So everyone is born śūdra, but by cultivation of knowledge and culture, one can become... Saṁskārāt. Therefore, according to Vedic system, there are ten kinds of saṁskāra, reformatory method. This upanayana-saṁskāra, this is also one of the saṁskāra, sacred thread.
Vedic system (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:
So the whole Vedic system was meant for having very good population. Not such kind of population who are addicted to killing and drinking and so many other sinful activities. No. Then you cannot check. If such population is there, then everything will be polluted.
Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:
This is very important point. For good population. Without good population in the society, gentlemen, cultured, educated, following the rules and regulations of religious principles, how you can expect peace and prosperity? That is not possible. So the whole Vedic system was meant for having very good population. Not such kind of population who are addicted to killing and drinking and so many other sinful activities.
Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:
According to Vedic system, therefore, there is forced renunciation. Nobody wants to retire from family life, but the Vedic injunction is that after one has passed fifty years, he must leave his family life. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. In the beginning, as a student life, he's trained up, brahmacārī, undergoing severe austerities, penances, and taking instruction from the spiritual master about the temporary existence of this material world.
Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:
That was the system. And after two months, again he comes back and remains home for another two months. Again goes out. In this way, the whole process is how to give up attachment from this family life, from this world. And when he's trained up fully, he takes sannyāsa. That is our Vedic system.
Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:
He was a warrior, fighter. His business was to fight, but he fought for Kṛṣṇa. Then he became a devotee. That is sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). He... Arjuna, brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya. Similarly, our..., means sva-karma, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Our, according to Vedic system, there are four divisions.
Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:
No. Father will be sorry even the intelligent boy is killed or the dull boy is killed. For father, there is no such distinction. Similarly, you cannot kill animals without being sanctioned. That sanction is in the sacrifice. I have already explained, for testing. According to Vedic system, if you kill anybody, then you must be responsible for the sinful life. (end)
Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:
This dharma means, according to different position... Just like brāhmaṇa, the intellectual society; the kṣatriyas, the administrator society; the vaiśyas, the mercantile society; and the śūdras. Śūdras means the laborer class. So these four divisions are always. Now you can name in a different way. That doesn't matter. But in every society and for all time these divisions are there. So according to Vedic system, this system is observed by generation.
Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:
He has got his... Just like this red mark symbolizes that "This girl has her husband," similarly, this sacred thread is the symbol that "This man has got his spiritual master." So there is a ceremony. You see? So according to Vedic system, one has to accept a spiritual master in order to make a solution of his life. In every step of his life the spiritual master guides him. He also makes question to the spiritual master and he guides him so that he will, his life, his progress of life, may be systematic.
Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:
Yes. The, the necessity of a spiritual master is for him who is conscious of his material suffering. If one is not conscious of his material suffering, then he is not even on the human being status. He's still in the animal status. Animal status, you see? Now, the modern civilization... The modern civilization is practically... They are evading, evading the real sufferings. They are engaged in temporary sufferings. But the Vedic system is Vedic knowledge.
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:
According to Vedic system, there should be four classes of men: the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, social order; and spiritual order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is perfect system of human civilization. So I shall briefly describe. Brāhmaṇa is compared with the head.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:
According to Vedic system, there are four classes of men in the society. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Human society must be divided into four classes of men. Just like in our body, there are four different departments: the brain department, the hand department, the belly department, and the leg department. You require all these. If the body is to be maintained, then you must maintain properly your head, your arms, your belly, and leg.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:
Just try to understand how much ignorant we are. We are all in ignorance. This education is wanted because people, by this ignorance, they're fighting with one another. One nation is fighting with another, one religionist is fighting with another religionist. But it is all based on ignorance. I am not this body. Therefore śāstra says, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Ātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape, this is a bag of bones and muscles, and it is manufactured by three dhātus. Dhātu means elements. According to Āyur-vedic system: kapha, pitta, vāyu. Material things.
Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:
And... Still, they are one. In spite of becoming unlimited, they're one. Just like the sun. If you put here millions of pots, waterpots, in every pot you'll find the sun's reflection. But that millions of reflections, sun, does not mean that sun has lost his oneness. Sun is one. That is also a Vedic system, that we are all reflection like that. So anyway, these many, many forms of God, is from the desire of God. Now, out of these...
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972:
Without any argument. We accept Vedic knowledge like that. For example, just like stool of an animal. It is stated in the Vedic literature that it is impure. If you touch stool... According to Vedic system, even after passing my own stool, evacuating, I have to take bath. And what to speak of others' stool. That is the system. So stool is impure. One, after touching stool, he must take bath. This is Vedic injunction.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:
We have to accept. Guru-vākya. Guru-vākya, you cannot deny it. It may not be agreeable to you in the beginning, but you cannot deny it. That is it: system of Vedic system. Here Arjuna has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master. Śiṣyas te aham. "I become Your disciple. Because we were talking till now as friends, but this will not decide the case. My case is very serious. My duty is to fight, but I do not like to fight. Some affection, some family relationship, is deterring me to fight, making me coward. So therefore it is a very complex position.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:
Therefore, according to the Vedic system, marriage is there. Without marriage, the population, increase of population, means varṇa-saṅkara.
Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Germany, June 21, 1974:
Ghost means he doesn't get. He is so sinful that he is condemned to remain in the subtle body. He does not get the gross body. Therefore, according to Vedic system, there is śrāddha ceremony. If the father or relative has not gotten the gross body, by that ceremony he is allowed to accept a gross body. That is the Vedic system.
Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:
We are not trying to understand by the ascending process. Inductive or deductive. We accept the statements of the Vedas. Therefore we haven't got to make much effort to understand a thing. Veda-vacana, śruti, śruti-pramāṇa. There are three kinds of evidences: direct perception, and evidence from the Vedas, and evidence from history. Aitihya. Pratyakṣa, aitihya, śruti. Three kinds of evidences. So pratyakṣa and aitihya is neglected. According to our Vedic system, śruti-pramāṇa, if it is statement, the statement is there in the śruti, in the Vedas, then we accept. We have got a society in India.
Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:
Poison is bad, but sometimes it is required for administering medicine. Even poison is administered. When one's heart is... According to Āyur-vedic system, when the man's heart is almost to fail, at that time, poison is given. So the heart becomes again agitated. In the medical science also.
Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:
Now, for a householder, according to our Vedic system... I have already described to you the four divisions of social system and four division of spiritual orders.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
Just like according to Vedic system, begging is allowed. Begging allowed for whom? For the brāhmaṇas, for the sannyāsīs, for the brahmacārīs, because they collect money, beg from door to door for their benefit. Suppose a brahmacārī is going to a householder's place or a storekeeper's place, "Give us some contribution." He is not collecting that money for his livelihood. He's quite competent to work. But that one dollar which he contributes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it is good for him. At least, some portion of his energy goes to Kṛṣṇa. That is the philosophy. Not that "Some way or other, I may collect some money and live very comfortably." No. We cannot do that. But you can accept Kṛṣṇa's prasāda. That is a different thing. But for personal comfort you have to work.
Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:
"My dear Arjuna, a man who does not follow this prescribed Vedic system of sacrifice certainly leads a life of sin. For a person delighting only in the senses lives in vain (BG 3.16)."
Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:
But Kṛṣṇa can say. Because the history of life from Kṛṣṇa, we can understand that actually He was the greatest personality. At least, during His time, He was the greatest personality in every field of activities. Now knowledge received from the greatest personality, greatest authority, is, according to Vedic system, that is accepted as perfect.
Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:
There are three kinds of proofs. According to Vedic system, they accept three kinds. For establishing truth, they, they take three kinds of proofs: pratyakṣa, anumāna, aitihya. In logic also, these three kinds of proofs are accepted. What is that? Now, direct perception. You are seeing. I am sitting here.
Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:
But actually, human life is not meant for that purpose. And to reduce some work, sometimes we think that "Let me go to the temple. If God or some demigod becomes very pleased upon me, then quickly I shall get the benefit." That is mentioned here. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhim. This is also mentioned in the Vedas, that "If you want success in this line, then worship this demigod. If you want beautiful wife, then worship Umā. If you want..." They're all listed. I don't remember just now, but these are recommended. These are recommended. Therefore, according to Vedic system, if you worship some demigod for some particular purpose, that is recommended.
Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:
So nowadays, at the present moment, this cultural program... I am speaking of India and everywhere. There is no such cultural program. That cultural program, that program to beget nice children, the whole program is, we must know, the whole Vedic system is to give the human life the greatest chance of self-realization and get free from these material miseries. That is the whole program. It is not... The Vedic culture does not mean that we shall be like cats and dogs, simply eating, sleeping, mating and defending. No. The human society is a systematic program to give everyone the chance of getting free from this material miseries.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:
So beginning of human civilization is this varṇāśrama-dharma. The Vedic system is varṇāśrama-dharma.
Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:
You cannot manufacture religion. And what is actual religion? If you follow, then you are religious. The actual religion is the God's order. That is... everyone follows some principle of religion to understand God. And in our Vedic system the only purpose of life is to understand God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. In the human form of life we have no other business. No other. Other business, that, cats and dogs are also doing, and we are also doing. That is automatic. It is not that other animals, they are starving. They are also eating and we are also eating. But the facility is, the other animals lower than the human being, they haven't got to do any business or any profession or go from one country to another to earn livelihood. That is their advantage.
Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:
Now, in this verse three times, four times, the word has been used, pūrvataram, pūrvatamaiḥ. Kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaṁ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛtam. Pūrva, pūrvataram, pūrvatama: comparative, superlative, and positive. So this is the process that we have to follow the previous ācāryas. That is Vedic system.
Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:
Kṛṣṇa does not advise, "Modern." Five thousand years ago He instructed Bhagavad-gītā. Still, He was saying pūrva pūrvataraiḥ, pūrvatamaiḥ. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). This is intelligence. We have to accept the real truth and follow it. It does not mean modern age or previous age, past age. That is not Vedic system.
Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:
Just like in our Vedic system, one has got the red mark on the forehead, one woman. It is to be understood that she is married. Similarly, one who has got the sacred thread means that he has approached qualified ācārya, and the ācārya has recognized him as brāhmaṇa. This is sacred thread, not that purchase one sacred thread and get it and become a brāhmaṇa. No. This is very important thing. And then divide. First of all educate. Where is that education? Of course, this is meant for...
Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:
Mahājano yena gataḥ so panthāḥ. Then you accept the mahājana. Mahājana means following the paramparā system. According to Vedic system, there are twelve mahājanas. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ, janako bhīṣmaḥ and vaiyāsakir vayam (SB 6.3.20), like that. I am just now forgetting. Excuse me. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilo kumāraḥ manuḥ, prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ (SB 6.3.20). Prahlāda, Prahlāda Mahārāja, this gṛhastha.
Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:
And they used to call every woman from the beginning of life, "Mother." This is training. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. From the very beginning of life, all women they are treated as mother. That is the system, Vedic system. Everyone will call a woman as "Mother." Never mind whether she is younger or older. It doesn't matter. Woman has to be addressed as "Mother." That is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's instruction. Who is learned scholar? Who has got three qualification, he is learned scholar. What is that? Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu: "To treat all woman as mother." Nowadays it has been introduced in India, "Bahinji." No. This is not the etiquette. The etiquette is to address every woman, never mind whether she is young or old, as "Mother." This is brahmacārī. This is brahmacārī.
Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:
There is one Mr. Marshall, economist. Marshall's economics we read in our economic class. He said that "Family affection is the impetus for economic development." He said that. That is fact. Therefore, according to Vedic system, a boy is married with a girl, and the husband and wife, as soon as... This is psychological. As soon as they become husband and wife... Because the boy is searching after woman, and the girl is also searching after man.
Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:
Just like we are in sannyāsa. This is called renounced order of life, and in the Vedic system there are four divisions of social order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Brahmacārī means from the beginning or from five years to twenty-five years one has to live in the house of the spiritual master for being trained up. That is called brahmacārī.
Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:
This is very nice point. Try to understand. The sannyāsī... Just like we are sannyāsī. According to our Vedic system, we are allowed to beg alms from the householders. The social system, the varṇāśrama institution, is so made that the brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and the sannyāsī, and the gṛhastha... Gṛhastha means the householder. Now, the brahmacārī will beg from the householder, the vānaprastha will beg from the householder, and the sannyāsī also beg from the householder.
Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:
This is the direct means. It is specially suitable for this age. How many people, they are fit for studying philosophy? Very few. It requires very learned knowledge to understand philosophical truth. Therefore Lord Caitanya is... He said, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā: "In this age, there is no other way, no other way, no other way than this particular way of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare." "No other way, no other way, no other way" means, according to Vedic system, there are different types of spiritual realization in different ages. Just like in the...
Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:
And if it is made of something else but the coating is gold, large quantity of gold, it is also golden. Similarly, when this material body is full with spiritual activities only, this is also spiritual. Therefore saintly persons, of course in your country everyone is put into the grave after passing away, but in India according to Vedic system, only very high personality, devotees, their body is not burned. It is considered spiritual. A sannyāsī's body is not burned because it is considered spiritual. So how it becomes spiritual? The same example: When the body has no more any material activities, simply spiritual activity in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that body is spiritual.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:
In two ways you can take it, the meaning. Mad-āśrayaḥ. One who does not know except Kṛṣṇa, he's also mad-āśrayaḥ. And one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, that is also mad-āśrayaḥ. So one has to become a devotee, or to take shelter of a pure devotee to practice the yoga system. Ādau gurvāśrayam. That is our system. That is our system. That is the Vedic system. The Vedic system is
- tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet
- samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham
- (MU 1.2.12)
So to practice this yoga, any yoga, you have to take shelter of somebody who knows how to practice this yoga. Mad-āśrayaḥ.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:
So Kṛṣṇa says that out of many thousands of human beings, species of 400,000's of species... manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). They come to the principle of this Vedic system of varṇāśrama-dharma. That is the process of siddhi. Without coming to this process of varṇa and āśrama, cātur-varṇyam, the human life is animal life, or less than animal life. That is not accepted as human society. Therefore it is necessary that all over the world this varṇāśrama-dharma, according to Bhagavad-gītā, must be established. I am therefore trying to get these boys and girls married. This is the system of varṇāśrama-dharma. And they are happy. These boys and girls who are married... Of course, there are sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs. My open order is...
Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:
Although there is mind, but we cannot see. Then how you can see the soul?
So this is the defect of modern education. So what is beyond your perception, sense perception, that you have to hear. There are two kinds of knowledges: by practical experience, direct perception, and by hearing from authority, aitihya. According to Vedic system, there are three kinds of evidences: direct, and pratyakṣa... Pratyakṣa means direct. And then aitihya and śruti. Śruti. Śruti means hearing from the authority. Just like here we see that there is mind.
Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:
Praṇipāta means very humbly submitting oneself. Praṇipātena paripraśna. Otherwise there is no need of questioning. If you have no praṇipāta... Praṇipāta means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipātena, fully submissive. The answers... You should approach to a person, questioning, with praṇipāta, means you cannot challenge him. Whatever answer he gives, you must be prepared to accept it. Otherwise don't put question. That is the system, Vedic system. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena (BG 4.34). First of all you cannot argue because it is settled fact. Vinirṇītam.
Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:
That is Vedic system. First of all you should approach a person whom you think that he is the right person; he can give the answer. Then you put question.
Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:
Prabhupāda: Yes, astrology. Astrology. There is planetary system. It is the Vedic system. You can see at night. The whole planetary system is moving like this, bunch of tree. And in Bhagavad-gītā it is said, ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham (BG 15.1). This, it is just like a big tree, and the root is upwards and the branches and fruits downwards. This is the... The Pole Star is the center of this root of this planetary system. So you read our books, Fifth Canto, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You will get full description.
Guest (1): I'm sorry... You were talking about the higher planets?
Prabhupāda: Yes, don't you see higher planetary system? The sun planet, the moon planet. They are not higher on your top? There are many others, many others, millions. These are prominent. According to the Vedic system, the moon planet is higher than the sun planet. So these descriptions are there in the Fifth Canto. I shall request you to read them to understand.
Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:
He can take service from this, any form. There are eight kinds of forms. Either you paint, either you make a form from wood, from stone, from jewels, and according to Vedic system there are so many different types of Deities. So Kṛṣṇa can accept your service in any way. That is Kṛṣṇa's omnipotency. He has got omnipotency. But we can handle. If we simply, if we want to worship the gigantic virāṭ-rūpa of Kṛṣṇa, if you want to dress Him with cloth, where is such..., where is there such amount of cloth? How you can do it?
Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:
We are, therefore, opening so many gurukulas to teach from the very beginning of life. Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dānto guror hitam. They should be trained up how to offer respect to guru, to superior. These things are not taught. The Vedic system is first brahmacārī, then gṛhastha. That is compulsory, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa, four divisions. First of all he must be trained up first-class brahmacārī, up to twenty-five years.
Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:
This is Vedic system, varṇāśrama-dharma. Now it is foolishly going as Hindu dharma. What is the Hindu dharma? Hindu is not found even in the scriptures. This is a name given by the Mohammedans. Sindu. There is a river, Sindu. From Sindu it has come, "Hindu." Actually the Vedic culture is varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. That is real Vedic culture, how to create brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa—eight.
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Hyderabad, April 19, 1974:
So this is going on. What you do not know exactly—simply theoretically you put some theories and speculate—that is not knowledge. But our process, we are getting knowledge from the perfect personality. That is Vedic system. You acquire knowledge from a person who is perfect in knowledge. Perfect in knowledge and imperfect in knowledge. So long we are imperfect, we cannot give perfect knowledge. Therefore we must find out knowledge from the perfect person. That is Vedic injunction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Guru. Guru means one who has got perfect knowledge. One who hasn't got perfect knowledge, he cannot become guru. How he can? Guru means heavy. So if I am light and I take knowledge from another light person, then what is the use of such knowledge?
Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:
Svayambhuva Manu, he is also authority. Manu's name is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayaṁ vivasvān manave prāhuḥ (BG 4.1). So therefore Manu is also mahājana, he's authority. There is Manu-saṁhitā. Our Vedic system is conducted, the law, the law-giver is Manu. From Manu, the manuṣya, "man", these words have come, Manu. Descendant of Manu, human society, manuṣya.
Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 5, 1973:
So Kṛṣṇa recommends also here that if you actually want to become in knowledge, if you want to have real knowledge, then you must worship ācārya. Ācāryopāsanam. This is Vedic system. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12).
Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Bombay, October 25, 1973:
The varṇāśrama system, Vedic system, that is the beginning of human life. Those who are not in the jurisdiction of varṇa and āśrama—four varṇas, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vāna—one who does not follow these principles, they are not considered as human being. They are animals, go-kharaḥ. So real human life begins, accepting these principles of varṇa-āśrama. So Rāmānanda Rāya proposed that actual human life...
Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has described, this abhayam means fearlessness, because, unless I become fearless, I cannot give up my present position. Just like, according to our Vedic system... Not our; everyone. Vedic system is for everyone. It is not that for a particular class of men, Vedic system. That's wrong. When Kṛṣṇa says catur varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13), this Vedic system, it is for all, not for a particular country, a particular society. So the Vedic system is that one should accept the order, sannyāsa order, at the last stage of his life. Suppose one lives for a hundred years.
Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:
These are chances. Nature, under the order of Kṛṣṇa, is giving chances to us, giving chance to us to come out of the entanglement of birth and death: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). One should be intelligent to see the troubles of these four incidences of life: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. That is the whole Vedic system—how to get out of these clutches. But they're given chance that "You do this, you do that, you do that," so regulated life, so that ultimately he can come out.
Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:
But I don't think. Then what is the difference? Therefore, household luxury is allowed up to fiftieth year in order to learn, pañcaśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. That is Vedic system. Not to remain householder until you are fired, you see, or you are taken by death. Just like our big leaders. They won't give up their householder's life unless he is fired to death, or death takes him away. That is not very good proposition.
Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:
The whole process Vedic system is, even if you are asuras, gradually by practice, by good association, by following the principles of śāstra, we can become deva.
Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:
If you desire to go to the planetary systems of the demigods, you can go. If you want to remain here, in this Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, you can remain. If you want to go to the Pitṛlokas... Just like according to our Vedic system, there is pitṛ-tarpaṇa. You know, all. By offering pitṛ-tarpaṇa, you can be promoted to the Pitṛloka. This is the idea. Similarly, if you want to go to the Supreme Planet, yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6), the abode of the Supreme Lord, Goloka Vṛndāvana or Vaikuṇṭhaloka, you can go. So if we want actually promotion of life, I mean to say, established life, eternal life, and eternal body, sac-cid-ānanda, and eternal blissful life of knowledge, then you must worship Kṛṣṇa. That is the verdict.
Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:
So this is the warning of Ṛṣabhadeva, that this human life is not meant for this purpose, like hogs and dogs. Then what it is? Tapa. That is state..., stated here also: nātapaskāya. One who has not undergone austerities and penances according to the Vedic system, what he can understand Bhagavad-gītā and the Vedas? Therefore He has warned. And what is the result of tapasya? To become bhakta, devotee. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). One who has actually undergone austerities, penances, then the result will be that he will surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is bhakta. So after tapasya, one becomes bhakta. And as soon as one becomes bhakta, he enjoys life. He enjoys life.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:
So as we observe fire ceremony during initiation, (break) performing functions, this ceremony was held daily in the morning. That is Vedic system. There is a section of Hindus, they are called Ārya-samājis. They do it regularly in the morning. Not exactly in the same way, but they also... (break) ...fire ceremony daily in the morning. So not only the sages... (break) ...we are also holding that ceremony. Agnir nirvāpaṇād vā.
Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:
So the system was very strict and regular. It was not strict by anyone, but people rigidly followed. Anyone can follow the regulations; there is no difficulty. But they do not like to do. While walking on the path we see so many people unnecessarily sleeping. Not only in the park, in apartment also. Might be, nice keeping for unnecessary engagement, but according to the Vedic system, everyone should rise early in the morning before four o'clock. In India there is regular seasons also. Not like this country that during summer the nights begin at half past ten and in the winter the morning begins at half past ten. Here. But in India regularly the sun rises in the morning round about five, regularly. Either in the winter season or in the summer season.
Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971:
So the activities of Śukadeva Gosvāmī is that he purposefully remained within the womb of his mother for sixteen years, and as soon as he got out, immediately he left home. Immediately. Anupeta. Anupeta. Because according to Vedic system there is upanayana, upetam. Upanayana. Upa means near, and nayana means bringing. When the spiritual master brings the disciples nearer by giving him gāyatrī-mantra, that is called upanayana-saṁskāra. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī did not take any such saṁskāra. He learned from his father within the womb of his mother, and as he became perfectly in knowledge, liberated soul, immediately he got out of the womb of his mother and immediately started for the forest. Naked, he was going on.
Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:
So in the Kali-yuga especially, there is no Vedic system of reformatory process. It is the pāñcarātriki-vidhi, that anyone has got a little qualification for becoming brāhmaṇa, he is accepted by the spiritual master and he is trained up, he is initiated, just to make him a complete brāhmaṇa. (reading:) "So the sacred thread is the sign of those who are competent to study the Vedas from ācārya, or the bona fide spiritual master." The bona fide spiritual master is called ācārya, or the ācārya can become a bona fide spiritual master. Ācārya means who knows the purport of the śāstra, and he behaves himself according to the shastric regulative principle and teaches his disciple in that way. He is called ācārya. Ācārya means whose behavior, whose activities should be followed. That is called ācārya.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:
Pṛthivīte, upon the surface of the earth there are many systems of religion. Yahā kichu dharma nāme chole. So what is that? Bhāgavata kahe. He does not say, but he says on the authority of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is scholarship. A scholar will not speak anything as he is thinking. No. He will give authoritative quotation to support. That is Vedic system. When you support your proposition with the Vedic version, then it is accepted. Otherwise not. Veda pramāṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:
Dharma, occupational duty, there are two kinds of occupational duties according to Vedic system, pravṛtti and nivṛtti. Pravṛtti means propensities, material propensities. We have come here within this material world to enjoy material resources. That is called pravṛtti. And when we come to the platform of understanding that I am not this body, I am soul, then my occupational duty changes. At the present moment we are all working on the platform of bodily concept of life but when you come to the platform of understanding that ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am not this matter, I am spirit soul, then my occupational duty changes.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:
Because human life is meant for vairāgya and jñāna. Vairāgya. We are attached to this material world. So perfection of life is how to become detached from this material world. That is called vairāgya. For vairāgya, this process of renunciation, sannyāsa, is advised, according to the Vedic system. First of all, he's trained up as a brahmacārī just to know the relationship, perfect education. Then he's allowed to become a gṛhastha. Then he's to accept vānaprastha, then accept renunciation. This is gradual steps. The real purpose is renunciation, give up your attachment for this material world. Because that is my bondage. So long I shall try to enjoy maybe a fractional percentage, still, I'll have to accept this material body. It may be a small ant's body, but because the desire is that "I shall eat one grain of sugar," he has to take the body. Therefore one should be anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), completely no desire for material desire, or material enjoyment. Then we can enter. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167).
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:
That "I am punished at this present, present body, where is the witness? Where is the witness?" Because any judgement is done on the strength of witness. So that was his argument. But the witness is there. According to Vedic system the witness is the sun, the witness is the moon, the witness is the day, the witness is the night. And above all the supreme witness is God Himself. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart so how you can hide yourself from the vigilance of the Supreme Lord?
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974:
This whole world is going on on the basis of sense gratification. A man and a woman, or a male or female, they develop this idea of sense gratification. Therefore as soon as a girl is grown up or a boy is grown up, the father, mother get them married, because the sense of sense gratification is very strong. Therefore the system is, Vedic system is, or any..., this human civilization system is, to get them married. So puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). So as soon as they are married, so tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ, that sense of sense gratification becomes too much tied up.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:
So people, having no information of the spirit soul, they are interested in body and mind, and they have created some concocted religious system for benefit of the body and mind. So the varṇāśrama-dharma, beginning... Dharma begins from the varṇāśrama-dharma, which is now going on in the name of Hindu religion. Actually there is no such word "Hindu" in the Vedic literature. It is a concocted word given by the Muhammadans. Real Vedic system of religion is varṇa and āśrama. Four varṇas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; and four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. So one has to execute... The brāhmaṇa must execute his system of life, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). A brāhmaṇa must execute all these principles of life. Similarly, kṣatriya, he should be very brave, not to go away from fighting.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:
Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, discharging one's own occupational duties. Svanuṣṭhi-tasya dharmasya. According to Vedic system, there are four kinds of social orders, and each one of them have particular duties. Just like the brāhmaṇas, they have got their particular duties; kṣatriyas, they have got their particular duties; vaiśyas, they have also, and the śūdras. And those who do not follow the Vedic principle, they are called pañcamal, or sometimes, if they do not follow the rules and regulation, then they are called mlecchas and yavanas.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:
These are the sastric injunction. There are twenty kinds of dharma śāstra, so they have to be followed. That is human society. Not that to live like animal. That is human society. According to Vedic system, unless the human society comes to the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma, they are not to be accepted as human society. The system, the whole system was to gradually educate people to be elevated to the spiritual platform for understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That was the whole scheme. Viṣṇu, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayo, to train people to become civilized, sūrayo, means that they will observe(?) to the ultimate goal of life, viṣṇu paramaṁ padam: how to approach Lord Viṣṇu, how to approach the Vaikuṇṭha, paraṁ dhāma, by spiritual progressive life. That was there. Every human being was given chance to go back to home, back to Godhead.
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:
Somehow or other. He was not remembering the original Nārāyaṇa, but Nārāyaṇa was the name of his son. Therefore according to our Vedic system we keep God's name our children or family member, so that somehow or other, there are thousands of names of Kṛṣṇa, if we remember one of them, our life is successful. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:
Nothing is forbidden in the śāstra, but you must know the aim of your life. The aim of your life is tattva-jijñāsā. You should not forget that. Therefore the Vedic system is so organized that people may satisfy the bodily necessities of life, at the same time, he may progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for understanding the Absolute Truth. That is Vedic system. Not one-sided.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:
My younger brother, his name was Kṛṣṇa. So in family we were calling him "Keṣṭo." That is very current. So actually love, the word love, has come from Kṛṣṇa. That is a fact. Therefore you will see always Kṛṣṇa always with Rādhārāṇī. We worship Kṛṣṇa-Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, Sītā-Rāma. This is Vaiṣṇava's worshipable Deity. We do not worship alone God. We Vaiṣṇava, we want to see Kṛṣṇa and His energy, potency. That is the Vedic system.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:
So according to Vedic scripture, a tattva-darśī should be very pure, uncontaminated. Therefore, generally, we go to the qualified brāhmaṇa, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). One who is qualified. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). So according to Vedic system, a guru, generally, he must be a brāhmaṇa. Any guru. It doesn't matter, it doesn't require that he is to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family. If he is qualified, then he is guru. If he is not qualified, then he cannot become guru. Even becoming a brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, one does not become a guru, if he is not a Vaiṣṇava. That is the injunction of the śāstra.
Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:
Bhasmī-bhūtasya dehasya. In India, according to Vedic system, the body is burned after death. They are not so foolish to stock and occupy millions of square yards. No. "Body is finished; just burn it," finish. Why stock it in a tomb and occupy so much space? Practical, you see. So bhasmī-bhūtasya dehasya. Bhasmī-bhūtasya means the body being burned, it becomes ashes. So, actually the ultimate form or format of this body are three: either you become stool, or you become ash, or you become earth. Those who are burying underground, after few years the body will become earth.
Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Los Angeles, August 19, 1972:
So in Vedic system a husband can marry... Why others? Kṛṣṇa, He married 16,000 wives. But not like us. He was present in the house of 16,000 wives by 16,000 forms. Every, each and every wife had palatial building, establishment. Each wife had ten sons. Not that because He has married 16,000, He cannot meet all of them. No. So that is Kṛṣṇa; He is God. But even common man... Just like Kṛṣṇa's father, he had also sixteen wives. Kṛṣṇa is one wife's son. Vasudeva... Subhadrā is another wife's daughter. Balarāma is another wife's son. So in order to stop this rascaldom, that a human, I mean to say, man, he's allowed: "Marry them. Keep them nicely. Give them apartment. Give them nice food, nice dress, nice ornament. You enjoy." But rascaldom means "No, without responsibility I shall make phish, phish, phish" that's all.
Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:
They would give the king advice that "You rule in this way." And if the king is disobedient, sometimes the brāhmaṇas would dethrone them. Or kill them. That was the Vedic system. We find from the life and ruling of Mahārāja Pṛthu, how he was ruling over the world, how he was observing that every community, either brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, they were properly employed. There was no unemployment question. It was the duty of the king to see that not a single man is unemployed. He must be engaged. So they made arrangement like that.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:
This is the injunction of the śāstra. In spite of his good qualification, expert in six occupational duties of a brāhmaṇa, if he's an avaiṣṇava, if he has not understood Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he cannot become guru. Therefore, according to Vedic system, not a brāhmaṇa is accepted as guru, but when he becomes gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means fully controlled in full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He can become guru.
Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:
So this Devarṣi means Nārada, saintly sage among the demigods. He is also one of the demigods. So he compiled Vedic principles for executing devotional service, Nārada-pañcarātra. Our method, this devotional service, is according to the Nārada-pañcarātra. Especially in this age, Vedic system is not very much convenient. It is very strict. Just like according to Vedic system, if one wants to become a brāhmaṇa, he must be born of a brāhmaṇa father. Otherwise he cannot be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. But according to the Nārada-pañcarātra system, even if one is lowborn, he can be accepted as a brāhmaṇa by this reformatory process. Because kalau śūdra sambhavaḥ—everyone in this age is a śūdra. Śūdra means no intelligence, little better than animals, that's all.
Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:
So how from the śūdras a brāhmaṇa can be selected? According to the Vedic system, it is not possible. One, to be accepted as brāhmaṇa, must be son of a brāhmaṇa. That means background of the person must be brahminical culture. But if people are śūdras, where is the background of brahminical culture? Therefore Nārada, he is Vaiṣṇava, he is very compassionate to the fallen souls. He is travelling all over the universe to make Vaiṣṇavas. He made many sons of Dakṣa Mahārāja Vaiṣṇavas. So Dakṣa Mahārāja became very angry upon him, "Nārada, you come and you train my sons as Vaiṣṇavas, and they do not take care of the family affairs. So I curse you. You cannot stay anywhere more than some time." So even a Vaiṣṇava has to face some difficulty while preaching devotional service; even Nārada.
Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:
Therefore whenever we speak something, we quote from the Vedas, from Vedic literature, to support it. Otherwise it is useless. When you speak something and corroborate it by the quotation from the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Upaniṣads—there are so many Vedic literatures—then it is correct. That is the Vedic system. Not that I create knowledge by my research. What is the value of your research? Because you are imperfect, your senses are imperfect, you cannot even see properly. Even you cannot see your eyelids, so what is the value of your seeing? You cannot see something from a distant place, the nearest place. There must be some adjustment, there must be light under so many conditions you can see. Then what is the value of your eyes?
Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:
That's all. The husband will give instruction to the wife. There is no such thing as the girl should go to school to take brahmacārī-āśrama or go to spiritual master to take instruction. That is not Vedic system. Vedic system is a man is fully instructed, and woman, girl, must be married to a man. Even the man may have many wives, polygamy, still, every woman should be married. And she would get instruction from the husband. This is Vedic system. Woman is not allowed to go to school, college, or to the spiritual master. But husband and wife, they can be initiated. That is Vedic system.
Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:
So dhīrāṇāṁ vartma. Because people must be first of all gentle. Then talk of Kṛṣṇa and God consciousness. If he is animal, what he can understand? This is Vedic system. Dhīrāṇām. Dhīra means must be gentle, perfectly gentle. Must address all woman as "mother." Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat. This is the training, that one should consider other's wife as mother, and others' money as like garbage in the street. Nobody cares for it. Similarly, one's other's money should not be touched. Even it is somebody has forgotten his purse, moneybag on the street, nobody will touch it.
Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972:
Our material bondage is due to an illusion. What is that illusion? That "I am this body." Dehātma-buddhi. "I am this body, and anything which is required for this body or which I possess for the comfort of this body, that is mine." Both of them are illusion, because I am not this body; I am soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But the illusion is everyone is thinking, "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am white," "I am black," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am this," "I am that." So this is illusion. Therefore the Vedic system is, to save one from this illusion, the first stage of life is brahmacārī, to understand the value of life and strictly without any association with woman.
Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972:
So the whole Vedic system is to convince one that "You are not this body, and anything you possess in relationship with your body, they are all illusion. You are spirit soul, part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore your duty is some way or other, come out of this entanglement of the bodily concept of life and bodily possession. Come out. Be free. Brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Now your position is jīva-bhūta." Jīva-bhūta means you are thinking that 'I am a product of this material world.' All scientists, all philosophers, they are the same concept, that "I am this body. Beyond this body there is nothing."
Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:
So these families, dynasties, are very, very old. Every... According to Vedic system, any family—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, those who are higher caste—they must give at least seven generations account. Otherwise he is not a respectable family. Seven generations. His father, his father, his father, his father, his father, like that. When there is marriage, then there is check corroboration. The bride's party and the bridegrooms party, they should narrate their seventh generation. If within their seventh generation it, what is called, collide, becomes the one man, then there will be no marriage, because it becomes the same family. One cannot marry in the same family. He must pick up another family. Otherwise one could marry his own sister. No. That is not possible.
Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:
So suppose we are prosecuting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now death may come immediately. We all die. So Nārada Muni gives us encouragement that punar eva tato svedva:(?) "Either we die or sometimes we fall down..." Because māyā and Kṛṣṇa, side by side. "So it is all right. We are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But if we fall down." Vrase vā tadā sva-dharma tyāga nimitta narthāśraya:(?) "Then you have given up your all other duties. So for giving up your duty, there must be some punishment." I don't mean in this worldly punishment. Just like, according to Vedic system, there are brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, for example. Just like Kṛṣṇa was advising Arjuna that "You are kṣatriya. So if you die in this fight, then your heavenly door is open."
Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:
In the higher planetary systems... Just like Yamala-Arjuna... That story is narrated in our book, Kṛṣṇa. Yamala-Arjuna, they were two sons, Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva, two sons of Kuvera. Kuvera is supposed to be the treasurer of the heavenly planets. So very rich man's son. So they were enjoying swimming in a very nice lake in the Śivaloka. That description is there. And with young girls and intoxicated. So they forgot that they were demigods, and they were naked. To become naked is the most uncivilized way. In the Vedic system, to..., nakedness is... Why Vedic system?
Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:
Yes. That is Vedic system. The brāhmaṇas would never take part in administration. They would give advice according to śāstra.
Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:
Sambandha means "First of all, what is my relationship with God." That is called sambandha. Just like first of all a boy or a girl is to be married. So... That is the Vedic system. The father, mother, selects. That is called sambandha. When they fixed up that "This boy will be married with that girl," that is called sambandha. So relationship. Then when the sambandha is established by marriage, when the boy or girl is married, then the sambandha is done. "Now... Now the boy and the girl may remain separately in their respective homes." No. That is abhidheya. Abhidheya. When they are united by the marriage there must be dealings between them. That is called abhidheya. Abhidheya. Abhidheya means not that "Our now marriage ceremony, relationship is established. Now you Mr. such and such, you go home, I go home." No. There must be actual activities. The wife should take care of serving the husband, and the husband should take care of the wife. Then the relationship... Why this relationship? Why these are activities? Now, there is prayojana.
Lecture on SB 1.7.8 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1976:
That is the, I mean to say, Vedic system—to teach the son and teach the disciple. If one cannot teach the son—the son is disobedient—he should give up his family life. Otherwise a father is in obligation to teach the son properly. But if it is not possible... Sometimes it so happens as family members, they do not take care. Otherwise Vyāsadeva's son is expected to become Śukadeva Gosvāmī. If not, such family connection should be given up. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam. Family life, if it is favorable for advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it should be accepted; otherwise it should be rejected. Ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam.
Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:
So this dvijātmaja, son of a brāhmaṇa. He's not addressed as a brāhmaṇa because his actions are different. Unless one acts as a brāhmaṇa, he's not accepted as a brāhmaṇa. This is the Vedic system. Lakṣaṇam.
Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:
So according to Vedic system, the government has to look after about the ultimate goal of life also. The modern government, they are anxious to give material comforts, but formerly the aim was to, how to educate people for spiritual advancement of life. Therefore the society was divided into four higher and lower divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. You cannot make one class of men. That is not very good arrangement. There must be different departments according to capacity. You cannot engage a śūdra in a brāhmaṇa's position, neither you can engage a brāhmaṇa in the śūdra's position.
Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:
Similarly, Draupadī. Draupadī also went with the Pāṇḍavas in the forest when they were banished, and Kuntī-devī also went with her sons in the forest. This is the system. Kuntī-devī had nothing to do with the gambling of Pāṇḍavas and Duryodhana, but because the sons were to go to the forest, the mother also followed and the wife also followed. This is Vedic system. Vedic system... Caitanya Mahāprabhu also had very nice beautiful wife at home and very affectionate mother. Both personalities are very good asset in family.
Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:
So Kṛṣṇa is the original person. He has admitted, and śāstra admits, and here is another authority, Kuntī. Kuntī, the mother of the Pāṇḍavas. Kuntī's not ordinary woman. Kṛṣṇa has gone to offer His respect, to take the dust of her feet. Because materially she happens to be aunt of Kṛṣṇa, elderly lady, superior. So Kṛṣṇa has gone to pay His respect before departing. That is the system, Vedic system, to offer respect to the superior first of all. Before going... "No..." Kṛṣṇa is going. "(S)he knows that 'I am Personality of Godhead.' " No. Kṛṣṇa was touching the feet of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira because he was elder brother. When Kṛṣṇa used to come at the Pāṇḍavas' house, every Pāṇḍavas knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It was not unknown to them. But Kṛṣṇa was coming down and touching the feet of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. And Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was not returning.
Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:
So Kṛṣṇa is the original person. He has admitted, and śāstra admits, and here is another authority, Kuntī. Kuntī, the mother of the Pāṇḍavas. Kuntī's not ordinary woman. Kṛṣṇa has gone to offer His respect, to take the dust of her feet. Because materially she happens to be aunt of Kṛṣṇa, elderly lady, superior. So Kṛṣṇa has gone to pay His respect before departing. That is the system, Vedic system, to offer respect to the superior first of all.
Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:
And diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ: "And if you want to go to some foreign place, if that place is not a holy place..." Because according to Vedic system, they go on touring to see holy places, tīrtha-sthāna, or to a friend's house. "So if you are going to some foreign countries, if there is no friend and no devatā, then it is useless." Diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ. Or putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam: "You are married, but you have no children. That is also vacant, zero." Putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. Sarva-śūnyā daridratā: "But if you are poor, then everything is zero." Your vidyā is zero. Your home is zero. And your friend is zero because nobody will care you.
Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Los Angeles, April 21, 1973:
Just like He married 16,000 wives. When He married He was one, and 16,000 girls offered the surrender to Kṛṣṇa that: "We are now kidnapped. If we go home, nobody will marry us." That is a strict Vedic system. If an unmarried girls goes out of home even for one night, nobody will marry her. Still it is going on. Nobody will marry her. So this is the old system. All the 16,000 girls who were kidnapped by Bhaumāsura... So they prayed to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa came, killed the Bhaumāsura, delivered all the girls. So when Kṛṣṇa asked them: "Now you can safely go to your father's house," they replied: "Sir, if we go back to our father's house, what will be our fate? Nobody will marry us. Because this man, this rākṣasa, they kidnapped us." "Then what do you want." " We want that You become our husband." So Kṛṣṇa is so kind. "Yes." Immediately accepted. That is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Mayapura, October 11, 1974:
But common man, they cannot control. But this Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says that there is no control. There is no question of control. The snake is horrible, very fearful, so long it has got the poison teeth, viṣa-dānta. So sometimes the physicians, according to Āyur Vedic system, they take out the poison from the teeth. They do not kill, but catch and take out the poison. So if the poison teeth is taken away, the snake is no more fearful. So Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says that durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate. Daṁṣṭrāyate. Just like the dentists take away the teeth, similarly, if one snake's poison teeth is taken away, so no, it is no more fearful. In Bengal it is said that viṣa nai kula pana cakra.(?) So one who knows that this snake's poison teeth is taken away, he's not afraid. But this snake is fearful to the boys, to the children, not to the elderly men.
Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1973 :
That is the system. That was the Vedic system. Kanyā. Kanyā means before attaining puberty. Kanyā. So kanyā-dāna. She must be given in charity tosomebody. So, in the pulina brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇa, very respectable community, so it was very difficult to find out a suitable son-in-law. Therefore, formerly one gentleman may become a businessman simply by marrying. In my boyhood, when I was a student, a school student, so I had one class friend, he took me to his home. So I saw one gentleman was smoking, and he told me, "Do you know this gentleman?"
Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974:
But the Battle of Kurukṣetra was not that type of battle. One should be aware of the Battle of Kurukṣetra very nicely. It was dharma-yuddha. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Why they settled up that the fighting should take place in the dharma-kṣetra? They are to fight, yuyutsavaḥ. It was settled they will fight, but why they selected the dharma-kṣetra? This is Vedic system. Even up to date, in villages, not in the cities... In the cities, as soon as there is some misunderstanding between you and me, we go to the court, either criminal court or civil court, to settle up, and it takes years to settle up the business.
Lecture on SB 1.8.51 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1973:
So woman is protected in childhood by the father, and when she is grown-up girl, youth, although the father is ready to give her protection in every respect, but she has developed by that time sex desires. Under the circumstances, it is the duty of the father to hand over the girl to a nice young boy to take her protection. This is marriage. Kanyā-dāna. According to Vedic system, kanyā, means daughter, is given in charity. To find out a suitable... Practically, I'll say, in our childhood age, my sisters were married between nine to twelve years. My eldest sister was married when she was nine years old, before my birth. She is the eldest.
Lecture on SB 1.8.51 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1973:
So marriage is very compulsory in Vedic system because who is to take charge of the woman? They require protection. The father must take charge naturally, or the husband. And when she is old... Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu was taking charge of His widow mother. So when He took sannyāsa, so mother became very much upset: "Oh, that I have no husband, and this boy is going to take sannyāsa." Naturally. But that is a different case. For Kṛṣṇa's sake, we can forsake our obligatory duties. For Kṛṣṇa's sake. In the śāstra it is said that one who has fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he has no more any material duty. Neither he has got any obligation that he must perform. But so long he is not fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he has to execute each and every duty as obligatory.
Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973:
That is very nice. So doing that smashing work, you kill so many animals. In breathing, you kill so many animals. In drinking water, you kill so many animals. This is bhūta-hatyā. You are killing. This is not intentional. You do not know. Therefore in a Vedic system there is prescription, pañca-sūnā-yajña. Pañca means five, and sūnā means bhūta-hatyā, or killing animals, sūnā. Striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta (SB 1.17.38). Sūnā. Sūnā means violence. So we prohibit these four kinds of sinful life: killing of animals and illicit sex... Striya, sūnā, and... Pañca-sūnā. Yes... Striya-sūnā-pāna. Pāna means intoxicants, and dyūta means gambling. So these are four kinds of sinful activities. So out of that, sūnā is one. That is also divided in many divisions, at least five. Willingly, we are not going to kill anybody, but unwillingly... Therefore there is pañca-sūnā-yajña. You have to perform yajña every day to counteract the sinful reaction of your imperceptible killings of animals. That's it. This is Vedic life.
Lecture on SB 1.15.32 -- Los Angeles, December 10, 1973:
So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, now he will retire after this. So he will give up the kingdom. Not that... This is the Vedic system. However rich you may be, however prosperous you may be at your home or in your nation or in anyway as you think, but you have to think that "Actually these things are temporary. I am eternal. So what is my eternal function?" That is meditation. "What is my eternal function? What is my eternal duty? Where is my eternal home?" That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:
By such freedom they are not happy. It is a fact. It is a fact. Therefore Vedic system is that it is the father's duty when a girl is mature, before attaining puberty, she is handed over to a suitable boy, "Please take charge of her. This girl..." Our marriage system is that "So long she was under my charge. Now I..." This is the process.
Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:
This is called Kali-yuga. And it is scientific advancement. The scientists, the priests, they give order. The doctor gives out, "Yes, do it." Just try to understand what is Kali-yuga. So anyway, this is the Vedic system, that when a child is born, immediately his horoscope is made. Astrological science is so perfect. The moment the child is born, immediately calculated, "What is the position of this moment?" Then they derive calculation, "This child will be like this, this will be this, will be this, this." I had also horoscope—the other day I was talking—and it was clearly written, that horoscope, that "This child, after seventy years, he will be great religious propagator and establish so many temples."
Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:
So the emperor should be representative of God. He should be qualified, fully qualified. That was the Vedic system. Monarchy, but fully qualified. Therefore he could maintain the kingdom. The citizens were fully qualified, so qualified that they did not suffer even from disease, excessive heat, excessive coldness, no. Very peaceful.
Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974:
So Parīkṣit Mahārāja had no desire to fight, but he got the news that the Kali has entered. His grandfathers, the Pāṇḍavas, left the kingdom, that "Now the Kali is coming. Let us retire timely. So the next king, our grandson, will look after it." Not that everyone should remain at home until he is forced by death to get out of home. That is not very nice principle. One should retire timely. That is the system, Vedic system.
Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Los Angeles, July 10, 1974:
This is another... Formerly, people used to offer big, big sacrifices. Tons of grains, tons of ghee was being offered in the fire sacrifice, and there was no want. There was no want. If you perform rituals according to the Vedic system, there will be no want. Just like taxpayer, if they avoid tax-paying, then the... This is a crude example. Then the government will have no money to manage the state very nicely. One should not avoid tax-paying. Similarly, as it is enjoined in the Vedic literature, yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). Everyone is working very hard. That is called karma-jīvana. Karmīs. Karmīs, jñānīs, yogis and bhaktas. There are four classes of men. Karmīs means those who are working day and night very hard for getting some material benefit so that he can enjoy sense pleasure. These are called karmīs. The karmīs also, not only they want to enjoy in this life... Next life also they want to go to the heavenly planet.
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:
Everything is regulative principle. And it is the duty of the government to see that these regulative principles are being observed by the citizens. This is government. The Vedic system, these brāhmaṇa, the topmost class of the human society, their business is to study the Vedas, paṭhana pāṭhana, yajana yājana, dāna pratigraha. Ideal character, very learned. Still in India... Now it is formality. A brāhmaṇa is called paṇḍitajī. Paṇḍita means very learned. Without being very learned scholar, one cannot become brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is farther above the brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is the preliminary qualification for becoming a Vaiṣṇava later on.
Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:
Just like in religious system, in any religious system, the killing of animal there is. In every religious system, there is. But why there is this killing of a living entity? It is not good. But why in the religious system there is permission for killing animal? So that is explained. The explanation is, that a person who is a staunch meat-eater, he cannot give up meat-eating, so... At the same time he wants to be religious. This is the position. For such person it is enjoined, just like in Vedic system, "All right, if you want to eat meat, at the same time you want to become religious, then you worship Goddess Kālī. You cannot worship Viṣṇu."
Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:
Our, this Bhāgavata system, or Vedic system, is not research work. It is not research work. Nowadays it is a fashion that... Just like the Theosophists. They're searching out God. Since the beginning, they're searching out. And so many leaders came and gone, but they are searching out. And they will go on searching out for lives together. But it is not a thing to be searched out. It is not ordinary thing, not material thing.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:
Actually, there is no... Brahmacāriṇī is not allowed in the śāstra. Where is the question of brahmacāriṇī? Because according to Vedic system, as soon as a girl is fourteen years old or sixteen years old, she is at once married. According to Vedic system, no girl should be allowed remaining unmarried. So there is no question of brahmacāriṇī. Every girl is supposed to be married. That is the Vedic system. A father's duty is that as soon as the girl is grown up, she must be married. She must be given in charge of a suitable boy. That is Vedic system.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:
Now it is under your charge." So where is the brahmacāriṇī? There is no question of brahmacāriṇī. And when he is old enough, then the husband leaves the home and gives charge to the elderly son: "My dear boys, take charge of your mother." So she is always in charge of somebody. So according to Vedic system, there is no independent life of woman. Na strī svātantryam arhati. Manu-saṁhitā, that "Strī"—strī means woman—"should not be allowed independence." They should be given all protection. That's a very nice system. Not... Independence does not mean their position is very lower, no. Just like children. Children has no independence. No independence means they are well-protected. No independence does not meant that he has no independence to act. No. She has got. But under the protection. Just like there are some nation still now, protectorate. America is protecting. America is a big nation, and protecting another small nation. That does not mean they have no independence. They are also independent. They are acting like that. But because weaker, they should be given protection. Similarly, woman, children, brāhmaṇa, cow, old men, diseased men, they are to be protected. That is the social order.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:
Gṛhastha? Gṛhastha means to live with wife. This is the meaning of gṛhastha. And a gṛhastha is supposed to support others who are not gṛhasthas just like brahmacārī. Brahmacārī means student life. So gṛhasthas support them. (break) ...sannyāsīs, other three classes. Because they are engaged in a different subject matter, they have no time to earn their livelihood, and therefore, those who are gṛhasthas, they take charge of him. This is the Vedic system. But they should live also on the bare necessities of life. They should not be luxurious. A brahmacārī cannot be luxurious. A sannyāsī cannot be luxurious. A vānaprastha cannot be luxurious. Luxury is allowed only to the householder because they are earning their own money. Others are dependent. So one cannot be luxurious at the expense of others. That is not allowed.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:
That is śūdras life. There is no question of Vedic culture, there is no question of knowledge. Simply labor, get some money, and eat. Almost like animal. So at the present moment, as you say, in the Kali-yuga, it is accepted that everyone, almost everyone is a śūdra. But in the pāñcarātrika system, not Vedic system, Nārada-pañcarātra, they are... Otherwise, do you mean to say because everyone has become śūdra, the science of Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, should be stopped? No. Even they are śūdras, they should be given that opportunity. And that opportunity is given by Lord Caitanya very liberally: "Whatever you may be, come on, sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and you become more than a brāhmaṇa."
Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:
So at the present moment we cannot strictly follow; neither we are strictly following; neither it is possible to strictly follow. As far as possible, that's all. Our conception of brahmacāriṇī is in the Kṛṣṇa society, because... Especially in India, there is no brahmacāriṇī. But here, in your country, the boys and girls mix very freely, but just to restrict such free mixing, we think that the unmarried girls should remain separately. That is the contemplation. Actually, in the Vedic system there is no brahmacāriṇī system. Or get yourself married. That is our proposal, that we do not allow illicit sex life. That is impediment. That will not enhance your spiritual interests. Yes?
Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:
The king became little angry, that "I am your guest. I am king. I am asking you water, and you are not hearing me. You are in your meditation." So he became little disgusted, and there was a dead snake. So he took that dead snake and got it round about the neck of the sage and went away in disgust, that "This sage did not offer me even a glass of water." Because, according to Vedic system, if somebody comes in your home, even if he is enemy, it is the injunction of the Vedas: gṛhaṁ śatrum api prāptaṁ viśvastam akuto 'bhayam. When a person comes at your home, never mind even if he's enemy... Friend is welcome, that's all right. But even an enemy comes, they are not forbidden. Not that in the gate there is, oh, "Beware of dog," "No trespasser allowed." No.
Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:
That is the real fact. Therefore the Vedic system of civilization is seventy-five percent life of celibacy. In the brahmacārī system there is no connection with woman. Student life. Student life, if one remains brahmacārī, he becomes determined. His brain becomes very receptive. Therefore, in the brahmacārī system, complete celibacy, no connection with woman. So up to twenty-five years, if he does not discharge semen, he becomes very stout, strong, and his health is built up for whole life, and he becomes so intelligent that anything he will hear, he will remember immediately. Then after brahmacārī system, if one cannot remain brahmacārī, naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī, then the spiritual master allows him to marry. That is gṛhastha-āśrama. So when one is complete, fit for sex life, he begets children, male children, and after twenty-five years, the child becomes grown up, so he retires. In this way, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. The whole aim is Viṣṇu, how to go back to home, back to Godhead.
Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:
Your American embassy is also there. So he was a great politician. But still, he was living in a cottage. He was not accepting any salary because he was brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa cannot accept any salary. Just like you have accepted me as your ācārya, but you do not pay me any salary. This is forbidden. The teacher will not accept salary. Then he comes down to the śūdra platform. The śūdra accepts salary. "I serve you, you pay me." And the brāhmaṇa will distribute knowledge freely, and the kṣatriya will give protection to the brāhmaṇa. This is the system of Vedic system. Even in fifty years ago, education in India, there was no charges. A learned brāhmaṇa will sit down in corner of a neighborhood and all the children will come there.
Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:
Why should you satisfy your senses by killing some other right of living? Therefore it is... Why it is sinful anyone can understand. Just like if I have no money, that does not mean to secure money I shall take your money. Then I am thief. You cannot say, "Oh, I have no money. This man has got so much money. Therefore I have taken some money." Will the court excuse you? Even if you have no food, you cannot encroach upon other's right unless you are sanctioned. Therefore according to Vedic system, the meat-eater is given chance by sacrificing an animal before some demigod. Not free slaughterhouse. No. That you cannot do. Undergoing that process, someday he will come to his senses that "Meat-eating and killing of animal is not good." Because there are so many mantras. If you understand mantras, the mantra, when a goat is sacrificed before Goddess Kālī, before the goat being cut by his throat, the priest says that "Because you are sacrificing your life before Goddess Kālī, next life you are going to have human form of body for your, this sacrifice." Otherwise you have to undergo the process. That is gradual evolutionary process.
Lecture on SB 3.22.22 and Initiations -- Tehran, August 12, 1976:
(repeats verse in Sanskrit) So here is the Emperor Manu, so he decided to give his daughter to Kardama Muni. And the sanction of the Queen, that was also expected. That means the father's sanction, the mother's sanction, and the girl who is going to be married, her sanction. These things are required before marriage takes place. Nowadays, dāmpatye ratim eva hi svīkāram eva udvāhe: marriage takes place simply by agreement between the parties, the boy and the girl. They can go to any magistrate and get it registered. But according to Vedic system, that is not the system. The system is the father, mother also must agree. The agreement must be, the parents' sanction must be there.
Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:
Generally, these Māyāvādīs give prominence of the comment given by Śaṅkarācārya about Brahma-sūtra, Śārīraka-bhāṣya. But that is unnatural. The natural commentation is given by the author himself, Vyāsadeva. So we have to understand... Vyāsadeva has written Brahma-sūtra, and we have to understand the meaning of Brahma... Brahma-sūtra means codes only. So codes can be explained by the author himself. So our process is to accept the Brahma-sūtra. Brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā. So Brahma-sūtra is nyāya-prasthāna. Nyāya-prasthāna: very logically, transcendental knowledge. So brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). So we must... Therefore, according to our Vedic system, the ācārya must understand Brahma-sūtra and explain. Then he'll be accepted as ācārya.
Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:
So this is Vedic system. Not that one is lower in the estimation of the society by birth or so on. But he must be qualified. So here also it doesn't matter. This is going on. That is Vedic system. Devahūti does not deny to take instruction from her son. It is the system. It doesn't matter whether he's inferior. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya: (CC Madhya 8.128) "You will accept anyone as guru if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa." That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... And Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed everyone to become a guru. The world is suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That was His mission. He wanted that from India everyone should become a guru and preach outside, because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 3.25.10 -- Bombay, November 10, 1974:
This is going on. Nobody will be allowed to stay here in this material world. He will have to change the body, his position. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). And so long you'll remain here, you'll have to fight, struggle for existence. This is material life. And at the same time, if you make compromise, that "Never mind, it is full of miseries. I shall stay here," no, you cannot be allowed. You'll be kicked out. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This is the material world. So... And we have got very much attachment for this material world. We cannot... Therefore according to Vedic system there is compulsory renunciation. "Get out, please, immediately." Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. "You are now past fifty years. That's all right. You have falsely fought in this material world, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Now stop this business. Come out." This is Vedic civilization.
Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:
Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He presented Himself, nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patiḥ, no vanastho yatir vā. He presented Himself... Because He was Hindu and Vedic, followers of Vedic... But actually, He was not Hindu, because He's describing Himself, nāham. Nāham means "I am not, I am not." He's declining. What He's declining? "I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not kṣatriya, I am not vaiśya, I am not śūdra, I am not brahmacārī, I am not gṛhastha, I am not vānaprastha, I am not sannyāsī." The Vedic system of human life is divided into eight departmental activities, and that is going on under the name of Hinduism. It is now broken and degraded and so many things have happened. But actually, what is called Vedic system, that Vedic system is not meant for a particular class of men, but it is meant for the human society. Actually, human activities actually begins when they observe these eight principles of social divisions.
Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:
Prapannam means submissive, that is the way. You cannot speculate. Your speculation has no value, athāpi te deva ciraṁ vicinvan (SB 10.14.29). Ciraṁ vicinvan, you can go on speculating for many births, many years, still you will not be able to understand the ultimate goal of your life. It is not possible, therefore all the śāstras, they advise that you go to a guru. Guru means weighty, one who has got more weight, one who can teach you, because everyone thinks that "I am learned. I am all learned." Who can teach you? No. Nobody is like that. Everyone requires instruction, therefore the Vedic system is (indistinct), to make one's life fruitful, one must approach guru.
Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:
Therefore our system is, Vedic system is from the very beginning, a child, a boy is sent to gurukula to learn. Not that automatically one learns. One must go to gurukula, brahmacārī. Brahmacārī goes to guru, and he works like a menial servant. He may be a son of a big brāhmaṇa or big king, it doesn't matter. The one who goes to gurukula, he immediately becomes the menial servant of guru. This is the system. That means guru can order him to act any, I mean to say, low class service, still he is prepared to do it. This is the business of brahmacārī, and he takes all trouble, and childhood, he doesn't mind. Even Kṛṣṇa, he went to gurukula. To teach us. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, what is the use of His going to gurukula? No, He is teaching, āpani ācari' prabhu jīveri śikhāya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also accepted guru, teacher, guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana (CC Adi 7.71).
Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:
Āmnāya means disciplic succession. One party is coming from Lord Brahmā, and one party is coming from Lakṣmī, goddess of fortune, or the consort of Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu. That is called Brahma-sampradāya and the Śrī-sampradāya. Śrī. Śrī means Lakṣmī. Śrī means beauty. Śrī means fortune. Therefore, according to Vedic system, the "śrī" word is added before anyone's name, śrī. So there is Śrī-sampradāya, and there is Kumāra-sampradāya, and there is Rudra-sampradāya. There are four sampradāyas of Viṣṇu, er, Vaiṣṇava. So Brahma-sampradāya, Śrī-sampradāya, Rudra-sampradāya, and Kumāra-sampradāya—they are called āmnāya. If you want to know the truth, then you have to accept. Tattva āmnāyam. Tattva āmnāyaṁ yat pravadanti sāṅkhyam. This is Sāṅkhya philosophy. You try to understand the Absolute Truth through the disciplic succession of āmnāya, āmnāya.
Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:
The Kapiladeva, the son of Devahūti, explained to His mother. The mother wanted to know from the son. His father left home, and the mother was kept by the, at the care of his son, grown-up son. That is Vedic system, that when the son is grown up, the mother should be left at the care of the grown-up son, and the father should leave. He should become vānaprastha or sannyāsa, no more connection with wife. This is Vedic system. So Kapiladeva's father, Kardama Muni, he left home, and he kept his wife under the care of Kapiladeva, and He is propounding this Sāṅkhya philosophy. And today's verse is na anyatra mad bhagavataḥ: "Without Him, without taking shelter of bhagavataḥ, Bhagavān..." Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, almighty Lord. Nobody can give you protection. Just like when one is condemned to death by the justice, so there is no other way to save him than by the mercy of the king or the president—he can save—similarly, we are all condemned. We are suffering this material condition of life, constantly a chain of body, and suffering the threefold miseries. Tīvraṁ bhayam. This is very fierceful, but we do not understand. We are living in such condition. But by the spell of māyā we are thinking we are very happy. But that is not actual fact. It is tīvraṁ bhayam.
Lecture on SB 3.26.8 -- Bombay, December 20, 1974:
So the Vedic, according to the Vedic system, there is no equal right of the man and woman. The woman is always subordinate. That is the Manu-saṁhitā law. Na strī svātantryam arhati. A woman does not require, does not deserve, to get independence. That is good for them. If the woman remains under the protection—in young age under father, when he (she) is child; when he (she) is young, under the protection of husband; and when she is old, under the protection of elderly children—that is their very safe position. Just like Kuntī. Kuntī was not ordinary woman. Still, she kept herself under the protection of the five sons. The sons were going to forest. Kuntī was not asked to go to the forest, but because she took it, to be protected by the sons, she also went to the forest. Just like Sītā-devī. Sītā, she was also king's daughter. When Rāmacandra was going to the forest, Rāmacandra did not ask also; neither Sītā was asked by her father-in-law to go to the forest. But she preferred to go with Rāmacandra just to be protected by Him. This is the system.
Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:
Sannyāsa is very respectable position. Still it is honored in India. Anyone where a sannyāsī goes, at least in the villages, they offer respectful obeisances and gives all kinds of comforts, still now. According to śāstra, it is said if a sannyāsī is not offered respect or duly honored, the punishment is the man should fast at least one day. This is Vedic system. But there are many sannyāsīs taking advantage of this, so we are not concerned. Neither Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a false sannyāsī. He was real sannyāsī. And he was also real gṛhastha, Rāmānanda Rāya. So he was feeling little hesitation. To encourage him, Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately said, "No, no. Why you are feeling hesitation? Why you are feeling inferior? You are guru." "Now, how I am guru?" "Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128)." Because to become a knower of Kṛṣṇa is not ordinary position. Yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). One who has known Kṛṣṇa is not ordinary man. Yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). He is above all the siddhas even. "So why you are hesitating? You know kṛṣṇa-tattva; therefore I am asking from you." So this is the position.
Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:
What are the symptoms of yoga? Kapiladeva, Kapiladeva is son of Devahūti. Devahūti is the mother of Kapiladeva. The mother is taking instruction from son. So it doesn't matter. One should not think, "Oh, he is my son. What instruction I shall take from him? I know better than him." No. Son or anyone, anyone, if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa he becomes guru. This is the Vedic system. It doesn't matter. Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born in a very respectable brāhmaṇa family. He was very advanced learned scholar, and after all He took sannyāsa. So when He was discussing with Rāmānanda Rāya Rāmānanda Rāya was a gṛhastha, householder and governor of Madras, means politician. A householder, politician, and he was born not in brāhmaṇa family; in kāraṇa, kāyastha family. They are considered as śūdras. So he had no position to instruct Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave him the place of instructor and He took the position of a listener. Just see Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastimes. He gave him the position of instructor and He took the position of student, listener.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:
So this human form of life... Mahārāja Bharata is instructing to His sons. He had one hundred sons. So all of them assembled together, and the king, before retirement, was instructing. (aside:) Let him come in. (pause) So, instructing His sons. It is the duty of the father that before retirement... Now, here is one significant point. Why the king was retiring? That is the system, Vedic system. Either one is king or one is ordinary human being, at a certain age he must retire. That is Vedic system. Not that because one is king and one has ample opportunities for sense enjoyment, therefore he should indulge in sense enjoyment without retiring from family life. That is not Vedic system. The Vedic system is, the aim is, how to elevate oneself to the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Vedic system. You have read Bhagavad-gītā. In the Fifteenth Chapter, fifteenth verse, you'll find, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). The whole Vedic system is designed or planned how to know Kṛṣṇa. So if you follow Vedic system, then the ultimate objective should be to know Kṛṣṇa. That is the Vedic version and corroborated by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is the original compiler of Vedas; therefore His version should be accepted, that the objective of studying Vedas means to know Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15).
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:
So this is God's grace. We should depend on Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is kind, wherever we go, everyone will be pleased, everyone will be kind. And if Kṛṣṇa is unpleased, even in your family life you'll not be comfortable. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, at a certain age, it is indicated that one should retire from family life. So this Ṛṣabhadeva Mahārāja, He was retired. Although He had one hundred sons, all obedient sons, He was emperor, anything was at His command—still, He was retiring. That is the Vedic system. He had no disadvantage. He was personally the incarnation of Godhead, an emperor, very obedient sons, and opulence, everything complete. There are many instances. His son, Bharata Mahārāja, he also retired. You have seen Parīkṣit Mahārāja. After his retirement, this Bhāgavata was recited before him. His grandfather, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, they voluntarily retired. So that is the system. In the early age, either you become a son of a king or you are son of an ordinary man, you must go to the āśrama of spiritual master and live there as servant. That is called brahmacārī. Brahmacārī's life means to serve the spiritual master as menial servant.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:
Just like according to Vedic system there are brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa—four divisions of the society. Brahmacārī, vānaprastha. Brahmacārī means student life, vānaprastha means retired life, and sannyāsa means renounced life. For them the minimum necessities of life is prescribed. And they should be automatically minimum because they are ordered to beg from door to door and live. The brahmacārī is meant for begging. Now, no beggar can live very luxuriantly. That is not possible. It is not possible. So if a beggar goes somebody's house, "Mother, give me some alms," so it is not that one is awarding some hundred thousands of rupees or dollars. So naturally, they have minimized their... Only little luxury or, I mean to say, high standard of life is allowed to the gṛhasthas, according to Vedic system, and the three other sections of the society, they should minimize. Why minimize? Because the idea is not to waste time unnecessarily. Unnecessarily.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:
So according to Vedic system we should be sinless. Unless we become sinless, there is no possibility of understanding God. That is not possible. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
- janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
- te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
- bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
- (BG 7.28)
"A person who has completely finished the reaction of his sinful life..." Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. So if we be engaged in puṇya karma, pious activities, then there is no chance of acting impiously. So puṇya-karmaṇām. Yajña dāna tapaḥ kriyaḥ. These are the activities of piety: yajña, performing sacrifice.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1976:
Guru means whatever instruction he'll give, we have to accept without any argument. Vedic knowledge is like that. You cannot interpret. As it is, you have to accept. Similarly guru's word also you have to accept. No argument. That is Vedic knowledge. That is the Vedic system. This example we have given many times. Just like this cow dung. Cow dung is the stool of an animal. So the stool of an animal is most impure thing. As soon as you touch. Even your own stool. You may be very learned scholar or devotee, but that does not meant you can touch your own stool and remain purified. No. Immediately you have to take bath. Even his own, what to speak of others'. But in the Vedic instruction we see that the cow dung, it is the stool of an animal also, lower animal than the man, and it is pure, it is said. So you have to accept pure. No argument that "Such stool is impure, even my spiritual master's stool is also impure. How is that that animal cow dung is pure?" But because it is in the Vedas it is said pure, you have to accept. Similarly the conchshell, it is the bone of an animal. The bone, if you touch any dead body's bone, you'll have to take, immediately purify. But that, this bone is placed in the Deity room. We are daily blowing the conchshell—because the Vedic instruction. So there is no argument. If you accept Vedic instruction, you have to accept it as it is.
Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:
Of course, the real meaning of swami is one who has got control over his senses. It does not mean that by wearing a different colored garments one becomes master of senses. Neither it does mean that one, a man in gentleman's dress with hat and coat, he cannot control his senses. Dress has nothing to do. But according to the Vedic system... Just like there is a particular uniform that this class of men, who have renounced this world, his robe or garment should be like this. That is simply... Just like policeman has got a particular type of uniform, but that does not mean that... That may be imitated even by a thief. So that is not very important thing, to dress. You can become a swami even with your this hats and coats. That doesn't matter. Yes.
Lecture on SB 5.6.3 -- Vrndavana, November 25, 1976:
Although definitely from where it is quoted, it is not described, but it is heard by the paramparā system. That is also authority, not necessarily to know wherefrom it is quoted, but if it is current, it is also evidence. So it is is said by paramparā system, we can understand, that "Do not make any friendship or," what is called, "compromise with mind. Do not do this." As I was saying yesterday, my Guru Mahārāja used to say that "When you get up you beat your mind with shoes hundred times, and when you go to the bed you beat your mind with broomstick hundred times." Then there will be no compromise. If you simply beat your mind... That is required. This is Vedic system. Now, if you want to bring somebody under your control, then you must always chastise him; otherwise it is impossible. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, the moral instruction, he also says, lālane bahavo doṣās tāḍane bahavo guṇāḥ: "If you pat your subordinate, then it will increase the faulty habits." Bahavo doṣaḥ. And tāḍane bahavo guṇāḥ: "And if you chastise, then they will improve." Tasmāt śiṣyaṁ ca chatraṁ ca tāḍayen na tu lālayet. Therefore it is advised, "Either your son or disciple, you should always chastise them. Never give them lenience." So little leniency, immediately so many faults will grow.
Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:
Similarly, people are suffering, undoubtedly, but they have to undergo the prāyaścitta process. In the śāstras there are prāyaścitta process. Formerly, even our childhood days, we have seen in Calcutta, there is a special quarter of the bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇas. The bhaṭṭācārya brāhmaṇas' business is that if you have committed some sinful act, you should immediately go and consult the bhattācārya: "What is the process of prāyaścitta?" Just like you go in case of disease, consult a physician, and take his prescription and diagnosis, similarly, that was the Vedic system.
Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:
Now everything is gone practically. But still the Vedic system is there that if one has committed... They are always conscious, the mass of people, not the so-called educated men, that "In the śāstra it is said that this is sinful." So if he commits some sinful activity, he goes to a very expert brāhmaṇa. They are called bhaṭṭācārya. They are especial... Just like there are physicians for treatment of the disease, there are highly learned brāhmaṇas who are called bhaṭṭācāryas. People go there: "Sir, I have committed this sin. What I have to do?" So they prescribe that "You do like this." So similarly, as we go to the physician, we have to go to consult an expert learned brāhmaṇa, that "I have committed..." But people used to understand that what is sinful and what is pious. Now people are so downtrodden, so dull, mandāḥ, that they do not understand what is sinful, what is pious. They are going on, doing all nonsense without any care. And there is no question of consulting physician or learned brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1975:
Rājarṣi. So education, culture, is meant for the higher two classes, the brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas. Education means for them, those who are intelligent, for them. Education is not for masses. Now it is called mass education. So mass education means it will produce undesirable elements. That's all. So the Vedic system is there must be first of all the most intelligent class of men. They should be given education how to become self-controlled, śamaḥ; how to control the mind, how to control the senses; śama damaḥ satyam, how to become truthful; śaucam, how to become cleanse; śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣa, how to become tolerant; ārjavam, how to become simple, no intricacy; śamo damas satyaṁ śaucaṁ titikṣa ārjavam eva ca, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam, full of knowledge; and vijñānam, practical application in life; āstikyam, and to believe in the existence of God or knowing God partially or fully. Partially knowing God means impersonal or Paramātmā. This is partial. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11).
Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:
So here is, one example is given, itihāsa. Itihāsa means history. The Vedic system of itihāsa, it is not the modern history. Modern... Itihāsa means some incidence which took place long, long ago, and such incidence is very beneficial to hear so that we can follow. That is called itihāsa. It is not chronological record of all incidences. Only important things. Purātanam. Purātanam means old and important. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is explaining to Parīkṣit Mahārāja how important is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now he is giving one incidence of history—example is better than precept—how Ajāmila was saved simply by chanting once..., not once, many times, Nārāyaṇa. That is the itihāsaṁ purātanam. In the Vedic literatures there are itihāsas, or histories. Just like Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata is the history. Bhārata means India, and Mahā means greater. Greater India.
Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:
That is history. They pick up the most important incidences. Therefore the example is given here that udāharanti imam itihāsaṁ purātanam. Because it is a first-class incidence... Otherwise, if you record the history of the whole period, then where..., who will read that, and who will appreciate that, and where you will keep that? Daily so many things are happening. Therefore, according to Vedic system, the only important incidences are recorded in the history. Therefore it is called Purāṇa. Purāṇa means old history. Purātanam. Purātanam means very, very old. That are recorded. So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the collection of very old history, historical incidence. Itihāsa purāṇānāṁ sāraṁ sāraṁ samuddhṛtya(?). Sāram means essence. Not that all nonsense records have to be taken. No. Sāraṁ sāram, only the important, essence, that are to be recorded. This is called Indian history. Mahābhārata... Mahā means Greater India. Greater India, there were so many incidences were there, but the most important incidence, the Battle of Kurukṣetra, is there. Not that all the battles should be recorded.
Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Honolulu, May 21, 1976:
That is the Vedic system. Brāhmaṇa is the teacher because they are trained up—satya śama damo titikṣa ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma-svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Therefore in India still, not in the city but in the village, the brāhmaṇa is accepted as teacher, natural teacher. And there was... (aside:) You sit down properly. Yes. Brāhmaṇa, they are teachers, natural teachers, and there is no fees. No fees. Just like we started this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, teaching, but there was no fees. This is the teaching, real teaching. So brāhmaṇa should not charge anything, but they can take charity. So the students, they would bring charities naturally. This was brāhmaṇa's profession.
Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:
So he does not say that one who has passed M.A., Ph.D., D.A.C. No, he doesn't say that. He says any person who has learned to see like this. What is that? Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Everyone's wife should be considered, para-dāra, para means other's wife, mātṛvat, mother. Therefore the Vedic system is when we address another woman, "Mother." No other address. "Mother, can I do this? Would you like this?" The address should be "mother." Practice, this is practice. A brahmacārī is practiced. He goes to every householder's wife, "Mother, give me some..." Just like this child, if he is taught from the very beginning of his life that "Address all woman as mother," that training and intermingling with anyone, that is a different way. That is brahmacārī.
Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Honolulu, May 22, 1976:
No, then you are not disciple. Nīcavat. That is the training. So praṇipāta, if you find out somebody where you can fully surrender, then accept guru. Don't make guru a fashion, just like you keep a dog, fashion, pet dog. People, they generally do that, that "Everyone has a guru. Let me collect. Let me pick up some guru who will be dancing dog." That kind of guru will not help you. You must be convinced that "Here is a guru where I can surrender." So then you can make praśna, or question. Then the question will be answered. Otherwise it is waste of time. That is not the Vedic system, simply waste of time. And if there is really talk between one philosopher to another philosopher... Just like Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was a great scholar, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu...? Who can speak about scholarship? So Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was defeated by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Honolulu, May 23, 1976:
The nutshell of education is defined by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita that "Who is paṇḍita, learned?" So he does not say that one who has passed MA, PhD, DAC, no. He doesn't say that. He says, "Any person who has learned to see like this." What is that? Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu: "Everyone's wife should be considered..." Para-dāra. Para means others' wife. Mātṛvat, mother. Therefore the Vedic system is, when we address another woman, "Mother," no other address. "Mother, can I do this? Would you like this?" The address should be "Mother." Practice. This is practice, the brahmacārī's practice. He goes to every householder's wife: "Mother, give me some..." Just like this child. If he is taught from the very beginning of his life that "Address all women as mother..."
Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:
The husband and wife goes out of home and travels in many holy places to associate with holy man and take his instruction just to prepare for sannyāsa. So when one is fully equipped in knowledge, then he asks his wife to go to home to be taken care of by the elderly children, and he becomes a sannyāsī. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. This is real purpose of life. Four varṇas, four classes of men, up to fourth class, not up to tenth class. And then spiritual life: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This institution is called varṇāśrama-dharma: four varṇas and four āśrama. So when one is educated or trained up by this varṇāśrama institution, then his human life begins. Otherwise he is animal. One who does not take to this varṇāśrama-dharma, he remains in the animal life. That is the Vedic system. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu enquired from Rāmānanda Rāya, "What is the aim of life?"
Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Honolulu, May 26, 1976:
So this is the general way of life. Everyone is engaged in these material activities, and the basic principle of material activity is gṛhastha, family life. Family life, according to Vedic system, or anywhere, is responsible life to maintain the wife, children. Everyone is engaged. They think this is the only duty. "To maintain the family, that is my duty. As comfortably as possible. That is my duty." One does not think that this kind of duty is performed even by animals. They have got also children, and they feed. What is the difference? Therefore here the word used is mūḍha. Mūḍha means ass. One who is engaged in such duties, bhuñjānaḥ prapiban khādan. Prapiban. Prapiban means drinking, and bhuñjānaḥ means eating. While eating, while drinking, khādan, while chewing, carva casya raja preya (?). There are four kinds of eatables. Sometimes we chew, sometimes we lick up, (Sanskrit) sometimes we swallow, and sometimes we drink. So there are four kinds of foodstuff. Therefore we sing catuḥ vidhā śrī-bhagavat-prasādāt. Catuḥ vidhā means four kinds. So we offer to the Deities so many foodstuffs within these four categories. Something is chewed, something is licked up, something is swallowed. In that way.
Lecture on SB 6.1.30 -- Honolulu, May 29, 1976:
That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija... God has many names. It is not that you have to chant only "Kṛṣṇa." No. If you have got any other name of God... Must be God's name. But they do not believe in God. Generally they think there is no God, or if there is God, God is dead. Something like that. And I don't think there is any definitive name in any other religious system. It is only in the Vedic system there is name. So anyway, if somebody thinks that "This Kṛṣṇa is an Indian name. Why shall I chant 'Kṛṣṇa'?" Well, you chant any other name, but it must be God's name. Then it will be effective. Just like immediately chanted "Nārāyaṇa." Not that one has to chant "Kṛṣṇa." "Nārāyaṇa" will do. "Govinda" will do. Must be God's name, because God and God's name... There are sahasra, one thousand Viṣṇu-stotra. God has many names, hundreds and thousands. So any name you prefer, you chant, you'll get result. This is the perfect... God, factually, He has no name. How many names you will remember? But His names are given according to His activities. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is the best name. Why? That Kṛṣṇa means "all-attractive." This name can attract everyone. This is the most perfect. Although God has many names, out of many names the Kṛṣṇa name is mukha or the primary.
Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- San Francisco, July 16, 1975:
So three things: one thing, that at home no rascal should be received or given credit... According to Vedic system, at home a sannyāsī is welcome, a brāhmaṇa is welcome. Because they will give good instruction, so they are welcome. Just like when Gargamuni came to Mahārāja Nanda, Nanda Mahārāja's house, how nice reception he gave him. That is the... Especially... Of course, any guest is welcome, but especially a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī, is very well received. Still in Indian village, if a sannyāsī goes, he has no problem for eating or staying, residence. Everyone will request, "Swamiji, today you take prasādam at my place." So there are many villagers. So he can stay three days, four days. So there is no scarcity. Still they will invite you, "Please come. Take prasādam." So because... Why this system? Because sannyāsī means he will give good instruction, spiritual knowledge.
Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:
Yes, they are after preyaḥ. Those who are after śreyaḥ, they should follow the catur-āśrama, varṇāśrama. The varṇāśrama, according to Vedic system, the four kinds of varṇas or social caste, and four kinds of spiritual order, āśramas. That is the beginning of preyaḥ. Without this acceptance of these principles, according to Vedic principles, one is not considered as human being or civilized man. Because that is a system, if we follow that system, gradually we rise to the platform of śreyaḥ. If anyone does not follow regulative principles, it is very hard for him to come to the standard of śreyaḥ. But in this age, in Kali-yuga, every man is so fallen that he cannot follow any regulative principles according to the Vedic scriptures. As such, they have been accepted as śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In this age everyone should be accepted as śūdra." But then how to elevate them? For elevating them, this..., not the Vedic system is to be followed but Pañcarātriki. Pañcarātriki... Just like we are trying to elevate these Europeans and Americans according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi. Everyone should be followed. It is not that Indians should not follow; only the others will.
Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- San Francisco, July 20, 1975:
There is consideration, deśa-kāla-pātra. Deśa means situation, and kāla, time, and pātra, and the subject. Just like a child, he takes one fruit here. So he is not punishable. According to Vedic system, a child, a woman, a brāhmaṇa, a cow and a saintly person, they are not punishable. Cow, woman, saintly person, brāhmaṇa and child—they are beyond all laws. Even they commit some... They do not do. They have no criminal purpose. Formerly the women were trained up in such a way, very chaste and obedient. So they had no chance to commit any offense. And brāhmaṇas, they are also trained up. Śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucam... (children making noise)
Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Los Angeles, June 6, 1976:
So dharma, the path of religiosity, is very confidential. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. Then how I shall accept what is dharma, what is religion? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. You just follow the footsteps of authorized persons. Then you understand what is dharma. You cannot manufacture. So, here is the same system, the Vedic system is the same. Either you hear from the direct Vedas or scriptures following the Vedas.
Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:
If you chant without any committing any offense the holy name of the Lord, then you become liberated. This is the purpose of this Ajāmila upākhyāna. Ayaṁ hi kṛta-nirveṣaḥ. Nirveṣa means atonement. If you commit some sin, then you should atone for it. Otherwise you have to carry the reaction of your sinful life to the next life. Therefore, according to the Vedic system, there is prāyaścitta. So prāyaścitta, that is also very heavy task. In this age nobody can perform prāyaścitta. And even one is able to perform prāyaścitta, then he..., there is possibility of again falling down unless one is clear consciousness, and that, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, there is every chance of falling down.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:
Just like, man is mortal. Man is mortal, I have learned it from my parents or my teachers that man is mortal. Now, if you want to make research worker, work, whether man is mortal or not, it will take long, long time. But you accept it from the authorities, man is mortal, your knowledge is perfect. So this paramparā system of knowledge is given in the Vedic system of knowledge, and this system of knowledge is followed by the great ācāryas, and the Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the great ācāryas. So you try to accept what Prahlāda Mahārāja is advising to his classfellows.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:
Everyone is serving. That is our compulsory duty. I may change my faith I am Christian or I am Hindu. I may change myself to become a Mohammedan or Christian or Hindu, but my real occupational duty is to render service to others. That cannot be changed. That is the real enunciation of religion. And therefore in the Vedic system it is called sanātana-dharma.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:
Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni means to take birth in low class family or demonic family. So pāpa-yonayaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says openly, ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Anyone, it doesn't matter, even if he is born in a pāpa-yoni Pāpa-yoni means generally less than the śūdras. According to our Vedic system, four classes, varṇāśrama, social and spiritual division, the social division is brāhmaṇa first, then kṣatriya, then vaiśya, then śūdra. This is social division, and there is a spiritual division: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is compulsory regulation for becoming human being. Without varṇāśrama institution there is no recognition of human being. Without being trained up in the varṇāśrama system there is no question of becoming human being. So actually it is not by birth as human being but by culture. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:
Actually, teaching begins, according to our Vedic system, everywhere, teaching begins at the age of four or five years. Either you teach about material things or spiritual, teaching must begin at the age of four and five. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "My dear friends, it is not that we have to wait up to our old age because there is no guarantee of life. Where is the guarantee that we shall become old? We may die tomorrow or today. There is no guarantee. Therefore immediately we shall begin how to learn bhāgavata-dharma." Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān (SB 7.6.1). Dharmān means religion. And specially, he has specifically, Prahlāda Mahārāja says dharmān bhāgavatān. Dharma, religious, religion means bhāgavata-dharma. The other dharma cannot be dharma. Therefore you'll find in Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mam, Kṛṣṇa is bhagavān. If you follow the instruction of Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, that is bhāgavata-dharma.
Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:
This is your consciousness. That means I am present in this body, and as soon as I am away from this body, you may cut this body into pieces—there will be no consciousness. There is no feeling. So our consciousness should be purified. Now the consciousness is contaminated by material association in so many ways. Just like the blood purification tonic is given. If the doctor finds by examination of the blood... In your country, as soon as you go to a doctor, immediately, "Please offer your blood." The demand is immediately blood. That is, of course, scientific, modern science. But according to Ayur Vedic system, there is no demand of blood. They feel the pulse, and according to the different, I mean to say, movements of the pulse, they can understand what kind of disease is there. That is a medical science.
Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:
Āryan means those who are advanced. Below that position they are all pāpa-yoni. In the Aryan civilization there is a system of four divisions of social order and four division of spiritual order. Social order is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. And spiritual order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Therefore what is going on at the present moment as Hindu... This word you won't find in the Vedic literature. Varnāśrama. This is real Vedic system, varṇāśrama. And human life begins when one observes the varṇāśrama regulations. Varnāśrama. Human life means to elevate oneself to spiritual consciousness or God consciousness. That they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim... (break)
Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:
Prahlāda Mahārāja, in another place, when he was asked by his father what's the best education he had received from his teachers, so father asked him to explain, so the son, Prahlāda Mahārāja said that hitvātma-ghātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). This is the best thing he has learned. What is that? Hitvātma-ghāṭam gṛham andha-kūpam. Gṛha, this family life is called gṛham andha-kūpam. Just like a man fallen in the dark well, so it is sure death, ātma-ghātam. Unless we are very cautious, this gṛha-andha kūpam, this family life, is very dangerous for spiritual advancement. Therefore, according to Vedic system, it is very regulated. First of all one is trained up as a brahmacārī, not to be attached in sex life. That is brahmacārī, celibacy. Just like these boys, these children, if we train them how to remain in celibacy... They can be trained up. The first training is brahmacārī. To remain in the gurukula... They are innocent. As you train them, they will be trained up.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:
These are the Vedic injunction. Bhāryā, wife is accepted, putrāyate, only for having good children. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi: "Lusty sex life is, when it is not against the religious principle, that sex life I am," Kṛṣṇa says. Dharmāviruddho. So dharmāviruddho, or which is not against religious principles. In this way you will find, according to Vedic system, the sex life is practically denied. But because we are now in the conditioned state, it is very difficult to completely deny sex life, there is regulative principle. First of all, training, no sex life. If you can remain without sex life, brahmacārī, it is very good. But if you cannot, then get yourself married, live with wife, but have sex only for progeny, not for sense enjoyment. Therefore even one is married, if he's sticking to one wife and the wife is sticking to one man, that is real married life, then the husband is also called brahmacārī. Even though he's a gṛhastha. And the wife is called chaste.
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:
Why shall I take your help?" Formerly the brāhmaṇas, real brāhmaṇas, they refused to take any charity from others, even up to this date, because according to Vedic system, when charity was to be given, it is to be given to the brāhmaṇas or the sannyāsīs. That is real charity. Datavyam. They should be given. Because they are always engaged in Brahman, therefore charity given to a brāhmaṇa or a sannyāsī goes to Brahman. That is the idea. At the present moment the advertisement is daridra, daridra-nārāyaṇa: "Charity should be given to the daridra, or the poor." But the Vedas, why they recommended that charity should be given to the brāhmaṇas?
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:
No. The law does not ask, "Are you brāhmaṇa or are you śūdra?" But according to Vedic system, rather, brāhmaṇas are treated very leniently because they are not so sinful. Just like Aśvatthāmā. He happened to be a brāhmaṇa, and he committed a great sin, killing the five innocent... (end)
Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:
So to come to this platform of confidence or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is training. That training is called viddhi-mārga, regulative principles, following the regulative principles. So this whole varṇāśrama system, Vedic system, the different caste—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, a brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa—they are very scientifically designed to elevate one gradually to the standard of "no fear," "fearfulnessless," no more fear, confident. So vipra means just the previous stage of becoming completely a brāhmaṇa. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ: "By birth everyone is born a śūdra."
Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:
So saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. By reformation, by following the regulative principle of how to elevate oneself to the knowledge of Brahman... That is called saṁskāra. There are ten kinds of saṁskāras, reformatory. This Vedic system is very scientific system to elevate the humankind to the highest perfection of life. So saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Then, when the saṁskāra is given, when his, the spiritual master sees that "This boy is now competent to study Vedas..." That requires a qualification. A śūdra is not allowed to study Vedas. There is restriction. Sometimes they think injustice, that "Why śūdras?"
Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:
Just like in India, nonvegetarian diet, according to Vedic system it is condemned. Nobody can eat any meat. But now they have learned how to eat meat. They are doing that. So somebody is saying, "Yes, today I have cooked meat, but in the Ganges water." Ganges water is considered to be pious. So he thinks by cooking meat in the Ganges water, it has become purified. You see? This is our mentality. We are bent upon doing all nonsense, and we want to get it supported by religious cover. Just like recently, the Christian world, they wanted support from the Pope of contraceptive method. That contraceptive method is condemned, but they want to be supported by the religious head. "If you don't support, then you are not good man. And if you support my nonsense, then you are very good man." Just like that Maharishi came here, and he supported that "Whatever nonsense you like, you do. You simply pay me thirty-five dollars and I give you one mantra, and within six months you become God." Oh, he looted your country. And after looting, he said, "Oh, my mission is failure." Because he has got his money, now he'll go. This is going on because we want to be cheated. Therefore cheaters come and cheat us. And as soon as say, "No. Everything belongs to God, my dear friend. You don't claim anything as yours. Because it belongs to God or Kṛṣṇa, you employ everything for His service"—"Swamijī is very conservative." You see. So actually, it is the fact.
Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:
So similarly, the example is given by Rūpa Gosvāmī, the hankering. He has given very nice example. Just like a young man is hankering after young woman. Natural. That is not artificial. Or a young woman is hankering after a young man. This hankering... Therefore, according to Vedic system, before the hankering becomes madly and one becomes spoiled by sex indulgence, he should be married. This is the psychology. At a certain age, twelve, thirteen years, woman, and fifteen, sixteen years, man, they become very, very much sexually hankering. Therefore the system is that at that time, psychological moment, the young girl and young boy should be married so that unity will endure. It will never break. There will be no more divorce. But when the hankering is exploited, then the whole life is spoiled. So Rūpa Gosvāmī is giving this example, that "When my hankering will be like the young man, young woman, hankering after one another?" It is very practically given. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣa prāvṛṣāyitam śūnyāyitam jagat sarvam.
Lecture on SB 7.12.5 -- Bombay, April 16, 1976:
They are simply eating. Gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām, mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛṇāṁ gṛhiṇāṁ dīna-cetasām. The householders especially, they have become very cripple-minded. In the śāstra it is said that sannyāsīs, brahmacārīs, they are supposed to be maintained by the gṛhastha as their children. As they are maintaining their own children—there is no disgust—similarly, if a brahmacārī or a gṛhastha comes..., brahmacārī or sannyāsī, so he should not be refused. Give something. If you give little rice, that is also good, but don't refuse. This is Vedic system. Bhaikṣyam. When this is stopped, that is called durbhikṣa. When this alms collection is impossible, that is called durbhikṣa. Even brahmacārī and sannyāsīs cannot get any alms. That is the period of durbhikṣa.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:
There, there are many instances. Just like gopīs. At dead of night, when Kṛṣṇa's flute was there, they left their husband, left their father, left their brothers, children, everything, and they went away. Now, according to our Vedic system, young girls, young women, leaving the protection of father, brother or superiors, and going in the forest for another boy—oḥ, it is very sinful. Socially, it is sinful. And Kṛṣṇa instructed them, "What you have done? You go back immediately." And they began to cry. That, this description is there. So now, from the social point of view, this is sin. This is sin when the gopīs went to Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja was standing without any protest and his father is being killed. Now can any sane man see that his father is being killed, and he's standing silently, without any protest? And Bali Mahārāja, he rejected his spiritual master. When Śukrācārya said that "Don't promise. He's Viṣṇu. He'll take everything of your. Don't promise anything," the Bali Mahārāja said, "He is Viṣṇu? And you are asking me not to promise to Him? Oh, I don't want such spiritual master. I reject him." To reject spiritual master is a great sin. So these are, from social point of view, from religious point of view, these are irreligious, sinful activities, to reject one's spiritual master; to see one's father being killed in one's presence; one woman is going to another boy, dead of night. Superficially they are sinful activities. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. There is no upāsanā, method of worship, as it was conceived by the gopīs. First class.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:
So sometimes... Just like there is example. We asked this question, bhoga-tyāga, to our Guru Mahārāja. So... What is the difference...? Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, he left everything for Caitanya Mahāprabhu's service. His lucrative service, minister post and everything, he re... Tyāga. And Rāmānanda Rāya, he was governor. He was governor and gṛhastha, and living very luxuriantly. He's bhoga, he's bhoga platform. Now both of them were devotees of Lord Caitanya. So what is the difference? This question was put. So our Guru Mahārāja replied: Just like a woman. According to our Vedic system, when the husband is out of home, the women is not supposed to dress herself very nicely. Proṣita bhartṛkā. It is called proṣita bhartṛkā.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:
But we have to take knowledge from superior authority. I am always not in knowledge. That is my position. But we take knowledge from superior authority. So we are taking knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, the most superior authority. (break) ...our Vedic system. It is advised, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). That is the system. Just like you are a medical man. To acquire your knowledge, you had to accept the medical college, the professors. So this is natural. If we want to know something which is not, or which is unknown to me, then we have to accept a guru, a superior man. Guru means superior man. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet. Guru means "heavy," or "superior." That is the law.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.3 -- Mayapur, March 27, 1975:
So Kṛṣṇa is para-tattva, accepted by all ācāryas. We are not talking of the fools and rascals who are theorizing without any knowledge. We are concerned with the authorities. So authorities... Especially in India, the whole Vedic system is being followed by the people under the authorities of the ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is following the path of the ācāryas, he knows. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. We cannot accept anyone as authority if he does not follow the paramparā, disciplic succession of ācārya. That is the Vedic system. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So Kṛṣṇa is para-tattva. Na caitanyāt kṛṣṇāt jagati para-tattvaṁ param iha. He is very emphatically asserting that "There is no more greater truth than Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." So according to the Vedic system, if you say something very emphatically, you must prove by Vedic evidences. Otherwise you can go on talking; nobody will hear. Sometimes people ask us about Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "What is the Vedic evidences?" So that Vedic evidences will be given, later chapters of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. He is not falsely asserting. Kavirāja Gosvāmī is very, very advanced devotee and scholar. He is not ordinary human being. He was empowered by Madana-mohana.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.11 -- Mayapur, April 4, 1975:
So whole Vedic system is designed in such a way that ultimately one is saved from this process of birth, death, old age and disease. Long, long ago, when Viśvāmitra Muni came to Mahārāja Daśaratha for begging Rāma-Lakṣmaṇa to take them to the forest because one demon was disturbing... They could kill, but the killing business is for the kṣatriyas. This is Vedic civilization. It is not the business of the brāhmaṇa. So the first reception Viśvāmitra Muni got from Mahārāja Daśaratha, that aihiṣṭhaṁ yat punar-janma-jayāya: "You are... You great sages, saintly persons, you have given up the society. You are living alone in the forest. What is the purpose? The purpose is punar-janma-jayāya, to conquer over repetition of birth."
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 3.87-88 -- New York, December 27, 1966:
It is beyond our jurisdiction of thinking, understanding. So there is no other alternative than to follow this principle, follow this principle, to follow the opinion of ācārya. Ācāryopāsanam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, "If if you want to make progress in knowledge, then you have to follow." Ācāryopāsanam: "You have to worship ācārya." Ācāryopāsanam. In the Veda it is: ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Veda means knowledge, one who knows. Who knows? "Who has got ācārya to guide him." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So similarly, therefore, this Vedic system always gives us injunction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "One must go to the authority." And how to become authority? There is no question of research, this research. Just like in the material world one becomes doctorate by research work, here there is no question of research.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:
This is civilization, varṇāśrama. One must observe (in) the material world. In the spiritual world, of course, there is no such thing as varṇāśrama. That is pure identity of the soul. So there is no... So long we are in this material world there must be a scientific division of progress of life. That is Vedic system. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. This is called varṇāśrama-dharma. I have repeatedly said that people call us Hindu in India. Actually, "Hindu" word is not visible in any Vedic literature. This is the name given by the Arabians to the, this part of the world, on the bank of the Sindhu. From the Sindhu the word "Hindu" has come. So actually, our culture is varṇāśrama-dharma. Therefore śāstra says, varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). In the varṇāśrama-dharma, the ultimate goal is to worship Lord Viṣṇu, whose name is Yajña. Out of many names of Lord Viṣṇu, one name is Yajña, Yajña-puruṣa. So anything performed to satisfy the Supreme Lord, that is called yajña.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:
Now, just see the behavior of Lord Caitanya. Although He was not in agreement with the other party, still, because they were sannyāsīs, renounced order of life, Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered His respect by bowing down before them. It is the duty of everyone, not only between the sannyāsī and sannyāsī. It is the custom of Vedic system. As soon as one would see a sannyāsī, at once he should offer his respect. If he does not offer his respect, then it is enjoined that he should fast one day as punishment. He should not eat. "Oh, I saw a sannyāsī, but I did not offer my respect. Therefore the penance should be that I should fast one day." This is the injunction. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although He was God Himself, but His behavior and His etiquette was excellent. At once He saw the sannyāsīs, He offered His respect. Pāda prakṣālana kari vasilā sei sthāne. And it is the system that when one comes from outside, he has to wash his feet before he enters room, especially for the sannyāsīs. So He washed His feet and sat down outside where the other sannyāsīs were sitting, a little off, just the place where He washed His feet.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.76-81 -- San Francisco, February 2, 1967:
Just like, several times I have given this example in this class, that it is... Lord Caitanya said to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya that "In the Vedas, it is stated that if you touch the stool of any animal, you'll be, I mean to say, infected. So you have to take your bath." Just like we go to evacuate in the bathroom and, after evacuating, you have to take bath. This is the system to become cleansed. This is Vedic system. But again the Vedas says that if you touch the cow dung, the stool of cow or another animal, oh, it is pure. Rather, if you are impure, by touching cow dung, you'll be purified.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:
Lord Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). People misunderstood. Therefore Caitanya came. He took sannyāsa so that... It is the custom in our country that a sannyāsī is offered respect. That is our Vedic system. If one does not show any respect to a sannyāsī, he has to fast one day. That is the injunction. Still, India, they do not disrespect a sannyāsī, although many so-called sannyāsīs, they are taking advantage of this. That is another subject. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted sannyāsa so that people may respect Him. And simply by respecting Him, he'll be liberated. He is so kind. So Rūpa Gosvāmī, he offers his respect to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was prime minister in Nawab Hussain Shah's government. He retired and took to the path of Lord Caitanya. And when he first met at Allahabad, he offered this prayer: namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). "My dear Lord, You are so munificent, You are so liberal than all incarnations. You are liberal, you are merciful than Kṛṣṇa also." So namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: "You are offering love of Kṛṣṇa. It is so difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, but You are so kind that You are directly offering love of Kṛṣṇa." Not only understanding, but also developing your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966:
"My dear Sir, I have wasted my time in simply sense gratification. That is my qualification. And I belong to the lowest caste," nīca jāti nīca-saṅgī, "and my association is also of the lowest type." And patita: "I am fallen, and I am the lowest of all. This is my qualification." Now, why he is submitting himself as nīca jāti? Nīca jāti means those who are born in lower families. They are called nīca jāti, as śūdras or less than the śūdras. According to Vedic system the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśya, they are higher caste, and the śūdras, they are lower caste. And less than śūdras, they are lowest.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.113 -- London, July 23, 1976:
So according to the Vedic system, the difference between atheist and theist is that the atheist means who do not believe in the version of the śāstra. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ na sa siddhim avāpnoti (BG 16.23). So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not blind. Don't think wrongly. We are confident. We sometimes challenge big, big scientists. On what ground? Not whimsically, but on the ground of śāstra. So we may not please everyone, but we cannot go out of this scope. We know that in the moon planet, in the Mars planet and all other planets, Jupiter and others, there are living entities, there is a predominating deity in each and every planet. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). So if there is no living entity in the sun planet, how there is Vivasvān, the sun-god or the predominating deity in the sun planet?
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.330-335 -- New York, December 23, 1966:
So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is quotation when Kṛṣṇa was born. It is the system of Vedic system. There are ten kinds of saṁskāras, reformation. And how much careful this Vedic civilization is, that a child will be born and he is taken care of since the day of the, I mean to say, joining, conjugation of the father and mother. Garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. How much they were expecting that a good son will come, and he will be so good that the society will be happy, the country will be happy, the world will be happy. Never they prescribed unwanted children like cats and dogs. No. So therefore there was garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Before the father and mother conjugate there is ceremony, garbhādhāna, for the higher caste. The higher caste were made not artificially. They had to follow nine great principles, then they are higher caste, not by rubber stamp, just like Gandhi wanted to do, taking the banghis, the sweepers, and rubber-stamping "harijana." No. This is a process. Everyone is open to become a harijana, but not by rubber stamp but by training. That training is required. People are avoiding the training and simply speculating in the mind, foolishness. How the world can improve? There must be training. Without training, simply by mental speculation, one can make any... Manasā mathurāṁ gacchasi. Oh, you have to work. If you want to go California, you have to go there. Simply I am thinking, "I am going to California, California," will that...? No.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:
So far Vedānta-sūtra is concerned, Bhāgavata is Vedānta-sūtra itself. Bhāgavata is the natural commentary on the, on the Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore one who has sufficient knowledge in Bhāgavata, he has automatically sufficient knowledge in Vedānta-sūtra. According to Vedic system, one must have sufficient knowledge in Vedānta-sūtra. Then he'll be considered as learned in spiritual science. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, although the Vaiṣṇavas, they have got their commentaries on Vedānta-sūtra, but this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya, they did not make any commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra because they belonged to the disciplic succession of Vyāsadeva. So Vyāsadeva is the spiritual master.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:
So you are nobody's enemy; you are everyone's friend, because you are showing the right way. Try to love Kṛṣṇa, or God. That's all. If you have got any own process, do it. Otherwise, please come to us. Learn it. Why one should grudge? Nīcād apy uttamāṁ strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that you have to catch up the right thing from any source. It doesn't matter. He gives example: viṣād api amṛtaṁ grāhyam. If there is a pitcher of poison, but if there is some nectarine over the pitcher, you catch it, take it out. Don't take the poison, but take the nectarine. Amedhyād api kāñcana. If you find that in a filthy place there is some gold, take it out. You are not to take the filthy stool, but you take the gold. Nīcād apy uttamāṁ vidyām. Nīcā. According to Vedic system, education has to be taken from high class, intellectual person like the brāhmaṇas.
Festival Lectures
Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to clear that covered sense or this colored consciousness or adulterated consciousness. Then everything will be there. You cannot kill consciousness. That is not possible. The Buddha philosophy is to stop consciousness, nirvāṇa. According to Buddha's philosophy, this consciousness is production by combination of this matter. This body is combination of matter: earth, water, fire, air, either, and, according to Bhagavad-gītā, further, mind, intelligence, ego. This is combination. They are very finely analyzed by the sāṅkhya philosophy system, by Vedic system, into twenty-four elements. And according to some, twenty-five, and according to some, twenty-six. According to our Vaiṣṇava philosophy, twenty-six. According to Māyāvāda philosophy, this is twenty-five. And according to impersonal philosophy or void philosophy, it is twenty-four. So originally, it is eight. So in this way... Buddha philosophy means that this whole existence of our body or our self is the combination of matter.
Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:
The whole human society is suffering for want of good brain. (break) ...created a nonsense democracy. A carpenter is called to fight? A cow slaughterer is called to preside over the meeting? What is this? One must be fit for the business. If you want to make one king, he must be just like royal, ideas, always thinking of the welfare of the citizens. Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. The whole business was how the people will be happy. When Parīkṣit Mahārāja was born, the child, it is the Vedic system as soon as a child is born, immediately expert brāhmaṇas, astrologers, are called. Automatically, they... That is called jāta-kriyā. There is a function. There are ten kinds of functions. From the point of begetting a child up to the point of death, there are saṁskāras, or reformatory process. By that process a human being is made perfect. That is called daśa-vidha-saṁskāra, ten kinds of processes. This upanayana, this initiation, offering the sacred thread, that is also out of those ten processes. The beginning of the process is called garbhādhāna, begetting a child. It is not sex enjoyment; it is a process by which you produce nice child. If you produce nice children, then the world is peaceful. But if you produce cats and dogs, how can you expect peace and prosperity? Therefore that is a process, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. In this way the Vedic system is the perfect process for creating civilized human being. So that is another chapter. Our present meeting is concerned with the Ratha-yātrā.
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 18.5 -- London, September 5, 1973:
So akṛṣṇa. He's not kṛṣṇa, not blackish. So there may be... But no. There are fixed colors for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śukla, śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ. When Kṛṣṇa was born at Nanda Mahārāja's place, or Kṛṣṇa appeared then,... So according to Vedic system there is jāta-karma. As soon as child is born, immediately horoscope is made and according to horoscope his name is given. There are daśa-karma. Daśa-karma. So one of these is at the birth, that before the child is begotten, there is one saṁskāra, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Similarly, after the child is born, then another saṁskāra, jāta-karma-saṁskāra. So there are so many saṁskāras. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ: By following the saṁskāra, purificatory process, one becomes brāhmaṇa. The upanayana-saṁskāra, the sacred thread saṁskāra. So when Kṛṣṇa was having the jāta-karma-saṁskāra by Gargamuni, the priest of Vasudeva... He was sent to Nanda Mahārāja to perform the Kṛṣṇa's jāta-karma. So he was a learned astrologer.
Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:
Indra-yāga-kṛtodyamān. According to Vedic system, there are different types of sacrifices to offer respect and obeisances to the demigods. Just like the sun is supplying light, the moon is supplying moonshine. Similarly, Indra is supplying the cloud. Similarly, there are different demigods. And in the Bhagavad-gītā, devan ya yajayantī deva-bhavan—these things are described. In the Vedic literature it is prescribed that "You should satisfy these demigods by sacrifice, deva-yajan." So in the village of that Vṛndāvana, the father of Kṛṣṇa, foster father of Kṛṣṇa, Nanda Mahārāja and his associates, they were yearly performing the Indra-yajña. Because they were agriculturists, they depended on rain, sufficient rains. And he had many cows. Nanda Mahārāja was a farm man.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:
None of them were belonging to the Vaiṣṇava sect or nothing. Caitanya Mahāprabhu turned them. This Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī were rejected from the brāhmaṇa community because at that time the brāhmaṇa society was so strict, if somebody takes service of a Musselman or anyone, oh, he is immediately exterminated: "Oh, you cannot be accepted as pure..." Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, according to Vedic system, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśya, they'll not accept any service, even it is worth $200,000. No. That he will not acc... Then that is degradation. Only the śūdras can accept. That was the Vedic system. To accept another's service was so abominable. In the Bhāgavata also it is stated that if the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśya, especially the brāhmaṇas, they have no livelihood, then they can adopt the business of kṣatriya and vaiśya, but never accept the occupation of the dog, śūdra. That is stated. You see? So to accept service of others was so abominable, even five hundred years ago. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, they were also belonged to very rich family, but because they accepted ministership in the government of a Muhammadan, they were rejected. They were exterminated from the society. What is the extermination of society? He will never be invited. Nobody will offer his daughter to their family, because according to Vedic system, daughters and sons are not loitering in the street.
Sri Sri Rukmini Dvarakanatha Deity Installation -- Los Angeles, July 16, 1969:
Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśrityā ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Never mind in whatever family one is born, sinful family, never mind. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyaḥ, including woman and śūdras and vaiśyas, they are considered as less intelligent. They are considered as less intelligent. Therefore, according to Vedic system, a boy born in a brāhmaṇa family, he is allowed all the saṁskāras, reformatory, purificatory process, but the girl is not. Why? Now, because a girl has to follow her husband. So if her husband is brāhmaṇa, automatically she becomes brāhmaṇa.
Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:
This is a prayer offering obeisances to the Six Gosvāmīs, direct disciples of Lord Caitanya. Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau. The Six Gosvāmīs' names are Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī... Vande rūpa-sanātana raghu-yugau. And there are two Raghus. One Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and one Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. According to whole Vedic system, there are four castes, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras. So this Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī belong to the... Of course, a Vaiṣṇava is never śūdra, but in social standard they belonged to the kṣatriya or śūdra. Therefore he is named as dāsa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. So the Six Gosvāmīs... (child making noises) Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. So Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and two Raghunātha Gosvāmī, and three, four, and then Jīva Gosvāmī and Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. Six Gosvāmīs. Practically, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu left behind Him that eight ślokas, Śikṣāṣṭaka, which you have seen. I have translated in my first volume of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Arrival Address -- London, September 11, 1969:
Because I have taken sannyāsa. I have dedicated my life for Kṛṣṇa. That is the Vedic system, that certain portion of your life should simply dedicate for God. That is called sannyāsa.
Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, July 8, 1974:
This is the process, Vedic process, to receive the transcendental knowledge through the paramparā system, and the reception or honor given to the spiritual master, it goes to Kṛṣṇa. Spiritual master is the official collector. Just like in government there is collector. He receives the money, taxes, from the citizens, not for his personal use but for the government. Similarly, this is the Vedic system, to receive knowledge through the transparent medium, guru, and to receive... Guru means the honor goes to Kṛṣṇa. So this is necessary. This is not an artificial thing, but spiritually it is necessary. Therefore we hold Vyāsa-pūjā day.
Initiation Lectures
Initiation Ceremony of Visnujana -- San Francisco, March 24, 1968:
That means this classification of society in the human society, that is made by God. What is that classification? The brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriya, the vaiśya, and the śūdra. It is not the name, but it is guṇa-karma. Brāhmaṇa means quality and work. Kṣatriya means quality and work. And vaiśya means quality and work. There is no question of birthright. It is a false proposition that a brāhmaṇa's son becomes brāhmaṇa. No, not necessarily. If he properly becomes initiated under the guidance of a spiritual master, then he is brāhmaṇa. Otherwise, if he has acquired the qualities of a śūdra, then he should be considered as a śūdra. These are the śāstric injunctions. And this classification is all over the world. Don't think that it is Indian or Vedic system. No. In every country, in every place, in every planet, these four divisions are there.
Initiation of Jayapataka Dasa -- Montreal, July 24, 1968:
This is the definition given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, that to become a devotee of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa, one has to follow the principles of śruti and smṛti, and pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, there is no Vedic vidhi. Because Vedic vidhi is lost. Formerly, initiation was offered to a person who is actually born of a brāhmaṇa father. Otherwise... Or the higher caste, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, they were offered initiation, and the śūdras were not offered. That was the Vedic system. But in this age the śāstra says that kalau śūdra sambhava. In this age of Kali practically there is no more any brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, or vaiśya. Maybe by name, but in qualification they are not existing. Everyone is supposed to be śūdra. So in Kali-yuga the pāñcarātriki-vidhi is accepted. The pāñcarātriki-vidhi is also Vedic vidhi, corollary, given by Nārada Mahāmuni. But it is accepted by the Vedic followers, pāñcarātriki-vidhi.
Initiation of Hrsikesa Dasa and Marriage of Satsvarupa and Jadurani -- New York, September 5, 1968:
So when a brahmacārī is married, he is called gṛhastha, or householder. But because a brahmacārī is trained from the very beginning of his life renunciation of material enjoyment, he cannot be absorbed like ordinary man in family life. Ordinary man, they cannot give up the family life or association of woman even up to the end of life. But according to Vedic system, association of woman is allowed only for a certain period, during the youthful days only, just to beget nice children. Because from the age of twenty-five years old up to fifty years, one can beget nice children. Gṛhastha life, householder life, is meant for begetting nice children. If there are Kṛṣṇa conscious children in the society, there will be no disturbance. According to Vedic system, the population is divided into two divisions. Illegitimate sons are called varṇa-saṅkara.
Initiation of Hrsikesa Dasa and Marriage of Satsvarupa and Jadurani -- New York, September 5, 1968:
That is called brahmacārī. And next is that if a brahmacārī wants to get himself married, that is allowed. So when a brahmacārī is married, he is called gṛhastha, or householder. But because a brahmacārī is trained from the very beginning of his life renunciation of material enjoyment, he cannot be absorbed like ordinary man in family life. Ordinary man, they cannot give up the family life or association of woman even up to the end of life. But according to Vedic system, association of woman is allowed only for a certain period, during the youthful days only, just to beget nice children. Because from the age of twenty-five years old up to fifty years, one can beget nice children. Gṛhastha life, householder life, is meant for begetting nice children. If there are Kṛṣṇa conscious children in the society, there will be no disturbance. According to Vedic system, the population is divided into two divisions. Illegitimate sons are called varṇa-saṅkara. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that when the population becomes varṇa-saṅkara, the whole social situation becomes hellish. Actually that is the fact. So one should be very careful to beget nice children so that society, social order, political order will be calm, quiet, peaceful. That is the idea of gṛhastha life.
Brahmana Initiation Lecture -- New Vrindaban, May 25, 1969:
So you are going to take the responsibility of brahmanism. This system is introduced according to pāñcarātrikī system. Pāñcarātrikī system means formerly in the Vedic system, without being born by a brāhmaṇa, nobody was given this sacred thread ceremony. "Without being born by a brāhmaṇa" does not mean hereditary, but actually, one who is brāhmaṇa... Just like you are not being created as brāhmaṇa. So if your son is born, he has the first claim to become a brāhmaṇa because by the birth he gets the brahminical culture, sees the father, mother. Just like this boy.
Brahmana Initiation Lecture -- New Vrindaban, May 25, 1969:
So in this age nobody is observing garbhādhāna ceremony; therefore it is to be understood that everyone is born a śūdra. Therefore pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Vedic system cannot be applied because nobody is born of a brāhmaṇa. Who knows? Who knows how he is born? There is no ceremony. That is witness, that "Oh, he will go." Just like marriage is a ceremony, there are so many witnesses, similarly, garbhādhāna ceremony, there is ceremony.
Lecture at Sannyasa Initiation -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:
Ahaṁ tariṣyāmi duranta-pāraṁ tamo mukundāṅghri-niṣevayaiva. As explained in the beginning, the whole process is to engage in the service of Kṛṣṇa, whose another name is Mukunda. Muk means liberation, one who gives liberation and blissful life. So this Kṛṣṇa Conscious movement is meant for delivering the conditioned soul of this age, Kali-yuga, as it was inaugurated by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, accompanied by Nityānanda. He also took sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years only, very young man. So according to Vedic system, one takes sannyāsa at the fag end of life. Just like I have taken. While I was going to die, I took sannyāsa. So, that is also, something is better than nothing. And now you have sannyāsa in prime youthful life. So you are all far better than me. You have got enough opportunity to serve Kṛṣṇa and His mission. I am old man. I may pass away at any moment. The wording is already there. So you remain and preach this cult.
Initiations -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1972:
But He is also going to a teacher's place to learn. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself; He's accepting a spiritual master, Īśvara Purī. Śrī Caitanya... Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya... Īśvara... That means Īśvara Purī became glorified by Caitanya Mahāprabhu's acceptance of him as spiritual master. But this is the etiquette, this is the Vedic principle, that even if you are God, if you, even if you know everything, still, you have to accept a teacher, a spiritual master. That is the Vedic system. So what are the rules?
Initiations -- San Diego, June 30, 1972:
So this practice, according to Vedic instruction... Because we have no attachment. So for making attachment, there are some regulative principles by which you can increase the attachment. Just like we say, "No illicit sex." That means... Illicit sex means those who are too much attached to sex; otherwise, there is no question of illicit sex. According to Vedic system one is married, and married means the girl has got a husband, and the boy has got a wife. So living on religious principles, they can satisfy their sex life for begetting nice children. So there is no prohibition.
Sannyasa Initiation -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:
So this purificatory process... According to Vedic system, there is purificatory process. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. "By birth everyone is born a śūdra." A śūdra means without any knowledge and simply full of lamentation. Śocati. So the Vedic process is that, from the low-grade position, to bring the human society to the highest, topmost position. Generally it is... The first, topmost position is to become a brāhmaṇa in the society. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Four divisions of the social system are there according to quality and work. That is very natural in this world.
Wedding Ceremonies
Paramananda & Satyabhama's Wedding -- Montreal, July 22, 1968:
This world is called relative world. It is not Absolute. Relative. Difference, two, duality. We cannot understand a man without knowing a woman. We cannot understand father without understanding a son or a mother. Relativity. But in Absolute world, everything is one. So this love between male and female, conjugal love, we Vaiṣṇava philosophers... Because everyone, according to Vedic system, everyone has to follow the Vedānta-sūtra. There are two section of philosophers in India, approved; not, I mean to say, manufactured philosopher, mental speculators, but actually those who are counted valuable. There are two classes of philosophers, namely the impersonalist and personalist. The Vaiṣṇava, they accept that the Absolute Truth is person, and the Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that Absolute Truth is impersonal. That is the difference. Otherwise their process of other paraphernalia, execution of understanding, is almost the same. Now our Vaiṣṇava philosopher's argument is that how the Absolute Truth can be impersonal? Because here, in this world, in our experience, we see everything personal. So unless the personality, the individuality, or the individual attraction is there in the Absolute Truth, how they can be represented here in the relative truth?
Wedding of Syama dasi and Hayagriva -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1968:
Our parents are present here. It is a very nice arrangement. And forget... In any circumstances... This material world we have to pass through many circumstances, but sometimes, even it is intolerable, we have to tolerate. So according to Hindu conception of life, even there is some misunderstanding between husband and wife, it is not taken very seriously. Never taken very seriously. But in your country, in the name of liberty and freedom, there are so many things. I do not wish to discuss all those things. But according to Vedic system, husband and wife, united together, there cannot be any separation. Perhaps you have heard the name of Mahatma Gandhi. He was married when he was student, sixteen years old, and his wife was also of the same age.
Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:
That one, first regulation, is that the student is not allowed to have illicit sex life. In this country, the guardians, the teachers, the government allows the boys and girls to meet together and have illicit sex life without marriage. That is not allowed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If any boy or girl wants sex life, then he should regularly be married. That is civilized way. Because in the civilized society there is marriage ceremony. According to Vedic system, the father and mother's responsibility is for the child unless they are married. It is the duty of the parents to see that the girl and the boy is married by the supervision of the parents. That is the Vedic way of civilization. In India the... Especially for the girls.
Initiation of Sri-Caitanya dasa and Wedding of Pradyumna and Arundhati -- Columbus, May 14, 1969:
It is stated, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The Lord says that "The four divisions of social order—namely the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, śūdras—these divisions were created by Me," and guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ, "not by birthright but by identification of qualities and actual work." In the similar way, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, it is stated that yasya hi yad varṇābhivyañjakam, lakṣaṇaṁ syāt. Yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ syād varṇābhivyañjakam, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). The whole Vedic system is to pick up qualitative persons. There is no such thing as birthright qualification. And Śrīdhara Swami, the greatest commentator on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he has commented on this verse, yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ syād varṇābhivyañjakam tat tenaiva vinirdiśet, yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet: (SB 7.11.35) "If such qualities are found in another platform, then he should be designated in that position." Just like if a boy born of a brāhmaṇa family, he has got the qualities of a śūdra, he should be indicated as śūdra. And if a boy born of a śūdra family but he has got the brāhmaṇa's qualities, then he should be accepted as brāhmaṇa.
Wedding Lecture -- November 17, 1971, New Delhi:
That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Kali-yuga, simply by accepting, the man accepts the woman as wife and the woman accepts the man as husband, that is the vow. Svīkāra eva hi udvāhe. Simply by acceptance. Because other things are not possible. And without marriage, that is not civilized life, because in the animal society there is no marriage. But in any form of civilized society there is marriage. Everyone has got sex appetite. Therefore, marriage is allowed by the Vedic system. And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi, "Kāma, lust, which is not against religious principles, that is I am."
Address at Wedding of Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:
Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, he sings that "This Nitai-Gaura incarnation, parama karuṇa—very, very merciful." Parama karuṇa, pahū dui jana: "Two lords, Nitai-Gaura." Parama karuṇa, pahū dui jana. Dui jana means two. Parama karuṇa, pahū dui jana, nitāi gauracandra: "Nityānanda and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, or Gaura Hari." Saba avatāra, sāra śiromaṇi kevala ānanda-khanda: "There are many incarnation, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda—simply ānanda, bliss." Ānanda, bliss, kevala ānanda-khanda. Now, for spiritual advancement, generally according to the Vedic system, so one has to accept the order of renounced life. Caitanya Mahāprabhu personally taught it, but He never condemned gṛhastha life, householder life.
General Lectures
Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968:
Therefore this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is accepting the mahājana, the authority. The first authority is Kṛṣṇa. From Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is hearing. There is no question about it. Now if you simply understand as Arjuna understood, then you have got the perfect knowledge. And if you speculate, if you try to comment in your own nonsense way, then you are misled immediately. So this is the way. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahājana means those who are perfect personalities. That will give you (?). That will do (?). Now, there are, according to Vedic system, there are twelve mahājanas. They are all in agreement that the supreme power is the Absolute Personality of Godhead. And they have become all devotees, they have served, they have prescribed rules and regulations. You can... So if we follow these rules and regulations and the mahājana, and many... As it is stated in Bhāgavatam, that those who have followed, they have got perfection. You can get also perfection, there is no doubt about it. Simply you have to follow the footprints of the ācāryas. Then your life will be perfect.
Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:
Because it is offered to Kṛṣṇa, immediately it is no more material. The result? You eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda and see how you are making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just if the physician gives you some medicine and if you get yourself cured, that is the effect of medicine. Another example is that how the material things become spiritual. A very nice example. Just like you have taken a large quantity of milk. So there is some disorder in your bowels. You go to a physician. At least, according to Vedic system of..., they will offer you a preparation which is called yogurt. That is milk preparation. That yogurt with little medicine will cure. Now your disease was caused by milk, and it is cured by milk also. Why? It is directed by the physician. Similarly everything. In the higher sense there is no existence of matter; it is only illusion.
Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:
So Kṛṣṇa used to go to the pasturing ground, and the gopīs at home... They were girls or women. They... Women or girls were not allowed to work. That is the Vedic system. They should keep at home, and they should be given protection by the father, by the husband, or elderly sons. They were not meant for going out. So they kept themselves at home. But Kṛṣṇa was, say, miles away in the pasturing ground, and the gopīs at home thinking, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa's feet is so soft. Now He's walking on the rough grounds. The particles of stones are pricking His sole. So He must be feeling some pain." In this way thinking, they used to cry. Just see. Kṛṣṇa is miles away, and what Kṛṣṇa is feeling, they are simply thinking of that feeling: "Kṛṣṇa may be feeling like that." This is love. This is love. They are not asking Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, what You have brought from Your pasturing ground? How is Your pocket? Let me see." No. Simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied. They used to dress themselves because..., and go before Kṛṣṇa with nice dress, "Oh, He'll be happy to see." Generally, a boy or a man becomes happy to see his lover or wife nicely dressed. That is... Therefore it is the nature of the woman to dress nice. And according to Vedic system, a woman should dress very nicely just to satisfy her husband. That is the Vedic system. If her husband is not at home, then she should not dress nicely.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:
I do not know that my position is to surrender, and that surrendering principle is my life, is my happy life. Just like a small child, if he surrenders to the wishes of the parents, his life is very pleasing, very happy. A young girl, if she surrenders to the wishes of the parents, and... That is the system, Vedic system. A woman, by nature, is dependent. Artificially, if woman wants liberty, then his (her) life is unhappy, her life is unhappy. Therefore Vedic system is... I am not manufacturing, I am speaking authorizedly on the Vedic principle. The Manu-saṁhitā, the law of Vedas, Manu, the master of the humankind, Manu... Manu is the father of the mankind. So he has got his lawbook. That Manu-saṁhitā lawbook is still followed in India so far as the Hindus are concerned.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:
Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā. This verse was spoken by Sūta Gosvāmī, who was speaking before a very learned gathering at Naimiṣāraṇya. It is the system of Vedic system, that... Not Vedic system; everywhere, all over the world. Any civilized society there is nice speaker, learned speaker, and many persons hear him. That is the system from very old time. So Sūta Gosvāmī, he was representative of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the speaker of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and he was addressing very learned brāhmaṇas. So he's addressing, dvija-śreṣṭhā. Śreṣṭhā means the, I mean to say, picked-up, the topmost of the brāhmaṇas.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:
The defect of the modern civilization is they don't care. Hedonism, Cārvāka's theory. There was, long, long before, there was an atheist philosopher. As there are many atheist philosophers nowadays, in former days also. He was known as Cārvāka Muni. According to his opinion, he says that don't care for next life. Don't care. Bhasmī-bhūtasya dehasya kuto punar āgamano bhavet. He says... Because according to Vedic system, the body is burned after death. As you bury underground... There are three processes everywhere. Somebody throws away for being eaten up by birds, or somebody puts within the ground, or somebody burns it. So Cārvāka Muni says that "After burning this body, who is coming and who is responsible? You see. You live merrily as far as possible. Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet. If you have no money, then borrow or steal, but live very nicely for sense pleasure." That is Cārvāka Muni's theory, and mostly, at the present moment, that theory is being followed. But the question is that Cārvāka Muni says there is no next life. What is the proof? Does it mean that his word is proof that there is no next life? Then everyone will say something. Of course, that is being accepted. Anyone discovers or says something nonsense, it is accepted.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:
But the process of Vedic understanding is not like that. You have to accept knowledge from the authority. Therefore the Vedic system has rejected the Cārvāka Muni. He has no authority. He is authority himself. He says that there is no life, but what is the proof? But there are many proofs that there is next life. So who will accept Cārvāka Muni's theory? Nobody. No sane man will accept. And suppose if there is life. There are two philosophers: one says that there is no life, other says there is life. Now we have to study both, if there is life and if there is no life. But if there is life, the next answer to Cārvāka theory, if there is life, then if I'm working irresponsibly, then I am becoming victim to my next life. So there are... But we have to take from the authority.
Lecture -- Boston, April 25, 1969:
Only austerity is that don't have illicit sex life just like cats and dogs, because marriage is recommended in the human society. There is no marriage in cat society, dog society, hog society. Any human society you take, either in the Western world or in the Eastern world, or in Christian society, Hindu society, Muhammadan society—in every civilized human society there is a ceremony called marriage. And that is also Vedic system, that one should not have any illicit sex life, but one should be combined according to religious rite and live peacefully and execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This much austerity.
Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:
So our Vedic system was so nicely designed that automatically one will be elevated to the understanding of Brahman. This caste system is condemned because they have been vitiated by designing person. Actually, caste system, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ... (BG 4.13). According to division of qualities, there are caste system everywhere. Goodness, passion, and ignorance—these three qualities are working in the material nature. The persons who are in goodness, they are called brāhmaṇas. Not that birth. Kṛṣṇa does not say, "By birth." Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. There is no question of birth. Simply by quality. Quality, the division is everywhere: intelligent class of men, administrative class of men, productive class of men, and laborer class of men. This is brāhmaṇa, śūdra... That's all.
Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:
I am very pleased, I have seen practically in this Delhi that the Muslim children are given instruction of Koran from very early age. Actually, this should be done for everyone. I am very pleased. Not I am pleased, I may please or not, but that is the way of life. A human child should be given instruction about Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning, and that was our Vedic system, brahmacārī. Brahmacārī should go to the house of the teacher or spiritual master at the age of five years old, and he should remain there for twenty years to understand the value of life.
Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:
So Prahlāda Mahārāja's recommendation is very genuine. That is the Vedic system. But he was unfortunately born in an asura family. His father was a great asura. Asura means godless. He had also undergone severe austerity to achieve the power. He was defeated by the demigods. So he left his home and underwent severe austerities so that the whole universe became trembled and Brahmājī came to appease him, "What do you want?" He said, "I want to become immortal." So Brahmājī said, "How can I give you the benediction of immortality, because myself I am not immortal?" Everyone has to die in this material world, either one may be Brahmā or a small ant. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). "So this is not possible. I cannot make you immortal."
Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:
Very nice instruction. "My dear friends," durlabham, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma, "this human form of body is very, very rare to achieve. Now we have got it. Therefore, let us begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness from very childhood." That is the Vedic system. From the very childhood, a brahmacārī is given Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that in future his life becomes perfect. What is that perfect? He knows Kṛṣṇa by Kṛṣṇa consciousness perfectly. And what is the result? If one knows Kṛṣṇa perfectly, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), then after giving up this body, he does not come again back to take another material body, and he goes back to home.
Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:
Some of them are joining us, but this is the problem. The Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This is very, very important message. We should be careful to educate our sons, our boys, with bhāgavata-dharma from the very beginning of life. That was the Vedic system. Therefore, in the first twenty-five years of life, the children were sent to gurukula for learning this bhāgavata-dharma.
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:
The foolish persons, foolish living entities, abodha-jāto... All of us, we are born ignorant; otherwise why we are sent to a school? Why the children are sent to a school? Because they're abodha-jāto. By birth they are all śūdras, abodha. Therefore according to Vedic system there are saṁskāras, reformatory methods, and when the child is taken for saṁskāra, that is called upanayana. Upanaya means bringing him nearer to understand spiritual life. That is sacred thread ceremony. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Everyone is born ignorant. Otherwise why a person even born in brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya family, why this upanāya saṁskāra is there? Because it is to be understood that when a person takes birth, he's śūdra. He has to be educated. He has to be given transcendental knowledge. That is the aim of human life. Unfortunately, these things are now stopped.
Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:
So it may be a satisfaction for the relatives, but what is the use of it, decorating a dead body? Bhagavad-bhakti-hīnasya jātiḥ japas tapaḥ kriyaḥ: "Great nationality, great work, great achievement, minus bhagavad-bhakti, God consciousness, is just like decorating the dead body." That's all. What is the use of decorating the dead body? Because actually this body is dead. As soon as the soul is away from this body, it is a lump of matter. So when the soul is off from the body, if somebody decorates that dead body, what is use? It is simply concoction. That's all. Therefore according to Vedic system, as soon as a body is dead, there is no question of decorating. Immediately burn it and finish. Make it into ashes. That's all. The body has no importance. Real, the soul is important, the living force. So we have no education about that living force, and the original living force is Kṛṣṇa, or God. So we have no information. So therefore this education is very, very essential, at least at the present moment. You may educate in any way—Christian way, Hindu way, Muslim—but educate all the people about God consciousness. Otherwise there is doom.
Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:
In the Vedic scriptures, Kathopaniṣad, it is said, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Upaniṣad, whatever is spoken in the Upaniṣad that is gospel truth. That is the system of understanding transcendental knowledge, veda-pramāṇa, evidence from the Vedas. According to Vedic system, amongst the learned scholars, if one presents Vedic evidences, then his position is strong. Just like in law court, two lawyers are arguing. One lawyer who quotes from the lawbook various bona fide quotations, the judgment is given in his favor because that is authorized.
Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:
We have divided God's land: "This is America. This is India. This is Germany. This is England." But after all, this is our given name. This planet especially... Not only this planet, all other planets, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-loka-maheśvaram: He's the proprietor. Formerly, five thousand years ago, this planet was being governed by Kṛṣṇa's representative, Mahārāja Parīkṣit. That is actually life. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of all planets, and one should be Kṛṣṇa's representative to rule over the planet. That is Vedic system. There cannot be any king or emperor who is not representative of God. It is the duty of the representative of God to take charge of a planet and educate the persons, the citizens, into God consciousness. That is Vedic way of life. Not that the chief executive or the government simply levies taxes from the citizens and let them go to hell. This is not good government. The government must be responsible for the uplift of the citizens to the spiritual life. That is real government.
Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972 'The Present Need of Human Society':
So, according to Vedic principle, that is not dharma. Vedic principle says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religion which teaches people how to become devotee of the Supreme Lord. Paro dharmaḥ. Paraḥ means transcendental. There are many kinds of dharmas, and according to Vedic system, there are twenty different types of books, viṁśati-prakāśa-dharma, given by different sages. But the conclusion is that that is first-class dharma which is convenient for becoming a devotee of the Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the same thing: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). In another place, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is said, dharmaḥ projjita-kaitavo atra. Atra, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, Bhāgavate, projjhita. Projjhita means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa ujjhita, very cleansely swept away. That means it is taken away, projjhita. Just like we sweep very nicely, cleansely, our room, similarly all types of cheating religion is wiped out, swept away. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2).
Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:
Just like in your country, George Washington. Many scientists. In our country also, many big leaders, Mahatma Gandhi and others. Do you think that these men are combination of bag, combination-bag of bones and flesh and urine? Therefore, the śāstra says: yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Tri-dhātuke. This body is made of three elements, according to Ayur Vedic system, kapha pitta vāyu. Mucus, bile and air. So actually, the combination of this body is like that. As soon as the spirit soul goes out of this body, it is nothing but bones, flesh and urine and stool and it has to be thrown away. In every society, as soon as the man is dead... So, while he was living, he was acting so nicely, so intelligently.
Lecture -- Jakarta, February 27, 1973:
So Kṛṣṇa has all these opulences; therefore He's accepted as God—not superficially—by great, great saintly persons. Therefore Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord: paraṁ brahma, paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). It is not that because he was Kṛṣṇa's friend, therefore, out of his sentiments he accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He accepted on the authority of the Vedas. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So according to Vedic system, all sages, all the great saintly persons, all the great kings, everyone accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are many instances.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
So submission means I must approach somebody who is actually in better position or higher position. Otherwise, what is the use of approaching? Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā. And sevā means service. You cannot challenge. You approach such person whose instruction you shall receive. You can inquire submissively, but you cannot challenge. That is not allowed in Vedic system. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Therefore before selecting a teacher, you must decide whether you can submit there. If you cannot submit there, don't approach, don't waste time. So that is the process. And Arjuna submitted to Arjuna, uh, Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:
Divyam means His birth is not ordinary birth. If it had been ordinary birth, then why we are still performing the Janmāṣṭamī ceremony, Kṛṣṇa's birthday ceremony? Many big, big kings came and gone. Who is performing the birthday ceremony of that king? But we perform according to Vedic system the birthday ceremony of Lord Rāmacandra. Nowadays we have imitated so many other birthday ceremonies, but in the śāstra it is enjoined the birthday ceremony of the advent of God should be observed. The birthday ceremony of God is called jayantī. That is special constellation of the stars. But now the jayantī has been used for so many rascals and fools. This is not śāstric. So because Kṛṣṇa's janma and ordinary man's janma is not the same thing, therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). Divyam means transcendental, not material. Not material. It is spiritual or transcendental, divyam. Janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Still you have to learn it in truth.
Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:
You can come in. Thing is that it is the government's duty to see that nobody's unemployed. That is good government. That is the Vedic system. The society was divided into four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And it was the duty of the government or the king to see the brāhmaṇa is doing brāhmaṇa's duty, and the kṣatriya's duty, uh, kṣatriya... His duty is the kṣatriya's duty. Similarly, vaiśya... So it is the government's duty to see that why people are unemployed. Then the question will be solved.
La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974:
Actually a God conscious person is neither Westerner nor Easterner. So anywhere he goes, the devotees, as they receive him, they accept. These devotees, they have arranged the raised seat, so we have accepted this raised seat. If they wanted to sit down on the floor, I would have gladly accepted. I have no objection, this or that. But as the devotees receive and they give honor, that is good for them, because actually we should honor the Supreme Lord, God, and His representative. Nowadays it is different. Students and people are learning not to honor. But that is not actually the system. According to Vedic system, the representative of God must be honored as God. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Just like in India we had British rule. The governor general, he was viceroy. So he was given honor, as much honor we used to give to the king. So that is the etiquette. That is the system. It is not that the honor given to the viceroy exactly like to the king, he becomes a king. No. He is servant of God. But it is the duty of the citizen to honor the representative of the king as king. That is etiquette. That is our Vedic system.
Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is little difficult for ordinary persons who are interested with the material gross and subtle elements. For them it is little difficult. But Kṛṣṇa says apareyam, "This is inferior, these energies." They are energies, prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā. Prakṛti means energy, just like prakṛti means woman, naturally a woman is under the control of the man. That is our Vedic system, and natural system also. However, the woman may claim equal rights, they are under the control of the man. That is natural. So similarly prakṛti means which is under the control of the Supreme Lord. That is prakṛti.
Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to find out the supreme father. Supreme father. That is the sum and substance of this movement. If we do not know who is our father, that is not a very good position. At least, in India, it is a custom, if somebody cannot say his father's name, he is not very respectable. And it is the system in the court that you write your name, you must write your father's name. That is Indian, Vedic system, and the name, his own name, his father's name and his village name. These three combined together. I think this system may be prevalent in other countries, but India, this is the system. The first name his own name, the second name his father's name, and the third name is the village or the country where he is born. This is system. So father's..., we must know the father. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Sunday Feast Lecture -- London, July 25, 1976:
So far Kṛṣṇa bhajana is concerned, there is no such distinction of caste, creed, nation, religion, no. Everyone. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's word, and Kṛṣṇa's personal words are, in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ hi pārtha 'vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). People are generally against the mlecchas, yavanas or the caṇḍālas because according to Vedic system, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriya, they are supposed to be pious family, brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas. Less than that, even woman, they are not so pious. So in that sense there is discrimination. But Kṛṣṇa says that māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Anyone, it doesn't matter, even he belongs to the pāpa-yoni, low-grade family. And because women and vaiśyas are śūdras are also considered as less important, so Kṛṣṇa mentions, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim: "Even women, śūdras, or the vaiśyas, everyone can be elevated to the higher transcendental platform, parāṁ gati." Parāṁ gati. Gati means advancement, stepping forward, gati. So everyone is given this advantage of stepping forward. Stepping forward... (aside:) ...is it finished or not? Eh?
General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):
He was also disciple of Sandipani Muni. Everyone has to become disciple. That is the Vedic system. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ gurum evābhigacchet. Without becoming disciple, nobody can understand.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:
Prabhupāda: Yes, that's nice. That's nice. That is the system, Vedic system. A king must educate.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Śyāmasundara: Well, that's possible, but I don't find...
Prabhupāda: According to our Vedic system, when a man is dead, he is burned into ashes. Why the rascal will get the bones?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: There are no bones.
Śyāmasundara: But there are no other... There's no cities, tools...
Prabhupāda: The animals, they are not burned. They remain. But human being, they burn into ashes. So he cannot find the human bones.
Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:
Śyāmasundara: He would say that those values which civilizations most cherish or prize, that those are the values that we should accept. Just like that...
Prabhupāda: That is the Vedic civilization. That is the Vedic civilization. The Vedic system still stands. So many civilizations come and go on; therefore this is value in civilization.
Śyāmasundara: I think all civilizations have cherished those values at their peak.
Prabhupāda: But because they are not factual, they have failed. But Vedic civilization is still going strong.
Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:
Prabhupāda: So man's general position is as good as animal. Therefore in the human society there is system of education. But man, being advanced in consciousness, he can be properly educated so that he can understand what is God by the teachings of authority, and that is our Vedic system. In the human form of life—not generally but in special cases—they are very much inquisitive to understand about God. That is technically called brahma-jijñāsā. inquiring about the Absolute. And that is only possible in the human form of life. Generally, any human being can be educated in the spiritual life or God consciousness, but if anyone awakens his inquiry, as it is stated, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21), if one is actually anxious to inquire about God or the supreme knowledge, then he has to approach a guru. That's a fact. Without approaching a bona fide guru there is no possibility of understanding the nature of God and our relationship with Him. So one has to approach a guru.
Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:
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.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Prabhupāda: So religious principle means regulated sex life. People have a tendency... Just like those who are not regulated by the Vedic injunctions are also having sex. So what is the meaning of this legal sex? Legal sex means it is restricted, that is all. Where there is no set injunction. Just like in Western countries, they are having sex without any restrictions. But according to the Vedic system, there are restrictions. Just like eating meat, that is also restricted. You cannot eat meat from the slaughterhouse, but the injunction is that you can take a goat and in the presence of goddess Kali you can offer it, and then you can eat it. In the śāstras this is called (indistinct). Amisa means meat which is not sacrificed.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Prabhupāda: Therefore this Vedic system is so scientific, varṇāśrama-dharma. When these things are automatically adjusted and checked, our life becomes very peaceful and we make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then these things will not come.
Śyāmasundara: This sexual energy, or the libido energy, he sees as not only sexual intercourse but is associated with a wide variety of pleasurable sensations relating to bodily activities, such as pleasure of the mouth, of the different organs. He says it's all sexual energy-eating, sucking.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Prabhupāda: When you have more sex, then you have no power to beget a male child. When the man is less powerful, a girl is born. When the man is powerful, a boy is born. That is Vedic system. In our country, in (indistinct), there are fewer woman because there the men are very stout and strong. When there is discharge, if the man's discharge is larger, then there is a male child; if the woman's discharge is larger, then there is a female child. So when women will be very easily available, the men will be weak. So what will he beget? He will beget female child, because he has lost his power. Sometimes he becomes impotent. So many desertions. If you don't restrict sex life, there will be so many desertions. And that is happening-impotency, no marriage, woman population more. But they did not know how things are happening, how human psychology can be controlled. The perfect system is the Vedic system.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Śyāmasundara: Perhaps his one contribution was that he said that behavior must be understood in terms of a person's whole life history, in the total...
Prabhupāda: That is why in our Vedic system it is forbidden that even a small child, before that small child, the husband and wife should not joking. They should not talk jokingly.
Śyāmasundara: To the child?
Prabhupāda: Before the child.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Prabhupāda: Evidently he is frustrated, without any knowledge of religion. He had no idea. He has seen that so many sentimental religious system, and he has concluded like that. But first of all let him understand what is religion. Religion cannot come into existence without understanding the idea of God. Religion without God cannot be religion. According to Vedic system, religion means the order given by God. But if one has no conception of God, that there is no question of religion. So Godless religion is, certainly, it is sentiment. That is not religion. So he has studied something which is not religion; therefore he has got so many doubts about religion. Real religion is that there is God, that is a fact, and whatever orders the God gives, that is religion. So he does not know what is God. How he will know what order He is giving? So for him everything is not religion.
Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:
Śyāmasundara: So that person can see us for what we are, more than we can see ourselves.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like here is a physician, he knows simply by feeling his pulse beating, he can understand what is his position. And he gives medicine according to that. Āyur-vedic system is very nice. One has to learn how this pulse is beating, then immediately diagnosis is there, medicine is given.
Śyāmasundara: These psychologists like Jung, all have different processes for finding out a person's unconscious mind. For instance, interpreting his dreams, or by sometimes they put a picture, they say, "How do you look at this picture? What do you see in this picture?"
Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:
Prabhupāda: Such a nonsense cannot perceive. Therefore we have to go to a person who knows. I may be fool, rascal, so I cannot perceive, but that does not mean things are there as the fools and rascals perceive. Our process is, therefore, Vedic process-tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). In order to be really learned, wise, one must go to a guru. Gurum eva abhigacchet. Must. This abhigacchet word means "must." There is no alternative. He cannot know things as they are without approaching guru. That is our Vedic system. And guru means one who knows the Vedas, and one who is firmly fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is guru.
Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:
Prabhupāda: So pratyakṣa is third-class knowledge, according to Vedic system. Pratyakṣa is third-class knowledge. Or fifth-class knowledge. There are stages of knowledge-pratyakṣa, parokṣa, aparokṣa, adhokṣaja, aprakṛta-(indistinct)—that when you come to the standard of aprakṛta knowledge, that is perfection. So pratyakṣa knowledge, direct perception, is fifth-class knowledge, and according to Vedic system, pratyakṣa, aitirya, and śabda... Pratyakṣa, direct perception; (Sanskrit), (indistinct); and śabdha. Three. So out of these three kinds of evidences, śabda-pramāṇa, veda-pramāṇa, is perfect. So if pratyakṣa knowledge is perfect, then why a child, a boy, is sent to school? To hear from the teacher. That is śabda. That is śabda. If pratyakṣa, direct perception, would have been perfect, then there was no need of sending these boys to school to hear from the teacher. But this is very scientific, śabda-pramāṇa.
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:
Devotee: He isn't saying how we should control people. He is simply putting forth the idea that people should be controlled. He doesn't say... In fact, he admits that he doesn't know what the aim or goal is, or how exactly we should control it. He is simply putting forth that according to the Vedic system, the correct thesis that man can be controlled.
Prabhupāda: Man is already controlled, already controlled. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that you are already under the dangerous laws, under the control of the stringent laws of material nature. And you are feeling inconvenienced, just like the threefold miserable condition. (indistinct-greeting guests) So there is no doubt about it. We are controlled. Nobody can say "I am free." We are controlled. When we are being controlled, we are feeling some inconvenience. So we are advising that you be under the control of Kṛṣṇa.
Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:
Prabhupāda: That was perfect in Vedic system, that you... The land is supposed to belong to the government or to the king. The king gives you the land that "You make production and give me tax, one-fourth. That's all." So there is no question of profit. If you have produced one kilo, give one-fourth kilo to the king as tax. That is real social system. Actually, according to our Vedic system, everything belongs to God and the king is supposed to be representative of God to manage things. So for his managerial work he requires some money. Therefore I have taken some land for my livelihood. So whatever production is there, I pay one-fourth to the king for management. This is nice system. As soon as the tax is realized in terms of pound, shillings, pence, whole difficulty arises. I have produced ten mounds of rice and out of that one-fourth I give to the government or to the king. So I have no anxiety. If I produce twenty mounds, I give one-fourth. If I produce ten mounds, I give one-fourth. If I don't produce I don't give. This is perfect system.
Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:
Prabhupāda: Why deprived? He has got proprietorship. You have got proprietorship, I have got proprietorship. Why you are deprived? Because government has given me some land, it does not mean that a fellow subject, my brother, should not be given. As I have got, he has got. Therefore our Upaniṣad says, tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā (ISO 1). "Whatever is given to you by God, you be satisfied." That is Vedic system. Therefore you find, a poor man is also satisfied and a rich man is also satisfied. The poor man thinks that "God has given me this; so I must be satisfied with this and execute my God consciousness." And the rich man also thinks that "God has given me this; so let me be satisfied with this and save my time." There is no competition.
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Demigods, according to Vedic system, demigods... (Hindi:) Aiye. Demigods were created before man was created. (Hindi:) Aiye. Jaya. Demigods, just like demigod, Lord Brahmā, he was first created. From Brahmā, Lord Śiva was created. Then... Created means born, not created. So similarly, from Brahmā, other, Dakṣa, he was created, so many, one after..., Prajāpatis, then Manus.
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:
Prabhupāda: This is the thing, you have to gain by your own endeavor. Other things naturally come in. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Therefore śāstra says, "For that perfection, one should devote his life." Here people are taught to struggle how to get material comforts, but according to Vedic system, material comforts you will have whatever is destined to you. But so far your spiritual development is concerned, you have to understand that you are spirit soul and you can develop yourself to go back to the spiritual world, you can be associated with the Lord. So many things, spiritual activities. So the śāstra says that one should try to achieve spiritual perfection, and for that he should endeavor. Not for material comforts. Material comforts will come to you as material distress come upon you. You don't ask for material distress, but it comes. Similarly, material comforts also will come automatically. So there is no need of wasting time.
Philosophy Discussion on Plato:
Prabhupāda: It is very, a very dangerous position, this so-called democracy. Nobody cares for it. So sometimes this emergency is required, but if it is used again for personal aggrandizement, then it is also. Actually, the perfection of government is monarchy, and the monarchy, monarch should be ideal rājarṣi. That is the Indian's, Vedic system. The Vedic system was there everywhere; therefore still there are monarchs. But they are simply maintaining the monarchy, but actually monarch has no power.
Hayagrīva: I think in the history of the West all the monarchs have been ogres except maybe with the exception of Constantine, who was a Christian monarch, and I think that was the only one.
Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:
Prabhupāda: Yes, because the world activities must be regulated to the ultimate goal, understanding of God. Human civilization is meant for understanding God. So although the Church or the brāhmaṇas may not directly handle administrative activities, but it must be done under their supervision, or under their instruction. That is Vedic system. The brāhmaṇa is the Church, and the kṣatriya, the administrator. So the administrator used to take instruction from the brāhmaṇas, or one who can deliver a spiritual message. This is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, that Kṛṣṇa, millions of years ago, He instructed the message of Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god. Sun-god is the origin of administrators, kṣatriya. So therefore the king, or the kṣatriya who administrators the business of the state, if he follows the instruction of veda through the brāhmaṇa or the Church, then he is called rājarṣi-king, and at the same time saintly person. Although he is king, he is following the instruction of saintly person or the Church. So in this way if the brāhmaṇas or the Church are in order, their instruction is in order, and the administrators, kṣatriya, they follow that instruction, he is in order. So the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. Vaiśya, if he follows the instruction of the kṣatriya, he is in order, and śūdras, they have no intelligence; therefore they follow the instruction of the three superior orders. This is the division of the society.
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:
Prabhupāda: That is Vedic system, to control the whole mass of people in classification. The intelligent class, the administrative class, the productive class, and the worker class, and less than them, and in their respective position, if they cooperate for the common cause, that becomes a perfect society. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya... Therefore this system is called varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśrama, social order and spiritual order. The ultimate end is spiritual, but if the social order is not organized, then spiritual order is also disorganized. So there must be division of labor and activities.
| Page Title: | Vedic system (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Laksmipriya, Partha-sarathi, Rishab |
| Created: | 13 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=262, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 262 |