If there is some political meeting giving only bluff, lots of bluffs only, and people gather there by thousands and millions to hear the bluff... Because... My Guru Mahārāja therefore used to say that this present human society is a society of the cheaters and the cheated. Somebody is being cheated and somebody is cheater, a combination of two things, cheater and the cheated, because they do not know the real interest of life. And anyone who will speak all nonsense and bluff, he will be very much adored. This is going on.
Two things (Other lectures)
Expressions researched:
"two thing"
|"two things"
Notes from the compiler:
quotes start with Nectar of Devotion lectures
Lectures
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Somebody is being cheated and somebody is cheater, a combination of two things, cheater and the cheated, because they do not know the real interest of life.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973: So by the tongue we can do two things. We can taste foodstuff and we can vibrate sound.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972: You cannot see God, you cannot see Kṛṣṇa by your, these blunt senses, but if you purify your senses, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. That purification begins from tongue. That purification, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. So by the tongue we can do two things. We can taste foodstuff and we can vibrate sound. So if you engage your tongue for vibrating this transcendental sound, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare/Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, and do not take anything except prasādam of Kṛṣṇa, then your spiritual life immediately begins. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau, svayam eva... Then gradually, as you advance in spiritual life, Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself to you, "Here I am."
You can eternally remain, but you have got other two things to fulfill: that cit and ānanda.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973: Those who have no information of the other spiritual planets, Vaikuṇṭha or Goloka Vṛndāvana, they think to become one with the spiritual sparks, that is ultimate. For them, this is the place, sāyujya-mukti. But this sāyujya-mukti, you cannot stay here. Either by further progress you have to go to the spiritual planets, otherwise you'll fall down. Just like the same example. Suppose you have got some aeroplane and you go very high in the sunshine. So what is the benefit? If you do not get shelter in the moon planet or in another planet, then you have to come back again. Similarly, sāyujya-mukti means you become one of the spiritual sparks, but, because you're part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, you are sat-cid-ānanda, sat, cit... There are..., you have got three things within you. This mukti, sāyujya-mukti, is the sat only, eternity. You can eternally remain, but you have got other two things to fulfill: that cit and ānanda.
Sinful activities are performed due to ignorance. Therefore knowledge is essential. These two things are essential in human life: knowledge and renunciation. Renunciation means sinful activities.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972: From this indragopa, the microscopic insect which is called indragopa insect, from this indragopa insect, to the real Indra, the King of Heaven, everyone is suffering or enjoying—actually it is suffering—the resultant action of his karma. It doesn't matter what kind of body a living entity has got, but the body itself is the symptom, is the sign that one is sinful. This is the conclusion of the śāstra. Because as soon as one is free from sinful activities, at that time, he goes back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). So our, this material body is achieved due to sinful activities. And sinful activities are performed due to ignorance. Therefore knowledge is essential. Jñāna-vairāgya. These two things are essential in human life: knowledge and renunciation. Renunciation means sinful activities.
If one is trying to make progress in spiritual life just to go on the other side of this ocean of material existence, then two things he should avoid: a person who is attached to money and a person attached to too much sense enjoyment.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973: He recited this, that if one is trying to make progress in spiritual life just to go on the other side of this bhava, bhava-sāgara, the ocean of material existence, then two things he should avoid: viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca, a person who is attached to money and a person attached to too much sense enjoyment. One should not associate with such persons. Viṣa bhakṣaṇad api asādhavaḥ.
When you are fully satisfied that "I possess Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is within my heart," then you can give up all this nonsense, kick out: "I don't want." Otherwise not possible. So the two things: Those who have become ni..., what is this liberation for them? Nothing.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973: You must take to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Then when you are fully satisfied that "I possess Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is within my heart," then you can give up all this nonsense, kick out: "I don't want." Otherwise not possible. So the two things: Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajano..., param paro jīveṣa (?). Those who have become ni..., what is this liberation for them? Nothing. The four things, dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa. So when one takes to this shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, that is the highest dharma, topmost. That is the topmost yoga. So why he should hanker after dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90)? It is so nice thing. That is the statement of Uddhava. One who has become pure devotee... One who has possessed... Svāntaḥ-sthita gadābhṛtā. He has become purified. But don't imitate. Actually see whether you are always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Then it is all right.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Two things are there: one thing, to possess something which we do not have; and we want to protect what we have got.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975: So if we want peace, then we should understand that "Here is my friend, the supreme friend." Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. "He is guiding me. So why I am praying to Him for some benefit? He knows my necessities. He will supply if it is required. Why shall I bother Him with prayers granting something, 'Please give me this, give me this'?" There is no necessity. God is omniscient. He knows. And He says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I know the necessities of My devotee, and I supply them." Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). Two things are there: one thing, to possess something which we do not have; and we want to protect what we have got. So Kṛṣṇa says, "Both the things... I give protection of My devotee, whatever he has got, and I supply him whatever he hasn't got." Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). He is supplying everyone, but especially to the devotees. That is his special job.
Actually these two things are ignorance: what is the beginning of life and what are these planetary systems.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.102 -- Baltimore, July 7, 1976: We are seeing every night so many planets. We are making tiny attempt to go to moon planet or some other planet, but there are, we see there are so many millions and trillions of planet. What about their situation? We have made our calculation from here that they are simply decoration; there is no life. No, there is life. There is life, but we do not know it. So yesterday our scientist, Svarūpa Dāmodara, Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara, was speaking that in the history of human society, actually these two things are ignorance: what is the beginning of life and what are these planetary systems.
Unless we are free from this nescience of material existence, there is no question of Kṛṣṇa prema. Two things cannot go. If you actually advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then naturally you'll be averse to this material enjoyment.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.105 -- New York, July 11, 1976: Just like in India formerly they... Very small, minor-aged boy and girl are married, especially the girl, ten, twelve years, married. So how she can love her husband? She does not know. But there is vidhi-mārga. Vidhi-mārga, the elderly people of the—"Now, just to give your husband this refreshment." So she gives. In this way, gradually, when she's grown-up, she does not require any instruction; she knows how to serve her husband. That is prema. That is the bha... But the beginning must be regulative principle. Prema, vidhi prema. Prema-bhakti yāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa yāte. Prema-bhakti, avidyā... Unless we are free from this nescience of material existence, there is no question of Kṛṣṇa prema. Two things cannot go. Viraktir anyatra syāt. If you actually advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then naturally you'll be averse to this material enjoyment. Viraktir... Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Just like if you are eating, naturally you are satisfying your appetite. So kṛṣṇa-bhakti means we are satisfying automatically all our desires. That is Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. The more we advance in Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, you'll have no more material desires.
"One can become Kṛṣṇa conscious by the mercy of saintly devotees and by the mercy of the scriptures." These two things are recommended.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966: Now how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious? A person who is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has no problem. Now how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious? Lord Caitanya says, sādhu-śāstra-kṛpā: "One can become Kṛṣṇa conscious by the mercy of saintly devotees and by the mercy of the scriptures." These two things are recommended. Not that fools, as they are thinking, "I can..., I can think myself. I don't agree with the śāstra. I don't agree with the spiritual master. I don't agree with scriptures. I have got my independent opinion." He is fool number one, rascal number one. One who says like that, you'll at once take him that he's fool, rascal, anything. You have to take shelter of sādhu, guru and śāstra. Sādhu means saintly persons, those who have got all those qualities.
Tongue should be engaged in glorifying. That is one business. And tongue should be engaged for eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda. These two things, chanting and eating.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-142 -- New York, November 29, 1966: So hearing and practicing. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). Kirtana, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ jihvādau. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. The tongue especially meant, tongue. Tongue should be engaged, jihvā. How? Tongue should be engaged in glorifying. That is one business. And tongue should be engaged for eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda. These two things, chanting and eating. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. As soon as you submissively engage your tongue... Just see the technique: no other body, no other part. Tongue has been especially mentioned. And what is the business of tongue? I am speaking with the help of tongue. If there was no tongue, I could not talk with you. And another, I taste. So engage your tasting capacity of the tongue in kṛṣṇa-prasāda and engage your tongue in talking of Kṛṣṇa. Then this is the process. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ.
When Vyāsadeva, he was just attempting to write Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by bhakti-yoga, he saw two things: He saw the Supreme Personality and the material energy, just far away from Him.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.281-293 -- New York, December 18, 1966: Although this Viṣṇu is the shelter, shelter of the material energy, still, He has nothing to do with this material energy. He is free from the contamination of material energy. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a verse: apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca yad apāśrayam. When Vyāsadeva, he was just attempting to write Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by bhakti-yoga, he saw two things: apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. He saw the Supreme Personality and the material energy, apāśrayam, just far away from Him. Because this māyā's task is very thankless task. Māyā's task is very thankless task because she is in charge of these conditioned souls, and her business is to give all the conditioned souls always miseries. Trisura. You have seen in the hand... You might not have seen, but there is a picture of Durgā, she has got three, trisura. Trisura means three kinds of miseries. So the māyā, this material nature, is inflicting upon the conditioned soul always three kinds of miseries so that they can come to their consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like the football players—the football is under the kicking method of two parties—similarly, we are under the kicking method of two things, lust and anger.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.11-15 -- New York, January 9, 1967: In this way we are being kicked up. The freedom of football. The football is kicked from this party and thrown to the other party. The other party kicks and it comes. The football thinks... If the football thinks that "I am in freedom movement," so what is that freedom? Kicked from this party to that party and that... So here the same thing is said, kāma-krodhera dāsa hañā tāra lāthi khāya. Just like the football players—the football is under the kicking method of two parties—similarly, we are under the kicking method of two things, lust and anger. We are lusty, and when our lust is not fulfilled, then we become kicked by anger. Two things. Just like the football is kicked by this party and that party, similarly, our position is we are being kicked sometimes by lust and sometimes by anger. So we are going on leading our life in this way.
We have got two things here in the conditioned life. We desire something, and if the desire is not fulfilled, then we become angry.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.14-20 -- New York, January 10, 1967: So we, the conditioned soul, is just like being kicked up by the material energy from this way to that way. That is our position. And the kicking is by lust and anger. Icchā-dveṣa-samutthena sarge yānti parantapa (BG 7.27). We have got two things here in the conditioned life. We desire something, and if the desire is not fulfilled, then we become angry. So in this way we are traveling, or, I mean to say, transmigrating from one body to another. This can be stopped. This process can be stopped. How? Bhramite bhramite yadi sādhu-vaidya pāya. In this way we are being kicked up by māyā.
The foolish conditioned souls are absorbed in two things: "I am," and "mine."
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.31-33 -- New York, January 16, 1967: So here it is said, vilajjamānayā yasya sthātum īkṣā-pathe 'muyā. Why? Vimohitā vikatthante. And illusioned by that māyā, vikatthante, talks like a madman. What is that? Mamāham iti durdhiyaḥ. The foolish conditioned souls are absorbed in two things: "I am," and "mine." "It is my, it is I am." "I am the lord of all I survey," or "This is my country, this is my society, this is my body, this is my son, this is my children, this is my home." This is..., this is the absorption. Although nothing belongs to him—in a moment's notice everything finished—but still he's so much vikatthante. "O my society, my country, my father, my mother." So many, "Mine, mine." Nothing belongs to him, but he says always, "Mine, mine." "My" and "I." This is māyā.
If these two things cannot stand together, māyā and Kṛṣṇa, then if I am in Kṛṣṇa consciousness then there is no question of māyā. It may be that I'm not fully Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That may be.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.31-33 -- New York, January 16, 1967: When you are hungry, you have not eaten in three days, we become weak and we become hungry. So this is natural consequence. And as soon as you begin to eat, this weakness will disappear and the hunger will disappear, and satisfaction will come. There is no doubt about it. Similarly, if these two things cannot stand together, māyā and Kṛṣṇa, then if I am in Kṛṣṇa consciousness then there is no question of māyā. It may be that I'm not fully Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That may be. Just like while eating it is not that immediately my hunger is satisfied or immediately I get my lost weakness. Takes little time. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness may be a gradual process of advancement, but this is the rule. If we are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there cannot be any existence of māyā, illusion. That is the test. If I am still in illusion, then I should understand that my business in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not progressing. This is the test.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
You must know two things: what is māyā and what is Kṛṣṇa. Then your knowledge is perfect. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is so nice that somehow or other, if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then your all business finished.
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 11 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1970: If you do not go, then you remain in darkness. It is... Vedic injunction is gacchet. This is a verb, form of verb, which says "must." It is not that "Oh, I may accept a spiritual master; I may not. There are books. I shall learn it." No. Therefore the injunction is gacchet. Gacchet means "must go," not that alternative, may go or may not go. No. "Must go." Tad-vijñānārtham, in order to understand that knowledge, that science, you must go. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Otherwise you remain in avidyā. Vidyām avidyām ca: two sides, darkness and light. So you must know two things: what is māyā and what is Kṛṣṇa. Then your knowledge is perfect. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is so nice that somehow or other, if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then your all business finished. You automatically will learn what is māyā if you have got full surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence from within.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
There are two things: superior and inferior, material and transcendental. There are material dharmas, religious process.
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971: Simply to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is the program. From early morning at four o'clock til night, ten a.m., p.m., they are all engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. This is called kevalayā. They have no other business. So this process is recommended for all. That is the perfection of all religious process. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharma yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharma. Paro means transcendental. There are two things: parā and aparā, superior and inferior, material and transcendental. There are material dharmas, religious process. For some material gain, generally, people go to church, go to temple, some material gain. Just like in your church you pray, "God, give us our daily bread." Your daily bread is a material gain. So these gain is already settled up. You'll get your bread. Just like the birds or beast, they are getting their bread without going to the church. They do not go to the church for asking God, "Give us our daily bread." The bread is there in the tree. They go and take as much bread as they like.
Festival Lectures
There are two things: He is pointing out his father's position, that he's gṛha-vratā. "If one makes it his point to remain in a comfortable home life, for him, either by speculation or by teaching or by meeting, he'll never develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Gṛha-vratānām.
Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972: "Nobody can become Kṛṣṇa conscious," matir na kṛṣṇe parato, "being taught by others," matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā, "or by mental speculation or thinking oneself," mitho 'bhipadyeta, "or by making conference meeting, religious meeting, conference." No. Three things. One thing is to learn Kṛṣṇa consciousness by speculative method, self-realization. Just like so many people are very much interested that "Why shall I go to a guru? I can realize myself. I shall meditate." So that is called svataḥ. And parataḥ means by others' instruction. And mitho, mitho means by assembly. So who? Now, gṛha-vratānām. If one is gṛha-vratā... There are two things: gṛhastha and gṛha-vratā, or gṛhamedhi. "So those who are gṛha-vratā..." because he is pointing out his father's position, that he's gṛha-vratā. He has no other business. He simply wants to get money, hiraṇya. Hiraṇya means gold, and kaśipu, a nice apartment. That's all. So he says that gṛha-vratānām, "If one makes it his point to remain in a comfortable home life, for him, either by speculation or by teaching or by meeting, he'll never develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Gṛha-vratānām.
So anyone who can understand that what kind of activities the Lord has and what kind of birth He accepts, simply by understanding these two things one gets wonderful result.
Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968: The Personality of Godhead is not niṣkriya, without activities. So anyone who can understand that what kind of activities the Lord has and what kind of birth He accepts, simply by understanding these two things one gets wonderful result. What is that? Tyaktvā deham. By quitting this body, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), he does not take any more birth in this material world. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti. Some of us may think that punar janma naiti means he becomes vanquished. No. Punar janma naiti, but mām eti, "He does not come to this material world, but he comes to Me." Mām eti. Mām eti means, then... (break) ...abode where we can go. Simply by understanding the nature of His appearance and activities.
Pravṛtti means inclination, inclined. And nivṛtti means disinclined. So there are two things within this material world.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Bombay, December 22, 1975: Pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca. Pravṛtti means inclination, inclined. And nivṛtti means disinclined. So there are two things within this material world. Our inclination is to enjoy the senses. This is general. Everyone within this material world, even the animals, birds, beasts, human being or more elevated than human beings, the demigods, kinnaras, or the, many other higher types of living entities... There are different grades of living entities-8,400,000 different bodies. So what is their pravṛtti, inclination? The inclination is attraction of man and woman. This is the central point of attraction. Puṁsāṁ striyaḥ maithuni-bhāvam etad: the whole material world is existing on this point—sex, man and woman. So this is pravṛtti-mārga, and nivṛtti-mārga: just to stop it. This is called nivṛtti-mārga.
If we know that we should not do this, we should do this, then we become immediately devatā. And if you do not know what we should do and what we should not do, then we remain asura. It is not that because one is asura, he cannot become a devatā. The asura can become devatā, provided he knows these two things: pravṛtti and nivṛtti.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Bombay, December 22, 1975: This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that it is invented..., not invented; it is there in the Vedic literatures. Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He has given us this process of realizing Kṛṣṇa and becoming expert in understanding what we should do and what we should not do, pravṛtti nivṛtti. And therefore if we know that we should not do this, we should do this, then we become immediately devatā. And if you do not know what we should do and what we should not do, then we remain asura. It is not that because one is asura, he cannot become a devatā. The asura can become devatā, provided he knows these two things: pravṛtti and nivṛtti. So pravṛtti we have got, just like we have got tendency-cent percent person has it at the present moment—to smoke. This is pravṛtti. But we say don't smoke, nivṛtti. And if we drink, that is pravṛtti. Everyone, even the ant, he is also drunkard. They have scientifically studied, the ants are very much fond of intoxication; therefore they eat sugar. In sugar there is liquor, so the... Loke bhāvāya nisamadhya sevā nityasta yanto. Every living entity has got this tendency, bhāvāya. Bhāvāya means sex life; amīṣa, meat-eating; and mada, liquor. Natural tendency. Therefore the country where these things are indulged without any restriction, that is asura, the country of the asura.
If we increase our sattva-guṇa quality, then this kāma-lobhādaya, these two things, will not touch us.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 21, 1976: Similarly, when we come down to this material world, if we associate with the sattva-guṇa, then there is some hope of spiritual life. And if we are rajo-guṇa there is no hope, and tamo-guṇa, there is no hope. Rajas-tamaḥ. Rajas-tamo-bhāva kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Rajas-tamaḥ. If we associate with rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, then our desires will be lusty and greediness. Kāma-lobhādayaś ca. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāva kāma-lobhādayaś ca. And if we increase our sattva-guṇa quality, then this kāma-lobhādaya, these two things, will not touch us. We may be little aloof from kāma-lobha. So if in the sattva-guṇa... This is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛtsatām
- (SB 1.2.17)
So we have to transcend all these three qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, especially rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. If we do not try to do that, then there is no hope of spiritual salvation or liberation from the material entanglement.
So Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy, there are two things. So we are praying, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare means we are praying to the energy, the internal energy, the spiritual energy, Rādhārāṇī.
Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968: So Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy, there are two things. So we are praying, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare means we are praying to the energy, the internal energy, the spiritual energy, Rādhārāṇī. Hare. We are praying "Hare, O the energy of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is always with energy. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śruyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, has many multifarious energies. Whatever we are seeing, it is all manifestation of His energy. So we are praying both to the energy. We are praying to the material energy also—material energy also, perverted reflection of the spiritual energy. Actually, there is no material energy. Everything is spiritual. But when the spiritual energy is covered by ignorance... Just like when the sky is covered by cloud it becomes dark. Similarly, spiritual energy, when it is covered by material energy... The cloud has no separate existence. It is also creation of the sunshine.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So as we can understand that we are combination of two things... Every one of us, living being, we are at the present moment combination of spirit and matter.
Arrival Speech -- Stockholm, September 5, 1973: I thank you very much for your kindly receiving me. This is the first time I am coming in this country, Sweden. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading all over the world gradually. It is little difficult to understand the purport of this movement because it is completely on the spiritual platform. Generally, people do not understand what is spiritual platform. So as we can understand that we are combination of two things... Every one of us, living being, we are at the present moment combination of spirit and matter. Matter we can understand, but on account of our long association with the matter, we cannot understand what is that spirit. But we can imagine that there is something which distinguishes a dead body and living body. That we can understand.
There are two things, we can very easily understand: one is dead matter, and the other is living force.
Arrival Lecture -- Mexico, February 11, 1975, (With Spanish Translator): So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very important for the human society. It is not exactly a religious movement as it is understood in the Western countries. Religion is described in the English dictionary as "a kind of faith." Faith you may accept or may not accept, but religion is the word, as we understand from Sanskrit dictionary, it cannot be rejected. Or you and your religion cannot be separated. Therefore we should understand very clearly that we are experiencing two things: one is matter, and another is spirit. Just like there is a stone, and there is a small ant. The stone, it may be very big, but it cannot move. It has no life. But the small ant, although it is very small, it has life. So there are two things, we can very easily understand: one is dead matter, and the other is living force. We are actually living force. Living force, we are covered by the matter, and according to the different types of covering, we are representing different types of living condition. So this living force, being encaged by the dead matter, it is a struggle for existence. The living force trying to get out of the material encagement, that is called struggle for existence. The living force by nature is jubilant. The supreme living force is God, Kṛṣṇa, and we are part and parcel of the living force. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, two kinds of energies: one material energy, one spiritual energy.
Actually, in this line of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, two things are very important. We are loitering throughout the whole universe. This is conditional stage of our materialistic life, and we are simply suffering.
Arrival Address -- New York, July 9, 1976: So it is a long history that I came here with determination to start a temple in New York first, but at that time, ten years before, in 1965, it was not possible. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, by the grace of my Guru Mahārāja, you have got this place. So I must thank you very much for organizing this temple. Actually, in this line of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, two things are very important. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said in His teaching to Rūpa Gosvāmī,
- ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
- guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
- (CC Madhya 19.151)
We are loitering throughout the whole universe. This is conditional stage of our materialistic life, and we are simply suffering. People are kept into ignorance without knowing the aim of life, how we are suffering in this materialistic way of life. They are so dull-brained that Kṛṣṇa says personally that here the real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You are simply busy with some petty problems. And they are not problems. Real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. Why...? We are eternal living entities. Why we should be subjected to birth, death, old age and disease repeatedly? This is real problem.
And we are dealing with these two things. The problem of life is that we are bereft, we are away from Kṛṣṇa consciousness; therefore we are suffering. If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the whole problem is solved.
Arrival Address -- New York, July 9, 1976: So the intelligent person should know what are the different situation, different life. They do not know. The other day our Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara was speaking that whatever scientific improvement or educational improvement they have made, two things are wanting. They do not know what are these different planets in the sky. They do not know. They're simply imagining. They are trying to go to the moon planet, Mars planet. That is also not possible. Even if you go (to) one or two planets, there are millions of planets; what do you know about them? There is no knowledge. And another knowledge: they do not know what is the problems of life. Two things they are lacking. And we are dealing with these two things. The problem of life is that we are bereft, we are away from Kṛṣṇa consciousness; therefore we are suffering. If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the whole problem is solved. And so far planetary system is considered, so Kṛṣṇa is giving you opportunity, wherever you like you can go. But the intelligent person will select, mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). "Those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they come to Me." So what is the difference between these two? Even if I go to the moon planet or Mars planet or Brahmaloka, Kṛṣṇa says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). You can go to the Brahmaloka, but kṣīṇe puṇye puṇyo martya-lokaṁ viśanti: "You'll have to come back again." And Kṛṣṇa also says, yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām.
Initiation Lectures
Your path of liberation is open. Two things: don't talk anything except Kṛṣṇa, don't eat anything except Kṛṣṇa prasādam.
Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968: So this initiation means beginning of purificatory process of the senses, and that beginning with the tongue. Very simple method. We are not asking you to show some gymnastic feats, or... No. Simply try to control your tongue. It is in your hand. And what is the means of controlling? Just engage chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and take Kṛṣṇa prasāda. Some others will supply you nice prasādam. You see? It is very easy. Don't take anything which is not Kṛṣṇa prasādam and don't talk anything which is not Kṛṣṇa. Then you become liberated. Your path of liberation is open. Two things: don't talk anything except Kṛṣṇa, don't eat anything except Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Is it very difficult? All right.
There must be two sides, service and surrender, and in the middle there must be question. Otherwise there is no question and answer. Two things must be there: service and surrender. Then answer of question is nice.
Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968: Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool (CC Adi 7.71)." Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not a fool, but it is the good qualification of a disciple to remain a fool before the spiritual master. Therefore he'll never, I mean to say, dare to argue or disobey. That is offense. Now, go on. That does not mean that when you cannot understand, you cannot question. Question must be there. That is stated in this Bhagavad-gītā, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Your relationship is to know from a spiritual master everything, but you should know that with three things. What is that? First of all you should surrender. You must accept the spiritual master as greater than you. Otherwise what is the use of accepting one spiritual master? Praṇipāt. Praṇipāt means surrendering; and paripraśna, and questioning; and sevā, and service. There must be two sides, service and surrender, and in the middle there must be question. Otherwise there is no question and answer. Two things must be there: service and surrender. Then answer of question is nice.
You have to test whether you are increasing your love of God, Kṛṣṇa. Then you should know that you are in progress. Two things cannot go. Just like hunger and eating cannot go together.
Initiations -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1969: If by chanting, you see that your love for Kṛṣṇa is increasing and your love for matter and material enjoyment is decreasing, then you must know that you are progressing. If, by the result of chanting, you are increasing your material hankering, that is not progress. Then that is an offense. One should know that "Now I am chanting with offense. I have to rectify it." You have to test whether you are increasing your love of God, Kṛṣṇa. Then you should know that you are in progress. Two things cannot go. Just like hunger and eating cannot go together. If you are actually eating, then hunger must be subsided, if you are actually eating. Similarly, if you are actually making spiritual progress, then the result will be that your material hankering will decrease, not that you are being cured, and the temperature is increasing. No. If you are actually being cured the temperature must decrease. If you are in feverish condition, you are taking medicine, then the fever must decrease. This material hankering is a kind of disease. It is never satisfied. But people are hankering more, more, more, more, more... That means temperature is increasing. And when the temperature is 107 degrees, finish life. That's all.
Just like in our daily business, if you have to take some money from somebody, that is your income. And if you have to pay somebody that is your expenditure. Two things are going on.
Initiation Lecture and Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972: Dṛḍha-vratāḥ - "firm determination." That kinds of devotional life is possible only when one is completely free from the resultant action of sinful activity, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataḥ. Anta-gataḥ: "one who has finished." We are suffering and enjoying in this life. So, what we are enjoying, that is due to our pious activities in the past. Just like in our daily business, if you have to take some money from somebody, that is your income. And if you have to pay somebody that is your expenditure. Two things are going on. You cannot expect here in this material world simply income. There must be expenditure. So two things, they are known as sukha and duḥkha Sukha means "happiness" and duḥkha means "distress." So, as Prahlāda Mahārāja says, that this sukha and duḥkha-happiness and distress—is already destined. And soon as I get a certain type of body, my life's happiness and distresses are fixed up. That's all—you cannot change it. That is called destiny. But, the ātmā is—although encaged within this body—is always separated, apart from.
I was explaining sat and asat. These two things are side by side. Just like there is darkness and there is light, you can see merging in the sunlight. You'll see, one side is light, and one side is dark.
Initiation Ceremony -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973: I am not asking individually about the four principles. I suppose you know this. But just I was explaining sat and asat. These two things are side by side. Just like there is darkness and there is light, you can see merging in the sunlight. You'll see, one side is light, and one side is dark. Similarly, sat and asat, they are existing side by side. If you don't remain this side, then you come to this side. So it is my choice. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa is the bright side, and the other things, material activities and sinful activities, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling, illicit sex, the dark side. So it is your choice. If you remain the bright side, then your progress is certain, and if you fall down again on the dark side, that is your misfortune. So you should always remember that.
General Lectures
"It is mine, and it is I. This body, I. And in bodily relation, everything mine," these two things are illusion.
Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968: Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. That is the version in Īśopaniṣad. Now, in this American land, now divided into Canada, North America, South America, but originally, to whom this land belongs? It belongs to Kṛṣṇa. You have come here and have divided Kṛṣṇa's property and you have named "This is Canada, this is North America, this is South America," and you are claiming proprietorship. But if you are asked, "Are you really proprietor?" No. You have come here, encroached upon others' property. So originally, you are thief. Actually this is the position, that anyone who is unlawfully claiming something, "It is mine," that is illusion. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This ahaṁ mameti, "It is mine, and it is I. This body, I. And in bodily relation, everything mine," these two things are illusion. Ahaṁ mameti. Aham means "I." What "I"? This body. And what "mine"? This, "My wife is mine, my children, my home, my country." Why? Because the bodily relationship is there.
In this material world everyone is trying to get happiness and to get relief from distress. Two things are going on, attempt. There are different processes.
Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968: So our program is to worship the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. In this material world everyone is trying to get happiness and to get relief from distress. Two things are going on, attempt. There are different processes. Material process is completely absurd. That is already proved. No amount of material comforts or happiness, so-called happiness, can give us the actual happiness that we are hankering. That is not possible. Then there are different other processes also. There are three kinds of miseries due to our material conditional life: ādhyātmic, ādhibhautic, ādhidaivic. Ādhyātmic means pertaining to the body and to the mind. Just like when there is some disarrangement of the different functions of metabolism within this body, we get fever, we get some pain, headache—so many things—so these miseries are called ādhyātmic, pertaining to the body. And another part of this ādhyātmic misery is due to the mind. Suppose I have suffered a great loss. So the mind is not in good condition. So this is also suffering. So for diseased condition of the body or some mental dissatisfaction there are miseries. Then again, ādhibhautic, sufferings offered by other living entities.
If you try to avoid, then Kṛṣṇa will help you to avoid, and if you want to capture Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will help you how you can capture. Two things are going on.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968: Kṛṣṇa has given you intelligence. Try to understand with your intelligence but do not try to avoid. Make your question to understand it, not making question to avoid it. There are two kinds of question. That question will not help you. If you try to avoid, then Kṛṣṇa will help you to avoid, and if you want to capture Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will help you how you can capture. Two things are going on. Whatever path you want, you can accept. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa helps according to the person's attitude. If... There are... Just like so many philosophers, they want to forget Kṛṣṇa. Just like you will find in Dr. Radhakrishnan's book, in the Ninth Chapter Kṛṣṇa said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). The translation is all right, but he comments, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa that you have to surrender." Just see. That means his whole process of writing the book is to mislead persons how one can forget Kṛṣṇa. So if anyone wants to forget Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will give him such intelligence that he will never be able to understand Kṛṣṇa.
If saintly persons are accepting Bhagavad-gītā as scripture, you cannot deny it. Sādhu śāstra: saintly persons and scriptures, two things, and with spiritual master, three, three parallel lines, who accept the sādhu and the scripture.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968: If the lawyers accept some book, then it is to be understood that this is lawbook. You cannot say that "How can I accept this is law?" The evidence is the lawyers are accepting. Medical... If the medical practitioners accept, then that is authoritative medical. Similarly, if saintly persons are accepting Bhagavad-gītā as scripture, you cannot deny it. Sādhu śāstra: saintly persons and scriptures, two things, and with spiritual master, three, three parallel lines, who accept the sādhu and the scripture. Sādhu confirms the scriptures and spiritual master accept the scripture. Simple process. So they are not in disagreement. What is spoken in the scripture is accepted by saintly person, and what is spoken in the scripture, the spiritual master explains only that thing. That's all. So via media is the scripture. Just like lawyer and the litigants-via media is the lawbook. Similarly, the spiritual master, the scripture... Saintly person means who confirms the Vedic injunction, who accepts. And scripture means what is accepted by the saintly person.
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for the protection of brahminical culture and cows. Then automatically the peace of the world will come, if two things are done. This is Vedic literature.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968: As soon as there is falldown from brahminical culture, and as soon as there is discrepancy in the protection of cows, there will be no more peace in the world. Therefore He specifically said, go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for the protection of brahminical culture and cows. Then automatically the peace of the world will come, if two things are done. This is Vedic literature. They pick up the essence of the things, and all other things follows. Just like meditation. Meditation means... Not meditation, the yoga system. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga system means to control the senses. This is the primary factor of practicing yoga. Now the senses, we have got five senses acquiring knowledge and five working senses. So of all the senses, the tongue is considered to be the most powerful sense. The Vaiṣṇava, they therefore try to control the tongue. They do not allow the tongue to eat everything and anything. No. Svāmī or gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Generally, people, they are servant of the senses. When people, when a man becomes, instead of becoming servant of the senses, when he becomes master of the senses, then he is called svāmī.
You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and taste Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Then you will realize. Two things. Very simple method. He'll reveal.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968: These present senses, they are so contaminated that it is not possible that you can understand God, His form, His name, His quality, His paraphernalia by speculation. No, it is not possible. Then? How it is possible? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. God reveals to you by your service attitude. And that service attitude begins from your tongue, jihvā. Jihvā means tongue. How? You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and taste Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Then you will realize. Two things. Very simple method. He'll reveal. You cannot understand what is God, but God will reveal to you, "Here I am." Just like you cannot ask the sun, "Please rise up. I want to see you." Oh, he is not your servant. But when sun reveals to you, you see yourself, you see the sun, and the whole world, everything nicely. So you have to wait for that revelation. And you have to practice this, first of all, this tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). This particular tongue is mentioned. You can begin to reach that stage of revelation by training your tongue. What is that? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and taste Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Very simple method. You try it and see. Otherwise it is not possible. God is not so little that you can order Him and He'll... No, that is not possible. But if He's pleased, then He'll reveal Himself.
Śāstra means authoritative books. Śastra means weapons, armaments. That is called śastra. Just like sword, guns, they are called śastra. These two things are rulings.
Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969: The student is called śiṣya. Śiṣya, the Sanskrit word śiṣya, this word comes from the root śas. Śas means ruling. From śas, the śāstra. Śāstra means authoritative books. They have been derived. And śastra. Śastra means weapons, armaments. That is called śastra. Just like sword, guns, they are called śastra. These two things are rulings. The state has got lawbooks, authoritative books, and one who does not obey the lawbooks, then the next word is gun and sword. This, these two words, means to accept authority. So śiṣya means one who accepts the authority of the spiritual master. He voluntarily accepts the rulings or the punishment of the spiritual master. That is called śiṣya.
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that kṣetra-kṣetra-jñaḥ. Two things are described there. Kṣetra means this body, and kṣetra-jña means the knower of the body.
Lecture at Boys' School -- Sydney, May 12, 1971: Prabhupāda: So this feeling of pains and pleasure is consciousness. But one thing, that I cannot feel pains and pleasure of your body, neither you can feel the pains and pleasure of my body. Therefore your consciousness is individual; my consciousness is individual. But there is another consciousness who can feel the pains and pleasure of your body and who can feel the pains and pleasure of my body. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You have heard the name of Bhagavad-gītā? Have you, any of you?
Boy (2): Yes.
Prabhupāda: Who says yes? Please come here. Thank you. It is very good. At least one of you know what is Bhagavad-gītā. Don't go away. Please come here. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that kṣetra-kṣetra-jñaḥ. Two things are described there. Kṣetra means this body, and kṣetra-jña means the knower of the body. Just like "I am." I know this is my finger, this is my leg, this is my head. So I am the knower., And this leg is my body. Is that not stated in the Bhagavad-gītā?
Sometimes violence required, police force required for the unruly persons. They'll not care for the śāstra, don't care for śāstra, but you care for the śastra. So two things are there.
Lecture -- San Francisco, June 28, 1971: Just like every civilized country is ruled by the laws of the state, and the statute book which contains all the rules, that is called law books. That is also śāstra. That is śāstra. And then another śāsdhātu is śastra. Śastra means weapons, that like guns, swords. Śāstra and śastra. So there are two sections of people: those who are civilized, they are ruled by the śāstra, by the law codes, and those who are law-breakers, they are ruled by the śastra, weapons. Both things are required, śāstra and śastra. And sasam, sasam means government. The government has two department—criminal and civil. Civil department is controlled by the śāstra, law codes, and the criminal department is governed by the śastra, weapons. So this is the rule from time immemorial. Both things are required. Sometimes violence required, police force required for the unruly persons. They'll not care for the śāstra, don't care for śāstra, but you care for the śastra. So two things are there.
Hiraṇya means gold and kaśipu means soft cushion. That means complete materialist. The materialist want these two things, woman and money.
Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi: So this Bhāgavata-dharma long, long ago was sometimes discussed by Prahlāda Mahārāja, a great devotee, a boy devotee, 5 years old boy, and he was a great devotee although born in an atheistic family. His father was a great atheist, Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇya means gold and kaśipu means soft cushion. That means complete materialist. The materialist want these two things, woman and money. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was very expert in this business. But fortunately he had a great son, Prahlāda Mahārāja. So this Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was in the womb of his mother, he had the chance of hearing about Bhāgavata-dharma from Nāradaji. You have heard that there is always fight between the atheist and the theist, or the demigods and the demons, sura asura. So sometimes there was a fight between the asuras and the devas. The asuras became defeated, and Hiraṇyakaśipu left the battle.
When Kṛṣṇa comes, He has got two business: —for giving protection to the devotees, to the faithful, and for killing the demons. So Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, He exhibited these two things.
Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972: So according to Vedic scripture, God comes, and He says personally why He comes: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Whenever there is discrepancy in the prosecution of religious principles, He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, abhyutthānam adharmasya. And whenever there is discrepancies in religious procedure, irreligious activities increases. That is natural. Whenever there is lenient government, the rogues and thieves will increase. It is natural. And if the government is very strict, then rogues and thieves cannot become very prominent. So when Kṛṣṇa comes, He has got two business: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8)—for giving protection to the devotees, to the faithful, and for killing the demons. So Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, He exhibited these two things. Perhaps you have seen our picture of Nārāyaṇa, or Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu has got four hands. In two hands He has got lotus flower and conchshell, and in the other two hands He has got a club and a disc. The disc and club is meant for vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, for killing the demons and the miscreants. And the conchshell and the lotus flower is meant for giving benediction and blessings to the devotees.
In this material world two things are going on: lamentation and hankering. Things which we do not possess, we hanker after it, and things we do possess and, somehow or other, we lose, then it is lamenting.
Lecture at Auckland University -- Auckland, April 17, 1972: If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then gradually, by this bhakti-yoga process, we shall understand that "I am not this body, but I am a spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. There is a Vedic mantra which is called aham: "I, I am Brahman, or the spirit soul." And if we come to that position to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," then other things will follow, which is stated in this Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). When one becomes Brahman-realized, that "I am spirit soul," then the first benefit will be that such persons will be free from all kinds of lamentation and hankering. In this material world two things are going on: lamentation and hankering. Things which we do not possess, we hanker after it, and things we do possess and, somehow or other, we lose, then it is lamenting. So actually the whole situation is lamenting because we are losing. Take, for example, this body which we have gained from our father and mother on a certain date. It is losing gradually.
There are two things. There are two living entities. One is trying to forget God, and another is trying to remember God.
Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972: So there are two things. There are two living entities. One is trying to forget God, and another is trying to remember God. That's all. There are two kinds of people, or men. Men, not the animals. Animals cannot understand what is God. It is the business of human beings. So if you want to know God sincerely, seriously, then God is within yourself. He'll give you intelligence how you can know Him. But if you want to forget God, challenge God, "There is no God. God is dead," then He'll give you such intelligence that you'll always think that there is no God, that God is dead, like that. He'll give some arguments. There are so many atheists, they are also putting their arguments. So wherefrom the argument comes? It comes from God, that "You take this argument and forget God forever." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Vedic knowledge means to understand God.
Animate or inanimate—these two things we see in our experience. But above this animate and inanimate there is supreme animate. That supreme animate is called īśa. Īśa or īśvara means controller.
Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1972: Unless you bring Kṛṣṇa, or īśa... Īśa means the supreme controller. He is actually controlling. Īśa. Īśa means the controller. So there is a supreme controller. We see in the, in our experience, that some of the objectives are living and some of them are not living. Animate or inanimate—these two things we see in our experience. But above this animate and inanimate there is supreme animate. That supreme animate is called īśa. Īśa or īśvara means controller. So there are many īśvaras, or controllers, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). There are many controllers. Some of you are also controller, in charge of some department. Similarly, controller over controller, controller over controller—there are many. And go up to Brahma. The first creature within this universe is supposed to be the controller of this universe. But above him, there is another controller. That is Kṛṣṇa. Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakro.
Why these two things are stressed upon? Because in a society where there is no brahminical culture and where there is no cow protection, it is not human society.
Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973: So the brāhmaṇa department, or the adviser department, is described in this verse: namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. The first thing is taken into consideration, go-brāhmaṇa. Why these two things are stressed upon? Because in a society where there is no brahminical culture and where there is no cow protection, it is not human society. So in a chaotic condition, any business you do, it will never be perfect. But in a systematized, systematic, cultural society, you do business. That is perfect. That is the instruction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, Bhāgavatam. In a meeting in Naimiṣāraṇya, where many learned scholars and brāhmaṇas assembled, and Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī was giving instruction, he said: ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. The varṇāśrama is stressed. The Vedic culture means four varṇas and four āśramas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Unless we take to this institution of varṇāśrama dharma, the whole society will be in chaotic condition.
People suffer on account of sinful activities. There are two things, pāpa and puṇya. So if you follow the path of pāpa, then you must suffer.
Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973: These miserable conditions are there because we are all sinful. So Kṛṣṇa gives protection that "You surrender unto Me, and I give you protection from the reaction of all sinful life." So who wants Kṛṣṇa? You do not want. Kṛṣṇa says, canvassing, but who is accepting? Then how you can get, I mean to say, liberty or liberation from these sinful activities? Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo. People suffer on account of sinful activities. There are two things, pāpa and puṇya. So if you follow the path of pāpa, then you must suffer. Just like state laws. If you become criminal, you must suffer. You must go to the prison house. You, you cannot argue that "Why government has created the prison house? Why?" Can you argue like that? Yes, there is necessity. The government knows that there will be some rascals who will commit criminal activities; therefore there must be prison house. So this material world is prison house. Every one of us, we are member of the prison house-first class, second class, third class. Just like in the prison house there are different classes. Duḥkhalayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15).
As well as controlling the tongue, we have to spiritualize the tongue. If you keep the tongue materialized, then it is defective. So two things are done by the tongue: tasting foodstuff and chanting the glories of the Lord.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973: So if you chant the holy name of God, it doesn't matter, if it actually meaning... Just like "water." Water, if somebody says jala, he means water. If somebody says "water," he means water. If somebody says pāni, he means water. So actually, if the word you use as the name of God, if it's actually real name of God, then by chanting that holy name, you realize God. Therefore tongue is the beginning of realization. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). As well as controlling the tongue, we have to spiritualize the tongue. If you keep the tongue materialized, then it is defective. So two things are done by the tongue: tasting foodstuff and chanting the glories of the Lord. If we engage our tongue in this way... Foodstuff means..., our process is to offer foodstuff to the Lord and the remnants of foodstuff we eat, prasāda. So this is one process, this is one business of the tongue. And another business of the tongue is to chant the holy name of the Lord. So in this way, if you engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then gradually your realize. You cannot realize, but God reveals Himself, what He is. So Vedic knowledge means to realize God.
In order to enter into spiritual life, two things are required, as enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973: So in order to enter into spiritual life, two things are required, as enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
- ei rūpe brahmāṇḍo bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
- guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
- (CC Madhya 19.151)
The living entities, they are wandering throughout the universe, changing bodies, transmigrating from one body to another, one place to another, one planet to another, but they are rotating within this universe, material universe, brahmāṇḍo bhramite. This science is unknown to the modern education department, how the spirit soul is transmigrating from one body to another and how he's being transferred from one planet to another. We have got our book, Easy Journey to Other Planets. So guru can help you to transmigrate from this planet directly to the spiritual sky, where there are innumerable spiritual planets. They are known as Vaikuṇṭhaloka. And the topmost planet in the spiritual sky, that is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is Kṛṣṇa's planet. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we are trying to give information how one can be transferred directly to the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet, Kṛṣṇaloka. That is our mission.
There are two things: brāhmaṇa and kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser.
Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973: But before giving up this life, we must gain something. That is described in the Upaniṣad. Etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti sa brāhmaṇaḥ. We'll have to die like cats and dogs, but we have got the chance to understand what is the value of life. The cats and dogs have no chance. So simply if we waste our time like cats and dogs and do not know what is the aim of life—sa kṛpaṇa. Etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti, aviditvā yaḥ prayāti sa kṛpaṇaḥ. There are two things: brāhmaṇa and kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. A person who got this valuable body... Just like if you get millions of dollars, if you do not utilize it, if you simply see in the treasury that you have got so much money, then you are kṛpaṇa. It is practical. But if you utilize that money and instead of one crore you make ten crores, then you are called intelligent. Similarly, if we think that "I have got this human form of life, better standard of eating, sleeping and mating," then you remain kṛpaṇa. You could not utilize it.
Here in the material world I have got something. If I lose it, I cry, "I have lost." And if I do not possess, then, "I must get it." These two businesses are going on. But when you become brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā, these two things will go away.
Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973: Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. They have got something. They are feeling obliged that "Bhaktivedanta Swami has given us something." That is... Therefore they are after me. So this is the Brahmā cond..., brahma-bhūta ātmā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. That is the sign. "I have become Brahman. I have become Nārāyaṇa." No. If you are prasanna, if you are always joyful, then it is to be understood that you have realized Brahman. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati. There is no śocana. Here in the material world I have got something. If I lose it, I cry, "I have lost, I have lost, I have lost." And if I do not possess, then kāṅkṣati, "I must get it. I must." These two businesses are going on. But when you become brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā, these two things will go away. Na kāṅkṣati na śocati.
Religion means to know God the great and we are subordinate, maintained by God. This is religion. If anyone knows these two things only—God is great, and we are subordinate; our duty is to abide by the orders of God—that is religion.
Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975: So the science of God, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You try to understand scientifically what is meant by God, what is meant by religion. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). He begins His teaching on this principle, that every living being is eternal servant of God. That's all. And this is religion. Religion does not mean stamping in different way. Religion means to know God the great and we are subordinate, maintained by God. This is religion. If anyone knows these two things only—God is great, and we are subordinate; our duty is to abide by the orders of God—that is religion. So unity can be established on the spiritual platform. Unity cannot be established on this bodily platform just like the United Nations trying to unite the nation, but every year a flag is increasing.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced these two things—saṅkīrtana and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam means the expansion of Bhagavad-gītā.
Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976: There are different incarnation of God, but one incarnation is there, it is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other places also, in Upaniṣad and Mahābhārata. These are approved Vedic scriptures. So the Vedic knowledge is summarized in the Vedānta system, Brahma-sūtra, everything done by Vyāsadeva. And in order to protect the sanctity of Vedānta... Because there are so many foolish persons, they are distorting the purpose of Vedānta-sūtra; therefore Vyāsadeva, under the instruction of his spiritual master Nārada, he personally wrote a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced these two things—saṅkīrtana and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam means the expansion of Bhagavad-gītā. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, at the last stage, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also begins from that point. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives introduction, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All cheating type of religious system kicked out, projjhita. Projjhita means just like you sweep over the floor, and all the dust, you throw it away. That is called projjhita. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita.
Two things we find: animate and inanimate. Practical experience. Some of them are animate and some of them are inanimate. Two things. Now we can expand the varieties.
Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976: In the beginning of Vedānta it is said that the Absolute Truth is that from whom everything comes. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is beginning. Now the human life is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth, jijñāsā. One should inquire what is the Absolute. That is human life, to find out the Absolute Truth. So the next sūtra immediately says that Absolute Truth is that who is the source of everything. And what is that everything? Two things we find: animate and inanimate. Practical experience. Some of them are animate and some of them are inanimate. Two things. Now we can expand the varieties. That is another thing. But two things are there. So these two things, we see there is a controller above these two things, the animate and inanimate. So we have to inquire now whether the source of two things, animate and inanimate, what is the position? The position is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). The original source of everything is abhijñaḥ. How? Anvayād itarataś cārtheṣu. If I have created something, I know everything, all details, anvayād, directly or indirectly, I know. If I manufacture something... Suppose if I know some special cooking, then I know all the details how to do it. That is the origin. So that origin is Kṛṣṇa.
There are two things: Kṛṣṇa and māyā, light and shadow. If you don't serve Kṛṣṇa, then you have to serve māyā. And those who are serving māyā in the name of Kṛṣṇa, they are called Māyāvādī.
Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977: And this line of devotional service is sevā, service. Ultimately we are all servants, but in the absence of being mahātmā, we are serving māyā. Service is there. We cannot become master. That is not possible. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). So there are two things: Kṛṣṇa and māyā, light and shadow. If you don't serve Kṛṣṇa, then you have to serve māyā. And those who are serving māyā in the name of Kṛṣṇa, they are called Māyāvādī. Actually, they are serving māyā, but they say that they have become liberated. Vimukta-māninaḥ. They are described as vimukta-māninaḥ. Māninaḥ means one who is not actually the thing, but falsely one is thinking that "I am liberated. I have become equal with Nārāyaṇa." They are called vimukta-māninaḥ. Actually that is not the fact. So we shall be very careful to avoid this kind of mahātmās who are thinking themselves as Nārāyaṇa, equal to Nārāyaṇa, or sometimes they claim greater than Nārāyaṇa. So we shall be very careful. This Melā, there are so many so-called mahātmās. But the symptom of mahātmā is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhajanty ananya-manaso.
Philosophy Discussions
Two things are going on. One thing, that whatever he wants he is given: "I will get it." On the other side, punishment. This is nature's flow, and she is doing this under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa.
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz: Prabhupāda: Just like fort is very much fortified; you cannot go; they say nobody can enter, nobody can leave, like that. This is called durgā. And the superintendent is called Durgā. From durgā it has come to Durgā. She is also confidential maidservant of Kṛṣṇa, but she has got (indistinct) to punish these demons. Demon is (indistinct), that I worship his mother, but mother is engaged to punish him because (indistinct). She is giving whatever the demon wants. "Give me money. Give me good wife. Give me reputation. Give me strength." "All right," but at the same time everything is frustrated with this (indistinct). Two things are going on. One thing, that whatever he wants he is given: "I will get it." On the other side, punishment. This is nature's flow, and she is doing this under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. "This living entity, he has, or he wants immediately to become an enjoyer, so give him all sources of material enjoyment, but at the same time go on punishing him." Just like sometimes politicians give them everything (indistinct) military force. So that is going on. And this nature is working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. That is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, (Sanskrit).
Kṛṣṇa is within every atom. So Kṛṣṇa wants to be it; therefore He is willing to let these two things become one, and there is some creation, and again another creation, and another creation. The ultimate brain is Kṛṣṇa.
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz: Prabhupāda: He... The ultimate desire is of Kṛṣṇa.
Śyāmasundara: But does each atom, even of matter...
Prabhupāda: If you take it that way, Kṛṣṇa is within every atom. So Kṛṣṇa wants to be it; therefore He is willing to let these two things become one, and there is some creation, and again another creation, and another creation. The ultimate brain is Kṛṣṇa.
Two things: that this world is experienced, nobody is happy, unless he is an animal. Animal, they do not know what is happiness or distress.
Philosophy Discussion on David Hume: Prabhupāda: Two things: that this world is experienced, nobody is happy, unless he is an animal. Animal, they do not know what is happiness or distress. In any condition they remain satisfied. But a man, he feels pain. Just like our Hari-śauri was speaking that there were reports that because the children cry, sometimes parents kill them. This is the world. And actually there have been many cases. So from practical point of view, this world is not happy. That is a fact. Now if there is a happy world, why one should not try for that?
This is conclusion: by applying your senses and reason that there are two things, material and spiritual, so if there is possibility of material world, why is there not possibility of spiritual world?
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant: Śyāmasundara: But I use my senses to come to some conclusion.
Prabhupāda: Just like a higher authority says that there is a spiritual world. Now, how do you come to this conclusion, "Yes, there is a spiritual world"? How, unless you apply your senses? Sense application is like this, that "I am combination of spirit and matter, that is a fact. So I cannot see the spirit at the present moment, but there is spirit. So I am a combination of spirit and matter. So if there is material world, why is there no spiritual world?" This is conclusion: by applying your senses and reason that there are two things, material and spiritual, so if there is possibility of material world, why is there not possibility of spiritual world?
In order to give devotees relief God descends to be seen face to face. The other reason is that: rascals, miscreants, to kill them. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, Kaṁsa, Rāvaṇa, they are the symbolic representations of miscreants. So to kill them. Two things.
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant: Prabhupāda: Devotees are always anxious to see God, but somehow or other they are unable to see. Of course, they are seeing God, but at the same time face to face(?). So in order to give them relief God descends to be seen face to face. The other reason is that vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: rascals, miscreants, to kill them. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, Kaṁsa, Rāvaṇa, they are the symbolic representations of miscreants. So to kill them. Two things. So one may say that God is partial. No. God is not partial. God is kind to everyone, both to the devotees and to the demons. The demons being killed by God, they get immediate salvation, whereas the devotees, by seeing God, they can understand what is actually the position of God. So God displays himself factually as He does in the spiritual world in Vṛndāvana. His nature is to play with the cowherd boys, to dance with the gopīs. These things are actually displayed, and devotees became encouraged that "After finishing this material body, we are going to Kṛṣṇa, or God, to join these pastimes of the Lord." This is called paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Sādhus, they heard from the śāstras, but Kṛṣṇa practically demonstrates.
When Arjuna was jeopardized by the fighting of Bhīṣma, Kṛṣṇa immediately took some weapon and approached Bhīṣma, because Bhīṣma promised that either Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise or Arjuna will die, two things.
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant: Śyāmasundara: He gives the example of breaking a promise.
Prabhupāda: Breaking a promise is sometime moral. Just like Kṛṣṇa broke His promise, Himself. Kṛṣṇa broke His promise. He promised that "In this fight, this war, I shall not take a weapon." But when Arjuna was jeopardized by the fighting of Bhīṣma, He immediately took some weapon and approached Bhīṣma, because Bhīṣma promised that either Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise or Arjuna will die, two things... "Tomorrow I shall fight in this way, then Arjuna will die, unless Kṛṣṇa takes special step." That means He has to break His promise. So he wanted to see that Kṛṣṇa breaks His promise to protect His devotee. That was his idea. So when He broke His promise, he gave up fighting. "That was my purpose, that You have to break your promise to protect your devotee."
This Bhagavad-gītā says, It says that this dehi, the soul which is within the body, that is immortal and this body is mortal. Two things are there.
Philosophy Discussion on Hegel: Śyāmasundara: He says that for instance by relating one idea to its opposite that we discover a different truth about each of them which transcends their separate truths.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is just like this Bhagavad-gītā says, that dehino 'smin... It says that this dehi, the soul which is within the body, that is immortal and this body is mortal. Two things are there.
Either impersonal Brahman, or localized Paramātmā, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But if you somehow or other approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is Kṛṣṇa. Then you understand the other two things.
Philosophy Discussion on Hegel: Prabhupāda: God is realized in three capacities, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Either impersonal Brahman, or localized Paramātmā, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But if you somehow or other approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is Kṛṣṇa. Then you understand the other two things. And Kṛṣṇa is explaining, brahmaṇo ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. "I am the resting place of brahmajyoti." Brahmā-saṁhitā says, yasya prabha (Bs. 5.40), this brahmajyoti, impersonal brahmajyoti is the bodily rays of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, Paramātmā, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna (BG 18.61), that is another feature of Kṛṣṇa. He is sitting in everyone's heart. Just like the sun is reflected in thousands and millions of (indistinct). There are no so many suns, there is only one sun. How you will (indistinct)? So God is one but according to realization, one who has seen the (indistinct), he says, "Oh, there are millions of suns." And one who has not seen the (indistinct), he has seen only sunshine, "Sun is impersonal." It is a question of (indistinct) person who is realizing. But actually God is a person, sat-cit-ānanda-vigraha. That is (indistinct). We have got clear conception of God, sat-cit-ānanda-vigraha, Kṛṣṇa.
If one does not utilize this human form of body properly, if he remains on the platform of animal propensities and degenerates, then he goes..., he can become next life a dog, a cat. There are two things: elevation or degeneration.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin: Hayagrīva: But as the yugas progress, the human body itself, doesn't it become more degraded?
Prabhupāda: What do you mean by degraded? He has got human body, but by his work and by his desire he can get next life a demigod's body or a dog's body. That will depend on his activities. Human body is meant for understanding God and act accordingly to go back to home, back to Godhead. But if he does not utilize this human form of body properly, if he remains on the platform of animal propensities and degenerates, then he goes..., he can become next life a dog, a cat. There are two things: elevation or degeneration.
The real experience is that we see two things. One thing is matter, inert matter, without any consciousness. Another thing we see, another element: with consciousness. Two things we see.
Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey: Prabhupāda: So there is no question of starting a new religion. The religion is already there, but poor people, they do not accept it. The simple thing is that somebody must be the supreme controller. He is God. And everything under His control. Actually, if somebody asks, "What is your experience?" so the real experience is that we see two things. One thing is matter, inert matter, without any consciousness. Another thing we see, another element: with consciousness. Two things we see. You cannot go beyond this. And above two, these two things, there is one controller—the third element. The third element is the Absolute Truth, and these two elements, one inert and one living, they are categories. So this is a fact. So the third element, the controller of the living, animate and inanimate, the controller is the Supreme Lord. So this is simple philosophy. Everyone can understand that there is a supreme controller, and both these visible, animate and inanimate objects, they are controlled by Him. This is a simple fact. Why these big, big philosophers cannot understand this? Anyone can understand.
For the husband's satisfaction she dresses and sometimes not dresses. So these two things, dressing and not dressing, apparently may be contradictory, but (if) the aim is one, they are the same.
Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain: Śyāmasundara: So he says because men are a combination of spiritual personality and material individuality, he says because of the spiritual personality we can know God, and because of the material individuality evil arises, because of the material body.
Prabhupāda: No. If we have no perfect knowledge of the individuality... Individuality does not mean always evil and good. Just like in Vṛndāvana, the gopīs, they have got individuality, but that individuality is for Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are all one. The objective is one. The example was given by my Guru Mahārāja that according to Vedic system, when one's husband is away from home, she does not dress herself very nicely, so she does not look very attractive. But the same woman, when the husband is at home, she dresses very nice. Now, this dressing or not dressing, they are two contradictory things, but the aim is the one; therefore that is one. The aim is the husband. For the husband's satisfaction she dresses and sometimes not dresses. So these two things, dressing and not dressing, apparently may be contradictory, but (if) the aim is one, they are the same. Similarly, there is variety in the spiritual world, but all the varieties, their central point is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the varieties are also one.
The two things cannot go. If he was responsible, he must be responsible to something else, who is condemning you or blessing you. How it can be accident? These are contradictions.
Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre: Śyāmasundara: He says that we cannot escape this situation of freedom, that somehow or other we are therefore responsible for our activities. We cannot escape the situation of being free. Everyone is free to determine what is his future.
Prabhupāda: Then why do you speak of accident? If you are irresponsible, then why do you say accident? The two things cannot go. If he was responsible, he must be responsible to something else, who is condemning you or blessing you. How it can be accident? These are contradictions.
Two sides: one side is that he knows everything from authoritative source. And he, as the result, is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. These two things are the symptoms of guru.
Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell: Śyāmasundara: No. I mean the proof..., if one accepts the proof of the guru's authority...
Prabhupāda: That is the proof. He gives there. Guru—the next line says who is guru: śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭam. He has heard the truth from the paramparā system, and the result of his hearing-he's firmly convinced and fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So when one can finally see that one is fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and he answers all questions on the authority of śāstra, he's guru. This is the proof of it(?). Just like we, whenever we say something, we immediately support it by quoting from Bhagavad-gītā, Bhāgavata, Vedas. This is called knowledge. And the result of knowledge-fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, firm. Nobody can deviate. That is guru. Two sides: one side is that he knows everything from authoritative source. And he, as the result, is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. These two things are the symptoms of guru.
Two things: one lugdoo and one one-thousand-dollar note—which one he will take? He will take this lugdoo. For him this is reality. He does not know the value of this paper.
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx: Śyāmasundara: This is just for me.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is... These things are discussed in Upaniṣads. The students asks, "What is reality?" He says that "Think over." Now came, that "Eatables are reality," because he's a small child. So he says, "No, this is not reality. You think over." In this way, this way, one after, one after another, one after another, he finally came to Brahman. So this reality differs according to knowledge. Kṛṣṇa can... The same example: a child. Two things: one lugdoo and one one-thousand-dollar note—which one he will take? He will take this lugdoo. For him this is reality. He does not know the value of this paper. But for his father, which one of them, he can immediately... So reality means according to your knowledge. So these are poor class of men; therefore they are always talking of economic production and this and that, the immediate...
So when one becomes self-realized, these two things are conspicuous by absence: no more hankering, no more lamenting.
Philosophy Discussion on Socrates: Prabhupāda: The karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, they have got hankering. The karmīs, they are hankering after how to get material wealth, how to get material position, how to get nice woman, how to get nice position. That is karmī. Their business—simply hankering, hankering. Bancruptcy (?). And if they have lost, they cry, "Oh, I have lost it, I have lost it, I have lost." Two business. So when one becomes self-realized, these two things are conspicuous by absence: no more hankering, no more lamenting. The karmīs are hankering; the jñānīs, they are also expecting to become one with God, to merge into the existence of God. That is also hankering. The yogis, they are hankering after some magic power so they can befool others that he has become God, "I can manufacture gold, I can fly in the sky," and foolish people after them. Intelligent person will see, "What is this perfection? Even if he can fly in the sky, there are so many birds are flying. What is the difference between this flying and that flying?" So he doesn't care. So these are not perfection.
The two things especially, knowledge, education and money, they are earned in the previous birth, not that all of a sudden one has become rich, all of a sudden one has become very learned man.
Philosophy Discussion on Plato: Hayagrīva: He also stressed the process of remembering. It's called the, his, Plato's doctrine of recollection. And he says you can ask a boy, who may be ignorant of a subject, you can elicit answers from him, and this answers, he may give you the right answers, and this would suggest that he acquired this knowledge in a previous existence.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore we find a student in school is very intelligent and less intelligent. Otherwise both of them of the same age, why one is more intelligent, he grasps the matter very quickly, and why the other is not so intelligent? This is everything that putra-janma dṛḍhaṁ vidyā putra-janma dṛḍhaṁ dhanam. (indistinct) The two things especially, knowledge, education and money, they are earned in the previous birth, not that all of a sudden one has become rich, all of a sudden one has become very learned man. No. It is continuous. So if one man is extraordinarily learned, it is to be understood that it is the result of his previous culture. Similarly, if anyone is extraordinarily rich, it is to be understood it is due to his past pious activities. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26), these four things are achieved on account of previous pious activities: good birth, good opulence, aiśvarya, and good education, and good beauty. These are the results of pious, good activities.
There are many men who are very well situated and there are many men who are suffering. So two things are there according, suffering and enjoyment, according to the body.
Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine: Hayagrīva: What about the body of a man? Is that punishment or gift?
Prabhupāda: Man, man, there are many men who are very well situated and there are many men who are suffering. So two things are there according, suffering and enjoyment, according to the body. So this has been explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). According to the body the heat and, what is called, cold? Heat or cold?
Two things are there, remembering and forgetting. Both these things are coming from God.
Philosophy Discussion on Auguste Comte: Prabhupāda: So he is..., he does not believe..., there is no belief in God is there? There is no question of? No. But our point of view is different: that God is the ultimate decider of everything. That is called daiva-netreṇa. He may be acting through different agents, but ultimate decision is given by Him. And He is sitting in everyone's heart. He is observing the activities of the individual soul as witness, giving permission. Without God's permission, nobody can act. So He is giving intelligence also, and He is the cause of forgetting. Two things are there, remembering and forgetting. Both these things are coming from God. If He keeps him in forgetfulness, then he cannot remember, and if He gives him the power to remember, he can remember for long, long past activities. So ultimately God is the final director. That is our conception. Man cannot remain independent. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Everything is being done, impelled by the three material modes of nature, and the ultimate dictator is the Supersoul, or the Personality of Godhead in His localized aspect, situated everywhere in the heart of the living entity, or even within the atom He is there, and His is the supreme director.
Purports to Songs
Association of good persons and, at the same time, simultaneously, devotional service to the Lord. These two things combinedly can make our life successful.
Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966: Due to our this abnormal encagement in the material body, we are put into the birth and death. Otherwise, I am not subjected to birth and death. I am eternal. I am eternal. So he is requested that "Don't waste your time, my dear mind." Because mind is taking me here and there. So he's requesting mind. It is very philosophical. This is concentration, requesting the mind, "Don't put me into the ocean of birth and death. Please save me, and just make your life successful in the association of saints and sages. That is my request." Bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana. So worship, worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord, and, at the same time, association of saints and sages, that makes our life successful. Association of good persons and, at the same time, simultaneously, devotional service to the Lord. These two things combinedly can make our life successful.
Every incarnation you'll find two things. Lord Kṛṣṇa, He's so beautiful, so kind, but He is very dangerous to the demons. The demons were seeing Him as thunderbolt and the gopīs were seeing Him as the most beautiful cupid.
Purport to Parama Koruna -- Los Angeles, January 16, 1969: The incarnation is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that whenever there is discrepancies in the prosecution of religiosities and there is prominence of impious activities, at that time the Lord incarnates, or He descends on this material world, for protecting the pious and annihilating the impious. That is the mission of incarnation. Every incarnation you'll find two things. Lord Kṛṣṇa, He's so beautiful, so kind, but He is very dangerous to the demons. The demons were seeing Him as thunderbolt and the gopīs were seeing Him as the most beautiful cupid. So in the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). The God is realized in proportion to one's freedom from the demoniac propensities.
| Page Title: | Two things (Other lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 26 of Apr, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=77, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 77 |