that one who has passed M.A., Ph.D., D.A.C. No, he doesn't say that. He says any person who has learned to see like this. What is that? Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Everyone's wife should be considered, para-dāra, para means other's wife, mātṛvat, mother. Therefore the Vedic system is when we address another woman, "Mother." No other address. "Mother, can I do this? Would you like this?" The address should be "mother." Practice, this is practice. A brahmacārī is practiced. He goes to every householder's wife, "Mother, give me some..." Just like this child, if he is taught from the very beginning of his life that "Address all woman as mother," that training and intermingling with anyone, that is a different way. That is brahmacārī.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:

So a person like Rūpa Gosvāmī, why he will waste time talking with a nonsense? No. Actually teaching is for the student, not for outsiders. All these talks should be between... So student means who has surrendered. That, he is student. Otherwise what is the use of wasting time? There is no use. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). Praṇipātena means fully surrendering. If you have still doubts to surrender, then don't waste time. Don't waste time. That is not the way. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. Guru has to be given service, that nīcavat. That nīcavat. Nīcavat means menial servant. Whatever guru says... Guru says, "Just brush my shoes." "Yes, sir." You cannot think, "Oh, I am coming from such a respectable person, I am so much learned, and my guru is asking me to 'Brush my shoe'? No, I am not doing it." No, then you are not disciple. Nīcavat. That is the training. So praṇipāta, if you find out somebody where you can fully surrender, then accept guru. Don't make guru a fashion, just like you keep a dog, fashion, pet dog. People, they generally do that, that "Everyone has a guru. Let me collect. Let me pick up some guru who will be dancing dog." That kind of guru will not help you. You must be convinced that "Here is a guru where I can surrender." So then you can make praśna, or question. Then the question will be answered. Otherwise it is waste of time.

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Honolulu, May 23, 1976:

The nutshell of education is defined by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita that "Who is paṇḍita, learned?" So he does not say that one who has passed MA, PhD, DAC, no. He doesn't say that. He says, "Any person who has learned to see like this." What is that? Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu: "Everyone's wife should be considered..." Para-dāra. Para means others' wife. Mātṛvat, mother. Therefore the Vedic system is, when we address another woman, "Mother," no other address. "Mother, can I do this? Would you like this?" The address should be "Mother." Practice. This is practice, the brahmacārī's practice. He goes to every householder's wife: "Mother, give me some..." Just like this child. If he is taught from the very beginning of his life that "Address all women as mother..." That training and intermingling with anyone, then it is a different training. That is brahmacārī. So brahmacārī is taught that how he should behave in society, what is the aim of life. That is brahmacārī. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Honolulu, May 26, 1976:

That will be explained. He was brāhmaṇa. He was well trained as a brāhmaṇa, but one day while he was coming home with the ingredients of worshiping the Deity, he saw one śūdra embracing another śūdra girl, embracing, kissing, because they have no shame. No brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya will do that. It is not etiquette. But because a śūdra, now it is everywhere we can see, embracing, kissing, open to everyone. So young man, seeing this, how he can restrain, check his lusty desire? It is not possible. Kali-yuga is so fallen. If a young man sees another young man he's enjoying with another young girl, then naturally his lusty desires increases. So these things are forbidden therefore. Still in some places it is forbidden that you cannot... India this is strictly forbidden. There is no such thing in the public street a young man can embrace or kiss. No. That is not possible. Then it will be criminal. Neither a young boy can dare to speak with another young girl on the street. Still it is criminal. She'll begin immediately protest that is incivility.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Honolulu, May 26, 1976:

Civilization is how to cut down sex desire and ultimately become free, paramahaṁsa. That is civilization according to Vedic culture. Therefore the training from the very beginning, brahmacārī. Brahmacārī is instructed in such a way that he'll remain brahmacārī throughout the whole life. A brahmacārī is open to accept either a gṛhastha āśrama or vānaprastha āśrama or sannyāsa āśrama, but the guru advises, "Better remain all through brahmacārī. No botheration." So he's trained properly, but still if he has desire, then he's allowed to become a gṛhastha. That is also for a limited time. The whole plan is how to stop, because as soon as here, that Ajāmila, he was not properly married, he became the husband of a prostitute. But there are ten children, but he's entangled with the family, with children, and now he's engaged bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan bālakaṁ sneha-yantritaḥ, one after another. First of all sex desire, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8).

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

So that surrender means to accept his orders. The spiritual master trains the disciple in the way of goodness quality. So if you do not abide the orders of spiritual master, what is the use of your surrender? Surrender means ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam. Anukūla, favorable things, should be accepted. And you do not know. Therefore spiritual master will direct you, "This is favorable. This is unfavorable. Don't smoke—this is unfavorable." But if you don't accept the instruction, what is the meaning of surrender? Simply by offering obeisances, falling flat for the time being, that is not surrender.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

A quack is not a medical man, however he may show all red bottles, white bottles. There is a Bengali proverb, naj jal yac curi tini ei daktar.(?) One stethoscope, naj(?), and some bottles, jala, and talking all nonsense, he becomes a doctor. That means the quack doctor, not a... Qualified doctor, he knows what is what. So naj jal yac curi tini ei daktar(?). In Bengali they say. And mostly in villages they go on like that. But of course, they have got some experience. I know in Allahabad there was a doctor, Kabhir, a Dr. Kabhir. And because in my previous household life I was a chemist and druggist, I was supplying medicine, so he was my customer. So he had that... This Dr. Kabhir was a compounder. Later on he practiced. So he had very, very big prac... He was my biggest customer. He was purchasing medicine like anything. But he had experience. He learned from an experienced doctor. He cannot be called a bogus, because whatever he learned, he was... But generally, one who is not a bona fide doctor, he is called a quack. So anything, experience required, not that you have to go to the medical college. If you are trained under a bona fide doctor, then also you can get the quality of a doctor. Similarly, the whole thing is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One should go to the bona fide spiritual master to learn this transcendental science.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

Guest: There is a, just a quotation from Bengali poet that to be devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one should be fully trained without any... And it is often said that in this Kali-yuga, even if you do not know, or if you are not studied any books, but if you know only bhakti...

Prabhupāda: What is that? If you know bhakti... That's a very big task. If you know actually bhakti, then it is all good. But do you know what is bhakti? First thing is that.

Guest: Means worshiping God. By understanding this mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you do not know any scriptures, you do not know śrutis, mantras, anything, then has any effect at all?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, because this is a special advantage for the people in this age, that if he chants this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense, purely, then... There are three stages of chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In the beginning there are full of offenses. Then it is almost offenseless. And then, when it is pure, that is perfectional stage. So by chanting, if you practice chanting, even though in the beginning it is full of offenses, but if you continue chanting... Therefore we say that "You must chant so many times." So even there are offenses, by chanting, chanting, chanting, chanting, he will be purified. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). So therefore, in this age we must stick to this process of chanting. That will make us perfect. If not immediately, it will do, certainly.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Dallas, July 29, 1975:

If you do not accept anybody as guru, then don't put question before him to waste his time and your time. This is the process. First of all find out whom you like to accept as guru. Then put question. But sometimes we have to talk with persons who is not student: outsider. That is preaching work. But śāstra says that one should approach a guru, and with surrender he would ask him, and guru will talk with a person who is surrendered. Otherwise, there is no necessity of talk, because he will not accept. One who has come to challenge the guru, so he will simply waste time. He will not accept. But a disciple who has surrendered, he will accept. Therefore talking is recommended between guru and disciple, not outsider. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is essential. And guru trains the disciple according to the Vedic principle. Therefore there are division of varṇa and āśrama.

So these are very scientific things. The whole world is unaware of these scientific things, this animal civilization; and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to elevate to the standard of human being.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

These are qualifications of the most exalted person. In the society the brāhmaṇa is the topmost division of human society, not by caste or by birth but by qualification. These things are spoken about Ajāmila. These are ajāmila-upākhyāna, the history of Ajāmila. Ajāmila, although he was a very well trained brāhmaṇa boy at the beginning of his life, but later on, on account of bad association he became the most sinful man in the world. But at the end of his life he chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, not meaning Nārāyaṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but his youngest son's name was Nārāyaṇa. He called the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, calling his son. He did not know that he is chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, and still, he got salvation. That is the purport of this history, that the holy name of God, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma... There are many names of the Lord. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā. He has got thousands of names, and you can chant any one of them, either Kṛṣṇa or Rāma, Govinda, Nārāyaṇa, like that. So you get the result.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

This is the most exalted qualification, to become well-wisher of all living entities, not that we open hospitals for the human being and we send the cows to the slaughterhouse or poor animals should be slaughtered. That is not suhṛt sarva-bhūtānām. That is partiality and it has no meaning. If you become envious to other living entities and if you become friend of particular living entity, that is not good qualification. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ. Sarva-bhūtaḥ-suhṛt sādhu. He is sādhu. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. These are the qualification of a sādhu. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Everything is described in the Vedic literature, all description.

So this Ajāmila's past qualification is described in this, that he was well qualified brāhmaṇa, well trained, because these qualification became manifested in his life. Then his degradation began.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

So dṛṣṭvā tāṁ kāma-liptena bāhunā parirambhitām. Kāma-liptena, engaged in such lusty affairs, embracing one another by the arms, jagāma hṛc-chaya-vaśaṁ sahasaiva vimohitaḥ, all his education and training become bewildered, and he become attracted and stunned by the scene. Stambhayann ātmanātmānaṁ yāvat sattvaṁ yathā-śrutam.

stambhayann ātmanātmānaṁ

yāvat sattvaṁ yathā-śrutam

na śaśāka samādhātuṁ

mano madana-vepitam

(SB 6.1.62)

Madana-vepitam. Madana, this Cupid. When Cupid attacks somebody or one who... When one becomes, I mean to say, too much attracted by lust, all his education, all his culture, all his knowledge, becomes stunned. That is the... Therefore one has to avoid this society. Tyaja durjana-saṁsargam. The Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he advises us, tyaja durjana-saṁsargam: "Always avoid durjana-saṁsargam, association with durjana." Durjana means sense gratifying persons, those who are engaged only in sense gratification, durjana. And sujana means those who are engaged for spiritual enlightenment. They are called sujana. That is the instruction everywhere. Therefore, from the very beginning of life a boy is sent to gurukula for good association. Gurukula means... Still there are many gurukulas in India, a spiritual master training some boys in spiritual life. That has also become polluted. So many things... This is Kali-yuga. Therefore the only way of deliverance from this bewilderment is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa... He became attracted. Na śaśāka samādhātuṁ mano madana-vepitam. He is personally seeing the sex affairs.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

Prabhupāda: Therefore kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva. There is no other alternative. You have to take this purificatory process, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no other way. You cannot reform the society. That is not possible. You cannot train them in the Vedic way. Everything is lost now. Manda-bhāgyāḥ. They are all unfortunate, manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ, and disturbed by the social con... Yes.

Devotee (1): It says in the Bhagavad-gītā that when, if one performs devotional service, then his result is never lost. Then how was it possible for Ajāmila to lose all his devotional service to Viṣṇu by associating with a prostitute?

Prabhupāda: What is that question? I do not follow.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

He was trained... Viṣṇu worship is not always devotional service. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was presented by Rāmānanda Rāya about Viṣṇu worship, He said, "No, no. This is not the right description. You go further." You'll find in the... Yes. "You go further." Eho bāhya āge kaha āra. Because unless they understand what Viṣṇu..., simple official Viṣṇu worship will not help. One has to become real devotee. Anyābhilāṣitā... Generally goes to Viṣṇu for asking something, or any other demigod, they go. People are very much addicted to material enjoyment. Either he goes to śuddha-bhakti... This bhakti means śuddha-bhakti. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). That, that is transcendental platform. There are viddha-bhakti. Viddha-bhakti. So one who goes to worship Viṣṇu for some material bene... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja went. That was bhakti, but that was viddha-bhakti, adulterated. Dhruva Mahārāja went to gain his father's kingdom. That is arthārthī. Ārtaḥ arthārthī. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām. Four kinds of men goes to worship Viṣṇu: ārta, those who are distressed; arthārthī, those who are in need of money or material benefit; jijñāsu, those who are inquisitive; and jñānī—these four kinds. Out of these, jijñāsu and jñānī are better than the ārta and arthārthī, the distressed and need of money. So even the jñānī and jijñāsu, they are not on the pure devotional service because pure devotional service is beyond jñāna also. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Just like gopīs, they did not try to understand Kṛṣṇa by jñāna, whether Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 6.1.61 -- Vrndavana, August 28, 1975:

So this boy became victimized. Although he was under training, he was not completely fit. Therefore he fell victimized by seeing this affair, lusty affairs. So at that time might be one or two cases. Now the whole world is full with all of these lusty desires, especially in the Western country. Here also now it has come. No more they are following the Vedic principles. But it is not so deteriorated as in the Western countries, and so we should be very, very careful. Not only... Simply becoming careful will not. We must advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that is very easily done by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. If you keep yourself always engaged in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, then it will be... Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). This is hṛc-chaya-vaśam. The lusty desire is a disease of the heart. It is... Practically it has no value. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. They cleanse the heart with all dirty things. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. How? Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. This is confirmed in Bhāgavatam, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51) Simply by chanting, you can keep. If you follow the rules and regulation and chanting, then you will not be victimized. You'll make your progress without any fear.

Lecture on SB 6.1.63 -- Vrndavana, August 30, 1975:

So modern civilization means that increase the activities of sense gratification. And especially... Of course in India, still there are peaceful land. But in the Western countries, from five o'clock in the morning we see on the streets thousands and thousands of motorcars. They are going to work, thousands and thousands. And they will come at night. This has begun also in India. We see in big, big cities like Calcutta and Bombay, they are coming early in the morning from home, and going, night, going at home at night, ten o'clock, eleven o'clock, and then sleep for two or three hours and again go to work. So there is a story. Just like a little child, because when his father comes back, he is asleep, and when the father goes out of home, he is asleep. So one night he saw one man is lying there. So he is asking his mother, "Who is this man? Who is this man?" Actually this is the position, that we are working day and... Bombay and Calcutta we have seen that they are hanging on the, what is called, local trains, and there are sometimes accidents.

Lecture on SB 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975:

So in this way the material world is very, very entangled. And if we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we become free from this entanglement. All these criticisms or the divisions are there for grāmyaiḥ. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised, grāma-kathā nā śunibe, bhāla nā khāibe nā bhāla nā paribe. This is vairāgya—"Don't indulge in grāmya-kathā." Therefore we always advise, "Don't read newspaper. Don't read any other book," because it is full of grāmya-kathā, grāmyaiḥ. So to avoid it as far as possible. There is no need. What is the news of a grāmya-kathā newspaper? The same thing repeated. "Here there is flood, where there is train disaster, where there is accident, and political, and one politician is giving speech, another politician is giving speech." These are the grāmya things. So we should save ourself. Grāmyair manoramaiḥ. These externally very attractive news, we should avoid it completely. We shall simply talk of Kṛṣṇa. That is the safest method. We shall simply talk kṛṣṇa-kathā. And kṛṣṇa-kathā means what Kṛṣṇa has said. That is kṛṣṇa-kathā. Or what is spoken about Kṛṣṇa. So Bhagavad-gītā means kṛṣṇa-kathā, what Kṛṣṇa has said. And Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is also kṛṣṇa-kathā because everything said about Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.68 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1975:

This is the responsibility of human life. This human life is not meant for working day and night like the dogs and hogs for sense gratification. At the present moment it is going on all over the world. Simply for sense gratification, they are working so hard. From hundred miles they are going to the working place, hanging on the Delhi passenger train. Sometimes there is accident. These things are going on, very hard labor like the asses. So this is also another punishment. The more punishment is awaiting, Yama-daṇḍa, at the court of Yamarāja. Not only they are suffering here, but they will be taken to the Yamarāja. And there, according to his work, abominable work, he will be punished. Therefore the Yamadūtas said, tata enaṁ daṇḍa-pāṇeḥ sakāśaṁ kṛta-kilbiṣaṁ neṣyāmaḥ. "Now it is our duty." Just like police force, they are engaged to arrest the criminals and take him to the court or to the police officer for necessary action, so these Yamadūtas, they have given sufficient reason that "This man has committed sinful life; therefore he is punishable."

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975:

That is the position at the present moment, that people are not educated to distinguish or to become pious. They are not educated. They are being... Now, at the present moment, education means you learn technology and learn how to earn money, and then, after earning money, you spend it for sense gratification: eating meat, eating wine, going to the brothel, prostitute. This is modern civilization. So therefore it is the civilization of paśu, animal civilization, polished animal. It is not civilization. It is the duty of the guardian, father, guru, government or elderly relative. Everyone should be compassionate with the dependent. The father should be compassionate to the children, that "My children, they have come to me. They are now innocent. If I do not train them nicely..." What kind of training? Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. That is the duty of the father, of the guru, how to save the dependent from the clutches of death. This is the duty. The government also. Because death is sure. As soon as we get this material body, the death is sure.

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975:

So it is the duty of guru, it is the duty of father, it is the duty of the government, it is the duty of the elderly relative to educate everyone. This is human life, not that simply eating like dog and dancing like dog. This is not human civilization. So sa kathaṁ nyarpitātmānaṁ kṛta-maitram acetanam. If I think that "My spiritual master is here. He will save me," and if I do not train him how to save them, then what is the use of having such spiritual master? What is the use of having such father? And what is the use of such government? There is a Bengali poetry by a Bengali Vaiṣṇava: kaname janame sabe pitā mātā paya, kṛṣṇa guru nahi mile bhajaha e aya.(?) As soon as you take birth, there is father. Either you take birth as a snake or you take birth as a human being, without father and mother there is no question of birth. So father and mother you will get in every birth. But kṛṣṇa guru nahi mile bhajaha e aya(?): Kṛṣṇa and guru will not be available in every birth. That is very important thing. You cannot get Kṛṣṇa in the form of a snake or a cat and a dog, but you can get Kṛṣṇa in the form as a human being.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

Ajāmila in his previous life, although he became fallen in later age, but he was a brahmacārī. He was being trained by his father and he knew the pastimes, the form, the name of Nārāyaṇa. But by bad association for the time being, he forgot. But as soon as he chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa he remembered all these. Therefore he was saved. Try to understand this. One should know the offenseless chanting means remembering the form. Therefore Māyāvādī, those who are impersonalists, they cannot think of the form of the Lord, neither of the pastimes. They do not believe in the pastimes of the Lord. They think these pastimes means it is māyā. Kṛṣṇa's transcendental pastimes, they think it is māyā. Kṛṣṇa's form, it is māyā because they are impersonalists. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that janma karma me divyam. The rascals, they cannot understand what are the activities, pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. They think it is māyā. But they are divyam, transcendental, not of this material nature. Kṛṣṇa-līlā is not of material nature. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Anyone who knows factually, in truth, he only is immediately liberated. Just try to tally. Here it is said that Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, simply by chanting this holy name, if immediately you remember what is the nature of the form of Kṛṣṇa, what is the nature of His pastimes, what is the nature of entourage, then you immediately become liberated. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā.

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

Vṛndāvana, if you come from anywhere by the train and airplane and see Vṛndāvana, that is not seeing Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana seeing means

viṣaya chādiyā kabe śuddha ha'be mana

kabe hāma herabo śrī-vṛndāvana

When we shall be free from viṣaya... Viṣaya means āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam. So who can give up viṣaya unless he is a great devotee? Others cannot. Viṣaya, it is very difficult. But if one is advanced devotee—paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59)—they can give up. So if you come to Vṛndāvana and arrange for a viṣaya-bhoga-āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam—then Vṛndāvana is far away. Viṣaya chādiyā. The whole Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is on the basis of viṣaya chādiyā. And Śrī Locana dāsa Ṭhākura also sings, viṣaya chādiyā se rase majiyā, mukhe bolo hari hari. Viṣaya chādiyā. If... Of course, in the beginning it is not possible, but the ultimate goal of life is to give up viṣaya—no more āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. That is called viṣaya chādiyā. Just like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī did. He came here, lived in Vṛndāvana.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

So this movement is very important movement. It is not a fanaticism. It is based on science, philosophy and authority and Vedic principles. And all the students, they are following strictly the Vedic principles. They do not indulge in illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication up to drinking of coffee, tea and smoking. They have given up. This is Vedic principles. And they do not take part in gambling. They regular chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, sixteen rounds. In this way we are training. Not only we are training these young boys, but we are training their sons and children. We have got a very nice school in Dallas, Texas. From the very beginning they are being taught about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to rise early in the morning, how to take part in the maṅgala ārātrika, how to take prasādam. Then teaching, they are learning Sanskrit and English especially, a little geography, mathematics. We have started a school. So do not take this movement very insignificantly. Try to understand this movement with all your intelligence. As Caitanya-caritāmṛta author says, caitanyera dayāra kathā karaha vicāra. Vicāra. Just put your judgment. Try to understand with logic and try to understand with philosophy. Not as a fanatic. Vicāra. Vicāra karile citte pābe camatkāra. And if you rightly judge this movement, you will find it very sublime.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

So unless we train the children from the very beginning of life, just we send to school, they learn so many things, ABCD... Similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be taught from the very beginning. Otherwise, while he's grown up, either he'll be engaged in searching after boy or girl or in playing or in family matters, or so many problems, to solve, so many problems, political, social. They'll be all engaged. Then one day, (makes sound) khat!, the death will come. The cruel death will not wait. "Oh, my dear sir, now come on." "Oh, I have got so many duties." "No. Finished. Come on." I have seen practically. One of my friends at Allahabad, he died at the age of 54 years. He was very rich man, doing business. So he was seriously ill, and he was begging the doctor, "My dear doctor, can you not give me at least four years life more? I have got some scheme, I could not finish it." Just see. Everyone is thinking like that. He has got a scheme, but he has no scheme where he is going either to hell or heaven. That scheme he has forgotten. He's trying to make scheme so long this fifty years, hundred years. You see? This is going on. Parame brahmaṇi ko 'pi na lagnaḥ. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Don't misuse your, this boon of life, this human form of life. Just begin from the beginning."

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Just like there is affection, attraction. This gentleman, my friend, who was begging from the doctor, "Doctor, another four years duration of life." Why? He has got so much attachment. So once we are attached to this material way of life it is very difficult. It is very difficult. So brahmacārī is trained that this cosmic manifestation in which we are put by chance, this is temporary. Everything will be finished today or tomorrow or after a hundred years. But just try to understand that you are eternal. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Na jāyate na mriyate kadācit. You have no death, you have no birth. Your, the birth and death is due to this body. That's all. Just like I told you, death means sleeping for seven months, again rise up. Suptotthito nyāya. Just like in the morning, while sleeping, you forget everything, but as soon as you get up from the bed you remember everything, "Oh, I have to do this, I have to go there, I have to do this." So many things you remember. Similarly, as soon as we get our again consciousness in next body, then our another batch of duty begins according to the body.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

That is your perfection. (break) Kṛṣṇa does not say that you change your occupation. Just like Arjuna. He is a kṣatriya. His business is to fight. The division of human society, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra, is very scientific. A kṣatriya is meant for fighting. A brāhmaṇa is meant for intelligent work. A vaiśya is meant for business. A śūdra is meant for labor. But because there is no such division, people are not trained from the very beginning. Therefore a śūdra is called by the draftboard, "Come on," to fight. Now, how he can fight? He is not a kṣatriya. So they are flying away. They're taking visa for another country and going away. How he can fight? He is not kṣatriya. So Kṛṣṇa said Arjuna that, "You are kṣatriya." He did not say... Kṛṣṇa wanted, Arjuna wanted to become a false brāhmaṇa. He said, "Oh, I shall become nonviolent, and even though I don't get my kingdom I shall beg like a brāhmaṇa and shall live away. Kṛṣṇa, don't ask me to fight." This is false brahmanism. "Oh," Kṛṣṇa said, "you are kṣatriya. You must fight." It cannot imitate a brāhmaṇa's business.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

So one of the authorities, Prahlāda Mahārāja, we are speaking today about his instruction. And what is the history of Prahlāda Mahārāja? Prahlāda Mahārāja born in the family of a great atheist. His father was a great atheist, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu means enjoyment in soft bedding. So he was concerned with two things, money and next, sense enjoyment. So that was his business, and he wanted to train his boy in that way. But fortunately, this boy happened to be a great devotee by instruction of Nārada. So this boy, although born in the family of atheist—his father is great atheist—but because he was bestowed benediction by a great devotee, Nārada, he became a great devotee. Now he took the opportunity of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness where? In his school. In his school. He was five years old boy, and as soon as he would get opportunity he would spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness to his classfellows. That was his business. And so many times the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja called the teachers, "So, what education you are giving to my child? Why he is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? (laughter) Why you are spoiling my boy?" (laughter) You see? So don't think that I am spoiling these boys and girls by teaching them Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Hong Kong, April 18, 1972:

Vaiṣṇava philosophy means the Vaiṣṇava is ready to do anything for God's sake. That is Vaiṣṇava. It is approved by God, Kṛṣṇa, then they are ready to do anything. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not that by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement everything, our daily routine work will be stopped. No. I am very glad to see that these small children are being trained here in such a far distant place from India. I thank our Bhūrijana Prabhu for this work. But this is the aim for training them in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, brahmacārī. If one becomes very solid in Kṛṣṇa consciousness then his further progress of life. Just like I was quoting the instance of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja was a devotee from the very birth, but he was a great king, he was a great ruler. Dhruva Mahārāja, he was also a devotee from the very beginning of his life, but he was a great ruler, a great king. So do not misunderstand that by accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness everything will be stopped. No. Nothing will be stopped. Simply one has to change the consciousness. That's all.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

That is explained by Nārada, that yasya hi yal-lakṣanaṁ proktaṁ varṇabhivyañjakam. Just like in the court, there is no such race or caste as lawyers. Anyone who knows law, he is accepted a lawyer. Similarly, the quality of brāhmaṇa is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śamo dama titikṣa satyaṁ śaucam ārjavam, jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So you can train anyone. Just like you can train anyone as lawyer, you can train anyone as an engineer or medical practitioner, similarly, you can train anyone as brāhmaṇa. That is wanted. That is wanted. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is like that. We are trying to train some men as real brāhmaṇa because brāhmaṇa is the head, is the brain of the society. If the society has no brain, it is in chaotic condition. Brahma-jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. So some section of the people must know what is Brahman, what is God, and they should preach all over the world. That is the greatest necessity at the present moment. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to do that although we are captivating or attracting some younger section, especially in Western countries. But Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān (SB 7.6.1). Training should start immediately from the childhood.

So we are opening one Gurukula in Vṛndāvana to train brahmacārī. First of all brahmacārī. The society, the students should be brahmacārī. Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dānto guror hitam. Everything is there. Now we have to introduce these things. Otherwise the human society is already fallen, and it will fall down more and more, and it will be hellish condition, and so only hope is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So I request you all to take this movement very seriously and try to help us. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (applause) (break) Any question?

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

Some rascal comes, so he also says, "All right, go on. Enjoy. Simply meditate for fifteen minutes." But actually, this body is not meant for aggravating sense enjoyment. We require sense enjoyment because that is a demand of the body. If we want to keep body in healthy condition, then the demands of the body—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending—must be provided. But it should not be aggravated. Therefore in the human form of life, tapasya. Tapasya means austerity, penance, vows. These are the teachings of all scriptures. Either you take Hindu scripture or Christian scripture or Muhammadan scripture, in every scripture human form of life is meant for training. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Lord Ṛṣabha, He instructed His boys. He had one hundred children, boys. So He instructed them, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye: (SB 5.5.1) "My dear boys, this form, human form of life, although it is a body, but this body is in human society." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Nṛloke means Nṛ means man. "So when the body is obtained in the human society, not in the dog society, not in the cat society, that body is not meant for simply working very hard and ultimate sense gratification." That's all.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

So this sort of civilization is condemned. The real civilization is that one has to control. Control. What is the difference between a man and an animal? Now, suppose there is very nice foodstuff. In your country it is not seen. In our India, the foodstuff, I mean to say, confectioners, they very nicely decorate in the street for selling. So one cow is... Here, of course, in the street, cow is also not visible. In India, in the street, there are many cows. They are allowed to move free. And sometimes the foodstuff is there, and the cow immediately grabs the foodstuff and eats half of it. You see? (laughter) Now, there are human beings also. Suppose a man is here. He is poor man, he is hungry, and he wants to eat that foodstuff. But because he is human being, he has got the control. He is not like, I mean to say, cow, that immediately takes up the foodstuff. Even if he is poor, he can beg, "My dear sir, can you spare little foodstuff?" But he'll not... This is human, humanity. Suppose if there is a beautiful girl and one man is attracted, still, he will feel shame to capture that girl. Of course, here I see the boys and girls, they are kissing in the street, and in India it is very uncivil. No boy, no girls will do that because it is a training. It is a training. So by training, one can restrain the senses. And the more you restrain your senses, the more you become slackened for these material shackles.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

By serving Kṛṣṇa you will also satisfy your senses. Kṛṣṇa's name is Govinda. Go means senses, and vinda means one who gives pleasure to the senses. Do you mean to say that here the boys who are giving service to the, I mean to say, Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, they are not enjoying? Without enjoying can they serve free? They are giving service free. Whenever you go to render some service you immediately demand some money. But here in this temple, so many young boys, they are giving service free. Not only that: whatever they are earning they are also paying Kṛṣṇa. So do you think unless they get some enjoyment they are doing it foolishly? Sense enjoyment must be there, but that is spiritual sense enjoyment, purified sense enjoyment. We are training people in that way, that we don't stop your sense enjoyment. But enjoy it in its purified stage. Because sense enjoyment cannot be stopped. You are living entity, living being, the senses are there. But we do not know the way of sense enjoyment. That is to be learned by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Well, that depends on your particular position, you see. Sometimes a Kṛṣṇa conscious persons dreams very seriously. Sometimes communication is there by dreams. Yes?

Guest (2): Normal sleep for a man would be about eight hours. So is it possible to train the body through the use of yoga to decrease the sleep period down to about three hours or two hours?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yes. Rūpa Gosvāmī, he used to sleep only for one and a half hours.

Guest (2): How long could the body hold up, how many years could the body...

Prabhupāda: Well, there is no guarantee of holding up your body even if you have no sleep or have sleep. The material condition is so cruel that body can be finished at any moment. So that is no consideration. The consideration is how to advance in the spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you make, I mean to say, considerable advance, then the eating and sleeping and sex demand or defense, these things will be negligible. Negligible. These things are depending on our practice. Because actually, I don't depend on sleeping or eating or mating or defending. It is simply due to my bodily consciousness these things are required. But when one is actually spiritually advanced, he has no such appreciation. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified, but he never protested because he had no bodily consciousness at all.

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:

Now, just like people protest because we are giving the position of a brāhmaṇa to the mlecchas, yavana. Yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ. Khasādayaḥ means Mongolians, the Chinese, Japanese and the Philippines. So they are khasādaya. The Manipuris, Assamese, they are considered as khasādaya. So there is no distinction. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given open declaration: kṛṣṇa-bhajanete nāhi jāti kulādi vicāra. Anyone who is desirous of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, it is open. Anyone can come. By proper training by the expert spiritual master everyone can be raised to the brahminical platform and then Vaiṣṇava platform. śudhyanti. So how śudhyanti? Śudhyanti. So how śudhyanti? The general process is that unless one is born in brāhmaṇa family, he is not śuddha; he is impure by birth. That is fact. But the devotee can change. This is new birth, undoubtedly. Just like these, our European, American students. They are new birth. They have given up their old birth practices. So birth is changed. Punar janma. So that is possible only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one has to change his body without changing body... The body is changed, but we see that the same body..., but it is not the same body. It is cin-maya. The same example, that the iron rod put into the fire, it becomes red hot, so it is no longer iron; it is fire. Similarly, if we constantly keep ourself in touch with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the body is no longer material; it is spiritual. Therefore a spiritual body is not burned. They are kept, samādhi. Just like in Western countries they give samādhi to any, everyone, tomb, entombing. In India the tomb is offered to a very advanced spiritually person. You'll find many tombs in Vṛndāvana because their body is spiritual. No, no... This is the idea.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- Vrndavana, December 10, 1975:

So on the whole this age is very, very difficult to live peacefully. It is not possible. It is, material life is always full of difficulties, especially in this age, so people should be given instruction and training how to give up this materialistic way of life. The pramattaḥ word is used in Ṛṣabhadeva's instruction also: nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Pramattaḥ: everyone is madman. That's a fact. Some years ago one man was condemned to death, and he pleaded that "While I committed this murder I was mad." So he was examined. He was to be examined by the civil servant, and the civil servant, when he came to the court, he said, "My lord, so far my experience goes, everyone is mad. So why do you ask me to examine this man? If to become madman and be excused for being hanged, then you can do so, but my opinion is everyone is mad, more or less." So this statement is also confirmed by the Bhāgavatam and all the śāstras.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- Vrndavana, December 10, 1975:

Therefore the training is, according to śāstra and the instruction of the spiritual master, that (indistinct): rise early in the morning. Just like a man... Not one man, there are thousands and millions of men at the present moment, because he has got attachment for the family he rises at four o'clock and prepares himself to catch the train at six o'clock to reach Calcutta, Bombay at ten o'clock and attend the office. So from four o'clock to ten o'clock, he has taken so much changing. I have seen in New York also, they are coming in from the other island and waiting for the bus, waiting for the ferry steamer, and so many hours wasted to reach the office. And he works in the office for four or five hours, then again he takes this trouble of going so many miles away. Why he is taking so much trouble? Family attachment. Family attachment. So the people are... Not that he has no attachment. He has got attachment, but this attachment, the same four o' clock, rising early in the morning, for Kṛṣṇa's maṅgala-ārati. This is diversion, a better. But he'll not agree. When he has got to go to office for earning his livelihood, he will automatically rise up and go to the office, because the attachment is strong. But in the temple, the rule is that you must get up before four and prepare yourself, and we have to ring the bells three hundred times, and still you are sleeping. Just see.

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

So in the beginning of life to train the children as brahmacārīs is essential. The fact is that one may not be attached to sex life. Sex life only allowed to beget children. That's all.

putrāyate kriyate bhāryā

putra-pinda prayojanam

pun-nāma trāyate iti

putra...

These are the Vedic injunction. Bhāryā, wife is accepted, putrāyate, only for having good children. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi: "Lusty sex life is, when it is not against the religious principle, that sex life I am," Kṛṣṇa says. Dharmāviruddho. So dharmāviruddho, or which is not against religious principles. In this way you will find, according to Vedic system, the sex life is practically denied. But because we are now in the conditioned state, it is very difficult to completely deny sex life, there is regulative principle. First of all, training, no sex life. If you can remain without sex life, brahmacārī, it is very good. But if you cannot, then get yourself married, live with wife, but have sex only for progeny, not for sense enjoyment. Therefore even one is married, if he's sticking to one wife and the wife is sticking to one man, that is real married life, then the husband is also called brahmacārī. Even though he's a gṛhastha. And the wife is called chaste.

Lecture on SB 7.6.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 28, 1976:

So he told me that his spiritual master, yogi, he inquired from his disciple, "What do you want to eat?" So he said that "We want to eat some pomegranate from Kabul." So he said, "Yes, you can get it. Go into the room and you'll find." So they found a bunch of pomegranate just fresh taken from the tree. This is called prāpti. The yogis, they can get all these facilities. Prāpti siddhi. Īśitā, they can keep anyone under his control. Īśitā, vaśitā... There are eight kinds of aṣṭa-siddhi. But that is not perfection of life. Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaja says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmi-sakali "aśānta" kṛṣṇa-bhakta-niṣkāma, ataeva "śānta" (CC Madhya 19.149). Bhukti means karmis, they are also wanting something, material success. Mukti, the jñānīs, they want liberation, to merge into the existence of Brahman. And siddhi, the yogis... So everyone wants something. Therefore they then you have to struggle for it. But kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta does not want anything. They simply want to be en-gaged in the service of the Lord. That is their satisfaction. That is the aim of life. Unfortunately we are not educated, we are not given training. Prahlāda Mahārāja's subject matter is kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). From the very beginning of life, the children should be educated in bhāgavata-dharma. That is the subject matter.

Lecture on SB 7.7.25-28 -- San Francisco, March 13, 1967:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Just change this kindly. Don't become any more servant of..." Servant of dog means servant of your senses. That's all. We are here all servant of senses. That's all. A swami means master of the senses. "Oh, sense wants? Oh, my tongue wants immediately to smoke? There is some sensation. Oh, I must say, 'No. There is no smoking. Stop.' " Then you are master. And if you have become servant, "Oh, I want. Will you kindly give me a cigarette?" Because I am servant of cigarette. So you have to train yourself to become swami, master of your senses. Then everything is all right. Don't be servant of your senses. Servant you are. Just change your servitorship. Instead of becoming servant of senses, just become the servant of the master of the senses. The master of senses is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is called Hṛṣīkeśa. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness means hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Devotional service means to serve the master of the senses with your purified senses. That's all. You haven't got to stop your sensual activities, but now you are serving the senses by the dictation of the senses. Now, while you will serve the master of the senses, then your perfection will come.

Lecture on SB 7.7.32-35 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1967, (incomplete lecture):

So as soon as one is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not see anyone bad. Everyone he sees, he is sādhu. Sādhu means saintly. So that, his vision, completely changes. He does not see any enemy. There are three stages of development in spiritual life, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The first stage is when he's under the training. That is called neophyte stage. That, in that stage, he offers his respect to the Deity.

arcāyāṁ eva haraye

śraddhayā yaḥ iṣṭān pūjān

kriyate na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu

sa bhaktaḥ prakṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ

(SB 11.2.47)

In the beginning stage, he offers respect to the Deity in the church or in the temple or in the mosque, according to different religious conceptions, but he has no idea who is actually devotee, and what is his duty towards others. He does not know. This is the first stage. But he has got good faith in religion and in God. That is the beginning.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

So to come to this platform of confidence or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is training. That training is called viddhi-mārga, regulative principles, following the regulative principles. So this whole varṇāśrama system, Vedic system, the different caste—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, a brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa—they are very scientifically designed to elevate one gradually to the standard of "no fear," "fearfulnessless," no more fear, confident. So vipra means just the previous stage of becoming completely a brāhmaṇa. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ: "By birth everyone is born a śūdra." Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ: "When he goes to the spiritual master and the spiritual master initiates him, at that time his second birth is there, dvija." Dvija. The birds are called also dvija because they get twice birth. Once they come as egg, the form of birth in the egg, and then, when they come out from the egg and the shell, break the shell and come out, that is real life. Similarly, we are in the egg, within the shell of ignorance. So when we come out from the shell of ignorance, that is our second birth. The first birth is by father and mother, and the second birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. There is also mother. The Vedic knowledge is mother, and the spiritual master is the father. So saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. The spiritual master trains the student gradually. That is called initiation. That is called dvija. Janmana jāyate śūdraḥ: "By birth by the father and mother, everyone is śūdra." It doesn't matter where he takes his birth, not that only India they are brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Everywhere. Cātur-varṇyam mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that these four system of social division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—they are all over the universe, not that... Don't think that it is in India. Everywhere.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

The theory of the Māyāvādī, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā... Jagat, this material world, they say it is false. We don't say it is false. It is temporary. That is the real termination, or terminology, that it is not false. So because it is temporary, so we have to make the best use of this temporary body. Don't take it as false. Just like a train... You have no experience in your country. In India we have got experience. When there is a little more stoppage of a mail train... The people of India, they are accustomed to take bath daily. So immediately they take some advantage, and they begin to take bath. And there are so many water taps in the station, and every tap is engaged. So to make the best use. Because they think that "We have got a half an hour at our disposal, so let us finish it properly." So once taken bath, then the whole day's journey is pleasant. Similarly, this body is not false. Not only this body, everything material. We don't take it is false. We take it as temporary. And temporary, how it should be utilized for our best purpose? Just like the mail passengers in the train, they are using the half an hour time for taking bath, utilize. Similarly, although this body is temporary, we can utilize it for the best purpose. What is that best purpose? Realization of Kṛṣṇa. If we can utilize this temporary body for utilization, for understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be fixed up in that Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the best use of the bad bargain.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

That is the instruction in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt 'na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. Your duty is to give protection to children, father, mother. That's very good. But real protection is that "My children, this boy, this girl, has come in my belly. Now this is the last. I shall train them in such a way that next birth, he'll not have a material body." How it is? Yes, it is possible. How? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). One can give up this material body... Everyone has to give it up. There is no doubt. But one is giving up this body and accepting another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). But there is another method, that he's not going to accept any more material body. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: (BG 4.9) "After giving up this body, he's not going to accept another material body." Who? Janma karma ca divyaṁ ye jānāti tattvataḥ: "Anyone who has understood Kṛṣṇa as He is." This is the secret, to teach your children like that, that what is Kṛṣṇa. From the beginning, you can do that. The children are under your control.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

He goes back to home, back to Godhead. That is real father and mother. Therefore it is said, balasya neha śaraṇaṁ nṛsiṁha pitarau. If the father, mother do not know how to give protection to the children, then what is the use of taking shelter? Huh? In Prema-vivarta it is said, janame janame sabe pitā mātā pāya, kṛṣṇa guru nahe mile bhaja hari ei. Every... Cats and dogs, they also get father and mother. Without father, mother, who can take birth? So to become the father, mother, like cats and dogs, that is not human civilization. The father, mother's duty is to train the children in such a way that they will be interested in Kṛṣṇa and guru. That is father, mother. Because, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpayā pāya bhakti-lātā-bīja

(CC Madhya 19.151)

So it is the duty of the father and mother to train children in such a way that they will be interested in guru and Kṛṣṇa. Why? By the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa, he'll get bhakti-lātā-bīja. And that is real life. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is real religious system, which teaches the follower how to become a devotee. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. Ahaituky apratihatā yenātmā suprasīdati. If you want to make him happy, then you must teach in such a way that he becomes a devotee of the Lord. Then, throughout the whole life, he'll be peaceful and happy. This is required.

Lecture on SB 7.9.23 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1976:

For some temporary enjoyment, there is so many risk. The enjoyment... The highest enjoyment in the material world is sex. So for some temporary happiness we may enjoy sex, but there are many, what is called, after results. That is not very happy. Yan-maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). After result is very bad. Either illicit sex or legal sex, the after result is not good. There are so many aftereffects. Even if you live... Of course, that is the Vedic training, that dharmāviruddha-kāmaḥ, sex life not against Vedic injunction. Vedic injunction is that "Do not waste your semina unnecessarily. Only you have sex life for begetting nice children, good population," that much order. So even it is done according to the Vedic principle, still, there are so many sufferings—you have to take care of the children; you have to educate them; you have to see that they are well raised. So many. So that is also botheration. But if you can remain brahmacārī, oh, you avoid this botheration.

Lecture on SB 7.9.40 -- Mayapur, March 18, 1976:

So one is losing the life for strong tongue dictation, one is losing life for ear, and the elephant is captured by sex. You cannot capture elephant; it is very strong animal. But there is trained she-elephant. She allures the male elephant, and for sex the male elephant follows, and tactfully the elephant is put into a hole. He falls down. Then he is captured. Then for life he becomes a slave. Such a big animal, so strong, but by the trick of human being he becomes slave. So similarly, there is analysis. The one particular animal is strongly under the influence of a particular sense, but so far we human being, we are such a big animal that we are servant of all the senses. All the senses. An animal is servant of one sense, but the rational animal, because they are rational, rascal, rational... What is rationality? They cannot see even that "The animal is servant of one sense, and because I am rational animal, I have become servant of all the senses. I am utilizing my rationality in that way."

Lecture on SB 7.9.46 -- Vrndavana, April 1, 1976:

The life is meant for tattva-jijñāsā. The dharma-artha-kāma mokṣa... (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). The dharma means to become religious. Why religious? Yes, we require the necessities of life in a regulative principle, dharma-artha-kāma, and to satisfy... We have got senses to... We have to satisfy. Otherwise we shall become unhealthy. Just like sex life. Sex life is required also for healthy condition—for ajitendriyāṇām. But one who is jitendriya, one who has conquered over the sensual activities, for them it is not required. Therefore it is recommended to, I mean to say, train the children to become brahmacārī. Brahmacārī. That means to control the senses. Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dāntaḥ. Dānta means controlling the senses. That is gurukula, how to teach the students to become controlling over their sense. And if he is perfect, then he doesn't require to accept gṛhastha āśrama. He can accept immediately sannyāsa āśrama. But if he is unable to do that, the brahmacārī, the guru orders him, "All right, you take a good wife and be satisfied and have family life up to fifty years. Then you give it up." Not that it is essential; one has to marry. This is a concession for sex life, that's all.

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

So the first training, how to create a brahmacārī... This is human civilization. Unless one comes to the platform of varṇāśrama-dharma... This Hindu dharma, this is not the proper word. Hindu, this word, is not found in the Vedic literature. It is a foreign word, from Sindu to Hindu. It is the word given by the Muslims. The other side of the Sindu, the Muslim countries begin. So the Muslim used to call this part, the other side of the river Sindu, "Hindu." So our real, this Bhāratavarṣa, real dharma, is varṇāśrama-dharma. Here it is not said, "Hindu dharma." Brahmacārī. Four āśramas-brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So the beginning of life is brahmacārī, how to remain a celibate. It is very scientific. People have neglected this culture and they are suffering. It is so essen... Because they do not know what is the aim of life, so in the Bhagavad-gītā all these people have been described as mūḍha, rascals. They do not know what is the aim of life.

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

This is aim of life. One has to become mahātmā, greater soul, great soul, must understand. So therefore there must be training. Without training, how... Because after all, we are coming from the lower grade of life, animal life, and they are very expert scientist that "Man is coming from monkey." That's all right, but shall you remain a monkey or you shall become a better person than the monkey? But they have preferred to remain as monkey. That's all. When there is impotency, they borrow glands from the monkey for increasing their sex appetite. That means again going to the monkey. Punar mūṣiko bhava. There is a story that a mouse approached a saintly person. "Sir, I have come to you for some favor." "What is that?" "Now, I am mouse. The cats gives me much trouble. I cannot live peacefully on account of the cats." So the saintly person asked, "What do you want to become?" "I want to become a cat." "All right, you become a cat." Then after some time he again came: "Sir, I am still bothered." "Why?" "The dogs, they bother me."

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

So these rules and regulation, as it is prescribed, guru, arka, agni, and then Bhagavān... You cannot jump over directly to Bhagavān. Then you will never be able to be successful. You have to go through guru, agni, śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. This is the way. Then ubhe sandhye ca yata-vāk. You should not talk nonsense. Mahāprabhu has very strictly forbidden, grāmya kathā nā karibe. We talk. That has become our training. As soon as we assemble, a few persons, immediately we talk all nonsense-politics, this politician, that politician, this is that, this is that—and waste our time. You talk something substantial. You talk about the śāstra. Talk about the aim of life, the problem of life. But they are described in the śāstra as the croaking of the toads, "Kakaka kakaka kakaka." Don't talk nonsense. Simply be engaged in talking about Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Our talking should be engaged about vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇana. Vaikuṇṭha means the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, about Him. We can talk so many things about Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we require to read books. Bhāgavatam means it is full of topics of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. That is Bhāgavatam. And Bhagavad-gītā is full of instruction given by Kṛṣṇa. Why don't you talk about that? Caitanya-caritāmṛta... We have got so many books. This should be our principle; we should not talk any nonsense. That is called yata-vāk. Yata-vāk means gontrolling the talking power. Yata-vāk. Samāhitaḥ, very sober. Try to become sober, don't talk nonsense, and abide by the orders of guru and śāstra. In this way training begins. It does not mean that you have to learn very big grammatical rules and... No. That you shall see later on. First of all build up character. Then it will be helpful to make further progress in spiritual life.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 7.12.3 -- Bombay, April 14, 1976:

This is the training. The brahmacārī should rise early in the morning and worship guru, agni, fire, sūrya, and in the morning there should be class, and on the order of the guru, they should assemble and begin reading Vedic literature, chandāṁsi.

So for reading Vedic literatures it does not require any erudite scholarship. Simply one has to hear. Therefore the another name of Vedic literature is called śruti. Śruti smṛti purāṇādi (Brs. 1.2.101). This class means that everyone has to learn Sanskrit? No, that is not necessary. You may be a very good scholar or not, but Kṛṣṇa has given you the facility of seeing and hearing. You have got eyes; you have got ear. So in the gurukula the students, they first of all attend the maṅgala-ārati, guru-vandana, hearing. Then hear this Vedic literature. Here is Vedic literature, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā. They are all Vedic literature. The Mahābhārata is Pañcama-veda. The four Vedas are there, Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva. And Mahābhārata is Pañcama-veda, the fifth Veda. Stri-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Woman and śūdra and dvija-bandhu, they cannot understand Vedic language. It is difficult.

Lecture on SB 7.12.3 -- Bombay, April 14, 1976:

This is essential. To make the human life real civilized, the children should be sent to the gurukula. But there is no gurukula at the present moment. So we are starting. We have got some gurukula in the United States, Texas. We are starting another gurukula in Vṛndāvana, and we can start another gurukula here in Bombay to train the students. I wanted to start this gurukula long, long, ago before going to the USA, in 1960, say '62, '61, but I approached so many gentlemen friends; they never agreed to give their sons to gurukula. They never agreed. Everyone said, "Swamijī, what benefit there will be by training our students in the gurukula way? They have to earn their bread."

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

So anyone who is born of father and mother, he is accepted as śūdra. And Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth, everyone is born a śūdra, the lower class. And saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. And if that man, the boy, or the child, is reformed by education gradually, then he is, saṁskārad bhaved dvijaḥ, his second birth is there. So amongst the higher class, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, especially amongst the brāhmaṇas and kṣatriya, the boys were trained very nicely. Very nicely. So by reformation, when the boy is, I mean to say, mature, at the age of twelve years or thirteen years, he goes automatically to a spiritual master. He automatically goes to a spiritual master for becoming initiated. Just like sometimes some students come to me also: "Swamiji, get me..." That is the process. When one understands the importance of spiritual life, that is reformation. So automatically he offers to a learned person to accept him as his disciple. That point is, acceptance of a disciple, is the second birth. He is called dvija. Dvi means second, and ja means janma, or life. So saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Dvija, second life, means reformation and acceptance of spiritual master. Then education, spiritual education, begins. And what is that spiritual education? The Vedic literature, just like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedānta. There are many. Especially Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Page Title:	Training (Lectures, SB)
Compiler:	Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:	03 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=155, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:	155