Unfit (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"not fit" |"unfit" |"unfitly" |"unfitting"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

The Supreme Lord, just like Kṛṣṇa, He says that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). When He descends in this material world, His consciousness is not materially affected. Had His consciousness been materially affected, He was unfit to speak about the transcendental subject matter in the Bhagavad-gītā. One cannot say anything about the transcendental world without being free from the materially contaminated consciousness. So the Lord was not materially contaminated. But our consciousness, at the present moment, is materially contaminated.

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

So this whole planet was Bhārata-varṣa. There was only one flag. The whole planet was being ruled by one king. That is the king of this Hastināpura. The fight is that, that who would be the king, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira or Duryodhana. But a king... It is not a democratic; it is monarchy. So Kṛṣṇa is deciding, "No, Duryodhana is unfit. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is fit." This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Therefore this fight is there. Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa wanted to wipe out all unwanted demons from the face of the world and enthrone Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira because he is the exact representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

So our, our point of view is not to become a first-class prisoner. To get out of the prison. That is Vaiṣṇava vision. You'll find... Last night I have given comments that Mādhavendra Purī, he was performing the Annakuta ceremony and installing the Deity. So everything was being brāhmaṇa, done by brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, but Mādhavendra Purī initiated them again to become Vaiṣṇava. Then he gave them in charge of the Deity worship. So the Vaiṣṇava functions cannot be done even by a brāhmaṇa. Even one is qualified brāhmaṇa, he is unfit to propagate Vaiṣṇava philosophy. That is stated in the śāstras.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

Why he should unnecessarily bring so many soldiers and we have to also? Why these poor soldiers will give life? Better go, let us individually fight." So Jarāsandha could understand that "They are kṣatriyas. They have come in the dress of a brāhmaṇa to beg," because kṣatriya cannot beg. So he accepted, "Yes." Then he selected Bhīma to fight with him. He rejected Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa also, that "You are not fit for fighting with me."

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

They are simply scientifically calculating that "Some day will come, by science, we shall be immortal, there will be no death." The formula is given here by Kṛṣṇa how to become immortal. That means you should be callous of this so-called happiness and distress of this material world. That is the first qualification. One who doesn't care what is the distress and happiness of this body, he must execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the qualification. "Oh, I cannot execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness because there are so many inconveniences," he's not fit for becoming immortal.

Lecture on BG 2.21-22 -- London, August 26, 1973:

So this is another way of convincing that... Very simple thing. Anyone can understand. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya. As our garments, coats and shirts, when they are old, rotten, no more usable, so we throw it away and get a new garment, shirt, coat. Similarly, the soul is changing garment from childhood, from babyhood. Just like a baby has got a shoe, but when he gets the child's body the shoe does not fit. You have to take another shoe. Similarly, when the same child grows or changes body, he requires another shoe. Similarly, the soul is changing his body exactly as we change our garments. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni. Jīrṇāni means when it is old enough, not fit for use, yathā vihāya, as we give it up...

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

Therefore, if I am not fit for a certain thing and if I am engaged in that business, that will be failure. That will be failure. For a particular type of business, occupation, one must have particular type of brain. So therefore this is division. Not that everyone is of the same type. You cannot find. There is not... Because the world is being conducted by the three modes of nature, you cannot find all men of the same category.

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

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

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

Because a devotee is neither brāhmaṇa, neither kṣatriya, nor vaiśya, nor śūdra, because he is above. He is in the transcendental position. But in this material world, guṇa-karma, if one is not fit for performing the work as a brāhmaṇa, he can work as a śūdra, he can work as a vaiśya, but employment must be there for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Employment must be there.

Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:

So to encourage Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, one day Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to his room. "Raghunātha? I heard that you are eating very nice foodstuff and you are not inviting Me?" So he was not replying. So He was finding out where he has kept that rice and He took and immediately began to eat. "Sir, You do not eat, this is not for You." "Oh! It is Jagannātha's prasāda! How do you say it is not fit?" Just to encourage him. He may not think, that, "I am eating this rejected," you see? In this way Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī reduced his foodstuff, ultimately, every alternate day only one piece of what is called, butter, so much. And he was offering even bowing down hundreds times and chanting so many times.

Lecture on BG 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966:

So one who has taken shelter there, for him this great ocean of nescience is just like the water containing on the impression of calf leg. Of course, you have no experience. In India I have got experience because these calves and cows, they go on the pasturing ground, and in rainy season their hoofs makes holes, and in that hole there are some water. So that water... This great ocean is compared like that water. So nobody has any difficulty to cross over it. So bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padam: "And for them, those who have taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for them is waiting paraṁ padam, the supreme abode." Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām: (SB 10.14.58) "This place, wherein every step there is danger, this place is unfit for them."

Lecture on BG 6.40-43 -- New York, September 18, 1966:

So one who takes to spiritual culture, for them, this place is unfit. Unfit. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "This place is not fit for any gentleman's living." (chuckles) He was to say like that, "This place is unfit for any gentleman's living." So yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ saṁsiddhau kuru-nandana, kuru-nandana: "O My dear Arjuna, when he gets such chance to revive his old spiritual culture, automatically he tries for it sincerely." Kuru-nandana. Kuru-nandana. Yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

Therefore He says, "So you give Me even patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). It doesn't matter. But give Me with bhakti." Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. This is real business. (?) If you have no bhakti, if you officially make, Kṛṣṇa does not touch it. Kṛṣṇa is not so poor. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam... (Bs. 5.29). So whatever you do, you should always be humble: "Kṛṣṇa, I am quite unfit.

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

So in this way, when they came back, one day the old man proposed to his eldest son that "Your youngest sister should be married with that boy. That I have promised." Oh, the eldest son of that old man become very angry: "Oh, how you have selected that boy to be husband of my sister? He's unfit. He's poor man. He's not so educated. Oh, this cannot take place." He did not agree. Then the mother of the girl, he(she) came to the old man: "Oh, if you get my daughter married with that boy, then I shall commit suicide." Now the old man is perplexed. Then, one day, the boy was anxious that "The old man promised before the Deity.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:

So it is meant for not ordinary men. It is very difficult. Because they are not fit to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is especially meant for persons who are eager to go out of this darkness, especially.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Melbourne, April 3, 1972, Lecture at Christian Monastery:

He cannot live in this body. Similarly, I, you, every one of us, we have the trouble at the time of death, at the time of birth. Birth and death. We are living entities, we are living soul. Birth and death takes place of this body. The body takes birth and the body is vanquished. Death means sleeping for seven months. That's all. That is death. The soul is... When this body is unfit for living, the soul gives up this body. And by superior arrangement the soul is put again into the womb of a particular type of mother, and the soul develops that particular type of body. Up to seven months the soul remains unconscious. And when the body is developed, again consciousness comes and the child wants to come out of the womb and he moves. Every mother has experienced how the child moves at the age of seven months within the womb.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

So karmīs, they are rejected. They are not fit for spiritual life, at least, so long they remain karmīs. Muḍḥa. That I have explained last night. Then, out of many thousands of karmīs, one becomes jñānī, jñānī, in true knowledge. They are called jñānī. When one is fed up with this karmī, he comes to the stage of jñānī, knowledge, that "I am not this body. Why I am working so hard for this body like cats and dogs?" He comes to the platform of jñānī. Then above the jñānī, the yogi. Those who are trying to connect, link with the Supreme, they are called yogi. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. In the yoga stage, there is control of the senses. So yogis, and then bhaktas. Karmī, jñānī, yogi, and bhakta. Bhakta means devotee.

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

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

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

Anyone who is unfit to take the lessons given by the jagad-guru, he is mūḍha. Therefore our test tube is: if one does not know Kṛṣṇa, if one does not know how to follow Bhagavad-gītā, we immediately take him as a rascal. That's all. Never mind he... He may be prime minister, he may be high-court judge, or... No.

Lecture on SB 1.10.1 -- Mayapura, June 16, 1973:

They think... Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matiḥ. They think like that. The gopīs, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs, it is most confidential part of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is to be relished by the liberated soul, not these ordinary persons who have got sex attraction. They are unfit for hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, rāsa-līlā. Unfit.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

So here is a responsible monarch, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. It is not that some rascal gets some votes and some way or other he sits on the president's chair and secretly doing all nonsense. Just like your President Nixon is now detected, so many things. The monarchy was not like that. Here it is clearly said, pravṛtta-vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ. Vijñāna-vidhūta. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was thinking that "For me, so many people have been killed. So I have become very, very much sinful. I am not fit for sitting on the throne, such responsible throne." But his misgivings were dissipated by the words of Bhīṣma.

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

That how Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, he was unwilling to accept the kingdom because he thought that "For me so many men have been killed in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So I am so sinful, I am not fit for the throne." But all the great personalities like Bhīṣmadeva, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Vyāsadeva, and all of them requested, "No, there is no fault of you. It was fight. It was right. So you can reign over." There it is said, niśamya bhīṣmoktam athācyutoktaṁ pravṛtta-vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

This is our position. Anything... If you are walking on the street, if you kill an ant by walking, you will be punished. This is nature's law. We are in such a dangerous position. In every movement there is punishment. Now, if you believe the śāstras, that is different thing. If you don't believe, then do anything you like. But from śāstra we can understand the laws of nature, or God, is very, very strict, very, very strict. So Maṇḍūka Muni also chastised Yamarāja, that "In my childhood, without any knowledge I did something and for which you have given me so great punishment. So you are not fit for becoming a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

People are śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga everyone is a śūdra. Therefore naturally he will elect one śūdra. The śūdra is not fit for government management. As such we find so many difficulties in the government because the head or the head man, they are all śūdras. They have dressed like administrator, but they are śūdras. This is the symptom of Kali-yuga. There is no brāhmaṇa, there is no kṣatriya, there is no vaiśyas. Maybe a few vaiśyas, and all śūdras. A brāhmaṇa means the good quality, first-class quality. That is very, very rare to be found.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

Just like Rāvaṇa and Hiraṇyakaśipu. They were Kṛṣṇa's personal guards, Jaya-Vijaya. Some way or other, they became offender to the Kumāras. So they cursed him that "You are not well-behaved." They stopped him going in the house of Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa. So they became very angry. They cursed him that "You do not deserve this place. You must go to the material world. In the material world there is enviousness, jealousy. In the spiritual world you have become envious. So you are not fit. You must go down to the material world." So they became very much disturbed. Lord Nārāyaṇa personally came out to settle up.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

But God is the whole family. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti. He's supplying food to the elephants. We are, we are so much advanced in civilization that because we cannot take care of a child, therefore we are killing child even within the womb of mother, abortion. We are so unfit. But God, you see, He's feeding millions of elephants in the Africa. Not only elephants, there are so many. Out of 8,400,000 species of life, there are 8,000,000 species of life nonhuman being, the majority—the birds, beasts, reptiles, trees, so many other living entities. But they have no business.

Lecture on SB 1.16.25 -- Hawaii, January 21, 1974:

First of all see whether he's fit for becoming a disciple; then recommend. Otherwise, don't recommend. Because the chief recommendation is creating havoc. One is not fit for becoming a student, disciple, and he's accepting discipleship, and after three days he's going away. This should not be allowed. Therefore, in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta..., er, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa by Sanātana Gosvāmī it is directed that the spiritual master and the disciple must meet together at least for one year so that the disciple may also understand that "Here is a person whom I can accept as my guru," and the guru also can see that "Here is a person who is fit for becoming my disciple." Then the business is nice. Because the business is tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34), one must be prepared to surrender. So unless that character is there, surrendering, how he can become a disciple? It is not possible.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-6 Excerpts -- Los Angeles, July 2, 1970:

My dear king..." Śukadeva Gosvāmī is speaking to King Parīkṣit that "There are many subject matters for the persons who are materialistic." What sort of... Why they are engaged in so many topics? Ātma-tattvam apaśyatām. They do not see what is self-realization. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Apaśyatām... Generally, we do not know, we cannot see what is ātmā in these material eyes. Therefore the material scientists, they say that there is no soul, because they cannot see. With their instruments or with their knowledge it is not possible. Apaśyatām. They do not see it. Therefore we cannot believe our eyes. These eyes are not fit to see anything. It is under certain condition it gives us some impression. Otherwise... Therefore my Guru Mahārāja used to say that saintly persons should be seen not through the eyes, but through the ears. There are different processes of seeing. Don't believe that eyes are sufficient to see everything. No.

Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

Therefore, the show of tears in the eyes, trembling, perspiration or unconsciousness, etc., is condemned. They can, however, get in touch with a pure devotee of the Lord and rectify their bad habits; otherwise they shall continue to be stonehearted and unfit for any treatment. A complete progressive march on the return path home, back to Godhead, will depend on the instructions of the revealed scriptures directed by a realized devotee."

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

Karandhara: "Now the next question will automatically be made as to why the Lord influences the living entity to such consciousness and forgetfulness. The answer is that the Lord clearly wishes that every living entity be engaged in his pure consciousness as the part and parcel of the Lord, and thus be engaged in loving service of the Lord as he is constitutionally made. But because the living entity is partially independent also, he may not be willing to serve the Lord, but may try to become independent as the Lord is. The whole nondevotee class of living entities are all desirous of becoming equally as powerful as the Lord, although they are not fit to become so. The living entities are..."

Prabhupāda: They will never be God, but we see so many persons. By the influence of the illusory energy they think, "I am God. I am God. I shall become God by pressing my nose like this, doing this." So this is going on. They will never be able. That is not possible. Otherwise, there is no meaning of God. If everyone can become God, then there is no meaning of God. But by influence of... Just like karmīs are saying "I shall become millionaire. I shall become trillionaire. I shall become head of the state. I shall become prime minister." This struggle, this is another struggle: "I shall become God." This is another struggle.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

That means your lavatory. Therefore the demigods do not come here even to urine. (laughter) Formerly they used to come. Now they do not come because it is not fit for their urinating. Here, we are very much proud of our advancement, but the demigods do not come even to pass urine. Why they should come? Now, because another house is raised here, even a common man is not coming to urine here. A little less facility, so they are not occupying. So why the demigods will come to this nonsense place? You can understand. These apartments are lying vacant on account of a little less facility.

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

Just like you are trying to go to the moon planet. You cannot go because your body is not purified to stay there. Just like in your American country you do not allow everyone—there is check by the immigration department, what class of men you shall admit—similarly, you cannot enter in the moon planet by force unless you are purified. Or the temperature, the atmosphere, is so severe there, it is unfit. It is the statement of the scientists who are trying to go there that the temperature is below two hundred degrees zero. So how you can live there? Here, in your America, Canada, if the temperature is ten degrees below zero, you suffer so much. How you can live there? So you have to purify yourself before entering moon planet.

Lecture on SB 5.6.5 -- Vrndavana, November 27, 1976:

The Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-praṇaya, loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, this is not ordinary thing. When you worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, we are not fit for that... (break) ...we shall think ourself as servant of Kṛṣṇa, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, under the guidance, ādau gurvāśrayam. So if we want to do something, we must inquire from guru, sad dharma (indistinct). We must follow. We should not manufacture things, that "This way I shall be able to satisfy Kṛṣṇa." No. Sādhu (indistinct). If I discuss about Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā in my neophyte stage, Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. No. You must first of all purify yourself by the regulative principle. And when you are completely free, then from the material conception, then you understand what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, June 16, 1976:

Therefore these indriyas, senses, is not fit for understanding Kṛṣṇa. It has to be purified. The senses, you cannot stop the activities of the senses, but you have to purify. That is recommended. That purification of the senses begins from the tongue. Therefore we have recommended that don't eat meat, don't taste intoxication, don't, and illicit sex. From the tongue, it goes to... Sex is not prohibited, but illicit sex, that is controlled, that is controlled. If one is allowed to have unlimited, unrestricted sex, then he is doomed. Better restrict your sex in one wife, woman (indistinct). That means gradually it will be controlled.

Lecture on SB 6.2.13 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1975:

So the Yamadūta forbade them, that "Don't touch him. He is not fit for going to Yamaloka, but he is fit for going to Viṣṇuloka." Bhagavan-nāma mriyamāṇaḥ. The most important thing is how to become successful. At the time of death chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This should be there. Bhagavan-nāma mriyamāṇaḥ. That will be the perfection of life.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

God is everywhere. Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭim yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). God is everywhere. Even within the atoms. But we have no eyes. The part of God, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). The little portion of God is there in you and me. The living force. But we cannot see that. So we haven't got eyes to see God. We cannot eyes to see my father, mother. We are seeing the body. When the father dies, we cry, "My father has gone." Where your father has gone? Here he's lying. But he has not seen ever who is his father. Therefore our present eyes are not fit to see spiritual thing. We are fit to see stone, wood, like that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, out of His great kindness, He has appeared before you. You are thinking it is stone. It is not stone. Kṛṣṇa. But because you cannot see except stone, He appears like stone. This is called Deity worship. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that because you cannot see anything except stone and wood or something material...

Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Toronto, June 18, 1976:

In the kṛte, means Satya-yuga, when people used to live for one hundred thousands of years, at that time it was possible. Just like Valmiki Muni meditated for sixty thousands of years. So actually this meditation, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, the yogic system, it is recommended in the śāstras, the Bhagavad-gītā also it is there, but in this age it is not possible. Even Arjuna denied. "Kṛṣṇa, You are recommending me to undergo the process of yoga, but it is not possible for me." Tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram. It is not possible. But Arjuna was a pure devotee. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. He had no other business.

Lecture on SB 7.9.15 -- Mayapur, February 22, 1976:

This material world is very, very fierceful to the devotees. They are very, very much afraid of. This is the difference. Materialistic persons, they are thinking, "This world is very pleasing. We are enjoying. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy." But the devotees, they think, "It is very, very fierceful. How soon we shall get out of it?" My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "This material world is not fit for living for any gentleman." He used to say. "No gentleman can live here." So these things are not understood by the nondevotees, how much pinching this material world is. Duḥkhāla... Kṛṣṇa says it is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). That is the difference between the devotee and nondevotee. The duḥkhālayam, they are trying to adjust how to make it sukhālayam. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 7.9.26 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "My body is in large quantity this rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So it is not possible for me to approach You, My Lord. Because You are śuddha-sattva and I am in the material contamination, how it is possible that You shall touch my head? It is simply Your causeless mercy." This is appreciation. "Otherwise how it is possible? You cannot touch this nasty quality of rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. My body is made by my father and mother. They belong to the nasty rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa quality. So it is not possible that You'll touch my body, but You have done it. You have placed Your lotus hand on my head. It is simply Your causeless mercy. Otherwise I am not fit for this. So, and I... You are so merciful that this mercy You did not offer to Lord Brahmā even." Brahmā is supposed to be the supreme creature within this material world, Brahmā. He's the first created creature, and he's called Svayambhū. He's not born of any material father and mother but directly came through the lotus stem which is growing from the navel of Viṣṇu. So he's not ordinary person. He's not ordinary person. He's not... Therefore he's known as Svayambhū. We are not svayambhū. We are begotten by father and grown up by mother. We are not self-sufficient. But Brahmā is called Svayambhū because he is not born of any material father and mother. So "He did not get this mercy. Although Brahmā's position is so exalted, still, my Lord, he did not get this opportunity."

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

We are talking of Prahlāda Mahārāja's prayer. He was thinking himself unfit for offering prayers to the Lord. But still, because he was requested by the great demigods headed by Lord Brahmā and others, he thought that material qualification, namely high parentage, riches, beauty, bodily strength, yogic power, all of them are not qualification for becoming a devotee or qualified to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The author of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, very humbly submits that he is just trying to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, although he humbly thinks himself unfit for this work. That should be the attitude of all preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. We should never think of ourselves as great preachers, but should always consider that we are simply instrumental to the previous ācāryas, and simply by following in their footsteps, we may be able to do something for the benefit of suffering humanity."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi. Our main business is..., (uproar in background, sounds like monkey attacked audience) (pause) Hut! Hut! (laughter, applause) So our main business is to serve the ācāryas. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means why..., we are trying to serve the ācāryas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His direct disciples, the Ṣaḍ-gosvāmīs, and their disciples. Rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti. That is required.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 9, 1973:

Pradyumna: "The author of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, very humbly submits that he is just trying to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, although he humbly thinks himself unfit for this work."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Every Vaiṣṇava, that is Vaiṣṇava's sadācāra (?), humble. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. Although Vaiṣṇava knows everything, still he presents himself very humble, lower that the straw, humbler than the tree. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā, they don't..., the devotee does not claim any so-called popular respect, false respect. They go on with their Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā, if anyone wants some honor, he gives everyone honor. For him, he does not want any honor. What honor he'll take? This material honor.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

A devotee is nevertheless always alert not to commit any sinful activities; this is his specific qualification as a devotee. Thus the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam states that by performing devotional service a person who was born even in a family of dog-eaters may become eligible to take part in the performance of the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the Vedas. It is implicit in this statement that a person born into a family of dog-eaters is generally not fit for performing yajña, or sacrifice. The priestly caste in charge of performing these ritualistic sacrifices, ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the Vedas, is called the brāhmaṇa order.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.6 -- Mayapur, March 30, 1975:

So this kind of Bhāgavata reading will not help you. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt: (SB 11.2.42) "If you are actually advancing in devotional service, then the symptom will be that you'll have no more material hankerings." That is real. So if you actually hear about Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with Rādhārāṇī, then hṛd-roga-kāmān apahinoti, then our heart disease, lusty desires, will vanish. That is the result. I have repeatedly said. So if you become more lusty by seeing the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with Rādhārāṇī or hearing, that means you are not fit. Stop it. Stop it. Don't be foolish. So in the spiritual platform, the everything are there, but they are different in quality. Just like iron is also metal and gold is also metal, but the quality is different; similarly, don't take that Kṛṣṇa's loving affairs with Rādhārāṇī is exactly like our loving affair with our girlfriend. No. It is not like that. One is gold, and one is iron. Don't minimize the value. Therefore Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī has described that it is ahlādinī-śaktiḥ. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktiḥ.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

We get information from the śāstra, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiḥ (Bs. 5.40). Jagadānda means this universe. And there are koṭis, unlimited. In Caitanya Mahāprabhu's dealing, one devotee, Vāsudeva Datta, he pleaded to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "My dear Lord, You have come, You take away all the inhabitants of this earth, or within this universe, and if You think that they are so much sinful that they cannot be delivered, so You can transfer their sinful resultant action, sinful activities, unto me. I shall suffer." This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy, that "Let others be delivered, and if they are unfit, sinful, all their sins may be transferred to me."

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

Scorching heat and cold and rains, they are all suffering, and the people taking their leaves, taking their branches, woods, cutting them, taking fruit, and still, the trees give you shelter. This is the example of tolerance. So tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā mānadena. Everyone in this material world is very much fond of getting honor. Although he's not honorable, still, he wants to get honor. Although he is unfit, still, he wants. That is the material propensity. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "You give them honor. Don't ask for yourself any honor, respect, but others, you give them." That is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:

"This Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who has come in Benares, He is not very learned," therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's replying him that "I belong to the lower-class sannyāsī. Therefore I am sitting in this filthy place. You better sit in higher places."

prabhu kahe—āmi ha-i hina-sampradāya

tomā-sabāra sabhāya vasite nā yuyāya

"So I am not fit to sit with you," Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.76-81 -- San Francisco, February 2, 1967:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ei ājñā pāñā: "I received this order from My spiritual master, and I follow it strictly." Nāma la-i anukṣaṇa: "Because My spiritual master told Me that 'You don't touch Vedānta. You, You fool. You just go on.' " Or, in other words, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was not a fool. He was a vastly learned man. He's representing the fools of the present age. What they will understand, Vedānta-sūtra? Their life is so molded by the present atmosphere, materialistic atmosphere, that they are unable to touch Vedānta-sūtra. They are unfit to touch even Vedānta-sūtra, what to speak of understanding it.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.91-2 -- Vrndavana, March 13, 1974:

So His Guru Mahārāja advised Him... He presented Himself like that to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. Presenting Himself as fool means that the general mass of people, they are not fit for becoming very great Sanskrit scholar or very good philosopher or student of Vedānta philo... That is not possible in this age, in Kali-yuga. Mass of people, they are almost śūdra. Śūdra-sambhava. Scholarship, to study Sanskrit, to study Vedas, Purāṇas, they are meant for the brāhmaṇas.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.107 -- New York, July 13, 1976:

So it is the duty of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's representative to take instruction from Caitanya Mahāprabhu and spread it. That is here said, yogya-pātra hao tumi bhakti pravartāite: "You are the fit person." Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives you instruction. If you are unfit, then there will be no instruction. And what is the fitness? Fitness is he must be very eager to serve Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī approached: "My Lord, You have released me from this material occupation. Now order me what shall I do." This is wanted. One must be ready, very eager to carry out the orders of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then He will give you instruction. And as soon as you get the favor, mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu... It is very simple. Simply we must be serious.

Festival Lectures

Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

I have no qualification to see You." So in this way, if one feels the separation of Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, I want to see You, but I am so disqualified that I cannot see You." These feeling of separation will make you enriched in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Feeling of separation. Not that "Kṛṣṇa, I have seen you. Finished. All right. I have understood You. Finished. All my business finished." No! Perpetually think of yourself that "I am unfit to see Kṛṣṇa." That will enrich you in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 2, 1971:

...interested in material profit by devotional service, he is not fit at all to enter into the devotional service. There are... Everyone is trying to become happier, the karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, devotees, because in the material world there is no happiness. So the karmīs are trying to be happier to increase their sense gratification. So one man has got hundred dollars income. He is trying to be happy, more happy, by increasing the income to a thousand dollars, because his sense gratification is not sufficient in one hundred dollars. He wants thousand dollars. So if one takes to devotional service, but, "My income is hundred dollars. Kṛṣṇa, give me thousand dollars," so this is not pure devotion.

General Lectures

Lecture on Maha-mantra -- New York, September 8, 1966:

The present senses, the present senses cannot have any knowledge of the Supreme God. But how then we can have knowledge? If my senses are unfit, then how can I make it fit?

Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:

So God is not under creation. He is the creator. Before creation, He was existing. That is called sanātana. That means He is also sanātana. And there is a spiritual nature, sky, where there are innumerable spiritual planets also. And there are innumerable spiritual living entities also. And some of them, those who are not fit to live in that spiritual world, they are, I mean to say, sent to this material world. The same idea is expressed in Milton's Paradise Lost.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: We are trying to lead others to God consciousness. That is the proof that I am God's representative. I am not teaching them anything else. I am teaching everything, that is duty, but this is my prime duty. Similarly, if the state or the state executive head, the president or the king is taken, accepted as God's representative, his first and foremost duty is to train the citizens to become God conscious. If he's lacking in that duty, he's not fit to become executive head, king of the... What does he say about that?

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: That is not chance; that is plan. That is plan. That is not chance. He does not know that. As soon as he says chance, that means his knowledge is not perfect. Chance... If a man says chance when he cannot explain, that is evasive. Therefore he is not in perfect knowledge; therefore he is not fit for giving any knowledge. He is cheating, that's all, because he has no perfect knowledge.

Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:

Prabhupāda: We are in this room, we may go to another room—but that room is already ready. But I am entering a certain type of apartment according to my means. If I can pay more rent, I can get very nice apartment. If I do not pay, I cannot pay, then that is not possible. Similarly, according to our karma, nature is offering us different apartments, and these apartments are already there, fixed up, 8,400,000 species of life. So as you make yourself fit, you enter accordingly. It is not fixed up that because you are now in a very nice apartment you cannot go down or go up. If you are fit for entering into better apartment, that is also ready. And if you are unfit for entering a better, then lower class of apartment, that is also ready. So these things are already there.